Bill's Junk (Page 5 of 9)

120V?

Happy New Year to all my fellow slot heads.

HAPPY NEW YEAR Y'all!

Thanks Smooth.....I think?

As I get nearer to my expiration date, "go fast" takes on a whole new meaning!

these make more sense posted here
When I go I want to like my grand dad did. peacefully in his sleep.
not like the 4 other people did screaming to there deaths as the car plunged of the cliff...

Due to events over the last couple of years my attention to and participation in slot car racing has changed. Some of you may have noticed this change as evidenced by my less than frequent visits to the tracks, and the lack of equipment and preparation to race. I thought I’d try to post up some words to try and let you all know what’s going on with me, and no I’m not sick.

To me throughout my life, slot cars have best the best hobby I’ve ever been involved with. Other things have come and gone. Gone mostly due to cost, time constraints, logistics, and just plain effort required to stay involved. Involvement in the hobby of slot cars offers so much diversity within the hobby; it is easy to stay interested in some aspect of slot cars. Whether it is collecting, painting, building, or racing, it is all there within the hobby of slot cars. Through the years I have occupied my time in all of those areas, and in most all of the different scales of slot cars, HO, 1/32, and 1/24.

My infatuation with slot cars first started in the early sixties with my first 1/32 Gilbert “home set” I received as a Christmas present. The following Christmas I received an HO Aurora Thunderjet set which really lit the fire! Collecting slot cars started in the early sixties with that first home set, and the serious club racing started much later in the early eighties. I have collected, played with, and raced HO slot cars at the club level, all with some level of success.

In the mid-sixties I was introduced to 1/24 slot cars while visiting a friend of my father’s. The introduction led me to investigating the commercial tracks popular at the time. Unfortunately I could not afford these magnificent machines and did not have the resources to get involved in racing at the commercial venues. The 1/24 cars were always on my mind as something I missed out on.

Fast forward to the late nineties, and the formation of NASTE. We actually started out racing 1/24 cars on a very short three lane track. We then moved into racing HO, and from there onto 1/32. I have enjoyed the 1/32 scale cars immensely. In many ways the 1/32 scale aspect of the hobby is very similar to HO, especially in respect to collecting and building.

Which brings me to where I am currently. I have had some limited success in terms of racing 1/32 cars, but the 1/24 scale cars are still outside my skill level. I have never been very good at building or racing 1/24 cars. Success with these cars has always eluded me. I feel I am now at a place and in a time where I have the tools and desire to try and up my game. It’s not a New Years resolution or anything, but I have a desire to switch my attention to, and put forth some effort into racing in 1/24 scale. I plan to still attend some HO and 1/32 races, but my main focus will be on 1/24. As you all know I can still be reached using the usual methods, and I’m sure you will still see me here in the Forum.

I got a 1/32 Eldon set first.    then tyco HO and then settled on tjet and afx HO slot cars as a kid.
Like terry said when I found the naste group I was introduced to all scales of racing.   
I hope maybe next year I can get back into the 1/24 scale cars.  I have some of  the classes but need the time and parts to build the others im missing.  plus It depends on how my arm and fingers feel..... it was brought up to  build a foot throttle    that got me thinking...……...

You guys know I have only racing for around a year now. I have never had a lot of interest in the HO stuff, although I have owned many sets overs the years. Perhaps the T-jets with some tuning would make them more appealing to me.

Racing 1/32 has been great, and I have learned a ton for not a lot of money about what to do an what not to do.

Bill told me I needed to come 1/24 racing, because of my love of motorsport he thought I would like the technical nature of the cars. Needless to say he was right, it is definitely at the head of my list of cars to work on, parts to order etc. It isn't cheap, but man the racing is just so much fun!

We are in such a unique place to have three great 1/24 tracks to race on within 20min of eachother, I plan on capitalizing on it while I can!

Thanks for the push bill!

As notes from your statements. Preparation is definitely the only thing holding you back, I have seen you put some incredible runs together when you have a car that is working properly. If you focus in on it I am sure the results will come!

Zack

Yes in deeded there is something missing when your not racing with us  Bill. life can get busy at times. I would love to build a few 1/24 cars but  I believe that they would not get much run time with me working on Saturdays...

Thanks Mitch, but I like to consider myself more of an enabler than a pusher.............

After all.....I suffer from the same affliction!

hey I had about 20 of those from my childhood to up to about 20 years ago. Came home from work and saw that my wife had picked up her sisters young boys. asked what the kids were up to and she said they were in the back yard playing with a box of hot wheel cars they found in the up stairs closet . Well I to my horror  by the time i got out there they had decided it would be fun to do the old smash every thing with biggest rock trick. was very very very upset at the time. but in the same breath i should had them in a safer place.......