Put up the slot car track ....

[fazool]

Originally Posted by TBman

I always liked HO. I had a few Aurora cars.

Oh Man those were a great idea that was a nightmare in reality.

For the folks that don't know the Aurora AFX HO cars were identical to slot cars except they had no slots. There were three conductors embedded in the plastic roadway and that controlled the rear-wheel motor speed but also a motor that allowed you to actually STEER the front wheels.

So it would allow you to change lanes where you would hit the guardrail and instantly line up with the other set of three conductors. Basically you followed by rubbing the guard rail instead of a slot.

Now the nightmare came in because the cars would never change lanes properly and would fly all over and lose their connection.

But an added feature was that changing lanes gave you a significant voltage spike to allow for a quick speed boost and a pass. So it took about once around the track for every kid to realize if you hold the wheel and deliberately turn against the guard rail you were already following you would get the speed boost.

This made your car very fast until the motor burned out from over-voltage after about two laps.

[godfreydaniel]

Originally Posted by fazool

Oh Man those were a great idea that was a nightmare in reality.

For the folks that don't know the Aurora AFX HO cars were identical to slot cars except they had no slots. There were three conductors embedded in the plastic roadway and that controlled the rear-wheel motor speed but also a motor that allowed you to actually STEER the front wheels.

So it would allow you to change lanes where you would hit the guardrail and instantly line up with the other set of three conductors. Basically you followed by rubbing the guard rail instead of a slot.

Now the nightmare came in because the cars would never change lanes properly and would fly all over and lose their connection.

But an added feature was that changing lanes gave you a significant voltage spike to allow for a quick speed boost and a pass. So it took about once around the track for every kid to realize if you hold the wheel and deliberately turn against the guard rail you were already following you would get the speed boost.

This made your car very fast until the motor burned out from over-voltage after about two laps.

Not all Aurora HO cars were the ones you’re talking about. I had their regular slot cars.

[Bridgepin]

I still have my 1/24 slot cars. I raced at Stamford motor raceway for a couple of years, what fun. It would be nice to see this hobby make a comeback.

[fazool]

Originally Posted by godfreydaniel

Not all Aurora HO cars were the ones you’re talking about. I had their regular slot cars.

Ahhh yeah you're right - I had the Aurora AFX versions (/shudder)

[AX17609]

I had a very extensive slot car track when I was 15. I didn't think they existed anymore.

[seeker]

I had a fun but basic HO layout at home, but was part of a little club with 3 friends and we raced regularly on my buddy's more elaborate set-up. The local hobby shop also had a big 6- or 8-lane track on which they held tournaments with money and merchandise prizes. This was around 1969. Good times.

[TBman]

There's a few groups on FB for slot cars. We have some HO tracks and cars in our basement, but we don't have them set up. I was also a fan of HO trains as a kid but never really went down that huge rabbit hole. I bought a few trains and tracks for my son when he was young but he only had a passing interest in them. There is a really cool place in NJ, NorthLandz, that has great train layouts. I haven't been there in around 15 years or so but it was really a great day trip for us.

[philo426]

Cool!I also set up my 1/43 Carrera Go! Set !love the banked curves!

[JCave]

Originally Posted by Bridgepin

I still have my 1/24 slot cars. I raced at Stamford motor raceway for a couple of years, what fun. It would be nice to see this hobby make a comeback.

I "had" a nice collection of 1/24 scale. Built most myself. I keep looking for local clubs just to see them..

[philo426]

A couple of 4 gear customs

[Gcunplugged]

They do still make these, although not HO scale. I bought one of these last year and have had a blast with it

https://www.amazon.com/Carrera-Podiu...s%2C382&sr=8-2

If the link doesn’t work, search for: Carerra Go

[Fogducker]

Seems to be a big difference between interest in these various track layouts and activities (Slot & RR) with their social interactions, competitive secrets, and the physical plants----versus, the isolated sitting before the TV playing computer games.

In my next life, I promise, when building model airplanes etc.----I'm gonna wait long enough for the glue to dry!

Somehow, I think, I've made it to "old man" status----"Hey, you kids, get off my lawn!"

Fog

[BradleyS]

I had an inexpensive kit when I was a youngin . I remember it was loads of fun.
I may have to revisit this fun.

[SprintBob]

Originally Posted by TBman

I always liked HO. I had a few Aurora cars.

That was me, loved the Aurora HO cars.

[FrankHudson]

Originally Posted by SprintBob

That was me, loved the Aurora HO cars.

I had my time as teenager with slot cars. I had to travel to another town to race a 1/24 scale slot car at a hobby store track, but at home I had a Aurora HO track. By saving up I got enough extra straight track to construct a practical replica* of the Le Mans track with about 12 feet of Mulsanne straight. I would stick a little grain-of-wheat bulb under the front of a car and solder it to the pickup contracts and then turn out the lights and race in simulated night-time conditions.

.
*"Practical" in that a to actual scale Le Mans track would have had more straightway than that and would have required I knock out some walls in my parent's basement. I don't think I could do "the kink" in the Mulsanne with the plastic track pieces, but it was fun to learn the actual braking point that let you make the sharp right hand turn at the end of the long straight and to try to "hit" that point each lap.