• From: Hillsboro, OR
  • Registered: June 15, 2008
  • Posts: 1,745

Topic: Trans Am Class Thoughts

Well, I don't think it's any secret that these are not my favorite cars to run simply because the easy ones to get are fraught with parts that will need replacing.  Slot brother Goose has stepped forward to offer an alternative which I find a suitable "replacement" or perhaps it could be run as a secondary class.  Racers could choose which way to run.

Let's see what the rest of you have to say.

1) stock body, Scalextric, SCX (cuda), Pioneer.

2) 3D "CG slotcars" chassis, Slot it motor pod, sw or inline as required, spec guide.

3) A 16k or 17k or 18k fc-130 motor of one brand, (ie NSR?).

4) C.B. Design wheels, same size as existing Scalextric stock plastic wheels, either insert or stock or mag style (only one style for all cars) to use existing front tires and same rear tires we use now.

5) New Scalextric AMC car; hopefully a "CG" chassis will be made, for now we could use as is, or have the rear axle changed over to set screw wheels to match above #4, and change motor per #3. Note: frt whls/tires are different size.

"Big Smooth"

kidvolt's Website

  • From: Hillsboro, OR
  • Registered: June 15, 2008
  • Posts: 1,745

Re: Trans Am Class Thoughts

My first thought is we should use this motor:

http://www.professormotor.com/product-p/hrmh1.htm

Not too spendy and I hear it will be a decent motor as far as having similar performance across the line.  Mitch can probably tell us more.

"Big Smooth"

kidvolt's Website

  • Goose
  • Goose
  • Slot Master
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  • From: Portland, Oregon
  • Registered: July 9, 2014
  • Posts: 186

Re: Trans Am Class Thoughts

Additional thoughts:

I am open to motor Mfg'r , would like to stay no higher than 18k.

I forgot to mention that we should have a gear ratio spec also, maybe a numerical lower ratio for the longer straights (w/18k motor).

With regards to AMC car rear wheels/tires, should we not use the same set screw 14" wheels size we use on existing T/A cars, and use same tires we also use now so we have apples to apples here?

Maybe we could refer to this "new" T/A class as; "T/A Modified Vintage", or "T/A Modern Vintage" w/reference to current Vintage racing venue.

  • docdoom
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  • Registered: February 28, 2016
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Re: Trans Am Class Thoughts

You can find every chassis on the shapeways.com  I did have all them listed but my log in  timed out just put 1/32 slot car chassis in the search box.only one I could not find was for the amc but I thought that scaley was coming out with pcr for it. if not we could go with a slot it hrs chassis

The secondnidator
  • docdoom
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  • From: Vancouver Wash
  • Registered: February 28, 2016
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Re: Trans Am Class Thoughts

https://www.shapeways.com/product/L7JG4 … d=63402996

The secondnidator
  • Mitch58
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  • Registered: December 10, 2014
  • Posts: 954

Re: Trans Am Class Thoughts

Sure, it took me two years to actually win a race in this class and you want to change it.

All kidding aside, a nicely tuned podded car with an 18K motor is an absolute pleasure to drive. Try Al's Vette or any of the division two sports cars. Smooth, balanced, and at 18K you feel you can really push it to the limit without flying out of the slot.

As for the H&R Hawk, after checking all of my motors with my tach I found all of the Hawk motors to all be between 17K & 18.5K. That's very consistent since my black stripe motors all ran between 16K & 21.5K with most if them around 19 & 20K. And at $7.99 you can't beat the price.

As for gearing I'd leave that open as well as the pod type, some folks like the way a sidewinder handles and some like driving an inline, some like the pull coming out of a corner that you get with a lower gear ratio, while others like making up time on the straight sections.

The whole point of tearing them apart is to make them feel right to each of us, otherwise if we build them all the same way, we may as well leave them box stock.

  • docdoom
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  • Registered: February 28, 2016
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Re: Trans Am Class Thoughts

https://www.shapeways.com/product/6CRST … arketplace
https://www.shapeways.com/product/TVFU9 … arketplace

The secondnidator
  • docdoom
  • Slot Racer Emeritus
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  • Registered: February 28, 2016
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Re: Trans Am Class Thoughts

this will work great for the one I have
https://www.shapeways.com/product/W3EMP … arketplace
https://www.shapeways.com/product/4CVZT … arketplace

The secondnidator

9 Reply by Mitch58 (edited by Mitch58 December 2, 2017 8:40 pm)

  • Mitch58
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Re: Trans Am Class Thoughts

I put an Olifer chassis under my Pioneer Mustang last year and sent it to the Trans Am proxy where it got beat up by the guys who built better cars. That was my fault though, it ran so much better with the new chassis that I foolishly sent it out with skinny tires, that cost me seconds every lap. Next year the specs change a bit and so will my Mustang.

  • ckouba
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Re: Trans Am Class Thoughts

Mitch58 wrote:

Sure, it took me two years to actually win a race in this class and you want to change it.

All kidding aside, a nicely tuned podded car with an 18K motor is an absolute pleasure to drive. Try Al's Vette or any of the division two sports cars. Smooth, balanced, and at 18K you feel you can really push it to the limit without flying out of the slot.

As for the H&R Hawk, after checking all of my motors with my tach I found all of the Hawk motors to all be between 17K & 18.5K. That's very consistent since my black stripe motors all ran between 16K & 21.5K with most if them around 19 & 20K. And at $7.99 you can't beat the price.

As for gearing I'd leave that open as well as the pod type, some folks like the way a sidewinder handles and some like driving an inline, some like the pull coming out of a corner that you get with a lower gear ratio, while others like making up time on the straight sections.

The whole point of tearing them apart is to make them feel right to each of us, otherwise if we build them all the same way, we may as well leave them box stock.



Not sure I can say anything other than, "I whole-heartedly agree".  This whole thing sounds like an excellent proposal to make more entertaining runners out of those which puzzle the Smooth one.  If we continue the nomenclature we used on the Classics class, let's just call them T/A Division II, or maybe T/A II for short?

I'd love to put together a T/A car with round, concentric wheels on a straight axle, running a Hawk motor in a Slot.It pod with quiet, smooth gears. 

Are we on at Al's this week?  I think I can make it!

  • From: Hillsboro, OR
  • Registered: June 15, 2008
  • Posts: 1,745

Re: Trans Am Class Thoughts

Puzzle me?  Not so.  I've had a few of them, they just don't push any buttons for me.  And as a stock entry, they leave quite a bit to be desired.  However since I did need one to "race" I bought the Javelin as it was all they had.  I'll be happy to offer it some selected updates.

"Big Smooth"

kidvolt's Website

  • Mitch58
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Re: Trans Am Class Thoughts

Yes there is racing at Al's this week. Can Am, and GT3 for points.

I have over 200 yards of concrete scheduled to pour on Thursday so I'm not sure if I will be off in time to come.

If I make I'll see you, if not then go fast.

13 Reply by Mitch58 (edited by Mitch58 December 3, 2017 8:03 am)

  • Mitch58
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Re: Trans Am Class Thoughts

Monte until another chassis comes out, the HRS or the CG 3D universal chassis would work well for the Javelin.

  • docdoom
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Re: Trans Am Class Thoughts

https://www.shapeways.com/product/C9FPC … arketplace
https://www.shapeways.com/product/MLL6S … arketplace

The secondnidator
  • docdoom
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  • From: Vancouver Wash
  • Registered: February 28, 2016
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Re: Trans Am Class Thoughts

https://www.shapeways.com/product/BXHLV … arketplace

The secondnidator
  • Mitch58
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Re: Trans Am Class Thoughts

I've ordered one of each Doc. If we never race them this way, I'll just put in 14K Jackrabbit motors in them and let the grandkids race them until they melt.

  • docdoom
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Re: Trans Am Class Thoughts

I sure hope we race them. I GOT ONE GOING to gather as we ponder this. worst case I can send it off in a proxie

The secondnidator
  • Mitch58
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Re: Trans Am Class Thoughts

They are taking entries for the 2018 Trans Am proxy right now on HRW, 21K motors this year.

  • docdoom
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Re: Trans Am Class Thoughts

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm  whats the cut off date for that?

The secondnidator
  • Mitch58
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Re: Trans Am Class Thoughts

I believe the proxy starts in May. You've got plenty of time. They'll be posting new specs for this year.

  • ckouba
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  • Registered: February 22, 2013
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Re: Trans Am Class Thoughts

Check it out here Doc:

http://www.homeracingworld.us/viewforum.php?f=63

  • docdoom
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Re: Trans Am Class Thoughts

Well I got one put together. Anybody else beside Mitch have one going

The secondnidator
  • Mitch58
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Re: Trans Am Class Thoughts

I'm still waiting for my chassis to get here, but I did just get my Pioneer Mustang back from the Trans Am Proxy. Last year the motor limit was 18K and I used the NSR 17K Baby King in an inline configuration and was solidly in the bottom third. This year the motor limit is 21.5K So I'll switch to a Piranha motor set up as a sidewinder.

I will set up the Scalextrics as sidewinders because I felt that during testing last year the Mustang felt better as a sidewinder but I thought I would try to take advantage of the "Magnetic" effect and extra torque of the NSR motor over the Black Stripe motor which didn't pan out.

  • From: Hillsboro, OR
  • Registered: June 15, 2008
  • Posts: 1,745

Re: Trans Am Class Thoughts

The magnetic effect doesn't work so well inline, you need angle winder for best results on a metal rail track.

Also with lower RPM limits the baby king is an extra lead weight.  It wasn't just the motor that made the King Cobra so effective.

"Big Smooth"

kidvolt's Website

  • docdoom
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Re: Trans Am Class Thoughts

These sure are fun drive.

The secondnidator