Slot Magazine - November-december 2016

MODULAR TRACK NO.21

100 CONFIGURATIONS FOR WOODEN ROUTED CIRCUIT

November/December. No. 021. £4.99 www.slotmagazine.co.uk

LE MANS CLASSICS FORMIDABLE FRONT-ENGINED REPLICAS

CARRERA 1:24 SCALING IT UP

PLAYCRAFT SCALING IT DOWN

OVER

50 NEW S SE RELEA

MAD MAX TRUCK IT’S BIG, IT’S DIRTY, - AND THERE IS A NEW CAR AS WELL

11

■ TECHNIQUE ■ NEW PRODUCTS ■ CLUB REPORTS ■ LATEST NEWS SLOT ISSUE 21 COVER.indd 1

9 7 772052 552011

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CARRERA EVOLUTION 1/32 SCALE NEW ITEMS

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Carrera is distributed in the UK by; The Hobby Company Limited, Knowlhill, Milton Keynes, MK5 8PG See your UK Carrera dealer for further information

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Founded in 1963, Carrera has built a strong reputation for producing high performance items in three scales 1/43, 1/32 and 1/24 across both analogue and cutting edge digital formats designed for the racer and collector alike. Carrera offers an exciting range of cars and track sets featuring the most famous names from the motor industry and motor racing including F1, with exclusive licences for Ferrari and Red Bull Racing. To see the 2016 range of Carrera sets and cars go to: www.hobbyco.net Carrera 1/32 scale cars are fully compatible with all leading analogue track systems.

26/09/2016 11:53

CONTENTS

Issue No. 21 November/December 2016

38

30 REGULARS 4

NEWS & NEW PRODUCTS

What is happening in the SLOT magazine world. News, announcements, and interesting slot gossip. Plus see the new cars that are in the shops since the last issue of SLOT magazine. We look at brand new models coming your way.

16 PAST FORWARD

We used to learn about slot car building and racing from books. Richard Hills goes back to the 1960s library to see if it is still relevant today.

64 SLOT CALENDAR

If you want to race or have a look around a Swapmeet, there is probably an event you won’t want to miss. Send your event details if you want to be included.

66 FINISH LINE

FEATURES 24 SCALING IT DOWN – HO SCALE

When model railways were the biggest hobby in town some of the first slot cars were produced to integrate with train layouts. The birth of HO scale cars starts here and James Day looks at the earliest items.

46 LIFE (AND SLOT CARS) IS FULL OF COMPLICATIONS

REVIEWS

WORKSHOPS

30 LONG BONNETS AND CLASSIC SHAPES

The end of competitive front-engined racing cars around 1960 saw some classic endurance cars built for races like Le Mans. We take a look at slot replicas of design icons the Ferrari TR61 and the Jaguar E2A and their short but interesting history.

All sorts of complicated things have been tried on slot cars. Slot historian Don Siegal has documented several that worked and a lot that didn’t, and takes us through the first part of many that you may recognise.

12 BUILDING A MODULAR WOODEN TRACK

The FLBT (Four Lane Black Top) club wanted a new track suitable for all scales and types of event. What they have now is a custom built track that can be quickly assembled in many variations. How did it happen?

38 DUCK DOWN UNDER – MAD MAX IS IN TOWN

Just as Scalextric release the Ford Falcon XB Mad Max car, Pete Simpson has built the other iconic vehicle from the films – the massive armoured fuel tanker. This is kitbashing at the highest level and we can see how he did it.

56 SCALING IT UP – 1:24 SCALE

60 IN A STATE OF SUSPENSION

Is big really better? Carrera is one company that thinks so. We thought we’d take a look at how the sizes compare with the bigger Carrera cars.

Suspension is essential on real cars, but what about slot cars? We fit some and see where performance can be improved by testing it on some nice fast tracks.

Richard goes truckin’ and finds out that being upright isn’t always a good idea.

67 SLOT DIRECTORY

Find the retailers and specialist services you need for all your slot racing shopping.

CONTACT T. 01525 222573 F. 01525 222574 ISSN: 2052-5524 [email protected] Editor: Gary Cannell - [email protected] Slot Magazine, Doolittle Mill, Doolittle Lane, Totternhoe, Bedfordshire. LU6 1QX. United Kingdom

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INSIDE TRACK All the latest slot racing news from around the world

SLOT CAR LIGHT CONTROLLER

Do you like to run slot cars with lights? Not only night-time endurance sports racing cars but, for example, police cars with flashing lights? This processor-based controller from Neunkirchen-Seelscheid in Germany will be just what you want. Have a look at the demo videos at www.slotcarlight.com and you’ll see an American sedan with a flaming side exhaust as well as front and rear light. Or an Audi Police car with not only blue roof lights blinking but also headlights alternating and flashing. You could have a Safety Car or Pace Car for your track realistically running headlights like that. Patrick Biel of SlotCarLightController (sic) said that ‘...even in delivery status it comes with a lot of preprogrammed functions to satisfy nearly every light wish for a slot car. For those who want even more we provide the SLC Manager. With that you can program all 14 channels of the SLC completely freely. The compiled programs can be uploaded to the SLC with a USB-FTDI-adaptor via PC. Any configuration can repeatedly be changed and saved as an slc-file to use it again later. Several effects like exhaust flames can also be saved’. 35 Euros buys you the controller, wiring and resistors. For a very reasonable 5 Euros more comes a good number of LED lights to fit to your cars in five colours. Comprehensive instructions and ideas for lighting are downloadable free from the SLC website.

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Grid

Talk

S

ummer is traditionally a quiet time for slot car racing. Nice weather so you want to be outside, not building cars or racing them, and there is so much else to do. Many slot racing series have big gaps in their calendars during the summer (even real Formula 1 has copied this in the past couple of years) and with so many members absent on vacation or doing ‘outdoor’ things, many clubs scale back their activities. It is also a quiet period for new cars because many prominent slot car manufacturers are based in southern Europe, where it is traditional that many businesses close for the whole of August. Even if slot cars are still being churned out from the factories in China, they can’t be received or distributed by many of their European clients. For the same reason, news is almost non-existent for about five weeks until things get going again in September. Then comes the autumn and pre-Christmas rush… We have taken the opportunity of a relatively quiet time to take a longer look back through slot car racing history. Richard Hills has been seeing how we learnt about slot racing in the many books published in the 1960s, and Don Siegel shows us a lot of experiments and dead-ends that have been tried in the past. Some good, some quite bizarre, but all interesting. Don has promised more in the future so pour a cool drink and sit back for a ‘complicated’ slot car journey. We also take a look at two scales that don’t get much coverage – HO Scale which started because of the continuity with model railways, and 1:24 scale which has never been as big in the UK as other parts of the world (before you comment on this, it’s bad joke time – 1:24 scale is in fact exactly the same size at ½ inch = 1ft wherever you are). Although most of you will be buying, building, or racing 1:32 scale cars, we do want to include items of interest for all slot car racing enthusiasts, and hope something here will broaden your horizons or at least be interesting to read. Of course we still have some more usual articles in this issue: a fabulous workshop build by Pete Simpson, reviews of some classic Le Mans cars, modular track building, and a bit of tuning for high-speed racing. We also have some nice features on scenery, new BTCC cars, running a slot car club, and some festive spirit planned for the next issue which will be out a few weeks before Christmas. By then you will be back to full time racing and the summer will be forgotten, but of course slot car racing will never really stop.

Gary Cannell

Gary Cannell, Editor.

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INSIDE TRACK All the latest slot racing news from around the world

GAUGEMASTER

AUTOFEST Every year major slot car distributors Gaugemaster have a slot car Autofest. This years event will be held on Saturday 22 October at the Gaugemaster HQ in Arundel, West Sussex, between 9am

– 5.30pm. Gaugemaster are the UK distributors for slot car brands Fly, Slotwings, SRC, Sideways, Cartrix, NSR, Slot.it, Ninco, Policar, Racer, and Thunderslot. Many other useful items suitable for slot racing are stocked from Preiser, Deluxe, Humbrol, K&S, and their own Gaugemaster range of scenic materials. In the past Gaugemaster have offered many items at clearance prices at Autofest, so if you are in the area you could pick up a bargain as well as trying many different slot cars and tracks.

NEW SLOT CLUB IN WORTHING One of the things that gets mentioned to Gaugemaster’s Terry Smith at their annual Slot event held every October is the lack of slot car clubs and tracks to race on locally. Considering the size of area around Littlehampton and Worthing, and if you include the close proximity to Brighton and Hove, it is amazing that there is nowhere to race plastic 1:32nd slotcars. After speaking to a local Community Centre in East Worthing, Terry is pleased to say that he is setting up a track

which will be known as East Worthing Scalextric Club, at the centre in Pages Lane, Worthing. The track which is being build with the help of Sussex-based track builder Roger Feest will be a semi portable 4 lane routed track based on five 8ft x 4ft baseboards. They hope to be up and running by early November with race nights initially on the first and third Wednesday of every month. Anyone interested please contact Terry direct on 07759 761455.

PIT LANE

The latest products and innovations

Avant Slot Peugeout 207 WRC 4WD

Carrera Audi R5 DTM Teufel

Carrera Audi R8 LMS

Carrera Chevy Bel-Air

Carrera Corvette C7R

Carrera Corvette Stingray

Carrera Ferrari F1 Vettel

Carrera Ford Mustang # 16

Carrera Mercedes SLS Martini

Carrera Porsche 917 Gulf

Carrera Porsche RSR GT3

Fly Buggyra MK08 Racing

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JOIN THE SCALEXTRIC CLUB FROM ONLY £15 The Hornby Hobbies Club membership package offers the following benefits: • • • • •

3 magazines and a winter special edition Discounted entry to various UK attractions Club badge and membership card (postal) Competitions including chance to win entry to events and brilliant prizes! Sneak peeks with the development teams

• • •

Junior section with competitions £20 Voucher to spend on club exclusive models – online and over the phone orders 10% discount on Scalextric Club products

Join at Scalextric.com/club Download Membership

Postal Membership

Consists of all member offers on this page – except the card and badge. The three Club magazines to download and a winter edition £15.

Consists of all member offers on this page – plus you will receive three Club magazines and a winter edition through the post from only £20.

Keep up to date with the latest news and offers from Scalextric! Go to www.scalextric.com/slotmagazine for details.

INSIDE TRACK All the latest slot racing news from around the world

GREENHILLS GARAGES REIMS MARSHALLS’ BOX KIT 1:32 The Circuit de Reims, established in 1926, was located in the Champagne region in northern France initially for Grand Prix de France races and subsequently Formula 1 , sports car and motorcycle races until the circuit closed in 1972. Many of the iconic Reims buildings still remain and this Marshalls’ Box is the latest addition to

Greenhills’ range of circuit buildings which also include Silverstone and Goodwood. Measuring 150mm long , 150mm wide and 155mm high it is available from their website greenhillsgarages.co.uk for £18.99 including free UK postage.

NEW AIRBRUSH COMPRESSOR PERFECT FOR MODEL CARS News from The Airbrush Company about their new Sparmaz Arism Viz compressor which has 2 novel features that modellers will find useful. The first is the ‘Smart Stop’ which pauses the compressor when the airbrush is placed into its holder and restarts it when it is taken off again. The first of its kind in the market, it is compatible with pressure regulators and bleed valves. Using the ‘Smart-Stop’ the working pressure before the compressor is paused will be maintained upon restart; this is comparable to the pressure stabilizing effect of an air tank, minus the space taken up! The second feature is the ‘Silver Bullet Plus’ moisture filter

with built-in bleed valve. With air filtering at just 5 microns it is also very light, and fits comfortably into your hand when fitted on the airline below the airbrush. The compressor has all the expected features : Pressure range 0 – 50 psi with pressure gauge, airflow 16 – 18 lpm, oil-less single piston operation at 220 – 240 volts, and complete with braided hose and airbrush stand. For more information go to www.airbrushes.com and search for C-AR-VIZ and many other airbrushing products.

PIT LANE

The latest products and innovations

Fly MAN TR1400 Gulf

Fly MAN TR1400 Looney Tunes

LMM Ferrari TR61 # 17

MR Slotcar McLaren G1GT Gulf

NSR BMW Z4GT Shift 2

NSR Ford MK4 Rothmans

NSR Ford P68 Gulf

NSR Porsche 917 Targa Florio

Ostorero Lotus 79 Andretti

Scaleauto Dodge Viper # 53

Scaleauto Dodge Viper # 93

Scaleauto Porsche 991 # 91

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Untitled-2 1

22/07/2013 17:25

INSIDE TRACK All the latest slot racing news from around the world BOMBER COUNTY SLOTSTOX YELLOWBELLY TROPHY We recently told you about the new SlotStox club in Lincolnshire which takes its name from the many airfields that surround it. See SLOT # 20 for more details. Staying with the local and historical theme, Bomber County SlotStox are running their first Yellowbelly Trophy meeting on Thursday 13 October at 7.30pm. If you want to race a Parma SlotStox car you should be at Brothertoft Parish Hall PE20 3SW or look on Facebook for more details. Why the Yellowbelly Trophy? Because: ● The Royal Warrant for foot soldiers in 1751 stated the colour facings on uniform was to be yellow for the Lincolnshire Regiment.

● Lincolnshire Longwool sheep grazed in mustard fields and yellow pollen stuck to their bellies. ● Farmworkers who spent all day without shirts got their backs tanned and the reflection on their pale bellies from the corn shone yellow. ● Women market traders used to have two pockets for their money, one for copper and silver and one for gold. After a good trading day they said they had yellow bellies. ● The mailcoach from Lincoln to London had a yellow undercarriage. ● A species of newt, frog or eel found in the fens has a yellow belly.

PIT LANE

The latest products and innovations

Scaleauto Spyker Laviolette # 94

Scalextric Ford Falcon Mad Max

Scalextric Mercedes Petronas Hamilton Sideways GP5 Mustang Turbo

Slot.It Audi R8 LMP

Slotwings Lola T70GT

Slotwings Porsche 917 Martini

Slotwings Porsche 917 Snorkel

SRC Ferrari 312PB Monza

SRC Porsche 907L Racing

Team Slot Alpine A310 Calberson

Team Slot Alpine A310 Gitanes

Team Slot Lancia Stratos Le Point

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Scalextric Audi R8 Crocodile

Scalextric BMW M3 Demon Tweeks

Scaleauto Spyker C8 # 85

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FEATURE

ROUTED WOODEN PORTABLE TRACK

MASTER CRAFTMANSHIP

T

Four Lane Black Top - Going Modular with Lee Parsons

here are times in everyone’s life when events unfold quite unexpectedly which can challenge the norm and change our approach to the way we look

at things. Four Lane Black Top has been running as a slot car racing club now for more than twenty years and over that time has gone through some significant changes as well as

ups and downs, the lowest point probably being the fire at their clubhouse based in Swindon back in 2008. Club members had spent months personally refurbishing a derelict set of premises let out to them by the local

Master craftsman Lee Parsons at work. CNCd sections await their turn for assembly.

Lee Parsons’ final designs.

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FLBT’s original track plans proved impractical.

Council. Work had not long been completed, including the installation of a new four lane routed circuit. The cause of the fire? A stolen motorcycle which had been dumped next to the building then set alight. The clubhouse was burned to the ground with next to nothing remaining salvageable. Several members at the time vowed that they would never go through that pain and effort again. However the club was not about to die a death. Only weeks after, an initial meeting was held in a club member’s garage in Trowbridge, Wiltshire. It was on a very simple oval made up of Scalextric track and timing equipment. This developed into events transferring to a larger facility a few miles further down the road, where more space was available for a larger circuit. Then came an opportunity for what appeared to be some more permanent club premises, courtesy of an old works social club which had become available near Bradford on Avon. It had the potential for a fantastic facility with space for a full size routed circuit as well as one or two smaller circuits, plus a drag strip to boot. FLBT purchased Timaru club’s old track and spent weeks refurbishing and re-assembling it. However, within six months FLBT was on the move again! Unbeknown to the members, the company on whose land it sat had developed plans to extend their on-site generators and the building was to be razed to the ground to accommodate the new equipment.

SEARCH FOR A NEW HOME

Undeterred, FLBT searched for a new home and later that year moved to what remains their current base in Marlborough, Wiltshire. To begin with, a small upstairs room was hired and makeshift Scalextric circuits erected and dismantled each week. Later on a Ninco circuit was developed and mounted on boards to help speed up the weekly set-up/breakdown activities. It provided some good racing, but

The club’s take on a possible modular design.

deep down the club knew it needed a routed circuit. The ‘Timaru’ track wasn’t an option as it was designed as a permanent raceway, eventually being sold on and subsequently completely overhauled by its new owners. Today it stands as a fine (but still permanent track) at The Dudley Parkway slot car club. Then came the offer of Honiton’s old four lane circuit. Not only was it a wooden routed circuit but it could be put together then broken down again in a matter of minutes. To accommodate it meant a move to the larger main hall. That circuit has provided some fabulous racing over the past five years as well as serving as the main circuit at the annual Swindon Swapmeet each January. However, it was recognised that it was not going to last forever. Should FLBT overhaul their current circuit, or bite the bullet and plump for a brand new track? A healthy influx of new members whilst based at Marlborough had increased the coffers and in early 2015 it was decided to approach some track builders, as members had little desire to go through an in-house track build again!

Computers can only do so much; you still need a craftsman.

Painting commences.

ENTER LEE PARSONS

Known to many as one of the top slot car racers in this country – if not the world perhaps less known are Lee's track-building abilities. Numerous examples come to mind including the Electric City track at Leicester, the slotstox tracks at Luton and Pinewood, plus of course the BSCRA Nationals 'X Track', albeit all of these had been designed as permanent layouts. FLBT’s brief was somewhat restrictive as not only must the new track be portable, but it had to be designed to be put together in no more than ½ hour and when disassembled, stored into a 2m3 space in a small storeroom shared with other hall users. When erected it should be capable of being marshalled by as few as two to three

Track sections to be wheeled into the workshop for painting. Luckily the weather held.

> The art of lane marking.

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FEATURE

ROUTED WOODEN PORTABLE TRACK

Black epoxy paint is applied.

Final touches are applied to the power and timing equipment. Note the compact PSUs.

Mark Bailey providing alternative transport for larger track sections.

modular system whereby every section can be swapped and interchanged. I’m not sure if anyone has actually sat down and worked out all of the permutations for the new FLBT circuit, but with eleven sections currently available there are at least 100 different configurations available. So how did Lee do it? Well to ensure the accuracy needed to interchange track sections, computer aided design (CAD) as well as CNC technology was utilised. Initially, various ideas and track plans were kicked about between Lee and FLBT over the course of nearly three months, which might sound a long time, but bear in mind the technical challenges, plus a Christmas holiday thrown in for good measure and my view would be that this project has been an excellent example of the old ’80:20’ rule of planning versus execution. Once the green light was given by the club in February 2016, Lee set about ordering all of the necessary materials and finalising the CAD drawings ready for the board sections to be machine cut. With other track-building commitments needing to be put to bed, Lee

set a start date of June 2016. The materials were duly transported to the build facility with all of the other materials ready for construction to begin. Two months later, with Lee spending the majority of every weekend gradually turning FLBT’s dream into a reality, the track sections were finally ready for transfer to Marlborough. FLBT was fortunate in that it had a couple of members with facilities for the track to be built, which saved on the cost of hiring somewhere. Not a lot of space is actually needed for the basic construction – a standard garage will do and Neal Callaghan, FLBT’s club treasurer kindly stepped forward to make his garage space available for Lee to undertake the initial assembly of the sections. However when it came to painting the track surface it helped enormously to have the use of Mark Bailey Racing’s unit space. Mark has invested a lot of time and effort into the club over the past couple of years and it was very generous of him to clear his workshop for FLBT to move in for a few weeks. The weather and general temperatures during July and August were excellent and meant that track sections

Each section is interchangeable.

individuals. Oh and it should be BSCRA compliant. Not a lot to ask for really then, eh? Lee being the busy chap he is took a while to track down but once engaged, it didn’t take long to arrive at a solution that ticked all of the necessary boxes on both sides. His previous ‘form’ came into play, not only as a slot car racer, but also as an accomplished cabinet maker to ensure that from the outset, no expensive mistakes were made.

>

100 DIFFERENT CONFIGURATIONS

You can see from the images what FLBT’s original track plans looked like and from that, what Lee eventually developed. As always there was some give and take during the design process, but overall the result has blown everyone away at the club and could provide an answer to clubs throughout the country who would like a professionally finished wooden routed circuit, but have no permanent facilities in which to house it. I suppose the easiest way to describe this new circuit is as a bespoke version of what the Slotfire system has to offer. What Lee has managed to produce is a completely

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could be wheeled into the unit to be worked on, then if necessary moved outside to make more space for the next batch. It was like working with a huge sliding puzzle at times but with some careful planning it all came together very quickly.

KEY FEATURES

It is also worth mentioning some of the other key features employed on the new track. Lee used two different types of MDF to construct the sections: A water resistant compound for the main sections and what Lee describes as bomb-proof extra-hard MDF for track joints. Power to the lanes is provided via routed braid as opposed to solid copper tape and, as a result, should be much more durable. The club also decided to invest in separate PSUs for each lane and each of these has a variable rating of 13-16 volts, 10 amps – sufficient for FLBT’s racing needs. Wiring has also been kept to a minimum and wherever possible the braid terminated directly into track joint connectors etc. The track surface has been treated to an epoxy based paint and early signs are that it is going to be very grippy indeed. FLBT’s previous track used IKEA screw-in legs and a similar solution has been used on the new track. In fact the design has been updated and whilst they are slightly thinner and lighter (though just as sturdy) they have the added bonus of adjustment for uneven floors. There are also some other

very nice features developed and incorporated by Lee Parsons which to the ordinary bystander wouldn’t even be noticed; all things which make for a quality product – built to last – and at a very reasonable price in comparison to other comparable options. What things might have been done differently? To be honest there seems to be very little that Lee Parsons and FLBT haven’t thought of. Some of the sections are large and heavy and possibly could have been cut down in size to make them lighter, but where’s the fun in that?! FLBT have actually developed skate boards for each section so that they can not only be rolled into position before the legs are screwed in and then turned upright, but also stored away in a safe and secure manner. Lee Parsons has hit upon a truly great concept with the development of the new FLBT circuit. Its modular design not only provides for different size layouts (useful say if only a handful of members turn up to a meeting), but also variety as well as expandability. For more information on what Lee might be able to develop and produce for you, contact him on 07717 666 483, or alternatively track him down on Facebook under Lee Parsons. Editor's note: FLBT featured in Club Focus in SLOT No. 13. The club meets Tuesday nights; go and have a look at www.flbt. co.uk and www.facebook.com/ fourlaneblacktop ■

The FLBT modular circuit erected and ready to go.

Fast straights and flowing bends feature throughout the circuit.

Initial shakedown for the track in Marlborough.

The track is proving to have plenty of speed and grip.

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PAST FORWARD Taking a look at the history of slot racing

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Racing onto the page – slot racing books of the 1960s

Pipe-smoking bow-tied slot car racer; how times change. Early on V.I.P. used on/off switches to control cars, the entire track carrying the electric current.

As slot racing took off in the early 1960s publishers scrambled onto the bandwagon. Richard reviews a selection.

W

e'll take a look at what found its way into bookshops and model shops on both sides of the Atlantic; indeed more than one American book was later published in the U.K. Most appeared in the three-year rush from 1963 and it's in this year we'll start:

TABLE TOP CAR RACING

Richard F. Dempewolff's book may have appeared in '63 – and two years later in Britain – but seems to have been written earlier. For example, an appendix reproduces a newsletter from July 1959 reporting on the second annual Kalamazoo, Michigan rail racing grand prix with six English proxy entries from the likes of Duncan Laycock, Laurie Cranshaw and Walkden Fisher. A whole chapter is dedicated to the debate over 'Rail versus slot systems' – ok, rail didn't die until '64, in the U.K. Elsewhere Dempewolff suggests, tongue in cheek that 'if you want to break up a race some night, just say in a loud voice: “Variable controls are the only sane way to run these cars” (p. 71). In other words some diehards still preferred on-off switches, but they would have been a small minority by the time the book was published. We admit to a soft spot for this book because it was the one slot car book available to the then nine year old me on the shelves of

our local library, before my first set appeared next birthday. When I found a copy not so long ago on an internet auction site, there once more was crewcut-haired Tom Cook (U.S. pioneer of the Kalamazoo club), the beautiful scratchbuilt models of 1950s 2 ½ litre Formula 1 cars, and the plans of tracks I hoped to build. With photos or diagrams on most of its 150 pages this is one book to seek out, especially if you're into the early days of rail and slot at the turn of the 1960s. There are a few around via internet bookshops although prices range from £20+ to more than double that. The lower figure looks more reasonable; ours was around the £15 mark three or four years ago.

THE COMPLETE BOOK OF MODEL RACEWAYS AND ROADWAYS

Another U.S. (1964) then U.K. ('65) publication is Louis H. Hertz's substantial but quirky offering. At 210 large pages it's the biggest book here. Primarily a model railroad enthusiast involved in magazine writing since the late 1930s it's not surprising that Hertz included road and railways within this book. Chapter 8 is called 'Combining automobiles and railroads', reminiscent of the Playcraft article elsewhere in this edition of SLOT. More common in the smaller sizes it was interesting

Earliest international rail race in the USA was won by proxy-driven car from Walkden Fisher of the Southport, England club.

Back cover of Hertz’s book with the torn front in colour.

>

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PAST FORWARD Taking a look at the history of slot racing

to find Scalextric's 1930s Bentley and Alfa Romeo shown alongside Gauge 1 trains. Hertz seemed closely associated with Polk's Model Craft Hobbies, Inc. and many of the numerous photos are attributed to Polk's. Hence it is at times not easy to recognise the manufacturer of some of the slot cars pictured. Pedantically Hertz is at pains to emphasise the difference between scale and size or ratio, labouring on for paragraph after paragraph then – albeit usefully – showing it all on a chart. Thus we learn that 1:24th is the size or ratio of the model, whereas its scale is ½ inch to one foot of the full-sized car. Not so useful is his persistence in captioning photos, like the Ferraris in the Eldon set shown, with their scale (3/8”) rather than the 1:32 by which the rest of the world knows them. Although slightly away from the mainstream this is nevertheless a book worth tracking

>

Scalextric vintage Bentley and Alfa pictured in Hertz’s book running alongside Gauge 1 trains.

down. Printed on thick, good-quality paper you might expect to pay around £30 for it.

ELECTRIC MODEL CAR RACING

We now turn to two, smaller books by British pioneers Dickie Laidlaw-Dickson and Vic Smeed. Our copy of the former has its dust jacket missing; ironically so do the ones we found for sale on the 'net so we can't depict the cover for you. 'Electric Model Car Racing' is an important book because Dickie, like Vic, was there in the early days and can speak of '… the pioneer[ing] effort of a few enthusiasts and two model clubs... the author is proud to have been one of those pioneer enthusiasts' (p. 13). He was editor of 'Model Cars' magazine and 'Model Maker' before that. Modestly he does not identify himself in print with 'the first model contrate gear and pinion from Eldi Service... which sold 50,000 before selling the business

Hertz pedantically pointing out that what we call scale is more correctly ratio or proportion.

to Super Shells...' (p. 14). Eldi was L.-D. i.e. Laidlaw-Dickson himself. Small-sized print and text frequently not interspersed with diagrams make this book not easy to read at times, but it's worth persevering. There are, however, two sets of photos within the 150 pages and we reproduce a couple of the most interesting here. Above the Ian Stewart-built Ferrari chassis we see two of the British entries proxy-driven in the U.S.A. in the first international rail race. Dempewolff reports and pictures this too; the British cars won. We rather liked the picture of the pipe-smoking Elleston Trevor, author of 'Fight of the Phoenix' around this time, whose Rolls Royce parked underneath the garage slot track when the circuit was winched up into the rafters! Early British slot racing books tend to be quite technical, for the model engineer

3/8-inch scale Eldon Ferraris are 1:32 in anyone but Hertz’s language.

Early 1:24 commercial chassis sold by Polk’s, pictured in Hertz. Laidlaw-Dickson also (above) pictures the early British rail racers that did so well in Kalamazoo, Michigan. The car below is by Ian Stewart, elder brother of three-times world F1 champion Jackie. Ian himself ran near the front of 1950s endurance sports car races.

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Early ‘Birdcage’ Maserati of Luis del Rosario Jr. pictured in Hertz’s book; sidewinder motor has integral rear axle.

Author Elleston Trevor, left, smoking a pipe with Dickie Laidlaw-Dickson centre. The Trevor family Rolls Royce occupied the garage when the slot track was hoisted back up to the ceiling!

and hark back to the days when commercially-built parts were sparse. For example, using the diagrams shown you could build a steering front end for the race at Rockingham held each year nowadays. For the dedicated enthusiast rather than the casual reader this book is still worth seeking out. There's one via a U.K. online bookseller as we write (early September) at a highly optimistic and unrealistic £79; a quarter of that would be nearer the mark.

SIMPLE ELECTRIC CAR RACING

Technical diagrams from Laidlaw-Dickson’s book. Build yourself a steering front end for Rockingham 2017!

Published by MAP (Model Aeronautical Press), who were responsible for 'Model Cars' magazine amongst others, Smeed's 100+ pages are an easier read than LaidlawDickson's because photos and diagrams are interspersed with

text. Like Dempewolff, Smeed is useful if you're interested in the history of the hobby. We learn that the December 1954 edition of 'Model Maker' carried an article by reader Tebbutt on experiments with what became rail racing – see SLOT No. 6 – based on Geoffrey Deason's earlier ideas. That article 'caught [the] imagination' (p. 6) of members of Southport M.E.C. Vic Smeed, assistant editor of 'Model Maker', visited the Southport track in August 1955 'and on publication of a subsequent article and pictures, other people began to sit up and take notice'. 1957 was the important year as the first commercially available slot racing set was released by Scalextric, coinciding with the publication Laidlaw-Dickson's 'Model Car Rail Racing'. We must look for a copy of that too! For the 21st century historic slot racer Smeed's book has useful information like clear diagrams of open-frame motors available in the early 1960s, with dimensions so you can work out whether you can shoehorn a motor into your chosen body. Again, though, some advice would have been out of date by the time of publication in 1965 e.g. how to scratchbuild a slot guide from

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PAST FORWARD Taking a look at the history of slot racing

By the time Smeed published in 1965 there was no longer a need to make your own slot guide from curtain rail.

Useful: Smeed’s diagrams with dimensions of open-frame motors.

On the other hand, making braids from TV coaxial cable was a cheap and effective alternative!

curtain rail. By '65 your choice of a guide to buy was extensive. To the then impoverished schoolboy, though – that would have been me – advice like making braid from a length of TV coaxial cable would have been invaluable. Richard remembers the local Scalextric stockist, who also was the TV repairman, advising this 10 year old to save pocket money that way! 'Simple Electric Car Racing' is worth looking for, especially because it's relatively common and thus prices reasonable. Indeed there's one on eBay U.K. ending today, which has so far attracted just one bid at the starting price of £10.

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YOUR BOOK OF MODEL CAR RACING This 1965 offering by Kenneth Gee, revised in '71 although I can't spot how, was one of over 90 titles in the 'Your Book Of.. .' series which ranged from Acting to Wild

Twice F1 world champion Jim Clark (next to lady driver) featured in Scalextric advertising, pictured here in Kenneth Gee’s book.

Flowers. Described as 'a handbook for the young driver' we can find little to recommend amongst its 90 pages. We did find Jim Clark starring in a heavily-retouched early Scalextric advert as you can see. Does anyone recognise the other people?

HERE IS YOUR HOBBY... SLOT CAR RACING

Similar in concept to Gee's book, this 1966 book was one of a run whereby young Americans could try archery, hunting, car customizing and outboard boating! Those were the days, before Health and Safety... Oh, and the girls were expected to collect dolls. Its 120 pages give a real sense of the mid-1960s U.S. craze of slot car racing. Bob Braverman and Bill Neumann knew their stuff; Bob had been building and racing since the earliest days and was an

editorial contributor (sounds familiar) on 'Rod & Custom' magazine, 'the leading monthly magazine for the model car enthusiast' (p. 128). Bill was its editor. The book is amply illustrated with many half-page pictures. Braverman and Neumann sensibly discuss building a car from a slot kit before a chapter on scratchbuilding. Thus we see mouthwatering images of K&B, AMT, Monogram and The Braverman and Neumann book is typical of 1960s books in showing you how to scratchbuild a chassis.

Cox kits amongst others. You can wonder at the size of the tracks in the raceways, and the sheer acreage covered by those raceways. This book is highly recommended. Ours even came with the lending docket still

The spirit of the 1960s slot racing craze in America; long raceways tracks in big buildings, young racers crowding around the parts counter.

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Two British club tracks shown by Smeed. The Bolton club (above) is still at it over 50 years later; we guestdrove for them in a retro endurance race in 2015.

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pasted in, from Lower Dauphin High School Library. The school is still there, in Hummelstown, Pennsylvania. Much sought after, you will have to pay a bit if you can find one. As we write we can see one on offer at USD 90.

SLOT CAR RACING

The cover on Phil Drackett's 1968 book is really attractive, with vacuum-formed body Ferrari P4 cars leading on a six-lane track, but... but the text disappoints. Mr. Drackett can't have taken too long on this one. We did find one or two choice quotations though: '...for all of us ageing Walter Mittys, slot car racing can, in a modest way, make dreams come true...' (p. 12). With the benefit of hindsight you have to smile about one of Drackett's opinions: '... exciting as it may be, the 007 Set comes more into the toy category and the genuine slot-car enthusiast is likely to be more taken with the Scalextric Grand Prix and sports car racing sets'. Nowadays the sky's the limit on the price of an intact James Bond 1960s set. If this book has a saving grace it's in (some of) the pictures. Like in the Braverman and Neumann book, we can wonder at the popularity of slot cars in the '60s, in Britain this time. Thus a track in John Lewis' Glasgow shop is shown, and the eight-lane routed track installed at the ski resort of Aviemore. Those were the days. Worth buying? Maybe. We can see a couple at the moment via Amazon. £20 seems OK but £60? No thanks.

Those were the days: Routed eight-lane track in a hotel at Aviemore ski resort. Useful page in Drackett showing which Mabuchi motor is which.

Kits in the U.S.A. feature in Braverman and Neumann; the Atlas 1:32 Ford GT40 and Porsche 904.

The big old lump of a Pittman 706 pictured in Braverman and Neumann – with one of our own.

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PAST FORWARD Taking a look at the history of slot racing

No we weren’t lucky enough to find the free booklet with the magazine, we bought them off the ‘net separately.

‘Model Cars’ magazine alw ays included the latest bits you could buy.

A HISTORY OF ELECTRIC MODEL ROADS AND RACETRACKS 1908 – 1985

Not from the 1960s but the '80s, Roger Greenslade's big red book is, in our opinion, indispensable. That is, if you're into slot racing archaeology and need to identify the latest tarnished pile of bits. Amateurish and quirkily formatted it may be but I wouldn't be without it. Thus, for example, we were able to identify our REH from late '67 / early '68. This one's notable in the transition from road and wire chassis to brass plate with pans. Only 2,000 books were printed; a first 1986 issue of 1,000 numbered copies and a reissue in 1990 not numbered. Because of its rarity prices can be speculative – how about £185? - but you might just get lucky on an internet auction site for £20 to £30. ■

MAGAZINES FROM THE 1960S

So fast was the pace of development in the '60s that even monthly magazines – say with a six-week gap between a race and its report – ran the risk of the latest innovations being quickly out of date. Nevertheless, if you want to really know what was happening when, search out the magazines. In the U.K. earlier competition was, by '68, overtaken by or incorporated into 'Model Cars'. Occasionally they'd offer a freebie like the slot motors booklet here. If you can find the magazine with the booklet you'll be lucky, but the booklets are not infrequently offered on the 'net separately. The magazine choice in the U.S.A. was wider. Whilst readily available, prices look high at typically USD 15 apiece. What does look good value is a complete run of 'Car Model' magazines scanned to DVD for under USD 50 from www.rmtcustoms.com We must get round to ordering ours. A word of warning to the British reader, though. Slot car reviews, for example, are sometimes not technical in U.S. magazines to the extent of not naming the motor, or showing the chassis, and some of the language used may have been trendy then but quaint and not easily understood this side of the Atlantic in 2016. We highlight 'Model Car & Track's February 1967 review of the Cox Cucaracha, for example. We covered the Cuc in SLOT No. 14. You might expect such a milestone in chassis design to be shown, although it is at least described , and you're left guessing what the 'medium size Mabuchi' motor might be (a FT16D).

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Don’t expect American mag azines to be necessarily as technical or informative. Where’s the shot of the Cox Cuc chassis?

Greenslade: Big, red, quirkily formatted but indispensable.

We identified our 1967/68 REH (bottom left) from Greenslade.

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PAST FORWARD THE ORIGINS OF HO SCALE SLOT CARS

SLOT CARS AS ROADWAYS…

PLAYCRAFT, AURORA, MINIC & BEYOND! James Day looks back at the original HO car system

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any will be familiar with the evolution of slot cars and the first appearance of commercial slot car systems from Scalextric and VIP. In the larger scales, slot cars were nearly always intended for racing. However, not only did smaller-scale slot cars emerge slightly later, but they were originally intended to be a roadway system for use with model trains and not for racing, but of course that is how they ended up!

CARS AND TRAINS TOGETHER

The man who invented smaller scale slot cars was an Englishman - Derek Brand (1926 to 2012). He ran a company called Crafco who specialised in inventing and developing toy products. They worked closely with companies such as Revell. In the mid-1950s,

Revell introduced an HO Scale model train system and, like several other manufacturers in the United States, they used Atlas model railroad track. Over the years several other manufacturers copied the geometry of Atlas track, the most recent being Life-Like. It was therefore probably no coincidence that Brand made the length of his standard roadway section 9”, which was the same as an Atlas straight. The Brand slot car geometry as introduced became the industry standard being used by Aurora/Tomy, Tyco and a whole host of others, most recently Life-Like. Brand was initially unable to get a manufacturer to take on the concept in the USA but did get Playcraft in the UK to produce it. The first Playcraft Highways sets reached the shops in late 1959, but sadly the product was not a commercial success here. It was

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in production for only a year or two and was never developed beyond a couple of sets, four vehicles and a handful of extra track sections. It was, however, the acorn from which all subsequent HO scale roadways and raceways developed – Minic Motorways, Faller AMS, Aurora Model Motoring, Tyco and many others. Although Playcraft Highways was a commercial failure, the product was quickly taken up by Aurora in the United States. Brand’s unusual AC vibrator motor was soon replaced by the ubiquitous ThunderJet DC motor (also designed by Brand) and the product eventually became Tomy AFX. Sadly, the roadway ambition of the range was soon cast aside in favour of racing, as it was eventually with all makes, even Minic Motorways. The last true roadways system to be launched was Tyco US-1 Trucking in

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1980, but this would only last around five to six years. Ironically Tyco US-1 with the wonderful automated loading and unloading features, was also designed by Derek Brand! ● Playcraft highways was the first slot car product in this scale -Launching in late 1959 – The inventor was Derek Brand ● The product was not that successful in the UK, only ever extending to four cars, two sets and a handful of extra track sections ● It was news of the development of Playcraft Highways that inspired Tri-ang to start to develop Minic (launched 1961)– This has been confirmed by Richard Lines formerly of Tri-ang/Hornby Hobbies ● The idea was taken up by Aurora in the US and the rest is history ● Playcraft Railways did not appear until 1961, just as Playcraft Highways was discontinued

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THE PLAYCRAFT EXHIBITION LAYOUT

Some ranges such as Minic Motorways, Faller and Heras/Wiad were designed to be closely integrated with model trains. Sadly, despite Brand’s intentions, Playcraft Highways never was. Playcraft did not launch their own brand of imported model railways until 1961, just as Highways was withdrawn. (All the railway track, stock, accessories and buildings on this layout were marketed by Playcraft during the 1960s). However, early Aurora and Playcraft roadway sections are completely interchangeable, so on this layout we have used Aurora level crossings (grade crossing in the U.S.), crossroads (intersections) and other items of track to make our layout a little more dynamic. Apologies for the right-hand running, which looks odd when combined with British trains but that is how Aurora was sold! On the upper level we are using Tyco US1 Highways slot car track, together with Life-Like track supports. Our aim is to run various makes of roadway system vehicles: From Playcraft, through Faller to Tyco US-1 and Bauer. You may even see us running the odd Micro Scalextric vehicle! Please note that in the interests of reliability none of the Playcraft still vehicles have the original vibrator motors – all have re-engineered T Jets. The single track section uses Faller AMS track and here we will be happy to demonstrate independent control of two cars on one track using 1960s Half Wave

1: The grey section is an original piece of Paycraft Highways Track from 1959/60. This had brass contact strips. The later Aurora Model Motoring track was almost identical and wholly compatible although the plastic was black and contact strips became steel. In the centre is a length of Life-Like Power-Loc track dating from around 2008. This follows the geometry used by Atlas 60 years earlier. Finally there is a length of Life-Like Racing Dura Lock track also dating from 2008. This system closely followed the original Playcraft geometry. Note that all are exactly 9” long, exactly the same length as the Atlas Snap Track Railroad straight! 2: Some rather grubby early Aurora Model Motoring Track sandwiching a 9” piece of Atlas Snap Track. This is the model railroad track that has indirectly influenced the geometry of many H0 slot car systems! Photo courtesy of Chuck Higdon. 3: The Playcraft Highways range only ever extended to the four vehicles shown here, although they were available in a variety of colours. The two sports cars were later manufactured by Aurora. 4: Original Playcraft and early Aurora cars came with an unusual vibrator type motor; they were fed from an AC power supply and a coil caused the agitator to move up and down acting on the geared rear axle. The original chassis were much loved by fans but tended to run hot and be unreliable. Derek Brand then designed the classic much copied Thunderjet chassis with the pancake armature and the rest is history! 5: Tyco US-1 Trucking was a brilliant system with lots of play value. The lorries could be reversed into loading and unloading docks, where the transfer of good would take place without intervention!

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PAST FORWARD THE ORIGINS OF HO SCALE SLOT CARS

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6 & 7: The twin peg system used by Tyco US-1 allowed both the lorries and trailers to be reversed easily. The wheels on the trailer are on a bogie that can swivel freely. 8 & 9: Aurora Model Motoring Intersection. Many roadway systems featured a crossroads, but strangely none were ever automated. Minic proposed to do this, but never did. Faller later made working traffic lights but these did not stop the cars, drivers were expected to obey them! 10: Like crossroads, many manufacturers made level or grade crossings to allow the combination of road and rail, but only Marx ever made one that actually stopped and started the cars. It lifted and dropped the barriers too! Tri-ang catalogued an automated Minic level crossing for many years but sadly it was never produced. 11: US slot car grade crossings – The grey Tyco US-1 version from 1980 and the black Life-Like Racing version from almost 30 years later. They both copy the Playcraft/Aurora Geometry Both crossings were sold separately and in combination sets. 12: The Aurora Model Motoring Grade Crossing was originally made in 1961 around the same time that Minic Motorways was introduced. It appeared in a third party combination set too, featuring Tyco Trains. The trains here are Life-Like and the cars are from the Ideal Dukes Of Hazard race and chase set. Unlike the ‘Knight Rider’ and ‘The Professionals’ set, these cars are not half-wave.

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● Playcraft never made crossroads or level crossings themselves – which is why the Aurora ones used in the layout were set for right-hand running. ● The single-track section was from the Faller AMS range – another product inspired by Playcraft/Aurora. ● The grey elevated track and the American lorries are from the Tyco US-1 Trucking series of the 1980s - also designed by Derek Brand. ● The buildings were made by Pola in Germany but sold as part of the Playcraft Railways range. The trains themselves were made for Playcraft by Jouef in France.

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Technology – beating Scalextric Digital to it by thirty years! Makes here are Faller, Rasant and Ideal. You are even welcome to drive a vehicle on this circuit.

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26/09/2016 14:46

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13: Two different versions of the Life-Like Racing grade crossing. 14: Playcraft - Railways, Highways and Buildings – spot the original product? The trains were imported from Jouef in France. The buildings were made for Playcraft by Pola in what was then West Germany. The Highways system was made by Playcraft themselves under licence from Derek Brand, but was not successful in the UK. The irony of this is that the roadway system was obsolete by the time Playcraft began marketing the trains and the buildings. My combination layout is therefore chronologically incorrect! 15: Half-wave cars from Ideal Toys – these were sold in race and chase sets in the 1980s and enabled to two cars to run on the same track under independent control. Sets included 'Knight Rider' and 'The Professionals'. 16: Half-wave cars from Rasant – these are all metal in construction and beautifully engineered. 17: Faller AMS made a huge range of cars from the early '60s into the 1980s. They pioneered the half-wave idea and the cars shown here are equipped with diodes to permit two to be on the same track under independent control.

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Crossroads and level crossings add a lot of interest as the cars have to give way.

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There are four separate roadways and two train tracks in this shot, so there are always several things moving simultaneously.

MINIC AND SPARE PARTS

Sadly, you will not find any Minic Motorways vehicles running on this layout, as Minic had a completely different pick up system to the industry standard as developed by Brand which simply won’t work on these track systems. However, if you have Minic Motorways and need to replace your slot rubber, we produce that and many other items for Minic, Model-Land, Battle Space Tri-ang Hornby – ask us at jamesday@ btinternet.com Editor's note: Minic cars used a gimball pickup that was directly copied from that used on the first Scalextric tinplate cars. As Tri-Ang had gained ownership of Scalextric before Minic was launched it was a logical step to copy an existing system, although it did not progress on the larger Scalextric cars when the plastic Scalextric range was introduced. Minic design and development was already underway and the gimball system was ideal for the very small cars and continued throughout their life. ■

Although mostly continental in origin, plenty of buildings add interest to the layout.

Roads were available as both single and double carriageways which adds a lot of variety and enables more complex systems to be built.

Author James Day on the left admires the layout on. Brian Salter in the dark shirt is the author of the book on SpotOn cars.

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Both roads and railways can be elevated if you want to avoid using level crossings.

Plenty of cars and trains running continuously on this show layout.

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NEW CAR REVIEW A NICE PAIR OF LE MANS CLASSICS

GOLDEN AGE

SPORTS CLASSICS C Formidable front-engined Ferrari TR61 and Jaguar E2A lassic sports car enthusiasts will instantly recognise these cars. The Ferrari TR61 is the famous Ferrari Testarossa in its 1961 disguise with the sharknose that Ferrari made popular in that year. It was also

designed into the Ferrari 246 Dino and the Ferrari 156 Formula 1 car. The 1960 Jaguar E2A is the missing link between the Jaguar D Type and Jaguar E Type, and followed the short-lived E1A which never raced. Although the real cars never actually raced each other,

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they are from the golden age of front-engined sports cars and excited crowds on the same racetracks.

FERRARI TR61

The Ferrari Testarossa was a successful

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sports car for several years. Using a V12 engine, the racing specification had red-painted cam covers which gave it the name. The final development was the TR61 which was built for the 1961 Le Mans race, although cars with more conventional front ends raced in 1962. The Testarossa had previously won Le Mans in 1957 and 1958 as well as many other sports and endurance races. Ferrari won the World Championship in 1958 and 1960 with the Testarossa, and would do so again in 1961. The 1961 body was designed by Fantuzzi and built by Scaglietti with an early vision of the Kamm tail and the famous ‘nostrils’ of 1961 Ferraris. Just two cars were built as originals, a further third car was converted from a 1960 model, and you can see the differences in the side vents and other details. At Le Mans the new cars raced with numbers 10 (the winning car) and

17; the converted car raced with number 11. As well as Le Mans, the 1961 cars with the sharknose nostrils also raced at Sebring with numbers 14 and 27 before the front was redesigned with a more conventional single intake. These five identities are the only ones that are correct for this very individual sharknose car.

JAGUAR E2A

Jaguar had won Le Mans three times with the D Type, and plans were made to develop a semimonocoque chassis for road and racing use. In 1957 Jaguar built prototype E1A using a similar spaceframe and tub to the D Type, but with independent suspension and sleeker bodywork. It was solely a test hack and was later broken up, but it laid the groundwork for the unique Jaguar E2A.

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NEW CAR REVIEW A NICE PAIR OF LE MANS CLASSICS

The LMM Ferrari TR61 looks good from every angle

The E2A was born in 1960 and first appeared in public at the Le Mans test weekend, where it had bare aluminium bodywork, the streamlined cowling behind the drivers head (a la D Type) but without the fin. The screen was tall and tapered into the bodywork, and it ran with plain number 7 on the car which was road registered VKV 752. It had a special 3-litre all-aluminium engine When it appeared for the race in June 1960 it was in the white-with-blue-stripes of the American Briggs Cunningham team, to

be driven by Dan Gurney and Walt Hangsen. It had also gained a fin behind the driver for straight line stability in a similar way to the Jaguar D Types. The car raced with number 6; at six hours it was retired with head gasket and burned piston problems. After a rebuild by Jaguar which included fitting a 3.8 litre engine, the car was sent to the USA where the Cunningham team raced it very successfully. During this time it was driven by Walt Hangsen, Jack Brabham, and Bruce McLaren. Returning to the UK, E2A was stored

The sharknose nostrils hide spotlamps inside

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An early version of the Kamm tail with nice exhaust detail

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until 1966 when the fin was removed and it was painted in British Racing Green and used as a decoy during testing of the Jaguar XJ13. It was later rescued after being scheduled for scrapping at the factory, and was rebuilt into 1961 Le Mans race specification, including having the special 3-litre alloy engine.

LE MANS MINIATURES FERRARI TR61

We expect great things from Le Mans Miniatures. Attention to the minutest details, perfection in the presentation and finish on

Bonnet and cockpit detail is exceptional

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the hand-built cars, and quality technical parts such as the Slot.it components. Other manufacturers may have thought about offering a car like the Ferrari TR61 with different numbers on the same tooling, but not LMM. Each of the three models they have released is individual, from the bodywork differences to the accuracy of the driver portrayed in each car. They are all identical underneath, and the description can be applied to any version. As usual the bodywork is finished in flawless and deeply-glossed paintwork. It is impossible to see how the crystal clear windows are attached; the assembly work is immaculate. The dominant features of the Ferrari TR61 are the shark nose nostrils and the cover over the V12 engine intakes on the long bonnet, but looking closer at the number 11 car pictured here you can also see the tiny flyscreen and all the bonnet straps and catches on the front surfaces, and the spotlights lurking inside the intakes. Before moving to the cockpit we can look along the sides and see the etched-metal spoked wheels and the surrounds for the side vents above the twin exhaust pipes along each sill. This car has a full cockpit and driver figure, two seats, and a wiper and mirror on the screen. The driver is fully detailed and complete with goggles which rest on his early period helmet. There are rivets everywhere picked out in silver: all around the engine cowling and flyscreen, following the glass line on the bodywork including the doors, and there are more at the rear lip spoiler. At the back there is the Prova Mo registration that allows the works Ferraris to be driven on the road, plus an additional number plate. The exhausts have silver extensions with correct detail inside the ends. Looking underneath we see there is a front-mounted inline S-Can motor, and a Slot.it offset crown wheel at the back. After dropping the chassis out of the bodyshell we can see this is driven by a nylon pinion, and gently running the motor on low power proves that this gives an almost silent gear mesh. The chassis itself is a very simple one-piece resin mould with no adjustment anywhere.

One-piece chassis with front mounted motor

Resin bodyshell with full interior and lots of fixing posts is very heavy

Slot.it motor drives a shaft with nylon pinion and offset crownwheel

All the alloy wheels are secured with grub screws, and the tyres have a nice tread pattern moulded in, the rear ones slightly larger as on the real car.

SLOT CLASSIC JAGUAR E2A

Alloy wheels with finely etched wire inserts Driver’s helmet looks outdated even for 1961

Slot Classic have also built a reputation for superbly detailed slot cars. To get some idea of the quality, you can refer back to SLOT No. 3 where we reviewed the MGB GT and the Cisitalia 202 Berlinetta, and SLOT No. 7 where we looked at the Mille Miglia Cisitalia Nuvolari. Now we have the chance to examine a unique car, the Jaguar E2A as it raced at Le Mans in 1960 in the Cunningham team colours. Slot Classic have also made a limited edition run of

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NEW CAR REVIEW A NICE PAIR OF LE MANS CLASSICS

The Slot Classics Jaguar E2A is very sleek, part D Type and part E Type

the car as it was at the Le Mans test weekend with red numbers on the silver bodywork. The Le Mans Jaguar E2A also has a nice lacquered finish over the decals, not quite as glossy as the Ferrari but perhaps a more realistic finish. The very long bonnet seems plain in comparison, but your attention is drawn to the rear fin which characterises the car. The front intake has internal detail, otherwise is interchangeable with the later Jaguar E Type, in fact the whole front end is almost identical between these cars. What is

very noticeable is that almost every panel on the real car is joined by rows of rivets which are clearly defined on the Slot Classic model. The cockpit is another superbly detailed area, the driver figure holding the steering wheel has a full crash helmet and is wearing his goggles. Although the Jaguar raced a year earlier than the Ferrari, the driver looks a lot more typical for the period as the helmet style has outgrown the ‘pudding-bowl with side flaps’ era. The sturdy screen surround holds a crystal clear window and sidescreens, and

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The long bonnet has detail inside the front intake

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The fin was a late addition. Rivets everywhere...

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is set off with the passenger side canopy the regulations allowed at that time. As this also includes a clear panel it is easy to see there is another seat fitted. The canopy fairs into the rear deck which is almost a copy of a Jaguar D Type with its nicely rounded corners and rear light positions. The fin fitted between Le Mans testing and the race completes the picture. The car has the normal Slot Classic adjustable-wheelbase plastic chassis installed, holding a S-Can inline motor. This drives a plastic gear and crownwheel similar to those

Cockpit canopy is faired in to the screen and the rear deck

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R

eck

Slot Classic plastic 2-piece chassis has adjustable wheelbase

Serial number moulded into the bodyshell

found on cars by many major brands. The back axle is held by brass bearings clipped into the chassis, the front axle simply sits in slots at the front. Removing the bodyshell shows us the car serial number moulded into the bodyshell, as every Slot Classic car has to identify it. Now we can see the plastic wheels are accurate replicas of the Dunlop alloy wheels used at that time for Jaguar racing cars, fitted with lightly-treaded tyres.

How do they drive?

We said the LMM Ferrari TR61 chassis isn’t adjustable, but this isn’t really important as tuning for outright performance isn’t the point if this car. What it does do is conduct itself around a track at a slightly more than respectable speed for its vintage. Using Slot. it parts including the motor and running gear gives it an efficient and reliable performance which is just a little out of character in two respects. The real car would not be as fast in a straight line compared to other cars as this slot car is compared to other slot cars. The real car would be a lot quicker and more stable through the corners than the slot car, the result of having a relatively heavy bodyshell and full cockpit on a light chassis which makes the car want to tip over when the real one would sit down and accelerate through the bends. It isn’t

As simple as it can get – inline S-Can motor driving plastic gears

Compare the tyres. LMM Ferrari on left, Slot Classic Jaguar on right

too bad to drive, but don’t expect it to keep up with modern machinery. As with all Slot Classic cars, the enjoyment comes with having a detailed replica of a special car that will drive around a slot track. Not at great speed, but lively enough. The deficiency is again in the cornering, a relatively narrow and tall car isn’t prone to sliding easily even with little grip from the tyres. Fitting magnet would help the performance a bit, but why would you want to? As it is, the Jaguar E2A is a great competitor for the LMM Ferrari TR61 as both can lap in approximately the same times with careful driving.

And the answer is…?

With cars like these you just don’t want to speed around a track because you would miss so much of the detail. The thrill is recreating an era of classic front-engined sports cars driving on road-race circuits, at speeds that were fast at the time over 65 years ago but nowhere near the lap times of today. It is right that these slot cars are replicas in performance as well as looks, and we must remember the adage that “a good race can be really slow as long as the competitors are equal”. Certainly true of these cars, and we wouldn’t have it any other way. They look so good on display as well… n

Resin Jaguar Dunlop wheel inserts have etched spinners Driver’s helmet and goggles look right for 1960

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WINNING F RACE CHAMPS

Bigger certainly looks more impressive

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FORMULA FERRARI RACERS

Carrera is distributed in the UK by; The Hobby Company Limited, Knowlhill, Milton Keynes, MK5 8PG See your UK Carrera dealer for further information

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28/09/2016 13:54

The CAD image of the 3D printed chassis kit

38 SLOT MAG - November/December 2016

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26/09/2016 14:50

WORKSHOP SHOWING YOU HOW IT’S DONE

MAD MAX II

Pete Simpson builds the perfect model to accompany the new Scalextric Ford Falcon XC from the Mad Max film

TANKER T

he Gaydon Slot Festival is a superb venue for meeting fellow enthusiasts, manufacturers and dealers to discover all the latest innovations and developments. A few years ago Chase Cars introduced their first models, emulating the inherently unstable chassis of all those great Yank Tanks seen in films and on television. This was achieved by designing a set of running gear that not only allowed considerably more body roll than can be achieved simply by slackening the fixing screws, but also included realistic steering to replicate the impossible wheel angles that result in suicidal power slides. During these formative years, 3D printing became a viable method to produce low volume, specialised products thereby permitting several variations of chassis and body to be produced without over-burdening tooling costs. Subsequently a broad range of vehicles has been added to the collection culminating in a much larger enterprise to allow tractor units to be constructed. The 2015 Festival witnessed the prototype truck, inspired by the HYPERLINK "https:// en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenworth_ W900" \o "Kenworth W900"Kenworth W900A and refrigerated trailer

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WORKSHOP SHOWING YOU HOW IT’S DONE

Revell kit modified to accept Chase Cars chassis parts

Chase Cars steering unit prior to being bonded into position

Structure for third axle added

Sleeper section of the cab is removed

from Smokey and the Bandit film. Fortunately, construction of the vehicle was facilitated by using a Revell SnapTite kit. This was sufficient to raise my interest, prompting an investigation into the availability of these kits leading to the discovery that a Mack Tanker, not too dissimilar to that featured in Mad Max II, was

also included in the range. Although the truck chassis was still in development, Gareth Jones agreed to supply one sample which was modified to accept a long-can motor as the initial example was deemed slightly underpowered with a lowly Mabuchi. This is the key benefit with 3D printing: for little more

than the time taken to modify the design files a revised print was produced including all twenty-two wheels that my project demanded.

FIRST STEPS

When the new moulding arrived in the middle of February, delighted though I was initially,

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Bull bar starts to take shape

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26/09/2016 14:51

Starting to take shape but lots of details yet to add

I soon realised that the build was likely to get a bit daunting. First, due to the size and basic nature of the Revell kit, a considerable amount of work would be required to adapt it to a detailed model and, secondly, that May 2016 became a non-negotiable deadline to present Gareth’s new chassis to the public. As with any project, completion is dependent on getting started more than on the time spent once in progress. The first task was to gather details on the subject: this was to be relatively easy as there are several fan websites as well as a DVD to study, although that did highlight a few discrepancies in the gradual deterioration of the vehicle throughout the film. The most obvious changes that would be required to the SnapTite kit were the addition of a third axle to the tanker and the removal of the sleeping compartment from the Mack. When writing a report on how a model is constructed, I often regret not being able to match the narration to my build progress: commencing with opening the box to applying the final coat of lacquer. However, as most of my builds progress in a random fashion, regularly switching between converting the base model, creating the chassis, painting, adding details prior to eventually assembling all the parts into the final creation, I need to be a bit creative in my reporting. Don’t be fooled into thinking that the mythical portrayal here represents any version of reality in which the Mad Max Tanker was constructed – it merely serves to summarise the stages, arranged into a coherent process.

sleeper compartment very little care was needed as the remaining part retained its structural integrity and showed no signs of distorting: a simple filler piece was then added, from which the rear window was subsequently cut. There was no need to fashion any glass as it disappeared very early in the film. The remainder of the Mack was straightforward with the only other modification required being the conversion from left- to right-hand drive. A Scalextric driver underwent minor surgery and was bonded into place: his hands had to be superglued to the steering wheel to overcome the flexibility of his limbs. Construction of the cowcatcher was a compromise between accuracy and strength: the assembly benefitted from having a basic frame constructed in a single plane rather than having an angled joint part-way up. The angled section was then added and panelled for extra strength. Although it is unlikely to be used in anger, it will still be the first part to contact an obstacle. The exhausts were scratch built from a range of plastic bar and tubing as the kit only came with a single exhaust which was too short: cross bracing was over-engineered from brass bar. All the other detailing parts are from the Revell kit, with minor modification to capture the used appearance required. The chassis was modified to accommodate the Chase Cars chassis’ motor pod and steering unit by adding a few chassis cross-members and by careful removal of lower parts of the engine moulding.

CONVERTING THE SNAPTITE KIT

CHASE CARS CHASSIS CONSTRUCTION

As alluded to above, a little surgery was required to bring the basic kit closer to the version used in the film. In removing the

This was the day I’d been savouring as Gareth’s Chase-Car parts always go together perfectly. Even without specific

Modifications to the back of the cab

Truck mudguard assembly

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Truck mudguards. Built as separate assembly to facilitate wheel fitting

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WORKSHOP SHOWING YOU HOW IT’S DONE

Chase chassis motor and axle mounts

First track test of basic build

instructions, assembly was a pleasure: the parts were removed from the sprue, a few moulding nibs were filed clean and the parts put together following the instructions on the Chase Cars website. Mine was the first example that had been moulded for the long can Boxer motor but, having been modelled accurately in the virtual world, all went together first time. As soon as the two parts were complete they were screwed to the unpainted Mack and given a run around a small test track. All worked fine with plenty of power to drift the two axles around the tightest of curves. The prospects for the complete tanker

were encouraging: the Boxer motor certainly outperformed the original Mabuchi prototype.

TANKER BUILD

The only complication at this stage was the addition of a third axle. This was implemented by building up extra under-frame detailing in front of the existing axle frame. It is this front axle that takes the weight of the trailer, with the other two being free to move vertically. Hopefully the photographs illustrate the way in which the axles are carried in tubing which is then sleeved to ensure that they remain in

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42 SLOT MAG - November/December 2016

MAD MAX TRUCK.indd 42

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position. Axles were required that would normally be far too long for a 1:32nd slot car and even then not quite long enough for the outer wheels. As these were 3D printed, with the chassis, bonding them to the inner wheels with superglue, whilst mounted on a dummy axle to ensure alignment, would be permanent. The wheels are printed to take two M2 grub screws each so can be relied upon to remain in place.

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Completed Bull Bar

The rear ladder was modified slightly, to replicate the damage it sustained early in the film, and the under-chassis pipework was retained, despite being missing in the film. The two elements were united using K&S brass tubing: one piece was set into the fifth wheel whilst the mating part passes through the bottom on the tank and bonded to the under face of the top, thereby providing a rigid towing pin.

PAINTING

The tanker was primed in white then

sprayed in Mercedes Silver: the underframe was later picked out using Citadel acrylics. The only issue with the decoration was the need to replicate the Seven Sisters Oil Company logo and side stripe on the tanker. Added complication arose as I can’t print white decals: the red and blue stripes and logo were printed on decal paper, lacquered and applied in the usual manner with the central stripe being cut from white decal paper. Applying the long stripes was a challenge but, after several attempts they were deemed to be good enough. Actually

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Rear axle detail shows how 2nd and 3rd axles have unrestricted vertical movement

Rear wheel detail

Truck wheel protection in place

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WORKSHOP SHOWING YOU HOW IT’S DONE

Accurate Armour provided sand ladders for wheel protection

Exhaust bracing from brass rod

Front turret defences in detail

the first effort was probably even straighter! The Mack was primed in red oxide then the cab was given a top coat of Nissan brown, left to dry and then adorned with a stripe in Ford Sand. The chassis was sprayed black before being misted over from below with a combination of various shades of beige.

glued it to the end of each pin: in parts of the film it can be seen as simply draped over the brackets: I maintain that mine looks better even if less accurate! The turrets were formed from plasticard, glued to the top of the tanker then adorned with spikes as close to those in the film as possible. These were taken from a Tamiya beach defence set and provided sections that were convenient to shape and bond into place. The mudguards were formed from photo etched, 1/35th scale sand ladders obtained from Authentic Armour: not cheap but very difficult to emulate in any other material. Their

positioning and inclusion is debatable as licence is required to accommodate continuity discrepancies in the film. The chrome parts from the kit required considerable toning-down to try and ensure they blended in with the overall look rather than stand out: all were given an ink wash prior to being brushed over with weathering powder. The wheel inserts were all as supplied in the kit, although augmented by a couple “borrowed” from a second kit – something to worry about much later. The 3D printed wheels were designed to accommodate these perfectly: the outer wheels merely required the

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DETAILING

This is where the fun began – transforming a nice model into something that comes to life. The side protection afforded by the barbed wire suspended from angled stand-offs took more effort than was necessary as I carefully

RESOURCES:

Chassis kit from Chase Cars www.chase-cars.com Tyres from RS Slot Racing www.rsslotracing.com Running gear from Typhoon Slots www.typhoonslotsandmodels.com Etched detailing parts from Accurate Armour: www.accurate-armour.com

44 SLOT MAG - November/December 2016

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HISTORY FEATURE WHAT HAPPENED IN THE PAST?

COMPLICATIONS

O

Don Siegel looks at some of the ‘Complications’ of slot cars – Part 1 ver the years slot cars have seen their own “complications”, from steering and suspension to brakes, four-wheel drive and even simulated engine noise. To me, this is one of the most exciting aspects of slot car history: all the wonderfully odd features that budding Thomas Edisons and Steve Jobs have engineered into their cars over the years.

Almost none of these features have proven to be very effective, of course, but they sure are fun. Let’s take a look at some of the more picturesque examples from the past, starting with two iconic cars, one from each side of the Atlantic. From England, the MRRC four-wheel drive series, still the only production slot car that offered both 4WD and steering (plus a very powerful motor and ball bearings all around). All the “experts” were afraid this car

would dominate the field when it appeared in 1965, but they didn’t reckon with two things: the advent of rewound Mabuchi “can” motors and sponge tyres – and the fact that all these “complications” really didn’t help the performance! From the USA came the all-singing, alldancing Adam & Sons Quad Mk I and Mk II: cast aluminum chassis and big Kemtron motor, 4-wheel suspension, steering and a

In horology, complication refers to any feature in a timepiece beyond the simple display of hours, minutes, and seconds.Wikipedia

Scratchbuilt ERA from England with carved wood body, K’s motor and homemade steering unit.

46 SLOT MAG - November/December 2016

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MRRC Mercedes W154 and Novi-Ferguson Indy models with 4-wheel drive and steering – a technology marvel at the time, especially at the price of 39/11d – not sure how much that is, but sounds like under 2 British pounds in 1965!

Cars with steering in 1:32, a small sampling of F1 models. From 1:00 o’clock: Airfix/MRRC Eagle, Lindberg BRM, Airfix Vanwall, Prefo Melkus-Wartburg FIII (East Germany), Policar Ferrari F1. The Policar has a simplified version known as “cart steering”, with a solid axle that just pivots.

drop arm. Built on demand, it was introduced in 1965, at a list price of $24.95 – over three times the price of a typical car! The ads did say the car was delivered with a body, but it wasn’t pictured, and the chassis was the thing! While at least a few hundred were built and delivered, it doesn’t seem to have won any races… but it did fascinate a large number of 13 year olds like me, who drooled over the adverts, then spent years looking for one!

STEERING AND SUSPENSION

Both of these cars had steering, which was really the first complication. After all, if real cars had it, so should our little ones! This was also one of the first big debates in the hobby, with many British enthusiasts absolutely convinced it helped handling, while many others totally ignored this advice, including just about all Americans. A fair number of production slot cars included this feature, especially on the Continent, and mostly in 1:32. It was rarer in 1:24, but one of these was the late lamented line of MRRC cars with steering, winner of a 24-hour race in 1967, when they were already totally out of date!

Adam & Sons Quad Mk I and Mk II – top and bottom views. Priced at $24.95 in 1965, this artisan built car – now one of the holy grails of slot car collectors – must have sold enough to go into a second version.

Cars with steering in 1:24 scale, left to right: MRRC Chaparral 2C, Lindberg Cobra GT, Yamada Lotus 30. Steering was nowhere near as widespread in 1:24 as in 1:32. For many years only MRRC 1:32 cars would remain faithful to this tradition!

Another real-car feature that found its way into slot cars was suspension, not so much to duplicate reality, but in a vain attempt to improve road-holding in the early years when tracks were bumpy, and tires were hard and skinny. It was a sophisticated feature, but French company Miniamil already included both steering and suspension on their inexpensive set cars, in about 1963-64. In the United States, Ulrich, an established maker of cast model train parts, came out with a rear suspension unit in 1964, followed by a front steering and suspension unit. Along with a complete chassis, I’ve also shown one of my entries for the Bordo vintage race: an Ulrich rear suspension chassis grafted to a K&B steering unit – very appropriate for the hybrid Caddy-Allard! Other companies later added their own versions of suspension, the best known being Dynamic in the United States and Tamiya of Japan. Dynamic introduced the Dynaflex chassis in 1966, and this simple concept seems to have been very successful at the time – although today we’ve found it handles better if you lock the suspension.

At about the same time, Tamiya introduced its own suspension chassis, first inline, then sidewinder. These weren’t independent suspension, but rather a spring-loaded engine cradle, and can be made to handle very well indeed.

MINIATURE MASTERPIECES

Some scratchbuilders took this concept to new heights, such as this precision chassis under a 1:24 Strombecker Maserati 250F body (restored by a friend). Again, rear suspension, combined with front steering, which seems to have been a popular combination. I’ve also included a mystery 1:32 model, from Switzerland (seems to have a Ferrari 12-cylinder engine, but what’s the body?).

FWD AND 4WD

To introduce the next complication, front-wheel drive, here’s an odd scratchbuilt that combines FWD with steering! (Can you figure out why there’s an extra gear on one side?). It wears a “factory experimental” Toronado body by Thingie maker extraordinaire Classic. Of course, FWD reaches back to the

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HISTORY FEATURE WHAT HAPPENED IN THE PAST?

French-built Miniamil 1:30 scale F1 car from about 1964, with steering and suspension

> Scratchbuilt chassis by Don, featuring an Ulrich rear suspension, Pittman DC77 motor and K&B steering unit – very appropriate for the hybrid Caddy-Allard body by Pactra.

48 SLOT MAG - November/December 2016

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beginning of the hobby, in 1956, when U.S. racers from Kalamazoo, Michigan sent several proxy front-wheel-drive rail cars to the Southport Grand Prix in England. FWD was a way of avoiding rail clearance problems because of the gear. Scalextric was probably the first with a production FWD car, with their realistic Mini. Only one U.S. manufacturer tried the FWD concept: the little-known UHP, which in fact simply bought AMT chassis, turned them around, added a drop arm, then screwed on a Johan Oldsmobile Toronado body (the real car was also FWD, very rare in the States at the time). It also featured a “limited slip differential”, which was in fact front wheels held on by spring pressure. UHP later added a Mako Shark to this lineup, but FWD stopped there! Four-wheel drive cars enjoyed more success, especially the twin-Microperm or Milliperm layouts developed in Great Britain, using these small motors by German hobby firm Marx. As explained by Tony Condon in his recent book, “History of Electric Model Car Racing in Britain,” 4WD was one way of solving the lack of grip offered by period tires. Twin-motor setups had their own history. Undoubtedly the best-known is the “Black Widow” series from American Russkit, including a Lotus 38, Lola T70 and IsoGrifo. A lot of scratchbuilders also tried two

>

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Commercial suspension systems: a Tamiya King Cobra and Dynamic parts under a Corvette Gran Sport roadster vac-form body. Overall view of chassis and close-up of the suspension: a Dynamic Dynaflex rear paired with a piano wire front; the Tamiya has a suspended motor cradle.

A complete Ulrich chassis with front and rear suspension (worth $4.95 and $3.95 back in the day). Highly sought after these days among slot car collectors.

A period scratchbuilt car using a 1:24 Strombecker Maserati 250F kit body and an impressive chassis, machined and bolted together, with rear suspension and front steering.

> November/December 2016 - SLOT MAG 49

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HISTORY FEATURE WHAT HAPPENED IN THE PAST?

A mystery car that comes from Switzerland, maybe a custom sports car with Ferrari V12 engine (Cegga?); the body is in fiberglass. A watch-like chassis with 4 wheel independent suspension and twin pulley drive from a can motor located between the rear wheels!

Scratchbuilt “Experimental” Toronado (probably the Classic version of this car, very much Thingified), with a very clever front-wheel drive/steering unit, all mechanical. Can you guess why one side has more gears?

motors, either all-wheel drive, or using two motors to drive a single rear axle (shades of the Alfa Bimotore). Perhaps the oddest attempt was a Buzco chassis, with two Mabuchi X-10s (15R) driving a single spur gear. This idea hasn’t died, as shown by the relatively recent Silk Cut Jaguar XJ, a

small production run by Derek Moore of the Southend club.

MY KINGDOM FOR A BRAKE!

To close out the first part of this article, let’s look at the solutions developed to address the almost universal problem

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Scalextric Mini chassis with FWD.

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of early slot cars – no brakes! Here’s a selection of the aftermarket mechanical braking systems offered by Cox, MPC and K&B in the 1965-67 timeframe. Two 1:24 RTR cars came with brakes in 1967: Classic’s 1967 Gamma Ray, a Thingie with a real disc brake, and the

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The UHP Toronado from about 1966, showing the AMT chassis that’s been turned around to provide FWD like the real car (rare at the time). A drop arm has also been added, of course!

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Corvette Gran Sport with front-wheel drive, MPC Dyn-O-Can motor … and of course a drop arm!

Russkit Lotus 38 with the Black Widow chassis: a pair of Russkit 22s (Mabuchi 16D) for four-wheel drive.

A British-built Corvette with twin Milliperms – stateof-the art in 1965!

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HISTORY FEATURE WHAT HAPPENED IN THE PAST?

Very odd Buzco twin-motor chassis – both of these Buzco X10 motors (Mabuchi 15R) drive the same spur gear! Came in kit and built-up versions.

A small production run of these twin-engine cars came about 10 years ago from Derek Moore of the Southend club.

A scratchbuilt Porsche Carrera 6 with twin 13D motors and a K&B steering unit. Hope springs eternal…

Aftermarket brakes by K&B, Cox and MPC – the MPC is just a lever that tightens a string around the front axle when the car slows down!

Two production cars with brakes: the Classic Gamma Ray with a disc brake actuated by the motor pivoting in the chassis as it decelerates; and the K&B Ford MkII (a rare beast) with K&B’s brake unit, also sold in a sidewinder version.

rare K&B Ford MkII… and I still haven’t figured out how the brake works! Of course, not all brakes were on the cars… power brakes enjoyed a brief vogue in the U.S. in the mid-'60s, meaning that 3 or 6 volts of battery power were added to the dynamic braking circuit to reverse the motor when you let up on the controller! A few companies came out with commercial versions of these brake units, including Strombecker. Perhaps the purest expression of the braking spirit is this home-built chassis found on eBay, from the Heath Robinson school: four-wheel electromagnetic brakes, in normal-on layout; i.e. the brakes are applied when the power is off, and when you press the controller it activates the solenoid at the back, moving a lever to release the brake pad from the motor shaft. There’s also a reversing switch and a little drop arm. That’s a big Ram DC857 padlock motor, so torque is not a problem. See you next issue, when we’ll cover odd drivetrains, aerodynamic aids, moving chassis and wet wicks. ■

Strombecker Power Brake – one way of adding brakes at the time, with up to 3V of battery power spinning the motor in reverse!

1/24 chassis with two can-drive 16D motors, each driving its own ½ axle. Independent front axle too.

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Scratchbuilt chassis from the U.S. with electromagnetic brakes. The solenoid in the rear actuates an arm that runs along the chassis, attached to a pad pressing against a disc on the motor shaft. It’s normally on: when you press the controller, the brake is released! Makes for an odd driving style. The fancy wiring is just a reversing switch… and of course there’s a drop arm!

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Manufacture of over 800 slot car body shells produced in 1/32nd and 1/24th scale.

Now under new management!

An example of finished model from our “BETTA” body shells. Made for the speed racer in clear polycarbonate or white plasticard.

An example of finished model made from one of our “CLASSIC” shells. These shells are manufactured from fibreglass which gives an excellent strength to weight ratio.

We also stock a large range of components for all the running gear required. See our Website for full range of all our products. Or ring 01704 563707 or Mobile 07740722665. Ask for Ian.

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SCALE FEATURE LOOKING AT THE COMMON SLOT RACING SCALES

The 1:32 scale car is dwarfed by its big brother. It’s a tight fit racing two of the big ‘uns.

Would you choose 13.2cm or 17.5cm for your car?

Bigger certainly looks more impressive

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IS BIG BETTER? E

Carrera make 1:24 scale cars – how do they compare? ver since slot car racing began, 1:32 scale has been dominant in the UK and many other countries. The larger 1:24 scale cars have been dominant in the USA and many other countries, and Carrera are one of the few manufacturers to keep them alive commercially. We decided to examine the benefits and attractions of the Carrera 1:24 scale cars and work out if big really is better.

WHAT ABOUT THE TRACK?

Bigger cars need bigger track, but that isn’t a problem with Carrera because the same track is used for their 1:24 scale Digital cars and the 1:32 scale Digital and Evolution ranges. You can just about run 1:24 scale cars on Ninco track as well, but it does get a bit tight in the corners. If you have Scalextric track then move on now unless you are thinking of a complete new layout, because you won’t be able to run 1:24 cars on the narrow lane spacing. Wooden tracks can be built to cater for any size cars, and the majority of club tracks are made wide enough to run 1:24 scale cars. Now we have decided where you can race the larger cars, it’s time to have a look at them.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

When you look at the 1:24 and 1:32 versions of the same Carrera car the larger one seems massive. Look closer and you find out you can get a lot more detail onto them, although Carrera do such a good job on all their cars it’s hard to find something missing on the smaller versions. One area that does benefit is the cockpit and driver: as it is so much easier to use a sidewinder layout in 1:24 cars this leaves a lot more room for a full interior if required. Other detail items such as wipers and lights also look more realistic as the finer mouldings are much nearer to scale. Looking underneath, you would expect

many of the parts to be the same but bigger. This is certainly the case with Carrera as they have a larger motor, but it does fit in easily. The size of the spur gear is startling at first if you are used to 1:32 sizes, but with much bigger wheels a much lower gear ratio is needed, hence the gear which is almost as big as the tyres. Carrera fit a droparm for the guide to their 1:24 chassis, but the rest of it looks quite normal with traction magnets and the LED emitter for the digital functions. There is a small switch to change from digital to analogue modes, similar to the polarity change switch on the 1:32 scale cars.

WHAT’S INSIDE?

Taking the bodyshell off is when you notice a huge difference. The first words that come to mind are ‘massively overengineered’ and ‘you could save a LOT of weight here’ but then you remember you are looking at a Carrera car. Not designed for outright speed, and are strong enough to withstand a nuclear attack, and it begins to make sense for the cars to handle all the abuse that could be thrown at them for a very long time. There is a lot of stuff on the chassis : the digital circuit board, working lights, and on some cars a sprung front axle and metal plate for proper bolts to screw into. Lets start at the front and have a closer look. For comparison, we have a Porsche 917 and a Ferrari 575 GTC to check any differences, and there are quite a few. Starting with the guide and its twin-pickup braids, they are both self-centring with a hairpin spring. The droparm on the Porsche is sprung but not on the Ferrari, but to compensate the Ferrari has a sprung front axle with about 3mm of movement, while the Porsche axle runs in brass bearings clipped into the chassis. In the centre of the chassis is the digital board, quite big at 40mm square, and with connections to the guide, motor, emitter,

>

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SCALE FEATURE LOOKING AT THE COMMON SLOT RACING SCALES

Porsche 917 chassis has everything neatly concealed

and lights at front and rear (the Porsche only has front lights fitted). The motor and back axle assembly are held in a single unit which is held to the chassis with four bolts. The forward bolts go into a metal block which also has a large threaded hole in the centre for the bolt which holds the car to its display plinth. A wide traction magnet is fitted at the front of the metal block, between it and the circuit board. On the Porsche this is a single magnet 40mm wide, on the Ferrari it is 3 magnets totalling 36mm wide. Under the rear axle, and held in place by the motor assembly, are more traction magnets, accessible from below on the Ferrari but clamped in from inside on the Porsche. All the wheels are single-piece plastic mouldings that are pressed onto the axles. The Porsche has tyres with a tread pattern moulded in, the Ferrari has slick tyres, and they all have printed sidewalls.

IS THE PERFORMANCE BIGGER AS WELL? 1:24 scale cars have always been easier to drive. Even if they are totally to scale (which many aren’t, being flattened and widened slightly), the extra width and better weight distribution makes them handle quite nicely. On the same track, you can turn laps quicker with a 1:24 Carrera car than you can with their

1:32 version because the cars flow around the bends a lot better. The two things you immediately notice about a Carrera 1:24 car on track is that the tyres are more suited to a plastic kit but the massive amount of magnetic adhesion largely overcomes this drawback. To say the tyres are hard is not stating the case clearly enough, they do benefit from a bit of sanding to remove the shiny surface, but these tyres are made to last and the theory of hard = no wear is very evident. The lack of grip and traction is sorted out by the huge amount of magnetism built into these cars. Putting the car onto the track, it is almost snatched from your hand for the final centimetres as the magnets find some metal to clamp to. The ones in the centre of the car are so strong they make the ones under the back axle superfluous. It is a wonder these car ever leave the track at all, you need to forcefully pull them off it even when hanging upside down. So what about speed, is the motor strong enough to pull past all this magnetism? Regular racers will know that downforce increases drag, the motor has to overcome a lot of artificial magnetic weight as well as the actual car, and a light car is much more lively to drive. Carrera cars are already very heavy with all the parts and engineering that

You could save a lot of weight here, but then it may not survive a nuclear blast.

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Ferrari chassis has longer droparm and obvious magnets

goes into them, so it needs a strong motor, right ? The chunky motor used exclusively in the Carrera 1:24 scale cars does have a lot of torque, which surprised us a bit as the motor magnets don’t feel very ‘clunky’ when you turn it over. Torque is a better attribute than revs in this case, and the Carrera cars have enough to propel the car along. Not too fast though, this is the sort of drive where you can enjoy watching the detailed cars in action, they are not going to strain your neck muscles trying to watch them speed past.

THE SLOT MAGAZINE VERDICT

What is nice about driving the 1:24 scale cars is the sound – there is hardly any as the gears mesh smoothly and motor noise is all absorbed inside the bodyshell – and the fact you have to push them to the absolute limit to get them to deslot. Is this fun for the racer inside you ? Probably not, but it is ideal for the target market and Carrera are very aware that their sets will be bought by people who want some easy enjoyment or something a whole family can use together. The size of these cars makes them very attractive, more spectacular than the smaller 1:32 scale cars, and as they are all digital they can take advantage of the play features available with the Carrera system. ■

Porsche front end, the big digital board behind the non-moveable axle.

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Sprung front axle on the Ferrari uses up a lot of material and space.

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26/09/2016 14:54

We aren’t kidding, the magnets in these 1:24 cars defy gravity. They never come off the track!

Nice tread on the Porsche tyres. The plastic part with the number on is clamping the magnet in place. Note central metal block with hole for the display case bolt.

Big lump of metal on the Ferrari chassis locates all the assembly bolts. Note the hard shiny tyres.

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WORKSHOP FITTING SUSPENSION KITS

FIT SUSPENSION TO YOUR PERFORMANCE CAR SMOOTHING OUT THE BUMPS AT HIGH SPEED 1

2

3

4

1: Standard screw removed and bolt inserted from below. 2: Spring dropped over the screw ready for the turret to be fitted. 3: Other side of the car, turret fitted over the spring and secured with the long bolt. The gap between the motor pod and the turret is adjustable, this is the amount of suspension movement you will have. 4: Front motor pod fixing with suspension in place

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26/09/2016 14:54

NSR suspension kit has 3 sets of turrets, springs, and bolts

Y

ou wouldn’t think that something as small as a slot car would benefit from suspension, but at the high speeds that performance cars race at, a normal track can become like a rough rally special stage. Just like the real thing, by fitting suspension you can get a smoother drive and keep the power on the track where it belongs.

CARS WITH SUSPENSION FOR RALLYING

You can buy a slot car with suspension – Ninco have made many cars with spring uprights at each corner, mostly off-road cars such as the Hummer and Mitsubishi Pajero, but it also found its way onto the Ford Sierra Cosworth RS500 (reviewed in SLOT # 20). The Ninco suspension is designed for competing in Slot Rally where rough surfaces are normal, and their suspension certainly helps traction and riding the bumps. So why do manufacturers of high performance racing cars have suspension kits you can add to the chassis?

SUSPENSION FOR HIGH SPEED

Italian brands Slot.it and NSR are well known for making cars beloved by racers for their performance. High speeds and predictable good handling have made them club favourites for many years now. They are low, have adjustable chassis and you can fit a variety of motors, so if they aren’t chugging around in synthetic mud or snow, or grappling with steep gradients and hairpin bends, why do they need suspension? Driving on a short track with a longest straight

The Slot.it CH49A suspension kit

of maybe 6ft – 10ft (2m – 3m long) isn’t going to get you up to the top speed of these cars, but once you get to a club track with straights up to 30ft (10m long) or more the cars behave differently. On a wooden club track you will enjoy the smoothness you will never have on plastic sectional track of any make, but many clubs do use track by Scalextric or Carrera or Ninco and this makes a difference. For a start, no matter how carefully you build the track and fix it in place, plastic track will deform slightly due to temperature changes, humidity, or simply old age. Because they are constructed of track sections no longer than 40cm at most, the number of joints in a long straight equates to the number of potential bumps the car has to pass over, and this makes the car more unstable the faster you go. The answer is suspension to soak up the deformities and bumps, keeping the car in contact with the track all the time which is important for picking up the electrical power and letting the tyres drive the car forward. Just like the real thing really, except for the electrical power bit of course… The suspension kits from Slot.it and NSR and Thunderslot all work the same way – they provide a working damper between the motor pod and the chassis at the back of the car. There isn’t a need for suspension at the front of the car, you can set your ground clearance and ride height by adjusting the front axle so that the guide is firmly in the slot and the front wheels can do their job of supporting the car and keeping it stable. It is a different story at the back – when a car hits a bump at high speed it lifts the back into the air which can have a number of results; if the car isn’t travelling in a straight line at the time it will immediately leave the slot when the back wheels land back on the track, catapulted out at an angle. Or the elasticity in the tyres will cause the car to bounce, lifting the front out as well. If the track you are racing on is the slightest bit rough on the straights you should consider what fitting a suspension kit could do for your car.

screw is at the front in the centre of the car, and there is one each side of the motor pod rear fixings. Fitting the suspension parts is a five minute job; just remove the screws holding the motor pod to the chassis (one at a time to keep things easy), push one of the new brass bolts through the hole from underneath, drop a spring over the bolt, then drop the red plastic cap over the spring and screw the new bolt into it. Now time for some adjustment. NSR suspension kits come with a choice of soft, medium, or hard springs, so you will have already chosen the ones to try. The medium springs are the most popular as they will cope with just about every need. Deciding how far to screw the bolts into the red caps will determine how much suspension travel you will have, tightening them right down equals no travel at all, and the maximum you will get is around 3mm which is plenty for most cars. Don’t forget that the more upward movement the motor pod will have, the more likely the rear tyres are to come into contact with the bodyshell, so it is worth testing this with the chassis back in the car. You can then adjust the screws from underneath until you get as much movement as possible without causing any interference with the bodyshell.

FITTING THE SLOT.IT ANGLEWINDER & SIDEWINDER SUSPENSION KIT

Open the little packet and what do you get? There are three each of springs, long bolts, and little red fixings. The NSR motor pod is held in place by three screws so it is pretty easy to work out where the suspension bits will go. One

The basic principal is the same, but on newer Slot.it cars there are extra side fixings on the motor pod. There are two screws at the front which will not have suspension springs installed, two side fixing screws which must be removed, and the normal two screws at the back of the pod. The Slot.it kit comes with two springs, four bolts, and some plastic and metal attachments which form the upper fixings and also provide adjustable limit stops. There are also some 2mm grub screws for adjusting the suspension travel, and a choice of plastic and etched metal parts to suit either inline or anglewinder/sidewinder cars. For a sidewinder or anglewinder motor pod, first remove the two screws alongside the motor near the sides of the chassis. Now slightly slacken the front two screws holding the motor pod to the chassis, and then remove the rear two screws. To use the suspension limit stops you fit a small plastic cap over the ‘hole’ end of the grub screws and the screw them into the

The limit stop grub screws go into the inner holes in the top suspension bar

Fitting the plastic caps to the limit stops, still adjustable with a 2mm allen key

FITTING THE NSR SUSPENSION KIT

>

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WORKSHOP FITTING SUSPENSION KITS

plastic bar from below, which is the side with the little ‘chimneys’ on. Now hold the metal plate in place on top of the chassis, push the long bolts through the chassis and screw them right through the metal plate. Drop the springs over the bolts, place the bar on top with the adjusting screws facing downwards, and screw the bolts into it.

>

FITTING THE SLOT.IT INLINE SUSPENSION KIT

The 4 fixing screws are removed from the white motor pod. This is an anglewinder 4WD chassis but no different to other sidewinder or anglewinder pods for fixing

Push the long bolts through the rear fixing holes and drop the metal plate over them with the raised bits uppermost

With the springs dropped onto the bolts you can now attach the upper suspension bar

From below you can see the adjustment holes and also the body float adjustment holes at the chassis outer corners

For Slot.it inline motor cars the principal is the same but the parts used are different. Slot.it supply two different metal plates and upper fixing bars where the moulding is designed to clear inline crownwheel gears. You will see that one of the limit stops is between the suspension springs, the other is offset one side so there is no interference with the crownwheel gear. You can adjust the suspension travel from under the chassis in exactly the same way you can for the NSR car, making sure the rear wheels will not touch the bodyshell. The chassis and metal plate have holes which line up with the limit stop screws, which you can adjust from outside the car with a small allen key. Leaving the front motor pod screws very slightly loose will allow the motor pod to move enough for the suspension to work.

FITTING THE THUNDERSLOT SUSPENSION KIT

The new Thunderslot Lola T70GT (reviewed in SLOT # 18) also has a suspension kit approximately the same as the Slot.it one. Our prototype car had the suspension plastic parts but we had to borrow some bolts and springs from the other kits to install it. A complete suspension kit will be available from Thunderslot. Using it is the same: the two screws holding the motor pod at the sides must be slackened off or removed and the front screw must be slackened off just enough to allow the pod to move. A rear bar holds the top of the springs in place although it doesn’t have the adjustable limit stops found on the Slot.it version.

The inline crownwheel gear means you have to use alternative parts to fit suspension

The suspension bar and metal plate used on inline motor pods

The bolts show the correct positioning of the suspension fittings

Push the bolts through the chassis from below and use the metal plate that clears the crownwheel

Suspension top bar installed and springs adjusted for tension

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BODYSHELL ADJUSTMENT

One feature found on the Thunderslot chassis that isn’t on the NSR cars and only on some Slot.it chassis is the facility to adjust the bodyshell ride height. We have mentioned how important it is that the back wheels do not touch the bodyshell when the suspension is working, and on some cars this will prove almost impossible when the bodyshell is very low on the chassis. Some adjustment is needed, so how is it done? Thunderslot have four holes for grub screws in the chassis, two at each side which line up with tabs inside the bodyshell.

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26/09/2016 14:55

By adjusting these screws the height of the bodyshell can be raised or lowered on the chassis, giving enough clearance for the suspension to work properly. Slot.it use the same principal with 2mm grub screws at the extremities of some chassis, mostly on later cars or those with revised chassis. If you have a chassis with this adjustment you can set the bodyshell height to give the clearance you need.

WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?

If you aren’t getting your cars up to top speed on long straights the only difference you will see is they will be a bit smoother on older or rougher track. Get the car onto long straights and big fast bends and you will visibly see how it doesn’t bounce around. On the cars we tested with suspension fitted, we drove them on a big Ninco club track with a main straight of 9.2m long (31ft) and some large radius bends. It is considered quite smooth for a plastic sectional track (we have driven on a lot worse) but you could see that cars are driving fast down the slot equivalent of a country lane. With the suspension kits fitted the difference was quite amazing, suddenly they were on the Hanger Straight at Silverstone (or any other long straight such as at Malaysia or Monza) and you can see how smooth they had become. This made a difference in fast corners as well, keeping the tyres in contact with the track which lets you power through smoothly instead of becoming unstable over a bump. Is suspension worth fitting? Not if you are using the car on small tracks or smooth wooden tracks, but if you race on big sectional tracks you should give it a try. On the four cars we tested, the average gain was around 5% in lap times but the cars seemed easier and smoother to drive. Now that is worth having… ■

The small holes to the left of the brass bolts are where you can adjust the limit stops on an inline car

Thunderslot plastic suspension kit parts with a selection of bolts and springs from other kits

The outer motor pod fixings on the Thunderslot chassis

The outer pod fixings must be removed when you fit suspension

Use bolts and springs in the rear attachments exactly as you did for the other suspension kits

From above you can see how the suspension turenst are joined together and designed to fit around the body mounting post

The Thunderslot suspension turrets are a single moulding

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DATES FOR YOUR DIARY Events and meetings not to be missed

Are you organising a race meeting, swapmeet or special event, or holding a round of any slot car championship? If you would like your event on the SLOT Magazine Calendar please email the details to editor@slotmagazine. co.uk Make sure you include a date and contact name with telephone number, plus as much information about location and racing championships as possible please.

Slot.it Challenge The Slot.it Challenge is a race series for Slot.it Group C cars and has rounds spread across the country. Events, rules, and news can be found at www.slotitchallenge.co.uk

15 & 16 October

UKRRA 2016 Final Round Rockingham SCC, Northants. Mick Kerr 07717 124000

15 & 16 October

Wolves DTM Open (Carrera & SCX) Wolves SCC, W. Midlands Malcolm Scotto 07740 717140

16 October

29 & 30 October

13 November

10 & 11 December

30 October

19 and 20 November

10 & 11 December

Slot.it oXigen Group C Double 6 GT Raceway, Benfleet, Essex Graeme Thoburn 07789 764950 British Wing Car Championship Round Ringwood SCC at Millstream, Hants. Dave Wright 01425 489939

5 & 6 November

Derby HORC 24H Le Mans Rolls Royce Leisure Assoc. Nick Sismey 07968 906491

6 November

BSCRA BSL Fylde MRCC Steve Sargent 01253 345515

BSCRA Southern 32 Coulsdon MCRC, Bletchingley, Surrey Nick Lake 07801 930909

6 November

22 & 23 October

6 November

23 October

6 November

BSCRA BOC 1:32 Rockingham SCC, Northants Mick Kerr 07717 124000 Havant Scalextric Swapmeet Havant Leisure Centre, Hants. Robert Learmouth 01793 230328

BSCRA Southern 32 Dowty SCC, Staverton, Glos. Dave Coward 01452 421311 Wye Valley Winter Rally Wye Valley SCC, Abergavenny Phil Field 01432 269301 CSCRA Classic Trans-Am Round 5 Pendle SRC, Nelson, Lancs. Sean Fothersgill 01282 612418

23 October

Wales & West GT Championship Round 6 Wye Valley SCC, Abergavenny Phil Field 01432 269301

BSCRA BOC 1:24 Ringwood SCC at Millstream, Hants. Dave Wright 01425 489939

The Slot Rally UK Championship The Slot Rally UK Championship takes place in clubs around the country. Anyone can enter and drive on special stages at every event. You can find more information on www.slotforum.com and on Facebook.

20 November

BOC The BOC British Open Championship and the BSL Southern 32 Championship race cars built to the BSCRA British Slot Racing Racing Association rules. Find out more at www.bscra.co.uk

BSCRA BSL Finals Hambleton, Lancs. Steve Sargent 01253 345515 Molesey GT3 Christmas Open West Molesey, Surrey Neil 07767 850488

17 December

WHO Digital Scalextric Sport Goring by Sea, Worthing [email protected]

18 December

British Wing Car Championship Round Ringwood SCC at Millstream, Hants. Dave Wright 01425 489939

8 January 2017

Swindon Scalextric Swapmeet Oasis Leisure Centre, SN2 1EP Robert Learmouth 0845 634 3196

Wolves B-Star Intano Open GT3 Wolves SCC, W. Midlands Malcolm Scotto 07740 717140

15 January

27 November

15 January

Pro-Am Cup Round 6 Pinewood Raceway, Wokingham, Berks. Nigel Barrow 0118 973 3271

27 November

23 October

THORL (HO Racing League) Larkfield SC, Maidstone, Kent Ken Palmer, 01732 846857

Rockingham Slot.it Open Rockingham SCC, Northants. Mick Kerr 07717 124000

CSCRA Classic Trans-Am Final Round Hawthorne Park SCC, Bootle, Merseyside Phil Hayes 07968 524576

3 & 4 December

BSCRA BOC 1:32 Teesside SCC Richy Kettleson, 07951 446 535

BSCRA Southern 32 T.B.A. CSCRA Rockingham Winter Classic Rockingham SCC, Northants. Mick Kerr 07717 124000

22 January

Pro-Am Cup Round 1 T.B.A.

22 January

Wolves NSR GT3 6hr. Charity Enduro Wolverhampton SCC Malcolm Scotto 07740 717140

HO in the UK There are eight clubs running 1:64 scale slot cars in the UK – six dedicated HO clubs and two clubs running larger scale cars that include HO racing on their calendars. Chesterfield HO Racing Club CHORC www.chorc.co.uk Derby HO Racing Club DHORC www.dhorc.co.uk Four Lane Black Top (Marlborough, Wilts.) FLBT www.flbt.co.uk HO North Kent (Orpington) HONK www.hokent.webs.com Malmesbury & Crudwell HO Racing Club (Wilts.) [email protected] North East Restoration Club Slots (Washington) NERCS www.northeastrestorationclub slots.freeforums.org South Cambridgeshire HO Racing Club (Yelling) SCHORC www.schorc.com Worthing HO Racing WHO www.whoracing.org.uk

29 January

BSCRA BOC 1:32 Round 1 T.B.A.

29 January

DiSCA W.E.C. & GT Euroseries SRC Eindhoven, Netherlands offi[email protected]

Find us online

www.slotmagazine.co.uk

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MORE TRUCKIN’ MADNESS

P

RICHARD RESURRECTS SOME 1980S WEIRDNESS FROM HIS ECLECTIC COLLECTION

ete Simpson’s Mad Max II tanker build reminded me that lurking in my ‘needs work’ pile are two more than unusual lorries from, I suspect, around thirty years ago. These trucks probably came from the Slot Stox fraternity. Those better versed in Stox history like Keith Packer – who took the 1985 monochrome pic of 199 Shaun Drakeford’s lorry – could tell the tale better than I but I believe there was a class of racing for trucks with the Slot Stox car carried on the back. Unlike for Pete’s chassis there are no complaints of lack of power here; these things run ‘B’ can Mura Group 20 power. Outmoded by the mid-’80s these were the motor of choice in ECRA Formula 32 and, frequently, inline Formula 1 chassis in the 1970s. As you can see the Mura is vertically mounted, presumably to make room for the car, converting its too much power through what look to be Taylormade gears. Construction is of brass sheet and piano wire, with a drop arm but the pans aren’t hinged nor is there any ‘plumber’ action. One body is of plasticky sheet, the other carved from a Pepsi can! How do they go? Ah. Run at a club Christmas fun event I’d made the mistake of removing all the lead from the chassis. As a result the thing bunny hopped down the main straight if anything more than minimal, smoothly-applied power was dialled in. More work is thus needed. And those Muras are too precious to waste on the back of a lorry!

Richard Hills Contributing editor.

Editor: Gary Cannell Contributing Editor: Richard Hills Publisher: Alan Harman Design: Peter Hutchinson, Alex Hall Advertising Manager: Colin Spinner Slot is published by Doolittle Media, Doolittle Mill, Doolittle Lane, Totternhoe, Beds, LU6 1QX. Reproduction in part or whole of any text, photograph or illustration without written permission from the publisher is strictly prohibited. While due care is taken to ensure the contents of Slot is accurate, the publishers and printers cannot accept liability for errors and omissions. Advertisements are accepted for publication in Slot

p66 Finish Line 021.indd 66

only upon Doolittle Media’s standard terms of acceptance of advertising, copies of which are available from the advertising sales department. Editorial, advertisement and circulation: Doolittle Mill, Doolittle Lane, Totternhoe, Beds, LU6 1QX. Tel. 01525 222573 Fax. 01525 222574. Email: [email protected] Circulation trade Enquiries: Seymour Distribution, 2 East Poultry Avenue, London, EC1A 9PT 020 7429 4000 Newstrade: Select Publisher Services, 3 East Avenue, Bournemouth, BH3 7BW, Tel. 01202 586848 Email: [email protected]

Subscriptions: Doolittle Mill, Doolittle Lane, Totternhoe, Beds, LU6 1QX. Tel. 01525 222573 Fax. 01525 222574 Print by: Henry Stone Ltd, Oxfordshire © Copyright Slot 2016 Doolittle Media.

28/09/2016 13:58

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24/05/2016 11:48

BMW MINI COOPER C3742

BMW MINI Cooper F56 Race: MINI Challenge 2015 Silverstone Driver: Harry Vaulkhard Coming from the World Touring Car Championship, Harry Vaulkhard joined the MINI Challenge in the F56 class; the pinnacle of MINI racing. Harry was very successful at Silverstone, finishing 6th, 4th and 9th respectively in the three races. Overall, Harry claimed 9th in the 2015 standings. The BMW logo and the BMW wordmark are trademarks of BMW AG and are used under license. The MINI logo and the MINI wordmark are trademarks of BMW AG and are used under license.

Keep up to date with the latest news and offers from Scalextric! Go to www.scalextric.com/slotmagazine for details. scalextric.com

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