• SamG
  • Junior Slot Racer
  • Offline
  • Registered: March 19, 2022
  • Posts: 5

Topic: Hey everyone

Sorry it took so long to say "hi", the brain has been frazzled for a number of days now. Trying to wrap my head around slots once again has caused a short circuit. Like most, I got my start with HO as a small child. Then got into 1/24 pretty heavy about 1989-90 all the way into about '05 when all the tracks that I could get dried up and closed down. Sold all of it when the recession hit in '08, but bought a basic Scalextric Mini Cooper set when I noticed how detailed the 1/32 cars had become. Since I build models it really intrigued me. I traded for a few more cars but then everything got put away due to a move. I was going to get rid of it right before covid hit but could not complete the deal due to the guy living up by Seattle.  My intrest was rekindled last week....and so here I am.

  • docdoom
  • Slot Racer Emeritus
  • Offline
  • From: Vancouver Wash
  • Registered: February 28, 2016
  • Posts: 1,652

Re: Hey everyone

Welcome to the rabbit  hole.

The secondnidator
  • From: Hillsboro, OR
  • Registered: June 15, 2008
  • Posts: 1,747

Re: Hey everyone

Howdy Sam.

We're all in the same boat here, grab an oar and start rowing.  ;-)

Welcome to the group.

"Big Smooth"

kidvolt's Website

  • Mitch58
  • Slot Racer Emeritus
  • Offline
  • Registered: December 10, 2014
  • Posts: 954

Re: Hey everyone

Hello Sam, glad you dropped in. We exchanged a few posts the other day.

  • From: Newberg, OR
  • Registered: June 5, 2012
  • Posts: 401

Re: Hey everyone

Hang on to your wallet, Sam, you'll be sorely tempted to empty it....

6 Reply by SamG (edited by SamG March 21, 2022 5:06 pm)

  • SamG
  • Junior Slot Racer
  • Offline
  • Registered: March 19, 2022
  • Posts: 5

Re: Hey everyone

Thanks for the warm welcome, and don't worry about my wallet unless you take dust bunnies for payment. 

Due to how far away I am, how expensive fuel is at the moment, and if my schedule would even match up with one of your club nights, I have no idea when I can actually get together with you guys in person. So for now, I will be living vicariously through you. lol

I guess my baby steps, so to speak, is to aquire more track(Scalextric analog) so I can practice at home. I would also like to get your suggestions on how to get the cars I already have to perform and handle better, so when I actually get to a real track, hopefully the cars are not the reason I embarrass myself. Like I mentioned before, I build models and am more than willing to do some trading if anyone is interested.

  • docdoom
  • Slot Racer Emeritus
  • Offline
  • From: Vancouver Wash
  • Registered: February 28, 2016
  • Posts: 1,652

Re: Hey everyone

with the 1/32 cars 80% of the car set up going to be in the tires and wheels, with the rest going into the chassis set up and body float.. read the rules in what class car you end up building for. some are rather tight with what you can do and others are more wide open. if the class allows rubber tires then that what you will want to run. nsr super grips are king. a good tire Turer is a must have.. keep a look out on ebay and the forums for a used one, they do come up  every so often. if not they can be found on some of the  online stores. home racing world is great source of knowledge , just a fy setting up your car to run good on a plastic track and then taking it to a routed wood track does not work out that great. you can get them in the ball park but the real tuning going be at the club track...
track.

The secondnidator
  • SamG
  • Junior Slot Racer
  • Offline
  • Registered: March 19, 2022
  • Posts: 5

Re: Hey everyone

The first thing I am going to do is try and rejuvenate the factory tires, I noticed some imprinting from the texture of the base due to how long they had been in the case.  When I sat in on the zoom chat I raised that question and received some excellent help from an older gentleman I believe was in England that everyone agreed with. I would also quickly know if I needed new tires with how they reacted to the treatment. I also noticed the axles ran in plastic bushings instead of harder material, so that is another way to improve them. The Monogram cars have the engine in the front, so if I add a little weight in front of the rear tires, it should improve traction. I also learned on the zoom chat that if I did need to replace the tires, get a better compound like urethane so the tires would work on a wooden track as well. I am just happy that some of the things that have been suggested I actually retained.  lol

9 Reply by docdoom (edited by docdoom March 22, 2022 2:18 pm)

  • docdoom
  • Slot Racer Emeritus
  • Offline
  • From: Vancouver Wash
  • Registered: February 28, 2016
  • Posts: 1,652

Re: Hey everyone

Those  factory tires are pretty  hard to start with and will work great if that's what all the cars are also running on. BUT if you show up at a club race thinking that will hook up your going for a big let down slipping and sliding. Around the track. Urethane  work great but if your running against nsr shoed cars it not going to be much of a fight  for long.. the aftermarket  rubber tires are a good deal in the long run. You get two sets vs one pair with Urethane. There bis lots of little tuning tricks to be done even on  home based  slot cars that will make them run great and don't cause you a bunch of cash to do.. just have true wheels and tires does wonders for a car.  Hopefully  some race night  you can make it out and get your feet wet. I wouldn't  worry about  setting up anything for club racing  till you get a few races under your belt. We all ways  have a loaner or two that new comers can run.

The secondnidator
  • howie
  • Slot Racer Emeritus
  • Offline
  • Registered: March 2, 2009
  • Posts: 632

Re: Hey everyone

Welcome aboard the Northwest slot car world. I don't know where you live but there is a lot of tracks of different scales to race in our area. If you want to check out 1/24th. racing, there are 3 active tracks in the Portland and Vancouver area and 2 more soon to be on the schedule. I have a race this Sat. the 26th. ( Rapid Raceway ) if you want to check it out. Coffee and goodies are on the bench at all times! Doors open at 11:30am and racing starts at 1:00pm.

11 Reply by docdoom (edited by docdoom March 23, 2022 3:52 pm)

  • docdoom
  • Slot Racer Emeritus
  • Offline
  • From: Vancouver Wash
  • Registered: February 28, 2016
  • Posts: 1,652

Re: Hey everyone

howie wrote:

Welcome aboard the Northwest slot car world. I don't know where you live but there is a lot of tracks of different scales to race in our area. If you want to check out 1/24th. racing, there are 3 active tracks in the Portland and Vancouver area and 2 more soon to be on the schedule. I have a race this Sat. the 26th. ( Rapid Raceway ) if you want to check it out. Coffee and goodies are on the bench at all times! Doors open at 11:30am and racing starts at 1:00pm.

NewPort  Howie.

The secondnidator
  • howie
  • Slot Racer Emeritus
  • Offline
  • Registered: March 2, 2009
  • Posts: 632

Re: Hey everyone

That is about 2 1/2 or so hrs. away. We have a couple guys who come down from the Seattle area for the big races. I would think that Sam's drive would be a lot more enjoyable with the scenery etc.

  • SamG
  • Junior Slot Racer
  • Offline
  • Registered: March 19, 2022
  • Posts: 5

Re: Hey everyone

I finished reading through the rules for each class and found that a few of my cars are really close to meeting the rules for a couple of the classes.  I will definitely let you guys know when I can get up there for a race.

  • docdoom
  • Slot Racer Emeritus
  • Offline
  • From: Vancouver Wash
  • Registered: February 28, 2016
  • Posts: 1,652

Re: Hey everyone

Well, that is a start. hope to see you at one of the tracks.

The secondnidator