14 replies to this topic

[rvec]

A few days ago, my wife said, You are spending a lot of your time down in the shop. How many new cars have you built since the pandemic hit? That got me to thinking. Back in early 2020, I started with a major clean-up of my shops club room followed by a fresh coat of paint (see the link http://slotblog.net/...4728-paint-job/). This was followed by a total re-organization of my parts, models etc. Then the fun really began (below is an image of the club room all neat and tidy).
 

In late fall of 2019, I had the pleasure of spending some quality slot time with some of my old friends in Arizona. The AZGR group runs 1/32 and 1/24 cars at a number of home tracks in the Mesa, Arizona area. One of the classes they run is H&R Indy. The cars ran well and looked great. As the beginnings of the pandemic set in, I thought that with time on my hands, I would build my own Indy prototype, and if it ran well add an Indy car class to our race program. I built two cars. The first was using an old ProTrack brass chassis I had laying around. Since the ProTrack brass chassis is no longer available, I then built an Indy car using an H&R chassis. See the link ( http://slotblog.net/...4663-indy-cars/ )
 

 

After the Indy projects, I was surfing the internet and found that some of our Northwest brethren were running Early Modifieds. Again, I thought I would build a prototype and if it ran well, establish a new class of racing. To make the class as simple as possible, I started with a chassis that nearly all of our members have, the Econo. The Econo is a simple brass and wire chassis that has only a side to side motion (no hinges). We use this chassis for three classes. Below are images of three Early Modifieds that I built for myself. In addition, with so much time on my hands, and others clamoring for these great looking cars, I built several for others. (See the links http://slotblog.net/...arly-modifieds/ and http://slotblog.net/...difieds-redux/)
 

 

 

At about the same time, I thought that we could use our existing chassis for a 1/25 NASCAR class so I built several for myself to see which ones worked the best.  Below are a few images.
 

 
 
Then a quick strip and repaint of a Mazda RX7
 

I had a Scaleauto Porsche that I was not using, so I converted it to run in our Sports Car class (see the link for the build http://slotblog.net/...ified-monster/)
 

I then decided to build another Can-Am car using a resin body and a Scholer Chassis. See the link http://slotblog.net/...385-mclaren-m8/
 

By then, it appeared that we would be in lockdown for several more months, so I decided to try molding and casting. I used a resin GT40 Mk IV that I purchased more than a year ago as the base. I thought that I would use the purchased model as a slot car as is. I was woefully mistaken. The body weighed over 90 grams. First I made a mold using the purchased model and then cast several Mk IVs. I plan to do a few more before I am through (perhaps the #3 and #4 cars that ran at LeMans in 67). See the link http://slotblog.net/...ting-a-journey/
 

 

 

Many more to come - Working on several more repaints and hope to begin a brand new molding and casting project very soon, a 1/20 scale Cobra Daytona Coupe

[Rich Joslin]

Great job on those GT40s. I am looking forward to seeing how the Daytona Coupes turnout.

[rvec]

Great job on those GT40s. I am looking forward to seeing how the Daytona Coupes turnout.

 

Thanks Rich J.

 

The Daytona Coupe project will begin sometime in January

[MattD]

A lot of us are lucky this hobby has given us something to do instead of watching tv all day.    Sometimes it's hard to get motivated to work in the slot car shop, but then again, 3-4 times a week I have 3-4 hour session building, re-building or restoring.

 

Being a collector, seller and racer, there are lots of areas where I can work.    I have finished some old stuff, listed and sold lots of stuff and for my racers I decided to build some 50's/60's stock cars.    I got a variety of cheap vac bodies (they do look cheap).    I scrounged up all the H&R chassis I had and have 4 cars built and 2-3 more to go.    I am using the motors that were too slow for our regular cars.   Instead of trying for a 4 second car, I am setting these up to run 4.5 seconds.    It will be something different and will take more control sicne they are longer and easier to nerf the guy next to you.

 

I did the Model Car and Track cover copy with resin cast Monogram buildings and track.     Added 3-4 cars to my permanent stuff.   Lots of things to do.

This was an old built up that I added chrome to this past week.   Really needs to be re-done, but it is a resin body I did 12-15 years ago, and was already yellow.     The chrome comes from the Don Edmonds modified racer kit or any of it's re-makes.

 

 

[rvec]

Pretty cool!

[Jesse Gonzales]

I'm glad for you that there are active club racers in Mesa, I have been waiting for a chance to race again but am a "Speed Crazed Moron" with a taste for opens and the likes. The trek across town to Mesa's commercial track has not interested me as it's geared to drag racers. There is a track at 49th Ave and Thunderbird that caters to Scalextric and Carrera racers, unfortunately that isn't my scene either. The problem is mine so I'll sit here with all my wire, blanks, cans, chassis etc. gathering dust waiting for the day when a full eight lane track shows up. If I wait long enough I'll get to go to the big track in the sky where comms don't explode and epoxy doesn't turn to jelly.

 

Jesse Gonzales

[Dave Crevie]

A lot of us are lucky this hobby has given us something to do instead of watching tv all day.    Sometimes it's hard to get motivated to work in the slot car shop, but then again, 3-4 times a week I have 3-4 hour session building, re-building or restoring.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Same here. So glad I have a big box of failures I built in my teens. I can usually find one to rebuild when I get tired of the "same-old, same-old" of the weekly class racing.

[rvec]

Opps! I forget about the 1/25th NASCARs I built for a new class. The class utilizes existing chassis so all that is necessary is a body swap and narrowing the front track a bit. (BTW, I modified the original post to include these)
 

 

 

 

[Horsepower]

HOW DO YOU FIND THE TIME!?

Beautiful job, Rich. The "shop" looks better than my living room.

[rvec]

HOW DO YOU FIND THE TIME!?

Beautiful job, Rich. The "shop" looks better than my living room.

 

Thanks Gary,

 

My wife and I are both mega type "A"s. We are so blessed to have passions for so many things. Obviously one of mine is slot cars which dates back to 1959 when, under the Xmas tree, was the biggest set of Model Motoring available at the time. Over the years, I have built several tracks, Electron Raceway being my best and latest effort. For a pictorial tour of the track, see the link Electron Raceway: specs & pictorial tour - Electron Raceway specs & tour - Slotblog  

 

Even though many of our social activities have been curtailed, we are still keeping very busy.  We bike or hike a couple of hours each and every day.  We love dancing and are using the pandemic to move us to the next level and practice about an hour a day.  Check out the link to the Fresno Jazz Festival. We are featured at around the one minute mark of the video. https://www.youtube....h?v=jnX2tkW-l8A We are both musicians and practice/ play for at least an hour every other day.  We grow a lot of our own food.  We have a 50 foot greenhouse and an outdoor garden. I built and maintain the hydroponic system in the greenhouse but I must admit that my wife is the "Operations Manager". Susan is a great cook and she spends quite a bit of time preparing meals.  I am "El Choppo". Susan is also a seamstress.  She sews many of our dance costumes.  

 

Anyway, we are looking forward to getting back to "normal" - maybe by next summer.  Until then, I have many projects on various stages of progress.  Enjoy the holidays

[MattD]

Great footwork, Rich.   I'm impressed.

[Martin]

Inspirational Rich, my wife and I did start a vegetable garden this year. We have a lot to learn for sure, but it is very rewarding to grow your own food.

I read your last post to my wife, and she ask if you could share some pics of your garden set up. If you have time that is. you two are so active makes me feel lazy.

[rvec]

Inspirational Rich, my wife and I did start a vegetable garden this year. We have a lot to learn for sure, but it is very rewarding to grow your own food.

I read your last post to my wife, and she ask if you could share some pics of your garden set up. If you have time that is. you two are so active makes me feel lazy.

 

Hydroponics are fun and fairly easy to build.  I use 4 inch or 6 inch diameter water pipe (6 inch for tomatoes otherwise they clog the pipe).  50 gallon food grade drums to store the water. The system is "flood and drain". Water is pumped for 15 minutes every two hours.  I'll snap some images next time I go down to the shop

[rvec]

Inspirational Rich, my wife and I did start a vegetable garden this year. We have a lot to learn for sure, but it is very rewarding to grow your own food.

I read your last post to my wife, and she ask if you could share some pics of your garden set up. If you have time that is. you two are so active makes me feel lazy.

 

Attached are a few images of our greenhouse with the hydroponic systems.  Not that much grows in the winter (and I won't pay for heating) so we have some snap peas, chard, Kale and some herbs. The last attachment is what is called a net pot.  It is filled with a medium (Suz uses pearlite and vermiculite but you can purchase small spheres of inert material)  The net pots are loaded with a seed or seedling.  The 50 gallon drums are filled with a nutrient solution.  The nutrient solution is circulated via pumps in each drum hooked up to a simple timer (15 minutes every 2 hours).  As the nutrient solution level goes down, more is added (usually every 3-6 days depending on the crop and outside temperature 

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[rvec]

Great footwork, Rich.   I'm impressed.

 

Thanks Matt - We have a great time dancing!!!!!!!!!!!!!