Ever since I can remember I wanted a true slot car track not the AFX stuff that was handed
down to me in my younger years. Well to the point - I built a routed track of my own design
with some guidance from how too web sights. There are few things I engineered that I would
like to tell you all about. First of all if you think you can’t build a routed track then you’re just
lazy. Snap the plastic together and be done with it right. Those magnets got have those
magnets to keep the car down. Well you will be surprised how a wooden track can give a
feeling of smooth acceleration and handling with a few simple modifications to the car
without the need of a magnet. Just put in a deeper guide with better wider braids (TSFR
Guides work great) and balance the car with weight. Silicon tires (Indy slicks) keep the track
clean but are not necessary if you like a lot of over steer. I want to point out something I
experimented with car handling. The photo below shows how to make a front suspension
using a paper clip glued to the body. Fly classic cars work great for this application. Just use
a straight axel to connect the front tires and when mating the body to chassis, the paper clip
will slightly preload the axel assembly to give some grip to front tires in a turn due to body
roll. Next subject I want to share is lap timing and counting. There is so much stuff out there
about photo cells and lights and you name it – nothing simple. A photo here of a simple
switch using brass plate and three dollar pyrometer to count laps. I upgraded when my wife
gave me her old computer and downloaded LAPTIMER 2000. Made my own pins to connect
the printer port and used the same brass switch – works great
down to me in my younger years. Well to the point - I built a routed track of my own design
with some guidance from how too web sights. There are few things I engineered that I would
like to tell you all about. First of all if you think you can’t build a routed track then you’re just
lazy. Snap the plastic together and be done with it right. Those magnets got have those
magnets to keep the car down. Well you will be surprised how a wooden track can give a
feeling of smooth acceleration and handling with a few simple modifications to the car
without the need of a magnet. Just put in a deeper guide with better wider braids (TSFR
Guides work great) and balance the car with weight. Silicon tires (Indy slicks) keep the track
clean but are not necessary if you like a lot of over steer. I want to point out something I
experimented with car handling. The photo below shows how to make a front suspension
using a paper clip glued to the body. Fly classic cars work great for this application. Just use
a straight axel to connect the front tires and when mating the body to chassis, the paper clip
will slightly preload the axel assembly to give some grip to front tires in a turn due to body
roll. Next subject I want to share is lap timing and counting. There is so much stuff out there
about photo cells and lights and you name it – nothing simple. A photo here of a simple
switch using brass plate and three dollar pyrometer to count laps. I upgraded when my wife
gave me her old computer and downloaded LAPTIMER 2000. Made my own pins to connect
the printer port and used the same brass switch – works great
Please contact Tom with any comments or questions
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