Model Car Racing Free Sample Issue #69

Transcription

DIGITAL
RACING BY RADIO CONTROL
May/June 2013
$6.95
THE FIRST FERRARI
2011
2012 & 2012 AUDI R18
LE MANS-WINNERS SHOOT-OUT:
FOUR BRANDS
MERCURY CAPRI AT LE MANS
www.modelcarracingmag.com
USA $6.95
AUSTRALIAN V8 RACING
A MUSEUM-QUALITY RACE TRACK
Model Car Racing • 1
Scalextric Ad
The Rebellion Racing-sponsored Lola-Judd
B10/60 at LeMans in 2010. ---LAT Photo
CONTENTS
16 LeMans:
SRC (Slot Racing Company) 1973 Capri 2600RS
by Albin Burroughs
18 Australian V8 Sedan Racing:
Scalextric 1976 Ford Falcon XB
by Robert Schleicher
May/June 2013
Number 69
ON THE COVER: Slot.it’s 1/32 scale replica of the Audi R18 TDI on its way to winning LeMans in
2011 ---LAT Photo
See the video of the cover and video of the Audi R18 and other LeMans LMP1 cars in action on the
Laguna Seca 1/32 scale track on www.modelcarracing.com and click on the “Action Videos” at the
far left of the home page.
1/32 SCALE MODEL CAR RACING:
7 LeMans:
2010 Lola B09/60
9 Race-Tune Your Race Car:
Supertuned Racers, Part 92: With Downforce Magnet
THE 6-SCREW HOP-UP; “Suspension” for Anglewinder Pods
15 Vintage Racing:
Strombecker 1964 Cobra Daytona Coupe
20 Race Tracks on a Tabletop:
2-Lane Vallelunga Track for Scalextric Sport, Classic, SCX, NINCO or Carrera
(with optional lane-changing) on a 5 x 9-foot ping-pong tabletop
21 Real Race Tracks on a Tabletop:
2-Lane Vallelunga Track for Scalextric Sport, Classic, SCX, NINCO or Carrera
(with optional lane-changing) on an 5 x 16-foot tabletop.
24 Your Cars:
Formula 1: Tom Dolan’s
Penelope Pitlane 1964 Ferrari 1512
27 LeMans:
Scalextric 2011 McLaren MP4-12C GT3
by Albin Burroughs
32 Track Test:
LeMans: Carrera 2011 Audi R18 TDI
by Marc Purdham
34 Track Test:
LeMans: Ninco 2012 Audi R18 e-tron ultra
by Marc Purdham
36 LeMans:
Slot.it 2011 Audi R18 TDI
38 LeMans:
Shoot-Out: Audi R18s
Slot.it vs. Ninco vs. Carrera vs. NSR
42 Digital Racing:
Slot.it oXigen System Digital Chips for Any Car
DEPARTMENTS
6 Editorial: The Scale Effect
48 Club Directory
50 Pit Board
54 New For 2013
46 Start Here:
No-Rub Rubber
51 Your Track:
SlotMods 12 x 30-foot LeMay Museum Raceway
by David Beattie
57 LeMans:
Modelant 1940 Ferrari 815
HO MODEL CAR RACING:
49 Track Plans:
4-Lane Vallelunga Track in 4 x 8-feet
On Your Tablet:
Model Car Racing is now available for iPad or Kindle. Just click
on the Apple iTunes icon and search for Model Car Racing to
order individual issues, subscriptions or a limited number of
back issues. There’s more information on page 56 of this issue.
WHERE TO BUY MODEL CAR RACING PRODUCTS:
Dealers: A listing of the addresses, phone numbers, email
addresses, and websites of all the dealers that carry Model Car
Racing magazine appears on our website at www.modelcarracingmag.com
Manufacturers: A listing of the addresses and websites of
firms that manufacture model car racing products appears on our
website at www.modelcarracingmag.com:
MORE INFORMATION:
There is an Index of all of the past issues, a Digest of the results
of the first 245 cars in our Race Track Test series, Pros and
Cons of plastic track by brand, the Pros and Cons of the five digital systems, Pros and Cons of 1/43 scale and an index of the 157
previously published track plans, by size, on our website at www.
modelcarracingmag.com.
READY-TO-RUN CARS YOU CAN RACE AT HOME
The Best-Kept Speed Secret
What can we race losers do to join the
ranks of the winners? The best answer is to
become a better driver or car setup mechanic so you have the slightest hope of winning.
But, just suppose, that most of folks that are
winning know something you do not? What
if they have a “speed secret”? Thankfully,
most experienced model car racers are willing to share those secrets but you have to be
willing to ask, to listen, and to at least try
their ideas.
A “Secret” No More
The answers the winners provide, however, will almost always be just half-truths.
They will tell you things like, “I true my
tires and loosen up the body screws.” Great,
but there’s much, much more to both of
those “secrets” than what they have told
you---some of those “secrets” will be revealed in the series of articles that begin
on pages 9-14 testing how to find lower lap
times with loose or tight body-mounting
and pod-mounting screws.
My personal experience is that most
of the consistent winners are winning for
two reasons: (1) He or she is a very good
driver and (2) The car is “tuned” to perfection. There are dozens of things you can do
to “tune” your car and nearly all of them are
on the www.modelcarracingmag.com site
under the “New to the Hobby?” link. Buried
there---and hidden by half-truth answers
from your competitors---are the “secrets”.
Do everything those article suggest and
your car will still not be as quick around the
corners or accelerate as well as it could if
you just knew the secrets. Why? Because,
for the most important example, you have
not spent several hours just getting the rear
tires perfect.
Tire Wars, The No.1 Speed Secret
The serious racers will not just sand
their silicone or urethane tires but they
spend hours polishing them like jewels. It is
possible to do that using just the car’s motor
but you’ll likely burn-out the motor windings. So the “serious” racers either buy or
build a tire truer like those in the January/
February 2013 number 67 issue. Simple,
heh? But are you willing to spend that much
time on every car you intend to race?
There’s more… There are a variety of
chemicals (including lighter fluid) that help
produce a mirror finish on the tread of a silicone or urethane model car tire. If your club
allows pure rubber tires, there’s a vast array
of chemicals you can soak them in to make
them as soft as sponges.
Foam sounds innocent enough as a
model car tire compound, and you will soon
discover that foam tires grip even better if
6 • Model Car Racing
treated with a chemical. In the late sixties,
that chemical was simple oil of winter green
so the slot racing shops all carried that odor.
Soon, other additives, including STP, were
in use. Eventually, the best description for
racing with foam tires was “Glue Racing”
because the tracks were as sticky as masking tape thanks to the chemicals being laid
down by the foam applicators (tires).
The nightmare news is that foam tires
are back. Not only are the “Euroracers” in
Spain and Italy using way-undersize “low
rider” tires but also many clubs now allow
undersize foam tires. Now foam tires are
available from Slot.it and Scaleauto. Even
if you could enforce a “no chemical” rule
for the foam tires, the range of foam components and the ability to treat the foam
without leaving an odor makes them even
more difficult to control that with silicone,
urethane or rubber tires. If you really, really
have to go that fast, you can find one of the
still-surviving commercial race tracks where
foam tires and glue are standard practice--neither foam nor chemicals really have a
proper place on a home raceway.
Outing the Speed Secret
If you are racing in a group where any
of the members is likely to want to search
for a speed secret, bypass the whole tire issue. Establish, now, a club rule that all cars
run a specific tire. That’s only half of the
answer---it doesn’t work because of the tire
truing and additive options---so spec a tire,
buy enough pairs for every racer, put them
on wheels to slightly sand-off the corners
so all the tires are ready to race, and put all
the tires in one jar. Every car that is raced in
that class must use fresh tires, picked right
then and there from that jar before the beginning of each race. Give each driver about
two minutes to snap-on the tires (no glue!)
and to try the car on the track---nowhere
near enough time to sand or true the tires or
treat them with anything but spit or alcohol
to clean the tread surfaces. When the races
are over, the tires go back in the jar ready for
the next time that class is run.
You can decide which brand and type
of tire to use. On a Ninco track you can use
just about anything because the track surface provides the most grip. The silicone
tires are very, very sensitive to the track surface so, on Scalextric, SCX or Carrera plastic track surfaces or on routed-from MDF
wood track surfaces, a clean track is a must.
Pure rubber tires are difficult to find. Probably the best compromise is urethane tires.
They do not “go away” (get slipperier as the
race progresses) as rapidly as silicones on an
ever-dirtier track. Super Tires, for one, offers
a full range of silicone and urethane tires.
That’s it---no more speed secrets.... Of
course, some of the drivers will complain--expect it to be the ones that are winning
most often—but, really, every car will then
have an equal chance to maximize the most
critical tuning tool of all; traction. There’s a
good chance that the folks that were winning
will keep on winning but you will have done
all you can (to match what the winners had
been doing all along) to assure that the “best
of rest” will be much closer to being winners.
The dates for the 2013 National Hobby
show,theiHobbyExpo,havebeenchangedtoOctober 5 and 6 and the show is now at the Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center 1551 N.
Thoreau Dr. Schaumburg, Illinois 60173 about
20-minutes west of O’Hare Airport. The iHobby
Expo (www.ihobbyexpo.com/Public.html) has
becomethelargestgatheringintheUnitedStates
for the model car racing importers and manufacturers. Usually, Scalextric, NINCO, SCX,
AFX and Auto World each have demo tracks as
well as displays of their latest products.
Volume 12, Number 3 (issue number 69) May/June 2013
Publisher: Robert Schleicher
Editor: Robert Schleicher
Design: D.D.A.
Technical Editor: Chris Walker
Track Test Editor: Marc Purdham
Contributing Editors:
Mark Gussin
Dan Wilson
Brad Bowman
Jeremy Dunning
Alan Schwartz
Bernard Sampson
Jason Boye
Dan Esposito
Pat Dennis
Editors Emeritus:
Rocky Russo
Jose Rodriguez
Bob Braverman
Bill Sipple
Jim Russell
Ron Klein
Albin Adams
Circulation & dealer contact:
email address: [email protected]
Model Car Racing Publications, Inc.
6525 Gunpark Drive, Suite 370-142
Boulder, CO 80301-3346
website: www.modelcarracingmag.com
Model Car Racing (USPS 020-443, ISSN 1538-9170) is
published bimonthly by Model Car Racing Publications, Inc., 6525
Gunpark Drive, Suite 370-142, Boulder, CO 80301-3346. Copyright 2013, Model Car Racing Publications, Inc.
Individual issue price $6.95. No current issues or back issues
are available from the publisher but a list of dealers who carry the
magazine is on the website at www.modelcarracingmag.com.. All sales
and subscriptions are not returnable.
SUBSCRIPTION RATE: United States: 1 year (6 issues)
$35.00. We can only accept Canadian or foreign subscriptions for
the digital version of the magazine, which is $19.95 for six issues. We
cannot accept subscription orders for the paper version of the magazine from countries other than the United States.
EXPEDITED SHIPPING SERVICE: Not available.
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Model Car Racing
Publications, Inc., 6525 Gunpark Drive, Suite 370-142, Boulder,
CO 80301-3346. Periodicals Postage is paid at Boulder, Colorado
and at additional mailing offices.
Model Car Racing assumes that all letters, new product information, photographs of any kind, and other unsolicited materials
are contributed gratis whether mailed or sent electronically. Model
Car Racing assumes no responsibility for the return of unsolicited
material. Solicited articles and photographs are paid for within 45
days after publication, at which time Model Car Racing obtains full
publication rights. Unsolicited materials can be returned if adequate
postage is included.
RACE-TUNE YOUR RACE CAR
THE 6-SCREW HOP-UP:
Supertuned Racers, Part 92:
With Downforce Magnet “SUSPENSION” FOR ANGLEWINDER PODS
The 6-Screw Hop-Up: Open the box, run the car for a few dozen laps to break the car in. Oil the bearings and grease the
gears lightly to get the car running as quickly as it will on your track with your throttle finger. Pick the car up and loosen
the screws that attach the body about a full turn so the body can just barely wiggle, then loosen all the screws (two on
some cars, five on others, six on others) that hold the motor pod so the pod can wiggle about 1/64-inch or less. Your lap
times should decrease by about 10-percent or more (ours dropped a half-second a lap, from 5.52 seconds to 5.04 seconds).
We picked the Racer “Sideways” car with an anglewinder motor pod as an example of the faster cars. This time we tested
the car with the downforce magnet in place---we’ll try it again without the downforce magnet but with silicone rear tires,
and report the results in the next issue.
Robert Schleicher
Four of the high-performance cars that have adjustable motor pods that have (or can be fitted with) the extended side outriggers (l. to r.): NSR (2011 Audi R18 TDI), Racer “Sideways” (Group 5 Lancia Beta
Montecarlo), Slot.it “Reloaded”inline (1999 Audi R8C) and Slot.it anglewinder (2011 Audi R18 TDI). The Slot.it “Reloaded” Audi R8C chassis has a 4-screw motor pod but Slot.it offers replacement motor pods
with outriggers (with inline, sidewinder or anglewinder motor locations) to fit the R8C and their other newer chassis.
The high-performance cars from Slot.it, Racer “Sideways”,
Ninco “Lightning” and “ProRace”, Avant Slot, Scaleauto,
SCX “Pro”, Mr. Slotcar and NSR have separate motor pods.
You can “tune” these cars for more performance by leaving
the motor-pod mounting screws slightly loose so the pod can
vibrate or by tightening the screws to allow the motor pod
to reinforce the chassis. And you also have the choice (with
any model race car) of leaving the body-mounting screws
loose or tight. There’s about two-dozen different combina-
tions that can improve the cars’ performance and we tried
them all….
The newest super-quick cars from Slot.it, Racer “Sideways”, Scaleauto, Mr. Slotcar and NSR have a pair of outriggers on the motor pods that provide two more adjusting
points for the chassis, in addition to the screws at the front
and rear of the pod and the screws that attach the body. The
outriggers provide two additional points of adjustment but
do not necessarily produce any faster lap times.
Four of the high-performance cars (l. to r.): NSR 2011 Audi R18 TDI, Racer “Sideways” Group 5 Lancia Beta Montecarlo, Slot.it “Reloaded”1999 Audi R8C and Slot.it 2011 Audi R18 TDI.
1/32 SCALE SUSPENSION
On a modern full-size race car the chassis is stiffer than
most bridges to allow the springs and other moving chassis
members to be adjusted for precise handling characteristics.
Springs, levers and a variety of shock absorbers are used
at each corner of the car to keep the tires in contact with
the pavement during acceleration, cornering and braking.
There are thousands of adjustments available on the full-size
race cars, including such options as making the left front
corner stiffer than the right rear. All 1/32 scale model race
cars also have suspension adjustments, even the cars with
one-piece chassis. However, the cars with separate motor
pods provide an even broader range of chassis adjustments.
THE CHASSIS AS SUSPENSION
On a 1/32 scale model race car the chassis is proportionally much, much more flexible than the chassis on a full-size
car. Because the chassis on any model race car flexes (another word for spring), the chassis is an effective “suspension” system in itself. The tires’ grip or torque is transferred
to the car through the motor pod and the chassis and there
is far more force than you might imagine---plenty to flex
nearly any model car chassis if the chassis is not reinforced.
Since the chassis can flex, tightening the chassis to the
body can reinforce the chassis enough to remove most of
that flex. Similarly, tightening the pod mounting screws reinforces the chassis to limit the amount of flex. If you want
the chassis to flex, the body-mounting screws must be left
slightly loose.
THE MOTOR POD AS SUSPENSION
The motor pod is also soft enough to flex, so both the
chassis and the pod provide possible “suspension”. If you
leave all the motor pod-mounting screws loose the pod
merely vibrates. However, tightening just a pair of the podmounting screws allows the pod to flex or spring to provide
“suspension”.
If the chassis has a separate motor/rear axle pod, the
pod itself can flex as a spring, also acting much like an antiroll bar on a full-size car. Those extra long pod-mounting
arms on the sides of the motor pods in some of the newer
high-performance chassis are there to provide an additional
pair of“suspension”adjustments to allow the motor pod flex
adjustment to be more effective.
Most of the pods are too rigid to flex much on their own,
however, the new extended side arms certainly can flex by
twisting. Those side arms, then, offer the option of leaving
the extreme rear mounting screws and/or the extreme frontmounting screws loose so the pod can pivot around the long
side-mounting arms.
Slot.it, Mr. Slotcar, Ninco and NSR offer coil springs so
you can provide spring suspension on the pods. The newest
motor pods from Slot.it, Racer “Sideways”, Scaleauto, Mr.
Slotcar and NSR have three sets of pod-mounting screws
at the front, on two side extension and at rear so there are
three pairs of possible positions for those springs.
The car we selected for these tests is a Racer “Sideways”
Group 5 Lancia Beta Montecarlo because it shares the same
motor and gearing as the modern-era Slot.it cars but the
Lancia Beta Montecarlo has room inside the body for a sidewinder motor (which the modern ultra-low LeMans cars do
not). We will try the car with a sidewinder motor in a later
article in this series. We also tried some of the tests as “control” runs with the Slot.it modern-era Audi R18 and the
results were virtually identical to those with the Lancia.
MOTOR PODS
The motor pod chassis design provides a separate platform to mount the motor and the rear axle that is then
mounted to the remainder of chassis with two or more
screws.Those pods are designed to be raced either tightened
down or left slightly loose so the motor pod can move about
1/64-inch or less up and down and from side to side.
Slot.it, Racer “Sideways”, Ninco “Lightning” and “ProRace”, Avant Slot, Scaleauto, SCX “Pro”, Mr. Slotcar and
NSR offer most of their models with separate motor pods.
Scalextric and Carrera cars are the exceptions---neither
manufacturer currently offers any car with a chassis that has
a separate motor pod. Most of the Ninco cars also have a
one-piece chassis with the exception of some of the Lightning and ProRace series cars, which do have separate motor
pods.
All of SCX, Avant Slot, Sloter and Sloting Plus cars
have separate motor pods but they are usually mounted with
a pivoting bearing at the front and two screws at the rear.
Those two mounting screws (and front pivot) can be left
slightly loose. Even with just two mounting screws, the pod
can be used as a “tuning” tool to help isolate vibration from
the tires so it does not set up additional stress, which can
cause the tires to break traction and hop or slide. Some of
that vibration can be isolated by simply loosening the bodymounting screws, which works just as well on the cars with
one-piece chassis as it does on the cars with separate motor
pods.
Recently, the motor pod concept has been expanded,
with outriggers on each side of the motor pod that reach to
the edges of the chassis.Those outriggers are long enough to
have built-in flex so they add a “spring” option to motor pod
mounting that is much like a torsion bar on a full size car.
The long side mounting arms are what distinguish the Slot.
it, Racer “Sideways”, the newest Scaleauto, Mr. Slotcar and
newest NSR chassis and motor pods from the rest.
Slot.it (www.slot.it/) motor pods are standard in all of
their cars but only the newest releases have the outriggers.
Slot.it also offers motor pods with the outriggers for inline
and sidewinder motor installations.
Racer “Sideways” (www.racer-emmegi.it/) series of
replicas of Group 5 race cars, including the Zakspeed Capri
and Lancia Beta Montecarlo, are fitted with Slot.it motors
and gears but the motor pods are slightly different than the
Slot.it pods, with just a single mounting screws at front.
Scaleauto (http://www.132slotcar.us) has also developed a new RT3 chassis that is fitted to the 2010 Honda
Racing HSV-101 Super GT and will be standard on the
forthcoming 2011 BMW Z4 GT3, 2006 Spyker C8 GT2R,
1981 Pantera and BMW M1 Group 5. Scaleauto also has a
complete RT3 chassis kit (SC6615 for 77-84 mm wheelbase
or SC-6616 for 81-86 mm wheelbase) but you must provide
our own body-mounting system. The chassis kit has six possible positions for installing the motor pod-mounting with
springs; a pair at the extreme front edges of the chassis, a
pair at the extreme rear edges or a pair at the extreme rear of
the chassis.
Mr. Slotcar (from Electric Dreams www.electricdreams.
com/) or Professor Motor (www.professormotor.com) have
shipped replicas of the 1991 LeMans Mazda 787B that we
Race Track Tested out-of-the-box in the May/June 2011
number 57 issue and with the downforce magnet removed in
the May/June 2012 number 63 issue. The Mr. Slotcar chassis has a separate motor pod with the side outrigger mounts.
This is also available as a separate piece. Optional pods are
available for sidewinder and inline motor installations and
Mr. Slotcar also has springs and other chassis tuning parts.
NSR (www.nsrslot.it/) can also supply springs, pads and
special mounting screws for the extreme rear and extreme
side pod-mounting posts on the motor pods in their latest
cars including the Porsche 911 GT3 RSR (that was Race
Track tested in the September/October 2012 number 65
issue with magnet and in the November/December 2012
number 66 without the downforce magnet), the Audi R18
(in the March/April 2013 number 68 issue) and the 2011
Audi R8 GT3 and 2010 Corvette C6-R.
RACE-TUNING CARS WITH MOTOR PODS
In my experience, tuning the chassis on a 1/32 scale
model race car is more of an art than a science. The process is complicated because each model race track offers a
slightly different surface. The surfaces on Carrera, Scalextric Sport, SCX and Ninco track vary (in that order) from
smooth to very rough. The tracks that are routed in MDF
board are about as smooth as Carrera, but cars will corner
at much different speeds on a painted Carrera track than
on bare plastic. All of the Model Car Racing “Race Track
Tests” since issue number 1 in 2002 have been performed
The two screws at the extreme edges of the chassis (just in front of rear tires) retain the outriggers
on these motor pods. This is the Racer “Sideways” Lancia Beta Montecarlo, but all of the pods with
the outriggers have similar mounts. Tightening the two screws (and leaving the other pod-mounting
screws loose) can force the outriggers to act as a torsion spring for the motor pod.
Leaving just the two rear screws loose (and the others tight) can also force the motor pod to flex
but the effect is really only noticeable on very rough track surfaces like Ninco’s. The rear axle bearing retainer on the Racer “Sideways” chassis is attached with two screws as well---do not loosen
those two screws.
on the compact 5 x 9-foot “Indy F1” Scalextric Classic/SCX
(with rougher track surfaces) and Carrera (with a smoother
surface) tracks with a 35-foot lap length (but only a fourfoot long straight). There is a full Race Track Test of this
same Racer “Sideways” Group 5 Zakspeed Capri out-ofthe-box (with the downforce magnet and stock rear tires)
in the March/April 2013 number 68 issue and we’ll have a
full Race Track Test of the Racer “Sideways” 1979 Porsche
935/78 Group 5 without the downforce magnet in the next
issue.
However, we wanted to see how much performance
we could extract from a 1/32 scale car on a larger track so
we performed this range of tests on the 53-foot lap length
Carrera Laguna Seca track (the plan was in the January/
February 2012 number 61 issue) with a 12-foot long uphill
straight. There are 18 possible loose and tight screw combinations (see sidebar on page 14): nine pod screw options
(C through I), each with the body loose or tight (A or B).
These are the combinations that produced the best lap times
with this particular car on this particular track....
THE BEST LAP TIMES:
With the downforce magnet in the forward position
with stock tires:
LooseTight
Body:Body:
5.19 5.28 H. Loosen four screws, the two at the
front and the two at the rear
With the downforce magnet in the forward position
with silicone tires:
LooseTight
Body:Body:
5.12 5.04 G. Loosen all six (all four on 4-screwmount) screws
5.21 5.09 H. Loosen four screws, the two at the
front and the two at the rear
We tested the car on the smooth and relatively long
Carrera Laguna Seca track. First, we ran the car with the
stock Racer tires and magnet and the combination of loose
pod-mounting screws and a loose body produced quickest
lap times. With the better traction that silicone tires offered, however, the car turned quicker lap times with the
body mounting screws tight. The times were similar with
just two rear-mounting screws tight on the pod.
The combination of stock tires, with all the body-mount
screws tight, and option C, with all the pod screws tight, is
the setup that is on the car out-of-the-box. Just loosening
the body-mounting screws actually made the car slower, increasing the lap time from 5.35 to 5.61 seconds. Surprisingly, tightening-down the two extreme side screws but leaving
all the other pod and body-mounting screw loose produced
the quickest lap time we recorded with stock tires at 5.19
seconds. The combination of a loose body and the front
and rear pod-mounting screws loose allowed the pod to rock
fore and aft but the tight side screws forced the side arms to
act like torsion springs which likely dissipated some of the
motor’s torque rather than transferring that torque into the
tires to induce slip. With the stock tires the lap times were
usually better with the body tightened-down.
Changing the rear tires to silicones did not produce
an immediate reduction in lap times. The somewhat better
traction that silicones offer was most effective with the body
tight---the lap time with all the pod screws loose was 5.04
seconds and with just the rear and front pod screw loose the
time was about the same at 5.09 seconds. The best times
were produced with all of the pod screws loose. However,
the same combination of a loose body and the front and
rear pod-mounting screws loose that was most effective with
stock tires was almost as effective with silicone tires. Apparently, allowing the pod to rock fore and aft but with the side
arms tight so they were forced to act like torsion springs can
help the rear tires to retain traction. Some combinations
of loose pods screws worked best with the body also loose,
however, which could predict what might happen on track
The “Sideways” motor pod only has a single screw at front, which can be tightened, (leaving the
other four loose) to allow the motor pod to flex from side to side.
with rougher surface like Scalextric, SCX or Ninco.
LESS BOUNCE, QUICKER LAPS
Bounce is not always apparent as a hopping action--more often, the car appears to be sliding sideways through
corners. Any 1/32 scale car will corner quicker if you can
minimize that “bounce” with perfectly round tires and
smooth gear mesh and isolating vibration by leaving the
body-mounting screws and/or the motor pod-mounting
screws tight or loosening them slightly to allow the body to
rattle enough isolate some chassis vibrations.
One of the most visible places where bounce occurs is
when the car is accelerating from a standing start or from
a very slow speed corner. It is not unusual for car to deslot
from a standing start simply because the rear wheels have
so much traction that the torque levers-up the chassis far
enough to lift the pickup from the slot. Yes, a wheelie! What
is not always obvious, however, is that there may be a series
of wheelies as tires alternately hook-up and let go---reducing
that repeated bounce is one of possible results of leaving the
various motor pod-mounting screws and/or body-mounting
screws loose or tight.
This is the first report of results of those thousands of
Qualifying Lap tests. We’ll publish all the results in the next
few issues. There is a simple lesson in all this seeminglycomplex testing; “results may vary!” or, this is what worked
for us but you will have try the different combinations for
yourself with your cars, your tires on your tracks to see which
setup works the best to produce the quickest lap times. You
will, at least, have a place to start when you begin to run
your own Qualifying Laps to tune the car.
The car we selected for these tests is a Racer “Sideways” Group 5 Lancia Beta Montecarlo (right)
because it shares the same motor and gearing as the modern-era Slot.it cars like the 2010 Lola-Judd
CB09/60 (left).
THE 4-SCREW PODS
The motor pods that lack the outriggers obviously have
no means of providing the torsion bar “suspension” effect
that outriggers can provide---but there are still the options
of using the flex in the pod itself or the flex in the chassis
to provide some “suspension”. There are, however, six possible motor pod adjustments with the four-screw pods (of the
nine possible with outriggers) plus the option of tightening
or loosening the body-mounting screws. It is also possible to
install longer pod-mounting screws to fit Ninco or Slot.it coil
springs between the screws and the pod to include springs in
the pod-mounting. We’ll test the effect of actual coil spring
suspension in a later issue.
SUSPENSION ADJUSTMENT
FOR 4-SCREW MOTOR PODS
OPTIONS
Body-Mounting Screws
A. Leave all about one-turn loose (1/64-inch of “free” body
movement)
B. Tighten all mounting screws
Motor Pod:
C. Tighten all 4 screws
E. Loosen only two extreme REAR screws for 1/64-inch
“free” movement
F. Loosen only two extreme FRONT screws for 1/64-inch
“free” movement
G. Loosen all six (all four on 4-screw-mount) screws for 1/64inch “free” movement
J. Tighten two brass spring-mount screws to allow barely perceptible movement of the pod
K. Tighten two brass spring-mount screws to allow barely
1/64-inch movement of pod
The motor pod in the latest Ninco “Lightning” cars, including the Audi R18 on pages 34-35,
is attached with four screws; the two at the extreme front and rear can be reached from the
bottom of the chassis and there are two more screws on top of the motor pod that can only be
reached with the body removed. The system provides simple control over the pod rocking from
side to side or back and forth. The SCX pod system provides similar adjustments. Most of the
other four-screw pods, however, do not really offer much rocking control. Ninco includes a coil
spring beneath each of the two top screws to provide the option of a spring similar to the Slot.
it, Racer “Sideways” and NSR springs. Ninco offers the number 80914 Motor Mount Springs
Kit with stiffer and lighter springs.
SUSPENSION ADJUSTMENT OPTIONS
Body-Mounting Screws
A. Leave all about one-turn loose (1/64-inch of “free” body movement)
B. Tighten all mounting screws
Motor Pod:
D. Loosen only two extreme SIDE screws for 1/64-inch “free” movement
E. Loosen only two extreme REAR screws for 1/64-inch “free” movement
F. Loosen only two extreme FRONT screws for 1/64-inch “free” movement
(If the pod also has a seventh screw at the front, that screw must be loosened)
G. Loosen all six (all four on 4-screw-mount) screws for 1/64-inch “free”
movement
H. Loosen four screws, the two at the front and the two at the rear for 1/64inch “free” movement
I. Loosen four screws, the two at the front and the two at the sides for 1/64inch “free” movement
Motor Pod with Slot.it CH47B Spring Suspension installed at extreme REAR
with CH55A soft springs:
(To allow the springs to function all of the motor pod-mounting screws but
the two rear spring suspension screws must be loosened to allow 1/64-inch
“free” movement as described in the text)
J. Tighten two brass spring-mount screws to allow barely perceptible movement of the pod
K. Tighten two brass spring-mount screws to allow barely 1/64-inch movement of pod
THE FULL TEST RESULTS:
Qualifying Lap Times
Slot.it/Racer Anglewinder motor pod in Racer Group 5 Zakspeed Capri:
WITH Magnet (in forward position), stock tires
A. B.
LooseTight
Body:Body:
5.38
5.52
5.36
5.45
D. Loosen only two extreme SIDE screws for
1/64-inch “free” movement
5.49
5.49
E. Loosen only two extreme REAR screws for
5.53
5.70
F. Loosen only two extreme FRONT screws for
1/64-inch movement
5.39
5.35
G. Loosen all six (all four on 4-screw-mount) screws for 1/64-inch movement
5.19
5.28
H. Loosen four screws, the two at the front
and the two at the rear
5.35
5.47
I. Loosen four screws, the two at the front and
the two at the sides
WITH Magnet (in forward position), silicone tires
5.53
5.85
5.54
5.39
5.38
5.47
5.28
5.20
5.12
5.04
5.21
5.09
5.15
5.20
D. Loosen only two extreme SIDE screws for
E. Loosen only two extreme REAR screws for
F. Loosen only two extreme FRONT screws for
1/64-inch movement
G. Loosen all six (all four on 4-screw-mount) screws
H. Loosen four screws, the two at the front and
the two at the rear
I. Loosen four screws, the two at the front and
the two at the sides
Rough Tracks
Be aware that these particular tests were all conducted on the relatively
smooth Carrera track---the cars and tires will respond in very different ways
on the slight-rougher Scalextric Sport track or the even rougher Scalextric
Classic or SCX track or the really rough Ninco track. These suspension systems
were all designed to cater to the Euroracers in Spain and Italy who usually race
on the rougher Ninco track surface. With that additional traction, the torque
reaction into the chassis will produce far more of an effect on the chassis than
on the smoother Carrera, Scalextric Sport or even SCX track surfaces. If you want to recreate that Ninco-type rough surface you can do what
model car racers did in the seventies and paint any track with flat latex wall
paint but with fine-grind walnut shells mixed-in. Boat supply shops can usually
order ground walnut shells (which are used, to help create non-skid boat and
patio deck finishes) like TS-631 Shell-Tex (www.topsecretcoatings.com/) or
Downwind Marine offers three textures (www.downwindmarine.com) but the
“fine” is the one you will likely need. You will have to experiment, however,
to see how many ounces of ground walnut shells are needed for each quart of
latex paint.
The best setup for this 53-foot per lap unpainted Carrera plastic track
might, or might not, be the best for you own unpainted Carrera track. The
chances that what worked best on this Carrera track will work best on another brand of track are slim to none. If you have painted your Carrera track,
this setup will very likely not be the best. Or, if you are running on unpainted
Scalextric Sport (the newer, smoother surface), Scalextric Classic (the older
rougher surface), SCX (also rough, like Scalextric Classic) or the really rough
Ninco track you will have to find your own “best” combinations of loose and
tight screws. What you have, on these pages, is a map---it is your assignment
(should you choose to want lower lap times) to find the quickest way around
your track with this map as your guide to choices.
Qualifying Laps
We ran over ten full-size miles of Qualifying Lap tests to determine the
effect of each adjustment. A “Qualifying Lap” is the quickest lap you can run in
a sequence of thirty or so and you must be able to repeat that lowest lap time
at least one more time. This is, essentially, the same procedure we use when
performing the full Race Track Tests on the “Indy F1” tracks. The process helps
to eliminate driver error in that the large number of laps are statistically likely
to produce at least one lap that is the best that car can do (as opposed to the
best the driver can do). So, within the limits of testing, this is as fast as this
particular car will run with each of these chassis adjustments.
Tuning for Ride Height
No motor pod adjustment is going remove wheel hop caused by an out of
alignment chassis. Before adjusting the motor pod screws, be sure that all four
tires are perfectly round. There are tips on sanding them on the website
www.modelcarracingmag.com under “New To The Hobby?”.
The front axle should also be adjusted to place as much weight as possible on the pickup brushes with the tires just touching the track. The cars that
have these adjustable motor pods usually have holes in the top and bottom of
the oval front axle bearings to allow you to screw-in four Allen screws (the
same size that is used for the set-screw-mount gears and wheels). The screws
can then be turned in or out to adjust the height of the front axle from the track
and how much it can move up or down. On a full-size car such adjustments are
usually referred to as “ride height” adjustments. On a model racing car, the
primary concern is that the pickup shoe blade is set to the full depth of the
slot in the track. The weight of car will hold the guide there against the spring
pressure from the pickup braids. The front axle must, then, be adjusted (by
turning the Allen screws on the bottom of the front axle bearings) so the front
tires do not lift the guide from the slot. The distance the front axle can travel
upward is determined by the top of the oval slot that serves as the front axle
bearing. If you want to limit that amount of travel (so the car can lean only as
far as you want it to before the outside front tire begin to lift the car) you can
tighten the Allen screws on the top of the front axle to limit the front axle’s
upward movement.
TOURING
CAR RACING:
SRC (SLOT RACING COMPANY) 1973 FORD CAPRI RS2600
The Capri was imported to America as a compact two-door sedan. In Europe, however, the Capri was publicized as a true
GT car, a smaller-size Mustang GT350. These Capris were raced on all the important circuits of Europe including LeMans.
Albin Burroughs
The SRC Capri has a single downforce magnet just in front of the motor.
Ford wanted to establish the Capri as the Mustang of Europe
and, to enhance the car’s image, a few dozen Capris were modified for competition. The Capri 2600RS won the 1971 and 1972
European Touring Car Championships (http://touringcarracing.
net/) racing against Ford Escorts, BMW 2002s, BMW 2800CSs,
Fiat 128 Coupes, Sunbeam Imps(!) and Alfa Romeo GTAs. The
Capris also captured first and second places in their class (10th
and 11th overall) at LeMans in 1972. During this period the Capris still retained the stock body with mild fender flares and just
a small chin spoiler (diaplane, in those days) and, of course, the
widest tires they could squeeze under the fenders.
This SRC model is a replica of the Capri 2600 RS racers
that won the 1972 European Touring Car Championship; this
one the car that Jackie Stewart and Francois Cevert drove to
second overall in the 6 Hour race on the Paul Ricard circuit. It
was not unusual, in the seventies, for Formula 1 drivers like
Stewart to compete in other forms of racing but it is hard to
imagine Sebastian Vettle even considering to compete in the
2013 GT3 series. SRC is also producing replicas of one of the
cars that competed at LeMans in 1972
The SRC Capri captures the shape of the series I Capri
2600 RS very nicely. The windshield wipers are etched metal
(something that should be “standard” on all 1/32 scale models)
and the wheel inserts are also etched-metal. There is a full interior with driver and a full rollcage. Most of the bright trim on
1/32 scale cars is simple paint but the trim on the rear, the rain
gutters and windshield is actually plated on the SRC Capri.
The Capri has a sidewinder-style chassis with the downforce
magnet located just ahead of the motor. The chassis has a sprung
pickup shoe to help keep the pickup brushes in contact with
the rails over bumpy track. The downforce magnet is relatively
weak but its effect is further minimized by the rather high ground
clearance. Since the weight and gearing are nearly identical to
most Scalextric models, the SRC Capri should match their performance. If you want to race the Capri without the downforce
magnet you will want to fit silicone rear tires like the number
1105 Super Tires to regain some of the lost traction.
SPEC SHEET: Slot Racing Company (SRC)
1973 Capri 2600 RS:
The Prototype* (the real cars):
The size the model The dimensions of the
should be in 1/32 scale: SRC model:
inline front engine
NA
sidewinder rear
Length: 164.8 in.
5.15 in. (130.8 mm) 5.07 in.(128.8 mm)
Width: 64.8 in.
2.03 in. (51.4 mm)
2.21 in. (56.2 mm)
Height: 49.7 in.
1.55 in. (39.4 mm)
1.54 in. (39.1 mm)
Wheelbase: 100.8 in.
3.15 in. (80.0 mm)
3.15 in. (80.0 mm)
Track, Front: 54.2 in.
1.69 in. (43.0 mm)
1.65 in. (41.8 mm)
Track, Rear: 53.2 in.
1.66 in. (42.2 mm)
1.72 in. (43.8 mm)
Tires, Front: NA
NA
8.2 x 19.6 mm
Tires, Rear: NA
NA
9.4 x 20.4 mm
Engine: 2,637cc V6
NA
SP Can
Horsepower: NANANA
Weight: 2,329 lbs.
NA
68 grams (2 3/8 oz.)
Weight on front tires: NA
28 grams (15/16 oz.)
Weight on rear Tires:
NA
40 grams (1 7/16 oz.)
Magnetic Downforce (on Carrera):
42 grams (1 1/2 oz.)
Magnetic Downforce (on Scalextric):
50 grams (1 3/4 oz.)
Ground Clearance (on Carrera):
1.9 mm (.075 in.)
Ground Clearance (on Scalextric):
1.8 mm (.070 in.)
Pickup Lead (pivot to rear axle): 83.3 mm (3.28 in.)
Gear Ratio:3.27:1 (11/36)
SOURCE: http://www.olecars.com/
Note: The width of the race car is slightly wider than the production Capri.
The SRC Capri has a sidewinder motor, which leaves the front of the car open to allow a full interior
and driver figure.
RACE TRACKS ON A TABLETOP:
VALLELUNGA TRACK IN 4 x 8-FEET FOR SCALEXTRIC CLASSIC, SPORT, SCX,
NINCO OR IN 5 x 9-FEET FOR CARRERA WITH (OPTIONAL) LANE-CHANGING
You can fit most of the turns from the Vallelunga Track on pages 22-23 onto a 4 x 8-foot tabletop for Scalextric Sport, Classic, SCX or Ninco track
or onto a 5 x 9-foot ping-pong tabletop for Carrera. These compact tracks can, however, be expanded infinitely---the versions on pages 22-23 fill
about twice the length. There’s an index, by size, of all the previously published track plans on our website www.modelcarracingmag.com.
These versions of the Vallelunga Track are designed for a 4 x
--you can add at least two more of the double-crossing straight
8-foot tabletop for Scalextric Classic, Sport, SCX and Ninco
lane-changers at any of the places marked with an “X” to proand, for Carrera, a 5 x 9-foot ping-pong tabletop. Most of the
vide the optimum number of chances for passing.
race track plans that are published in Model Car Racing maga
There are four positions for lane-changers on the Carrera
zine include the letters “L” to indicate that pairs of straight
version and they are shown as single-lane changers (numbers
track sections can be added these points (one straight on each
30343 and 30345), but I would recommend you opt for Caropposite side of track). On these plans, there are four parallel
rera’s number 30347 double lane-changers at these locations.
straights so you can add four track sections (about a gain of
The track plans indicate two positions for the controllerfour-feet per lap) for every foot you can to lengthen the tableconnector track (“A” on the plans) so the drivers can be positop. The extended versions are on pages 22-23.
tioned at different areas of the track on the two inner lanes for
conventional analog cars. If you are using the digital systems,
DIGITAL RACING SYSTEMS
only ONE connector track can be used on the two digital lanes.
Both plans include suggested positions for the Scalextric
If you try to use two, you will likely burn-out some of the cirSport Digital, Ninco N-Digital or Carrera Pro-X or Carrera
cuits in one or both of the connector tracks. SCX does offer a
Digital 132 lane-changers. You may discover that you want to
cable to allow the second set of three controller connections
relocate the lane changers or use lane-changers to route the
(the SCX 25000 Control Unit) to be positioned a few feet
cars in a different direction after you have raced on the track
away from the first three but, again, only ONE terminal track
for a few hours.
(where the transformer is plugged-in) can be used.
On the Scalextric Classic, Sport, SCX and Ninco version
there are two possible locations for the curved lane changers--
LIST OF SCALEXTRIC CLASSIC, SPORT, SCX OR NINCO TRACK REQUIRED
FOR 2-LANE VALLELUNGA TRACK IN 5 X 9-FEET
WITH (OPTIONAL) LANE-CHANGING
:
Key
QuantityDescription
H
0
1/2 Standard Curve
S
16
Standard Curve
O
8
Outer Curve
OO
0
Outer-Outer Curve
F
2
“Short” Straight
E
5
1/4-Straight
D61/2-Straight
B
4
Full-Straight
A
2
Connector Track
L
Track can be expanded in length by adding matched pairs of straight track sections here.
T
Turns on the model versions of the track
X
If you are assembling the track with Scalextric Digital, 1 1/2 straights at these
points can be replaced with the C7036 double-crossover straight lane-changer plus a half straight.
If you are using NINCO N-Digital, the 40207 double Lane-changers can be substituted
for any standard straight.
To build the plan with NINCO track you will need about 10-percent more space and
you may need some additional short straights to get everything to line up properly.
LIST OF CARRERA TRACK REQUIRED
FOR 2-LANE VALLELUNGA TRACK IN 5 x 9-FEET
WITH (OPTIONAL) LANE-CHANGING
Key
QuantityDescription
H
6
20577 1/2 Inner Curve R1
S
11
20571 Inner Curve R1
O
0
20572 Middle Curve
R2
OO
0
20573 Outer Curve R3
OOO
0
20578 Outer-Outer Curve R4
E
3
20612 1/4-Straight
D
4
20611 1/3-Straight
B
11
20509 Full-Straight
A
2
20583 Connector Track (analog)
L
Track can be expanded in length by adding matched pairs of straight track sections here.
T
Turns on the model versions of the track
If you are using the Carrera Digital 132 lane-changing system any adjoining pairs of
standard-length straights (“B”) may be placed with Carrera Digital 132 lane-changing tracks. The
plan indicates some suggestions for the Carrera Digital 132 single-lane changers but these would
be better replaced with double lane-changers. You will also need to replace both 20583 controller/
connector tracks with just ONE 30344 Digital 132 “Black Box” OR one 30352 Control Unit
controller/connector track and one more piece of 20509 straight track.
This Scalextric McLaren MP4-12C GT3 is replica of the Gulf-sponsored
car that finished third at Macau in 2011. ---LAT Photo
DIGITAL RACING
SLOT.IT oXigen SYSTEM CHIPS FOR ANY CAR
Each car that is to be controlled with the Slot.it oXigen wireless radio control system must be fitted with an oXigen InCar Controller (chip) as shown here. There’s more information on digital racing (including “Pros and Cons” of the basic
systems) on the www.modelcarracingmag.com website under “Digital Car Racing Tips”.
Robert Schleicher
The Slot.it oXigen Digital In Car Controllers (chips) can be installed in any 1/32 scale car that is large enough accommodate the chip. We fitted the SIO201a (Type A or “Type 1” on the Slot.it website) chip
into a Scalextric Audi R8 GT3.
The Slot.it oXigen Digital System is the ultimate in digital race control but it is somewhat more expensive than the
other systems and it takes a bit of effort to learn all the options.
The oXigen system utilizes a constant 18-volts of current to the
track rails, with the car’s speed and brake regulated by 2.4GHz
frequency radio control from Slot.it controllers. There’s information on installing and operating the oXigen digital system
on Scalextric Sport track and lane-changers in the March/
April 2013 number 68 issue (the article is also on www.modelcarracingmag.com under Previous Issues).
Slot.it offers two sizes of oXigen Digital In Car Controllers; the SIO201a (Type A or “Type 1” on the Slot.it website)
and the slimmer number SIO201a (Type B or “Type 2” on the
Slot.it website http://www.slot.it/INGLESE/Oxigen_Manuals.
html). The Type A chip is designed to function with either AC
or DC power, which means it will function on a Sport Digital
track (which supplies 18 volts of AC to rails) as well as on Carrera or Ninco (which supply 18 volts of DC to the rails).
For operation on Scalextric track you will need to use the
Type A chip if you are using either Scalextric Digital power or
the Scalextric analog C8217 or C8271 Power & Control track
(and two analog controllers with two of the Scalextric P9203
transformers---the “Good” power option for racing oXigen on
Scalextric Sport track from the March/April 2013 number 68
issue. The Type B In Car Controller (chip) responds only to
DC and can be used if you are supplying DC power to race
digital cars on Carrera Digital 132 track.
We used the SIO201a (Type A) for these photos but the
process is the same to install either chip. The installation is
simple enough but the wire connections in the analog car must
be unsoldered and removed so the wires from the oXigen chip
can be connected directly from the pickup braids to the chip
and from the chip to the motor.
Racing oXigen-Equipped Cars on Analog
Tracks
The oXigen-equipped cars will not respond to conventional analog controllers. To run a car with an oXigen chip on
any analog track you must use the same Slot.it SISCP01F Controller with SIO202A oXigen Digital Cartridge (and SIO205A
oXigen Digital Battery Holder for Radio Cartridge) that you
use on an oXigen-fitted track. To run on another analog track,
the analog controller for your lane must be plugged-into the
track with the throttle trigger held full-on with a rubber band
(or, on a Scalextric or Ninco track, you can prepare a Radio
Shack number 274-0284 1/8-inch Stereo Phone Plug to provide full power as described on page 42 of the March/April
2013 number 68 issue). That provides full power to that lane.
Your oXigen-equipped car is then controlled only by the Slot.it
oXigen-equipped controller. When you move to another lane,
remove the rubber band from the throttle on the first lane (or
remove your special plug) and wrap the rubber band around
the analog throttle trigger for the second lane (or reinsert the
modified plug) to apply full power to the second lane.
On most Scalextric cars there is plate that is designed to be replaced with the Scalextric Digital chip
but that chip will only function with the Scalextric Digital system. To operate the car with Slot.it’s
oXigen system you must install the Slot.it In-Car Controller (chip). Remove the plastic plate.
The half-round boss that accepts the screw on the Scalextric chassis must also be removed. Again,
use diagonal cutters or a hobby knife. Shave the top of the chassis to remove any leftover burrs.
The Slot.it chip must rest on the floor of the chassis so the pegs on the front of the opening must be
removed. You can use flush-cut diagonal cutters or slice the clips off with a hobby knife.
Test-fit the Slot.it oXigen Digital chip to determine if there are any other tabs on the chassis that must
be removed so the face of the Slot.it chip can rest firmly on the top of the chassis.
Unsolder the wires from the Scalextric motor.
Solder each of the two wires from the front (the tab-shaped end) of the Slot.it oXigen Digital chip
to the metal clips from Scalextric pickup. Reassemble the clips and install the pickup in the chassis.
Solder the two wires from the rear of the Slot.it oXigen Digital chip to the metal tabs on the Scalextric
motor.
Remove the single screw that retains the Scalextric pickup so you can slide the metal clips and wires
out from the sides of the pickup.
Unsolder the wires from the two metal clips.
Use the Slot.it SISCP01F Controller with SIO202A oXigen Digital Cartridge (and SIO205A oXigen
Digital Battery Holder for Radio Cartridge) to see if the car runs in the proper direction on an oXigenfitted track. If the car runs backwards, reverse the connections to the motor tabs
Use Shoe Goo or low temperature hot glue to hold the oXigen Digital chip to the top of the chassis.
The chip will be visible from the bottom of the car. If you are installing a chip in a another brand of
car that does not have the Scalextric removable plate, it will be necessary to drill a ¼-inch hole in
the chassis directly below the tiny white square sensor so that sensor can “see” the lane-changing
receivers in the track.
The unipolar ‘Hall’ sensor on the left side of the chip (attached with white, black and red wires) is the
lap and finish line detector. This sensor senses the magnetic field from the magnets that you placed
beneath the track (as shown in the number 68 issue---also on wwww.modelcarracingmag.com) at
the finish line and pit lane. The sensor must be fixed to the chassis of the car so the front face of the
sensor (the beveled one) is facing down. The sensor must be angled upwards at least 45-degrees.
The sensor will not function properly if simply laid flat or with the beveled side up. Cement the sensor
to the chassis with Shoe Goo or low temperature hot glue with the angled face down and the sensor
angled up 45-degrees.
If the sensor does not provide proper lap detection when changing lanes, the reason is the sensitivity of the Hall sensor, which can also detect the magnetic field of the lane-changing mechanism’s
coil during lane changing. Bend the sensor up more (or add some spacers underneath the sensor) until
the problem goes away. The Hall sensor is also a current sensor, so keep it away from the wires
leading from the pickup to the chip, and from the chip to the motor.
The stub-ended black wire is the antenna that receives radio signals from the oXigen-equipped
controller. That wire should be positioned as near vertical as possible so you will need to check to be
sure that body or the interior does not interfere with the antenna.
Test-fit the body to be sure that interior does not contact the chip, the Hall sensor or the antenna. In
most cars you can move the oXigen Digital chip far enough forward to avoid hitting the interior. If
the chip is near the front axle (as it is on the Audi) place a piece of black electric tape over the chip so
there is no chance the front axle can hit the chip and cause a short circuit to burn-out the chip. In some
cars, however, you may need to remove the lower ¼-inch or so of the interior to clear the oXigen
digital chip. There was no need to modify the interior in the Audi.
LIGHTING
If the original car is fitted with lighting, those wires must be removed. However, the lighting can
be connected direct from the pickup wires to the motor tabs but be aware that, with the track’s full
power, the lights will always remain fully-on which can shorten their life. Slot.it offers their own
number SISP11 lighting kit for analog cars that can also be used but, again, the wires must be connected direct from the braid and not touch the oXigen chip. The is no brake light option with these
lighting systems.
The oXigen Digital In Car Controllers SIO201a Type A (top) and SIO201b Type B (bottom) are shown
here but there are more being developed for even smaller installations.
Start Here
NO-RUB RUBBER
One of the more common causes of poor race car performance is so simple you can miss it...the tires are rubbing the body! Usually, the rubbing
tire is not obvious except that car may not corner as quickly as similar models or it may have slower speeds through one corner than another.
Typically, you can pick up the car and turn it over and there seems be at least 1/64-inch clearance between edges of each of the four tires and the
edges of the body. What you cannot see is that the body may be shifting when the car is running and/or, the rear axle may be moving sideways
far enough so one or both of the rear tires rub the body. Or, the front axle may have so much upward movement that the tires can rub. You may
need to round the tire edges and/or shave the wheel cutouts slightly to allow room for the body to move even 1/64-inch for that “loose body”
performance tweak.
Robert Schleicher
When you have the car upside down, tilt the body on the chassis to see if it rubs on any of the four tires. With the body tilted as far as it can go, move the rear axle from side to side and the front axle up and
down to see, if under these extreme conditions, any tires rub. If the body is tilting too far the solution is easy, tighten the body-mounting screws just a bit more.
The article on pages 9-14 of this issue describes the results of running a car with the body-mounting
screws slightly loose. This is often a simple step to reduce rear wheel hop to allow the car to turn
quicker lap times. However, if the body is too loose, it can lean enough to rub the tires through the
corners. Note that on most Scalextric cars, you must also loosen the two screws that retain the
interior to the chassis to loosen or remove the body.
It is common for cars with sidewinder motors to have too much side-to-side axle play. It’s hard to
spot unless you move that axle. Here, you can see that there is almost 1/32-inch between the large
spur gear on the axle and the face of the bearing---way too much side-to-side play. Turn the car over,
loosen the body-mounting screws just enough to allow the body to rattle slightly (with no more
than 1/64-inch movement), then move rear axle from side to side. You may discover that the tires
rub the edge of wheel cutout. You can usually correct that by installing a thin washer between the
bearing and the back of wheel opposite the one that is rubbing (to move the offending wheel inboard.
You can insert spacer washers on the rear the axle without removing the wheels or gear but the rear
axle assembly with bearings must be snapped-out of the chassis. The side play can be reduced by
inserting a nylon washer. The DuBro number 635 nylon 4-40 flat washers are just under 1/16-inch
thick.
If you have less side-to-side play you can file the washers thinner or, better, buy some of the .005inch thick number SS13 plastic polymer washers from Slick 7 (www.slick7.com). Your hobby dealer
may have some similar-size nylon washers. Use a hobby knife to cut one diagonal split on just one
half of the nylon washer. Hold the washer with needlenose pliers while you bend it over the axle so
the cut washer acts like a horseshoe. When the washer snaps over the axle use the pliers to flatten
washer. Snap the axle back into the chassis to be sure that the washer you installed is not too thick--there should be just a barely perceptible amount of side-to-side movement (about .005-inch or the
thickness of a magazine page).
If the tires still rub, you can either sand the
outer edges of the tires or shave away slivers
of the edge of the offending wheel cutout to
clear the tire.
CLUB DIRECTORY
Most model car racers prefer to race at home on their own tracks with a few
friends. There are hundreds of model car racing clubs in the world but some of
them are groups who race very highly modified cars on tracks routed from wood or
PVC. The model racing cars you see on the pages of this magazine are all designed
to be raced on plastic tracks (although they can be raced on most wood or PVC
tracks) from Scalextric, Sport, Carrera, NINCO, SCX, Riggen or Artin or the
older Strombecker, Revell or Monogram tracks 1/32 scale tracks or Tomy AFX or
Mattel/Tyco HO tracks.
The clubs that are listed here are groups whose main interest is to race outof-the box cars and mostly on plastic tracks (although the club may also race on
California, Los Angeles (Glendale): OTHG – Farrout Slot Car
Club. Contact Stephen Farr-Jones (818) 260 9192, sfarrjones@
earthlink.net website: http://www.farroutslotcars.com/
California, Fresno area: Insane SCRC, Joe Cabral Joe_Cabral@
comcast.net
one or two hand-routed wood or PVC tracks). The group may have a modified
class where extra magnets are allowed or different bodies. We try to NOT list
the clubs that primarily race cars with hand-made metal chassis and clear plastic
bodies---those clubs are listed on various internet sites or you can find most of
them through the Old Weird Harold site at http://www.oldweirdherald.com.
There are hundreds of dealers in the country that have operating tracks in
the store. We cannot list them all, but you can contact the ones in your area from
the list of dealers that carry Model Car Racing magazine www.modelcarracingmag.com.
If your group races out-of-the-box 1/32 scale or HO scale cars, with only
occasionally events for modified cars) send us the information at www.modelcarracingmag.com and we’ll try to include your club in the next issue.
Indiana, Indianapolis area: (Jeremy Dunning) jeremydunning@
hotmail.com
Indiana, Terre Haute area: Otter Creek Slot Racing Association,
Bob Redman [email protected]
Pennsylvania, Harrisburg area: Homestead Speedway, Landisville,
Pennsylvania. Ken Falco at [email protected]
Pennsylvania, Manheim area: D & B Raceways, Don Noll
[email protected]
Iowa, Cedar Rapids area: Iowa Model Area Racers, http://imar.us/
Indiana, Fort Wayne area: Wallace Dale Monroe, wallmonroe@
aol.com
Pennsylvania, Philadelphia area: Mt. Airy Racing Association,
Herbert Bigelow (215) 868-4464, [email protected]
Iowa, Cedar Rapids area: ERASR (Ecurie Road America Scale
Racers) Art (319)626-6374
Pennsylvania, Wilkes Barre Area: NEPA Slot Car Club,
570-903-9182, nepaslotcars.com
California, San Jose area: Devin Mauldin [email protected]
Iowa, Swisher area: IMAR (Iowa Model Auto Racing), Jerry
Hightshoe [email protected]
Pennsylvania, Wyoming Valley Area: Wyoming Valley Slot Car
Association, Nanticoke, Pennsylvania, wvsca.blogspot.com
California, South Bay (Los Angeles): Stan Smith (310)812-1866
[email protected]
Kentucky, Louisville area: Derby City Slot Car Club, http://
derbycityslotcarclub.proboards.com/ [email protected]
Texas, Eastern area: East Texas Slot Car Association, Tyler , TX
75771, (903)882 0965 [email protected]
California, South Bay (Los Angeles): ITG - In The Groove Slot
Car racing, 324 W. Florence Ave., Inglewood, CA 90301. Contact:
Marc Natividad (310) 200-6300. [email protected]
Louisiana, Lake Charles area: Lake Area Slot Car Auto Racing,
Julian Guillory, http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LASCAR
Texas, Houston (Northwest Harris County): Houston Scale
Auto Racing Club (HSARC), www.hsarc.net, (281)807-4026.
Maryland, Baltimore area: (Allan Schwartz) [email protected]
Northern Virginia-Metro DC area: Northern Virginia Digital
Slot Racers, contact: Hayes Lewis, [email protected]
Colorado, Denver Area, Colorado Slot car Club, contact:
http://ssscc.proboards.com/
Michigan, Grand Rapids area: Rivershore International Raceway,
Alto, Michigan, Stephen Thomas, (616) 891-1632. email: [email protected]
Vermont, Burlington area: Burlington Slot Dorks, Daniel,
[email protected]
Colorado, Denver area: Front Range Vintage Slotcar and Historical Racing Club, www.monovell.proboards84.com
Michigan, Kalamazoo area: Kalamazoo Area Slot Car Group, John
Lacko (269) 344-5588, [email protected]
D.C., Washington area: The Capital Racing League, http://
groups.yahoo.com/group/tcrl, contact: [email protected]
Missouri, St. Louis area: (Carl Shorle) [email protected]
California, North San Diego County: Nomad Slot Racing Club,
Jim Cunningham (760)492-4619 [email protected] www.
NomadSlotRacing.com
California, North San Diego County, Escondido - “The Slot
Outlaws” 760-747-4511 or email: [email protected]
Colorado, Denver area: Rocky Mountain Slot Car Club
(RMSSC) http://rmscclub.proboards.com/index.cgi
D.C., Washington area (Alexandria): Classic Slot Car Association (CSSA), John Roberts, (703) 582-5504, [email protected]
D.C., Washington Metro area: Old Dominion Slot Car Club,
5322 Graystone Rd., Warrenton, VA 20187, contact: Chris Bowles
(540)341-1405 or, [email protected] , www.nascarslots.com or
www.metalracer.com
Illinois, Central area: Hotslots 1/32 Slot Car Shop, 1809 A. Philo
Road, Urbana, IL 61802 (217) 355-2277, [email protected]
Illinois, Chicago area: Bolingbrook Speedway, Karl Staehlin,
[email protected]
Illinois, Chicago area: Great Lakes Slot Car Club, contact: www.
greatlakesscc.com
Illinois, Chicago Area: JYD Racing, contact www.toys4slots.com
Illinois, Peoria/ Metamora area: Peoria Model Car Raceway,
(309)573-1027, [email protected], (309)712-3299
[email protected]
Missouri, St. Louis area: Monaco Grand Prix Miniature Racing
Club, www.mgpmrc.org, email: [email protected]
New York, Watkins Glen area: The Slot Car Club Of The Twin
Tiers, Contact: Frank Spena, Jr., [email protected]
North Carolina, Winston-Salem area: Road America Racers, King
City, North Carolina, Tom Brooks, (336) 985-3867 or mrnova@
alltel.net
Ohio, Columbus area: 1/32 Slot Car Racers of Central Ohio,
Randy Horton,
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/1-32SlotCarRacersOfCentralOhio
Oregon, Portland area: Beaverton Area Slot Car Club
(B.A.S.C.C.),15430 SW Gull Ct., Beaverton, Oregon 97007,
503-330-6907
Washington, Auburn area: Rainier Raceways, Greg Gaub ggaub@
ggaub.com
Washington, Seattle/Tacoma area: PSSRA (Puget Sound Slot
Car Racing Association) http://pssra.webhop.net/ or Tony Kuljis,
[email protected]
Washington, Seattle/Tacoma area: NMRL (Northwest Model
Racing League). John MacKenzie (206)295-9980, jicemanmac@
msn.com
Toronto, Canada area: Scale Sloters 1/32, [email protected]
Vancouver, Canada area: (Luf Linkert) [email protected]
1/24 scale racing clubs:
Oregon, Eugene area: Pelican Park Speedway (541)349-0917
htm210@comcast.
Digital Racing Clubs:
Pennsylvania, Allentown-Reading area: Allen & Allen Motor
Speedway Racing, (610) 520-7247, [email protected]
Ohio, Mansfield area: Mid-Ohio 1/32 Scale Racing Club, chorp@
ohio.net, John Chorpening (419) 289-6563
Pennsylvania, Chambersburg area. Sherman Collings modelersc@
comcast.net (717) 377-1435
Northern Virginia-Metro DC area: Northern Virginia Digital
Slot Racers, contact: Hayes Lewis, [email protected]
HO Clubs: The majority of HO racing on a club level in the US is home
sectional tracks, using hard bodies and largely stock equipment. The majority are Thunderjet focused, although many do run the Life-Like, Auto World, Playing Mantis, G-Plus
and Mattel/Tyco cars, these mass produced magnet cars tend to be utilized by small round
Williamsburg Virginia area: The Barn Burners” Contact: Joseph
Brimer [email protected]
robin groups by invitation or as groups of friends.
There are some excellent clubs across the US racing basically stock hardshell T-Jet
cars for the most part on sectional home tracks. This is only a partial listing. If you have
an active group racing hard-bodied T-Jet-style cars, let us know.
Arizona, Phoenix area: http://ahora.homestead.com/ahora.html
California, Bay area: San Francisco HO Racing Association,
www.sfhora.org/home.html
Illinois, Chicago area: http: nitro-racing.4t.com/
California, Bay area: M.S.C.R.C. - Model Slot Car Racing Club
www.mscrc.orgemail: [email protected]
Kentucky / Virginia area: http://www.thunderjetracing.com/
Pennsylvania, Philadelphia area: Mt. Airy Racing Association,
Herbert Bigelow (215) 868-4464, [email protected]
Michigan, Lansing area: NASAR, Richard Leeper (517) 2909952 or [email protected]
Pennsylvania, Wilkes Barre Area: NEPA Slot Car Club, 570903-9182, nepaslotcars.com
California, South Bay (Los Angeles): ITG - In The Groove Slot
Car racing, 324 W. Florence Ave.
Inglewood, CA 90301. Contact: Marc Natividad (310) 200-6300.
[email protected]
Missouri, Kansas City area: http://home.kc.rr.com/jhabernal/
mahor/
Missouri, St. Louis area: [email protected]
Winston-Salem/Greenville, South Carolina area: Upstate HO
Slot Car Club, 403 Hill Lane, Mauldin, SC 29662 (864)967-7865
Richard Tabb at [email protected] or Steve Lorch at [email protected]
Colorado, Denver area: Front Range HO (FRHO) club. http://
www.scaleracers.com/FrontRangeHO/default.asp
Ohio, Columbus area: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/colohhoscc/messages
United Kingdom, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire:
Burning Rubber, www.burningrubber.net:
California, Bay area: Shaunadega Racing www.shaunadega.com
Indiana, Fort Wayne area: Wallace Monroe, [email protected]
Pennsylvania, Philadelphia area: http://vintagehoracing.mrbigstuff.com/
RACE TRACKS
FOR YOUR HOME:
HO 4-LANE VALLELUNGA TRACK
FOR A 4 x 8-FOOT TABLETOP
This Vallelunga Track is based on the full-size raceway on pages 21-23. The HO version includes four parallel straights with 180-degree curves at the end of each straight. The track should be more fun to drive
than the 1/32 scale versions because this HO Vallelunga Track has a more interesting array of curves, with
broad-radius 180-degree sweepers at turns T1 and T6 and a smooth ess bend through turns T4 and T5. There
are none of the 6-inch turns on the track so you’ll get to sample all the large-radius curves that AFX offers.
The majority of the HO plans in the magazine cram as much track as possible into that 4 x 8-foot area.
Any of them would be more enjoyable to race on with the straights longer than the typical six-feet or so. It
can be difficult to design a plan for, say, 4 x 16-feet that can be shrunk to fit a 4 x 8-foot area. So we present
them all uptight and hope that you’ll expand them to 4 x 10 or 4 x 24-feet to get those wondrous 20-foot
straight-aways. Most of the plans are marked with “L” letters indicating just where to insert the additional
sets of straight track sections to expand the track to any length. You can see how the extra length affects the
plan by comparing the 1/32 scale versions of the Vallelunga Track on page 20 and pages 22-23 of this issue.
The plan for the HO 4-Lane Vallelunga Track in Italy to fit a 4 x 8-foot area.
TRACK SECTIONS REQUIRED
Quantity:Description:
4
3-inch Straight
2
6-inch Straight
2
9-inch Straight
14
15-inch Straight
0
6-inch 45-degree Curve
Quantity:Description:
2
4
10
10
10
PIT BOARD
Ground Clearance?
When you report the Ground Clearance on your spec
sheet, where do you measure the clearance? On page 15 of
the March/April 2013 number 68 issue you have the ground
clearance for the Slot.it Audi on Scalextric track at .030”. In
fractions that is not quite 1/32-inch! I have all kinds of Slot.
it cars, which I run on a wood track and I do not come close
to that measurement. My cars usually have around .050 to
.060-inches of ground clearance.
Thanks for your time, Larry Arnt
We measure the ground clearance at the lowest point on
the chassis, which is usually (but not always) just below the
magnet. Not all Slot.it cars have the same ground clearance.
Some have smaller-diameter tires; others have the motor offset to lower the chassis.
One of the results of using undersize tires (as do Slot.it,
Avant Slot, Ninco Lightning, NSR and the other Euroracer
cars) is that reduced ground clearance. The Slot.it Audi R18
TDI is one of those “Euroracer” cars and, yes, it does only
have .030-inches of ground clearance, thanks the vastly undersize tires.
Some clubs specify a minimum .060-inch ground clearance, which forces the use of larger (and, usually, correct
scale) tires on the cars with too little ground clearance. In
some cases, though, the car already has the largest possible
tires and still has less than .060-inches of ground clearance
so the club may make an exception if that car has no particular performance advantage.
Some clubs that race only magnet-free cars also enforce
ground clearance rules because the lower the car, the quicker it can corner because of the reduced center of gravity. And,
the ground clearance rules also provide means of preventing
the use of those way-undersize tires.
The closer the magnet is to the rails, the more downforce
it exerts, but ground clearance is only one factor that effects
how much downforce the magnet can exert so we check the
magnetic downforce with two custom-made weighing scales
converted from a Scalextric Classic track section (with rails
that have maximum iron content are, thus, more “attractive”
to the magnet) and from a Carrera track section (which has
rails that have less iron content). These scales function very
much like the “truck scales” used to measure the weight of
full-size trucks. Our track scales actually measure how much
that magnet is trying to lift in ounces and grams so both the
force of the magnet and its distance from the track rails are
included. Often, the same brand of car will have significantly
less ground clearance but far more magnetic downforce than
a car from the same maker with the same magnet but more
ground clearance.
Most clubs that allow cars to run with magnets have
some rules to insure that all of the cars have nearly equal
downforce because the stronger the downforce, the faster the
car will corner. To avoid the controversy that results from
discovering “cheater” magnets or reduced magnet height
from the rails, some clubs use a simple “One Gee” rule that
Jim Cunningham devised. To enforce the One Gee rule, ev50 • Model Car Racing
ery car must pass this test: the car is placed on piece of
Carrera track and the track is turned upside down. If the
car falls off the track, it passes. If the car remains stuck to
the track (which, essentially, means the magnet is producing
more downforce than the weight of the car), the car fails. Fitting larger tires or a weaker magnet can reduce that downforce or, if it is just slightly too “stuck”, some add a fraction
of an ounce of weight. The Carrera track is essential to the
One Gee Rule because the Carrera rails have less iron content---using Scalextric, Ninco or SCX track (all with more
iron content in the rails) for the test results in cars with too
much downforce. The whole One Gee process is described on
the Nomad website (www.NomadSlotRacing.com) and in the
September/October 2010 number 53 issue.
Printed Magazines
There are a lot of publications that are suggesting that
the reader might prefer to purchase the online version. I personally feel that having a printed issue has more collector
value and it has a resale value. Also, you can read it as often
as you want without starting up your computer, and it is less
time consuming, because the Editor has already gathered all
the important news of one or two months into one magazine
as a summary. You can give away issues to friends, so there is
more a promotional advantage for readers to become familiar
with American magazines in Europe.
Printed issues are treated more seriously than online
content---the online information is fast but also easily replaced and therefore wiped out because there is such a flood
of information traffic coming your way.
But maybe it will take not that long before everybody
can print out their own slot car with a 3D printing machine.
Best regards, Henk de Ruiter, The Netherlands
You can buy printed copies from any dealer in the world
on our website (www.modelcarracingmag.com under “More
Information”, then “Dealers”) and get them shipped whenever you buy a car or part.
Model racing cars have already been created and raced
with 3D printed bodies. SlotMods created a track for Audi in
Canada and they also produced replicas of the Audi “street”
A6 so the spectators could actually drive a new Audi on a
race track using their smart phones with video links from
in-car cameras---meanwhile, being able watch their car
racing around a fully-scenicked 1/32 scale race track. Try
that with your video game! It’s on this link: http://glossyinc.
com/?p=11824
NEW TO THE HOBBY? There’s more information on pages 46-47 of
this issue. There are some basic tune-up tips that are needed for every
model race car on our website www.modelcarracingmag.com under
the “New to the hobby?” link. There are 13 tips including: How To
Get Started in Model Car Racing, Two Driving Techniques, Perfect
Pickup Braid, Tire Mounting, Cleaning Track Rails, Cleaning Track,
Avoiding Disaster: Oil & Grease, Controllers, Race Program Set
Up: Color Coding & Racing classes, Reliable Wires, Chassis Set Up,
Carrera Guide Shoe Mods. There’s lots more you can do, including
changing to silicone rear tires with better grip, loosening the body-tochassis screws and more.
YOUR TRACK:
12 x 30-FOOT FOUR-LANE SLOT MODS
LE MAY MUSEUM TRACK
SlotMods has worked their creative magic again. This time they have created a giant four-lane track for the LeMay Museum
(www.lemaymuseum.org) in Tacoma, Washington. You can visit this one yourself and see one of the largest vintage automobile
collections in the world.
Photos by David Beattie
The museum visitors’ first look at the LeMay Raceway with controller stations along the front edge of the track.
SlotMods (www.SlotMods.com) built this track for the LeMay Museum in Tacoma, Washington; The track is designed to
be operated by visitors to the museum so it is especially rugged.
The museum wanted features that their visitors might recognize
so the SlotMods crew included a dozen vignettes that have become “signature”” pieces on the ultra-realistic SlotMods tracks
including Jimmy Attard’s scratchbuilt replica of the woodbeam hexagonal official tower, the triangular illuminated score
tower, the Dunlop tire pedestrian bridge and the superb chain
link spectator-protection fences from Mazda Raceway Laguna
Seca and the downhill ess curves from Pacific Raceways.
SlotMods provides a track-building service that delivers
a ready-to-race track complete with scenery, power supplies,
controllers and, if you wish, even the cars. The prices are what
you would expect from what are three-dimensional works of
art with hundreds of hours of skilled hand labor. If you like
the realism you can certainly build your own using the same
techniques that are applied by the SlotMods crew. The track
surfaces are 1/2-inch thick MDF board with the slots cut with
a power router including trimming notches for the braid that
is used for electrical pickup. You can use track from Scalextric,
Carrera, Ninco or SCX and others in 1/32 scale or from AFX,
Auto World or Life-Like in HO, to recreate the track. You will,
of course, need to assemble your own tabletop. The SlotMods
tables are built like patio decks with 2 x 4 braces to support the
1/2-inch thick MDF track surface. You can skip that by simply
using one or two or more ping-pong tables or by having a local
carpenter assemble your table for you. The scenery between
the tracks is shaped from stacks of 2-inch thick extruded pink
or blue Styrofoam, carved to create the hillsides and valleys.
The Styrofoam surface is covered with Woodland Scenics Plas-
The LeMay Raceway depicts “signature” vignettes from America’s most famous tracks. The tire
bridge is one of the historic sights at LeMans as well as at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.
ter Cloth and painted with flat latex paint, then textured to
simulate dirt or grass. Trees and bushes are added from firms
like JTT, (www.modelrectifier.com/scenery), Woodland Scenics, Bachmann SceneScapes and others. The ground foam is
held firmly in place by flooding it with a mixture of water and
Artist Matte Medium that retains the texture but dries with a
flat finish.
The top of the iconic “Corkscrew” turn at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca is one of the scenes on the
LeMay Museum Track.
Jimmy Attard’s scratchbuilt replica of the wood-beam hexagonal official tower at Mazda Raceway
Laguna Seca is one of the dozen signature scenes on the LeMay raceway.
The downhill ess turns are recreations of one of the most memorable features of Pacific Raceways.
The LeMay Raceway scenes include this replica of the triangular illuminated scoring tower from Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.
The SlotMods tracks are routed from 1/2-inch thick MDF board with pickup strips of plated copper braid. The turns are designed so the cars can power through them smoothly without any of the unrealistic
jogs that are found on some plastic home track raceways.
The realistic SlotMods chain link spectator-protection fences are not just scenery; they keep wild cars from leaving the tabletop!
ALL NEW FOR 2013-2014
Most of the model car racing manufacturers introduce the products
that will be shipped in 2013 at the Nuremburg International Toy Fair
in early February, which is about the time this magazine is already in
your hands. A few of the manufacturers announce what will be coming earlier. About a fourth of the cars that were announced in February
2012 are yet to be shipped but most of those February announcements
were long-term introductions so you will not see some of them until
2013. Several of the model car manufacturers were forced to temporarily stop production in 2012 because the Chinese factories they were
using closed, however, all of the manufacturers have set up production
with new Chinese sources. There are dozens of new paint schemes on
existing bodies coming for 2013 but the only ones listed below are cars
made form new tooling. Here’s what’s coming:
1/32 SCALE:
Scalextric (images at http://scalextric.hornby.com): Trans-Am
cars! 1970 Trans-Am Dodge Challenger in Sam Posey’s brilliant
green and the 1967 Mercury Cougar XR7 (from the cover of the
#61 issue) and vintage NASCAR as a 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona (the wing and shovel nose version), 2011 Lotus Evora, 2012
Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4, 2003 Maserati Trofeo, Ford Escort RS1800 MK2, 1983 Audi Sport S1 Quattro and the (wider)
1985 Audi Sport E2 Quattro
Slot.it: 2012 Audi SR18 with four-wheel-drive, Matra MS670B
(that finished 1-3 at LeMans in 1974, with similar MS670B cars
finishing 1-3 in 1973), 1970 McLaren M8D Can-Am and 1985
Porsche 962C IMSA.
Carrera: Three 2012 DTM cars: Audi A5, AMG Mercedes CCoupe and BMW M3 plus 2012 Green H2 LeMans, 2012 Aston
Martin V12 Vantage GT3, 2013 Ferrari “New Enzo” street car and
1964 Porsche 904 GTS and the 2010 Porsche Carrera GT street
car but the two Porsches will only be available in “Porsche 75th
Anniversary” sets with track
Revell/Monogram: Neither the German or American divisions
have any new 1/32 scale race cars planned for 2013
Ninco: 1977 Lancia Stratos
SCX: 1965 Austin Healey 3000, 2012 Mercedes DTM and
2012 Audi A5 DTM, 2009 Morgan Aeromax Super Sports, 2012
Citroen DS3 WRC and 1963 Renault 4L Monte Carlo and 2011
Audi R18 and Limited Edition plated 1959 Cooper F1
Racer “Sideways”: 1979-1985 Group 5 BMW 320, Sauber
BMW M1, Porsche 935L IMSA, Porsche 935/77, Mustang GTP,
Kremer 935K3, Porsche Moby Dick, Lancia Stratos Turbo, Nissan
Skyline, Ferrari 512BB Silhouette and Toyota Celica.
Scaleauto: 1979 Porsche 935 and 2011 Dodge Viper SRT GTSR. Still due from 2012: 2011 BMW Z4 GT3, 2010 Spyker C8
GT2R, 1981 BMW M1 Group 5, 1976 Pantera Group 3
Arrow Slot: 1999 BMW V12 LMR and Saleen S7R
Avant Slot: 2012 Nissan Delta Wing Prototype LeMans
Pioneer (www.pioneerslotcars.com): Still due from 2012: 196768 Camaro Trans-Am, British “Legends” dirt track coupes, 1965
MGB hardtop, 1970 Plymouth Barracuda Trans-Am, and 1970
Javelin Trans-Am
Auto Art: Lamboghinis: 2012 Aventador LP700-4, 2011 Murcielago LP670-4, 2012, Reventon and 2012 Gallardo LP570-4,
and 2011 Ford Shelby Cobra GT500.
Flyslot: 2011 Dodge Viper SRT GTS-R, 1972 Ford Capri
RS2600, 1969 Porsche 907K Targa Florio, 1968 Porsche 917L
LeMans and 1980 LeMans Rondeau M379. Still due from 2012:
1979/80 Renault RS10 Grand Prix, 1985 Peugeot 205 T16 rally
car, 1986 MG Metro 6R4, Ferrari 512BB, 2012 “street” Porsche
997 RSR and 2008 Lamborghini Diablo.
Slotwings (division of Flyslot): Every F1 car (19 of them, over
the next five-years) that Ayrton Senna drove. The first release is a
replica of the 1983 Williams FW08C (Flyslot previously released
the 1979 Williams FW07 so this will be all new, 1970 Porsche
914/6, 1965 Ferrari 330 P2 and 1967 Ferrari 330 P3
MRRC: 1979 Toyota Celica LB Group 5 with new sidewinder
chassis. Still due from 2012: 1963 Corvette Stingray fastback
MSC: Still due from 2012: 1985 Rothmann’s Porsche 959 Dakar car, 1976 DeTomaso Pantera Group 3, 1987 Peugeot 205
and 1990 Peugeot 405 Paris-Dakar, 2012 Dakar Mini “X-Raid
(Countryman) and “Africa Legends” series: Peugeot 1987 205
T16 Grand Raid, 1988 Peugeot 405 T16 Grand Raid, 1981 Range
Rover Dakar, 1985 Porsche 959 Dakar and 2000 Subaru Impreza
Rally Safari
Mr. Slotcar: Still due from 2012: 1985 Porsche 962C IMSA
and 1989 Nissan R89C LeMans
NSR: 2011 Aston Martin DBR9, 1965 Ford GT40 Mk.I and
1972 Porsche 917 with fins
Cartrix: 1948 Talbot Lago. Still due from 2012: 1960 Scarab
and 1961 Ferguson P99 Grand Prix cars
Le Mans Miniatures (cast resin): 2011 and 2012 Audi R18s,
1965 Ford GT40 (long nose), 1969 Porsche 917K, 1976 Porsche
935 LeMans, 1974 Porsche RSR, 1962 Panard CD LeMans, `969
Alpine Renault A220, 1976 Renault R5 Alpine, 1973 Porsche
911 RSR and 1974 Matra 670B
SRC (Slot Racing Company): 1975 Alfa Romeo 33TT12, 1973
Matra 670B LeMans, 1980 Porsche 935J, 1980 Renault RE20 6
Formula 1, more 1968 Porsche 907K and 907L and 1973 Capri
RS 2600 paint schemes. Cast-resin 1979 Ferrari 1979 312 T4 and
1979 Renault RS10 Formula 1 cars
Original Slot Cars: 1985 Peugeot 205 EVO1 Monte Carlo
Spirit: Resuming production of cars like the 1981 Porsche 936
and BMW 635CSI with new liveries.
1/24 SCALE:
BRM: 1997 McLaren F1 GTR
Auto Art: Still due from 2012: 2004 BMW M3 GTR, 2005
Dodge Viper and 2005 Peugeot 307 WRC
Auto World: More cars from the AMT series of 1/25 scale
cars with metal chassis with ”high-performance” set-screw-mount
aluminum wheels and crown gear with brass pinion gear for motor.
Carrera: 1970 Ferrari 512S Berlinetta and 2012 Mercedes-Benz
SLS AMG GT3
Scaleauto: 2011 Dodge Viper SRT GTS-R. Still due from 2012:
2009 Audi R8 LMS and 2011 BMW Z4
1/43 SCALE:
Carrera Go!!!: Three 2012 DTM cars, Audi A5, AMG Mer-
cedes C-Coupe and BMW M3 plus 2011 Dodge Viper SRT GTS-R,
2012 Aston Martin V12 Vantage GT3 and Ferrari F12 street car
SCX Compact: Still due from 2012: 2010 BMW M3 and 2011
Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG
Kyosho: 2013 Toyota GT86 and 1998 Porsche 911 GT1-98
LeMans-winner
HO SCALE:
Racemasters AFX: New cars to be announced late summer
Auto World: Vintage Funny Cars from the Don Prudhomme era
Scaleauto 1979 Porsche 935
SRC is producing a series of replicas of the 1968 Porsche 907/8L coupes. We’ll have a full article on the cars in the next issue.
Scaleauto 1976 Pantera Group 3
LeMans Miniatures 1965 Ford GT40 (long nose)
Slot.it Matra MS670B (that finished 1-3 at LeMans in
1974, with similar MS670B cars finishing 1-3 in 1973)
Scaleauto 2011 BMW Z4 GT3 (IN 1/32 and 1/24 scale)
LeMans Miniatures 1967 Mirage Ford M1
Racer “Sideways” Porsche 935/78
NSR 2011 Aston Martin DBR9
Racer “Sideways” 1979 BMW M1
Racer is producing a 1/30 scale cast-resin ready-to-race replica of
the 1962 Ferrari SWB Drogo “Breadvan” that was featured the
November/December 2011 number 60 issue.
The photos from the Nuremburg Toy Fair courtesy Sean Fothersgill
and Pendle Slot Racing (http://pendleslotracing.co.uk/) our distributor in the U.K.
This the Slot.it 2012 Audi R18 e-tron ultra with four-wheel-drive.
Scaleauto 2010 Spyker C8 GT2R
Scalextric 2011 Lotus Exige

Model Car Racing Free Sample Issue #69

Transcription

Similar documents

Racing Cars - Everyday Math

slot car classics

NEW SLOT CAR KITS

Manual instruction - Heating bench COMODO

- the Troy Main WSA Snocross Racing Team Website

Mechanical Heartbreak Hits McColligan at USTCC

Feel The Need For - Elmsford Raceway

Top 5 Finish For MC Racing

MC Racing Equals Season Best Finish at Home Track