Slot car restoration..I couldn’t help myself!!!!

Started by California Steve · 14 · 9 years ago
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    California Steve said 9 years, 7 months ago:

    I was at a very large toy show that is held here in Southern California. And if you have ever been to any type of these shows. Look for the boxes under the tables. I happened

    upon a box filled with old school slot cars. This one I had to have. I think I paid about fifteen U.S. dollars. It was really rough but I had to have it. It came from the factory in this vile almost purple. No one even bothered to slap a number sticker on her. I am still missing the rear lower section. But it still presents well. I am going to add some brass tubing to replace the black spacers on the axles. It still runs perfect. I hooked it up to a

    train transformer and she just screamed away. I remember seeing these old school cars

    running and racing way before they came with the clear lexan bodys. Now you know I have to buy a small track for this. What have I gotten myself into? Oh, I added Minilite type mag wheels to replace the VW 5 lug wheels.

    Enjoy,

    California Steve

    5 attached images. Click to enlarge.

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    George Williams said 9 years, 7 months ago:

    That does look like fun, Steve, what scale is it, 1/32 or 1/24?

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    AL HOFFMAN said 9 years, 7 months ago:

    I think that's Dan Gurney at the wheel. Be careful or you will find something else to spend money on.

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    California Steve said 9 years, 7 months ago:

    You are right I am shopping track set ups.
    California Steve

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    California Steve said 9 years, 7 months ago:

    This one is for George... 1/32 scale. And yes it was some fun goofing around.

    California Steve

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    Jack Mugan said 9 years, 7 months ago:

    That really brings back some memories. I worked at a purpose built slot racing emporium called Colorado Model Raceways (CMR to the regulars) back in Denver when slot racing was the hot ticket. Ever hobby shop had a track and a racing team. Our shop had an 6 lane road course, a 6 lane figure 8 track, a 6 lane high banked oval and a really great drag strip that ran on 18, 24 and 36 volts. We held 24 hour and 12 hour races on the road course complete with a running start for the 4 man teams. These tracks were custom built, not the commercial fast tracks that came later. It was a blast to take a regular car kit and convert it to a slot racer.

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    California Steve said 9 years, 7 months ago:

    Yes, the memory's are great. There was a large shop in Burbank CA with almost the same arrangement as yours. I have a question. These guys painted their track
    by brush, mixing in very fine powered sand for traction. What was cool was, after you ran a bunch of laps there would be a fine coat of rubber in the rear wheel wells. Now at thirteen years old that was about as cool as it gets. This is the only track where I have seen this done. A few years ago I stumbled in to a
    track in Pomona CA. It was really busy for a Tuesday. Little did I know they were having a international event. Wow! But here was the thing. All the cars looked the same with the same clear lexan wing on the back and they went a scale 400MPH! you couldn't even track who was winning. The start buzzer went off and everybody floored it and just held it there. No style, no crashes, no colors, No technique required. I want the old tracks back. Now do I sound like a old geezer talking about the grand days of Cam Am
    racing? You'r darn right. Wait, I have to yell at these kids to get off my lawn! Haa Haa!

    I hope I didn't ramble too long.

    California Steve

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    Jack Mugan said 9 years, 7 months ago:

    Unlike the commercial tracks that came later, our road course had scenery and the rough track surface you described. The lap counter was made from pin ball machine parts, and there was a choice of 12 or 18 volts to the driver. The racing on this track was tons of fun with lots of nerfing. The cars competing in the 24 hour event had to have brake lights, using a mercury switch, and head lights and must have a driver figure. I hated the Lexan bodies as it took the fun out motorizing the kit cars. I thought going flat out every lap kind of took the driver out of the picture.

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    California Steve said 9 years, 7 months ago:

    I wish I was there Jack. What great memories. I cannot even imagine a 24 hour event!
    I would have to get my parents permission to stay there for that one. OK professor Newton we'll use the Wayback machine.

    Great stuff Jack!
    California Steve

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    Jack Mugan said 9 years, 7 months ago:

    I think back on those days with great fondness. The slot car craze only lasted maybe 5 years in the Denver area. It lasted a bit longer because of the tracks at Celebrity Lanes, but not in the hobby shops, CMR and the Competition Lounge. There was a few great years when the competition was intense, and you practically had to build a new car every week to stay competitive. I really enjoyed the road racing the most, but the drag strip probably had the most innovated cars and trick motors that were scary fast. It was a fun family hobby as we had lots of father son teams and even a few girl race teams.

    The slot racing hobby bordered on obsession to many of us at the time.

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    California Steve said 9 years, 7 months ago:

    Jack, There was this one rail dragster I have to tell you about. from nose to tail all tube.
    Old school with the engine in the front. And I mean in the front. This "master" had the electric motor where the basic block would be with a drive shaft going through the trans.
    Here is where it gets good. He epoxied on the heads, manifold, headers and a blower directly to the electric motor. No oil pan. Let me see if I can explain this properly. He made a passage way from the scoop, through the blower, and through the manifold so the engine would breathe and cool. And it ran very well. I wish I had a pic.
    There were some very creative folks hanging around the slot car scene those days.
    Now I was about thirteen or fourteen at the time. I remember my head exploding! And I have not been the same since. Great stuff!

    California Steve

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    Jack Mugan said 9 years, 7 months ago:

    That sounds very creative Steve. Eventually, the unlimited slot dragster class evolved away from realistic looking cars and became pure racing machines. They had magnesium frames with lightening holes to reduce weight. They had thin sheet aluminum bodies with Pitman electric motors that had been rewound and sealed with epoxy then balanced. The armatures were gold plated and axel bearings were installed front and rear. The whole thing was about 18 inches long with swing arm pickup, also in bearings. The unlimited class ran on 36 volts. Most of the other classes started with a christmas tree lighting system, on either 18 or 24 volts, with the driver using a controller, but the unlimited racers started by flipping a switch. Occasionally these cars became airborne which got a little hairy. All in all, it was pretty amazing, but I still liked it better when the cars looked like the real deal.

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    Joe Caputo said 9 years, 5 months ago:

    Steve, that looks like a 1/24 Revell Lotus, and it is OLD ! I still have all my old stuff, my newer stuff, and my track is part of my man cave.

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    California Steve said 9 years, 5 months ago:

    Joe you can understand why I had to put some lipstick on her. I was really a fun project.
    I will be right over to do some racing. Looser buys a round.
    Fun stuff.
    California Steve