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The NASTE Forum → Posts by wb0s
I used clamps underneath the track surface on the framework to hold everything together while I made minor adjustments.
More jack and post work to align the lower curve leading to the short straight.
I truly love Harbor Freight Tools, but sometimes you realize you get what you paid for!
The track is now in its new location in Vancouver and today I spent most of the day working on the reassembly. It is good to have all the legs reattached and the track together as one piece again. I had originally planned to raise the track a few inches to allow for more storage underneath however, I really like the original height of the track surface so I decided not to raise it. Kirk Smith hit the optimum track height right on the money with the original build!
I started the day's work by first lining up the top or back straight. I used a pick in one of the screw holes to keep it somewhat aligned as I wiggled the track around to get the joint as tight and level as possible.
It's been quite some time since I've done any work while on a creeper! Seems like it was more fun when I was younger....
Getting the top/back straight joint aligned well required a floor jack and short post, and some clamps.
This project could never have been completed without all the help from my friends in the slot car community!
Thanks to Bob McFarland for allowing me to be the next guardian of Checkered Flag Raceway.
Thanks to gary "Howie" Howard for his help, bringing his trailer to the party, and his support throughout this endeavor and in my slot car interests in general.
And a big thank you to everyone that cam out to help, Mitch Brooks, Chris Kouba, Jeff Fields, Amy Fields, Rico Locati, Tracy Flood, Bob Nakamura, Dennis Hart, Jeff Burns, Beau Frazier, Al Christensen, Marty Barney, and Ted (sorry Ted, I still don't know your last name). You are all AWESOME and valued friends!
After legs were attached to one side we raised the opposite side and attached a few more legs so we could move the section into place.
Lastly we reunited the two sections!
Howie did an outstanding job of backing that trailer up the driveway. He had less than 3 inches clearance on each side, and overhead to get under that TV satellite dish!
Once we got the large section out of the trailer we rolled it into the shop.
Once we had close to where it would be set up, we used clamps to secure some of the legs back in position.
The first section was set into place in the shop. I had measured and marked out the track's planned position on the floor with duct tape.
Time to uncover the first section. Still no rain....but better safe than sorry!
Then it was Howie's turn to back his car trailer in. This feat was even more difficult in part due to the fact Howie's trailer was even wider than the U-Haul! Luckily my neighbor is an awesome guy and let us use his driveway for a straighter approach to my driveway.
Ready to unload the U-Haul.
The height of the U-Haul's deck made it a chore to get the section unloaded. But thankfully we had plenty of people to handle the weight.
Once it was off the truck we walked it into the shop.
Next we loaded the smaller section into the U-Haul.
Compared to loading the larger section into the trailer, this was a piece of cake.
Once the trip to my place in Vancouver was completed it was time for the next obstacle, backing up to to the shop. The side fence gate is only 9 feet wide, and the driveway approach is not level. It was a little bit tricky but, with spotters I got the U-Haul in.
A lot of grunting, huffing, and puffing, got this section onto the trailer ramp.
The moment of truth. Push and hope!
It was really close. The track was 7 foot 9 inches wide. The door opening on Howie's trailer was 7 foot 5 inches. I had figured out on graph paper that if we took the legs off this section we would be able to tip it up and just get it through the door opening. What I didn't account for were the inner fenderwells inside the trailer. 
The section slid right in. It wasn't even as close as I had feared.
The inside width of Howie's trailer was 8 feet even so I knew if we could get it in it would lay down flat in the trailer. And it did, we sat it down flat right on top of the inner fenderwells. One large tie down strap over the top to keep it from shifting forward or backward and it was ready for the ride to Vancouver.
We tipped the large section up and placed the bottom end on two furniture dollies to make it easier to get the section down to the trailer.
Going down the hill with this huge piece was a little tricky.
Getting it onto the ramp leading into the trailer was another trick.
Amy took some great photos during the move. Thought I'd share some of them here.
Thank you Amy!
The first thing we did was cover both track pieces. I did not want to take any chance of water damage if it started raining. Of course it never did start raining but, if we would not have covered the track it surely would have!
We moved the section of track that was located closest to the overhead door down the driveway and under the carport. This gave us enough room to get the larger piece loaded onto Howie's car trailer first. The plan was if it did not fit into Howie's trailer we would try to fit it into the U-Haul. I knew the smaller section would fit into the trailer or the U-Haul easily. The larder section was the wild card!
I had hoped for at least 12 people for the move. Thanks to AWESOME friends we exceeded that number!
More photos from Zack.
A big thanks to Zack Morgan for these great photos from today's race!
Had a birthday party for our grandson to attend today, but this morning I got all the tools moved back into the shop. It's a little bit tight on space right now but, my plan is to raise the track up about 5 inches from where it currently sits. That extra few inches will give me a lot of valuable storage space underneath!
I have my hotel reservation!
I have a vacant seat if anyone is interested in going down for this year's Fray!
We missed you Doc. We finished up around 3 or 3:30. I took the U-Haul back around 4-ish I think.
More move photos from Howie:
A huge thanks to all the folks that came out today to help with the track move! I am very lucky to have such great friends and to be part of the awesome slot car racing community here in the Northwest!
Thank you Bob McFarland for allowing me to take over the stewardship of Checkered Flag Raceway! I will strive to continue its great tradition and PASER heritage, and to make it available for slot car racing enthusiasts throughout the Northwest.
Thank you to Howie for these photos from the move:
Yes, it was as close as it looks in the photo! Howie had less than 3 inches from either gate post, and about 2 inches under that TV dish! Awesome backing job Howie! It was about that close backing in the 20 foot U-Haul also! It was definitely a team effort getting the rigs backed up to the shop!
Stan, I apologize again for having this track move scheduled for the day of your race, but I just need to get it done ASAP. I'm really going to miss this race because I was looking forward to checking out your track. Hopefully I will be able to make it next time.
=======Bill
Well the upstairs is crammed full! I also rolled most of my tools into the house garage to get everything out of the way for track assembly. It will not look this way for long!
The shop awaits the arrival of InSlot's Checkered Flag...............Delivery tomorrow!
A couple of videos from the racing on January 17th:
It was great to have the BRM 1/24 Group C cars back on the track.
Racing these cars is just way too much fun!
Would you buy a used slot car from this guy?
Around the room at Rippin' Ridin' Raceway. Starting at left Doc, Rico "Chet" Locati, Kevin, Monte, Chris, and Jake.
Left to right: Kevin, Monte, and Chris.
Around the room from the left: Jeff, Rico, Kevin, Monte, Al, and Jake.
Daniel "Doc" Fritz turn marshalling the back straight.
Jeff "The Kid" Fields turn marshalling the banked curve.
Chris Kouba on the left. Jake "The Snake" on the right. Keven Lagassa and Monte "Smooth" Saager in the background.
The NASTE Forum → Posts by wb0s
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