# why tjets?



## COMMANDER (Dec 20, 2015)

ok I have never collected or raced tjets but I know a lot of you guys do, which has me thinking maybe I'm missing something. so my question is why do you guys love tjets so much ? what am I missing?


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## Joe65SkylarkGS (Feb 15, 2010)

Get yourself a few, and start tinkering. You'll see. 

It's just amazing how you fan take these 50 Year old toys that barely squeak around the track, and turn it into a blistering fast car you'd sweat had traction magnets!!!


Oh, the most important thing.....that Aurora smell lmao!!!!!


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## stirlingmoss (Aug 24, 2012)

I love both afx and t-jets but heres my take...
we were all little boys at one time.. and we love cars.
we all grew up with toy cars if it be matchbox or hot wheels but aurora thunderjet cars were actually amazingly detailed 1:87 size cars exactly scaled after real 1:1 cars that we could race on a track with our family and friends but we got older became interested in girls and the rest is history.
30 years later these toys resurface on the internet and re-spark our childhood memories,so what do we do? we buy back our childhood and re-live the fun we had,now our rekindled hobby is an addiction.


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## ajd350 (Sep 18, 2005)

+1 

Well put.


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## old blue (May 4, 2007)

Great, and I just talked him out of his one and only Tjet.

The hobby is based on a few things, control, miniature realism, and racing.

We all like to be like giants controlling a world smaller than us. We like to tell it when to stop and when to go. We also like to look at the tiny world and make it as realistic as possible. That is why there is so much detail in these cars. Finally, we like to compete with each other to see whose car is the fastest. This can be done at any scale.

Tjets cover the control and realism parts of the equation. They are meant to look a lot like the original car. They are also meant to slide through the turns like old rear wheel drive cars were prone to. The skinny tires were actually realistic for the 60s when even muscle cars came with bias ply tires that would scare most of us today.

Magnatraction cars fit more of the racing genre, sacrificing the daily driver car for the faster true race cars. Fat tires in the rear and skinnys in the front are the race cars of the 70s

Inline cars are mostly for racing. They have plenty of detail that is washed away as they blur down the straightaway and fly through the turns. 

I think we should all have a couple of each just to appreciate all parts of this hobby. A lot of Tjet guys have always been tjet guys. There is no one right answer, it is all in what you relate to most and find entertainment in. 

Old Blue


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## Gear Head (Mar 22, 2005)

Pancake chassised cars to me (excluding fray types) = realism which I like. 

All other chassised cars including fray style types = exercises in reflexes as in video gaming, not my bag

To each is own however...


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## Joe65SkylarkGS (Feb 15, 2010)

The Smell!!!


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## slotking (May 27, 2008)

Some of us just race, 
I do not care about realism!
I race t-jets, I race fray cars and they are a blast!
I race unlimited magnet cars that are hard to follow on the track! They are a blast!

T-jets just need constant care, kind of taking care of a baby
It is interesting to take a slow car and make it fast!
and how no 2 t-jets are the same


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## COMMANDER (Dec 20, 2015)

ok while those are some great responses the same can be said about tyco and afx.
they need constant care, no two are alike, some are slow but can be made fast, and the styling is just as realistic.
oh an the smell just depends on what oil you use. I remember when we were kids we used cooking oil to lube the cars and they smelled like bacon goin around the track lol.


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## Joe65SkylarkGS (Feb 15, 2010)

COMMANDER said:


> ok while those are some great responses the same can be said about tyco and afx.
> they need constant care, no two are alike, some are slow but can be made fast, and the styling is just as realistic.
> oh an the smell just depends on what oil you use. I remember when we were kids we used cooking oil to lube the cars and they smelled like bacon goin around the track lol.


Lmao!!!!! For us, me and my brother, we had the little bottles of red oil!!! No mistaking that smell. 

Just smells like childhood .

And the real challenge will h the tjet is, when we were kids they never ever ran anything like they run nowadays .


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## slotking (May 27, 2008)

with enough parts lying around, I can normally get the inlines pretty close.
unlike the t-jets.

but then an inline within a .010 or 2, is like 1/2 hour difference for a t-jet


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## vaBcHRog (Feb 19, 2003)

The pancake motor is just a joy to tinker with and I enjoy the slower speeds.


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## AFXRICK (Dec 6, 2008)

Never cared for the T-Jets. Too slow, too finicky. The A/FX and other later Aurora manufactured products, just right for me, although I prefer the Pancake motor design for simplicity, and ease of assembly. I hate rebuilding the Super Magnatractions and G-Plus.


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## tycobel (Dec 23, 2003)

I can understand the question from Commander 'why tjets ?' because I started HO slotcar with AFX (magna and GPlus) so this is my reference base when it comes to HO slotcars. I have to admit that I really never raced tjets and may have a different view if I stared with them.

But for me one issue with tjets is the too small look of the cars with the wheels sticking out of the body and the range of cars (cars of the 50's or 60's...I'm a bit too young ;-) and I'm more interrested by cars of the 70's+). 

Also when you look to the main scale here in Europe, the 1/32, the technolgy is helping the industry with magnet cars, digital, recent sport cars to keep the hobby alive and renew. People here like to see historical cars but want to see a quality product : state-of-the art chassis and overall good looking car that could be put on shelves with model cars.

Anyway, it would be interresting to see the share of market between tjets and other cars and if keeping the tjets alive is actually helping our hobby to be alive ? Also is tjet bringing youngers to this hobby ?


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## sidecar53 (May 14, 2006)

Been a magnet racer for 20 years and a year of so ago, I came across a few t-jets I had bought and put away because they were too slow. Now (at 62) they seem to have sped up...lol. I still love the magnet inlines for pure speed, but nothing beats a pancake that you've worked on for hours and gotten a nice, smooth, realistically fast run out of. A lot easier to keep up with as your reflexes fade.


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## dlw (Aug 17, 1999)

For me, it's all the different models of cars that were made. Between Afx and tjets, no other manufacturer made as many as Aurora did. Tyco had some good bodies, just not as many. And now JL/AW has picked up where Aurora left off.


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## slotking (May 27, 2008)

for t-jets, i think it would be nice if some made some injection molded bodies for racing!

ie.. looking nice like many do, but with shorter body posts to drop the car down low (I know you can trim them) and maybe some race car style bodies, like GTP and nascar. or even some of the aurora bodies like the shark, ford j, gt40 etc..

maybe even newer cars like the lambo, vette, bugatti, etc,,

I think racers would really get into some of those


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## Shadowracer (Sep 11, 2004)

I can't speak for everyone else, but for me the t jet is just one option. I think they are popular in part because bodies that screw on (as tjets do) are easier to cast in resin than anything that pinches or clips onto. This has led to a pretty amazing aftermarket selection of body styles that can be had pretty reasonably. If there's a type of car you really dig...you can probably find it out there.

And, as others said, they run a little more "realistically" because they don't depend on magnets to hold them down.

And a third aspect is that a fun t jet track doesn't have to take up as much real estate in your basement. With magnet cars, you almost have to have a 10 foot straight to really let them strut. If you have the right track pieces, you can do a fun t jet track on a 3 by 6 hunk of plywood.and stand it up in the corner when you're not using it.

Personally, I'm a magnatraction/x traction fan. You get the semi realistic type drive of the t jet, but a little quicker, and most of the muscle cars just look a little "racier" A well tuned Tjet is a treat, but often I find myself frustrated with them...and I personally wish that Auto World had've done the skinny tired ones instead of the tuff ones with the big fat rear tires. Some of their awesome bodies are rendered completely inane by how high they have to sit.

But, as others will say: that's just me. The beauty of it is you don't have to settle for just one type. Play the field. See what you like. It's all good. When my buddies come over to race, we use new mega g plus nascars as our "club car" and it doesn't keep me from playing with my pancakes when I'm alone.


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## Bill Hall (Jan 6, 2007)

*Dialed in for realism*

Ahhhhh yes, the why. 

Because they are driven by multiple gear reductions. Thus adhering to the definition of Model Motoring... cuz ya were.

Something that is frequently over looked about the original T-jet is the very realistic performance feel as it compared to actually driving a 1:1 car. The fly wheel effect of the power train design is like the real thing. Consider mashing the gas in Mom's Impala or Grampa's Galaxie and the same realistic coast effect off throttle.

T-jet training 101. Say it with me now (as if you dont already )

into the corner.....

Bwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa ....... uhnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn.

down the back chute....

waaaaaaaaaa....waaaaaaa....waaaaaaa.....wuaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!

Repeat.

You can hang world class brodies and power through 180s and 360s.

Once the scale speed broke Mach 1 the effect was pretty well negated, but we didnt forget. :thumbsup:


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## old blue (May 4, 2007)

Mine are usually 

into the corner.....

Bwaaaaaaaaaaaa,,,,,,crap.


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## Gear Head (Mar 22, 2005)

^^^^what Bill said, better than I could. 

The smell, like Joe said. 

And let's not forget the gear in the back window that has been etched in my brain since about age 5.


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## Bubba 123 (Sep 10, 2010)

stirlingmoss said:


> I love both afx and t-jets but heres my take...
> we were all little boys at one time.. and we love cars.
> we all grew up with toy cars if it be matchbox or hot wheels but aurora thunderjet cars were actually amazingly detailed 1:87 size cars exactly scaled after real 1:1 cars that we could race on a track with our family and friends but we got older became interested in girls and the rest is history.
> 30 years later these toys resurface on the internet and re-spark our childhood memories,so what do we do? we buy back our childhood and re-live the fun we had,now our rekindled hobby is an addiction.


What He said :thumbsup: :freak: :drunk:
Bubba 123 :wave:

Not to mention, the t-Jet & AFX-Pancake designs. are the easiest to work on.. minus the tiny, flying, shoe & armature brush springs :freak:


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## mrstumpy (Oct 5, 2013)

I come from an auto racing family, slot cars were the introduction to "bigger things to come" for my brother and I. I remember the T-jets being a pain in the butt back then, mostly because of the ridiculous tires.

After 39 years in 1/1th scale racing, I started racing with an HO slot car club. They run T-jets, AFX, and once in a while magnet cars. I love the realistic bodies and handling of the T-jets with decent rubber! I can tinker with the car and race cars I would have loved to have afforded full size.

At the other end of the scale are the magnet cars. 2,000 scale mph is ridiculous, and cars that can be stuck to a refrigerator between races does nothing for me. It's like watching cars in a blender.

Of course, I'm an old guy, a MODEL car racer. I enjoy cars that look and run like real ones. Magnet cars are for younger guys with money to burn who don't need realism to enjoy racing. It's a "different strokes for different folks" kind of thing.

Stumpy in Ahia:dude:


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## sethndaddy (Dec 4, 2004)

i have the recipe for auroras red oil.
Wanna know?????

-Ben cooper costume's
-Gene Simmons sweat and blood (hence the red color)
-mcdonalds styrofoam containers
-farrah faucet nipple poster
-a 45 of afternoon delight
and i'm sure theres a touch of john travolta in there too


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## Rich Dumas (Sep 3, 2008)

I bought my first T-Jet back in 1963 when they first came out. I ran them on an informal basis until I started racing 1/24th cars on commercial raceways. I was in the Army for a couple of years and by the time I got out in 1970 most of the commercial raceways had closed. I started running HO cars again, but all of my T-Jets had been stolen while I was in the service. The new cars that I bought were A/FX, Magnatraction, G+, Tyco Pro and Riggens.
I thought that the newer cars were not as much fun as the T-jets, they seemed to be overpowered and too big for track that was designed for the smaller T-Jets. After a few years there was no place for the track and it went into storage. After I bought a house I set up the track on the basement floor and started to buy modern cars. Eventually I built a table and bought a MaxTrax, shortly after that I started to race with HOCOC, they ran a mix of T-Jets, Magnatractions and inline cars. My first formal HO race was 40 year after I started in the hobby! I bought some T-Jets and they were pigs. I thought that my old cars from the '60s were much faster and that my memories of those were playing me false. As it turned out the old cars were faster and it took me years to learn to tune the NOS T-Jets that are available now. I have done all kinds of HO cars, including RO types. On my track a good Tomy SG+ with silicone/sponge tires will do 3.1 seconds, the track record for a T-Jet SS car is 5.4 seconds and the track record for a RO car is 1.8 seconds. A Wizzard Storm SS can do 2.4 seconds.
In my experience the amount of fun that you can have with a car is not necessarily proportional to how fast it can go. To be perfectly honest my reflexes are not what they were 20 years ago, I can still drive an RO car, but not in an actual race.
If you are into the modeling part of the hobby cars with clear bodies are not the best way to go. Many of the makers of inline magnet cars are now gone or are moribund. Only AFX has come out with new cars and the are only a few more each year. For the T-Jet chassis there are plenty of Johnny Lightning/Auto World, Dash and Road Race Replica injection molded bodies plus resin bodies from a lot of makers.


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## swamibob (Jan 20, 2009)

old blue said:


> Mine are usually
> 
> into the corner.....
> 
> Bwaaaaaaaaaaaa,,,,,,crap.


For me it goes WAAAAA... WAAAAA... WAAAA... ... Oh *&$* When did that corner get put there? :freak:

Tom

P.S. Sometimes when I'm feeling really nostalgic, or wehn i have a bunch of other collector/racers over I heat up my soldering iron and put a couple drops of old red oil on there. The smiles on everyone's faces is a great reminder of why T-jets.


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## Punisher2009 (Oct 21, 2015)

swamibob said:


> For me it goes WAAAAA... WAAAAA... WAAAA... ... Oh *&$* When did that corner get put there? :freak:
> 
> Tom
> 
> P.S. Sometimes when I'm feeling really nostalgic, or wehn i have a bunch of other collector/racers over I heat up my soldering iron and put a couple drops of old red oil on there. The smiles on everyone's faces is a great reminder of why T-jets.


Somebody needs to make a candle with that scent!


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## Dyno Dom (May 26, 2007)

Yes, our HO hobby has available choices for both inlines and pancakes. 
I like them both and each has a following with advantages/disadvantages/issues regarding bodies, controllers, parts, tools etc....
Consider the years prior to the T-Jet when larger scale model cars and trains ran on low voltage as they do today. 
The cycle to higher 18 volts as an HO standard became necessary due to the complex gearing to get the Aurora bugger moving.
I also enjoy a middle ground alternative in a low 12-14 voltage snap together inline car utilizing brass weights, standard 45 ohm controller, choice of Lexan or hardbody that also slides and does 180/360's. 
The G-Jet is very consistent in performance as well as e-z on parts wear.


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## joegri (Feb 13, 2008)

why t-jets? cuz they were the first i played with and i could'nt forget them. they are a gas to fool with and you can make a rat go pretty good with the correct adjustment and tips you can get here. i,ve put the fat tires on them and they go great. however i do have a skinny tire karman ghia that it delivers great pleasure to me by watching it fishtail on my trak and scoot down the back stretch. all this talk of t-jets think ill clean off the trak a take a few laps down in the cave. thanx for posing this question. i like reading everybodys thoughts on this crazy topic.


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## Joe65SkylarkGS (Feb 15, 2010)

joegri said:


> why t-jets? cuz they were the first i played with and i could'nt forget them. they are a gas to fool with and you can make a rat go pretty good with the correct adjustment and tips you can get here. i,ve put the fat tires on them and they go great. however i do have a skinny tire karman ghia that it delivers great pleasure to me by watching it fishtail on my trak and scoot down the back stretch. all this talk of t-jets think ill clean off the trak a take a few laps down in the cave. thanx for posing this question. i like reading everybodys thoughts on this crazy topic.




Joe you hit it on the head. 

They were the first cars we played with and had motion!!!!!


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## Boosted-Z71 (Nov 26, 2007)

If you guys want to re-live a blast from the past take a hot T-jet, set aside your trigger controller and go back to the push button top controllers from the day, talk about a driving experience, that is it.

I like the T-jets because they are like a Swiss watch, tons of parts, that all have to be dialed in near perfectly to keep them from melting themselves into the ground. Turn that power supply up to 20-24 volts and let them eat. 

Also what a great tip on warming up some of the red oil with a soldering gun. I am thinking maybe one of those candle warmers would work well for the Aurora aroma therapy as well. 

The challenge of going fast, the realism, the skinny tire fishtails, and the smell, that is why you choose to run T-jets. There is nothing like pushing a tail heavy Riviera or Charger to their limits, its like you can feel it push into the corner, then blam out of the blue you have a full fledged sideways tail slide for life. 

Now do you lift or keep it nailed? 

Boosted


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## slotking (May 27, 2008)

> The G-Jet is very consistent in performance as well as e-z on parts wear


to me it like taking a triple crown winning horse, and saying it too fast, so shooting it in the leg to make it slower:beatdeadhorse:


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## COMMANDER (Dec 20, 2015)

joegri said:


> why t-jets? cuz they were the first i played with and i could'nt forget them. they are a gas to fool with and you can make a rat go pretty good with the correct adjustment and tips you can get here. i,ve put the fat tires on them and they go great. however i do have a skinny tire karman ghia that it delivers great pleasure to me by watching it fishtail on my trak and scoot down the back stretch. all this talk of t-jets think ill clean off the trak a take a few laps down in the cave. thanx for posing this question. i like reading everybodys thoughts on this crazy topic.


ummmmmm do yall remember the first Atari? is anybody still playing with that? lmaooooooo you had a paddle and a ping pong ball that went back and forth across the screen that was it lol.


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## Dyno Dom (May 26, 2007)

slotking said:


> to me it like taking a triple crown winning horse, and saying it too fast, so shooting it in the leg to make it slower:beatdeadhorse:


SK, LOL, do you have an appreciation for both inlines and pancakes definitively without
middle ground?  
Gary B's concept was extremely clever to incorporate the appeal of nostalgia racing with a modern platform.


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## slotking (May 27, 2008)

> SK, LOL, do you have an appreciation for both inlines and pancakes definitively without
> middle ground?
> Gary B's concept was extremely clever to incorporate the appeal of nostalgia racing with a modern platform.


LOL
sorry, They are a lot less of headache than pancake cars.
I always thought it was funny as a racer to want to slow down a car to race. 

We raced them here for a year, but moved on. They ended up being about the same as the AFX magnatractions we raced.

and not all the tracks had 12volt PS
but I did like running them at 18volts better than 12


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## foxkilo (Mar 27, 2008)

Why T-jets? 
you lot came up with pretty good answers but missed out on an important one:

*They are cool!!!!!!!!!*

And for Mr.Stumpy, to give them an even more realistic feel just put a die-cast body on and they really behave like the real thing.

And why shouldn't T-jets not be the next big hype. You just have to look at the current resurrection of the vinyl lps. Everybody thought them dead but its actually the cds that are dead whereas vinyl is alive and kicking. On a smaller level but still kicking and they are cool too.

Mario


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## TK Solver (Mar 18, 2004)

I'm pretty sure they'll show the "Settlers" kid playing with TJets in a future commercial... http://www.ispot.tv/ad/AZx6/directv-the-settlers-neighbors

I can hear it now...

"Son, when you're done churning the butter you can spend the rest of the night trying to get that TJet of yours to complete a full lap without shaking and bouncing out of the slot."


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## mrstumpy (Oct 5, 2013)

I suspect that there is a generational conflict growing here too. Actually I saw on the Today show a couple of weeks ago that the old Atari style games were doing well on iPads and Chromebooks. Space Invaders was the big one. Oh well...

Another thing I see is that there are not many slot car racers who ever drove real race cars. THAT makes a big difference in how you like to race slot cars. I drove Stock Cars for seven years and got two Sprint Car rides. Did some road racing too. It's a little more involved that pushing an on/off button, and there are no giant magnets to hold you to the track.

I don't like the skinny, hard, original t-jet tires either, so we re-equipped our "Stock" class t-jets with RT-HO double flanged wheels and silicone tires. Now you can lay the car into the corner with some control and it feels like Friday night at the speedway.

But that's just me. I have nothing against the guys who want to race magnet cars, it's just not enough like a real car for me. 

Stumpy in Ahia:wave:


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## TUFFONE (Dec 21, 2004)

...Because that is what I had when I was a kid racing slot cars. It's all about the nostalgia for me. I have a couple of tracks set up but never really "race" against anyone. I use steering wheel controls and just look mostly for consistent smooth operation...more like running electric trains. I am totally into the scenery and the look of the cars themselves. I have lots of vintage buildings and other scenic items to get the look and feel that I like. I incorporate trains,cable cars,and even a monorail into my layouts. I remember that when the AFX cars came out we didn't like them at all. They were too fast and kind of big and bloated looking. They lacked the realistic look of the smaller T-Jets. I guess I still feel that way as out of about 1000 HO slot cars, maybe 50 of them are AFX. That's why for me.


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## COMMANDER (Dec 20, 2015)

TUFFONE said:


> ...Because that is what I had when I was a kid racing slot cars. It's all about the nostalgia for me. I have a couple of tracks set up but never really "race" against anyone. I use steering wheel controls and just look mostly for consistent smooth operation...more like running electric trains. I am totally into the scenery and the look of the cars themselves. I have lots of vintage buildings and other scenic items to get the look and feel that I like. I incorporate trains,cable cars,and even a monorail into my layouts. I remember that when the AFX cars came out we didn't like them at all. They were too fast and kind of big and bloated looking. They lacked the realistic look of the smaller T-Jets. I guess I still feel that way as out of about 1000 HO slot cars, maybe 50 of them are AFX. That's why for me.


hey tuffone i would love to see some pics of your layout it sounds pretty cool.


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## TUFFONE (Dec 21, 2004)

Here are some quick pictures of one of my layouts. Please excuse the dust. This one is about to come down. New project will be twice this size and use mostly Lionel track (with some Atlas). This will include the Mystery Route Selectors that turn two lanes into six lanes and also the relatively rare Lionel three lane track. The new layout will also include HO trains with crossings this time around. I don't go the permanent scenery route (mountains,tunnels,etc...) so that I can easily tear down and move on to something completely different when I want to.


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## COMMANDER (Dec 20, 2015)

TUFFONE said:


> Here are some quick pictures of one of my layouts. Please excuse the dust. This one is about to come down. New project will be twice this size and use mostly Lionel track (with some Atlas). This will include the Mystery Route Selectors that turn two lanes into six lanes and also the relatively rare Lionel three lane track. The new layout will also include HO trains with crossings this time around. I don't go the permanent scenery route (mountains,tunnels,etc...) so that I can easily tear down and move on to something completely different when I want to.


that's pretty awesome, man u got a lot of stuff lol.


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## sethndaddy (Dec 4, 2004)

Man, thats awesome, why would you tear it down????

I never saw that turnpike interchange before, who makes it?


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## TUFFONE (Dec 21, 2004)

I will tear it down to change things up. I have had this one set up for a few years now. It needs pulled apart just for cleaning (dust) if nothing else. I have really wanted to work on this Lionel layout idea for quite a while. I will use two 4'x 8' tables together instead of just the one you see here. The Turnpike Interchange is something that I put together from spare parts and balsa wood. I always wished that they had made an HO version of the larger O scale Plasticville Turnpike Interchange, so I came up with this.


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## Dslot (Sep 2, 2007)

Tuffone,
Nice touch - using the Wide Track and adapters to spread the lanes out for the Turnpike tollbooth. That's something you don't see every day. :thumbsup:

-- D


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## alpink (Aug 22, 2010)

*B cause*

" y t-jets" ?

because,

I 
like 
them 
!


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## stirlingmoss (Aug 24, 2012)

I think all this talk"why t-jets" is driving up the t-jet prices


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## LeeRoy98 (Jul 8, 2005)

I agree that nostalgia is a common factor. I still keep trying to go back to my roots in slot car racing... 1/24.
For HO, I enjoy most all types. I believe the fun in slot car racing is the competition factor with the camaraderie. A group of guys with super g+ can have as much fun as a group with t-jets. Find what you enjoy... There is no correct answer.

Gary
AKA LeeRoy98


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## ajd350 (Sep 18, 2005)

From a racer's POV, I tried magnet cars back in the 90s and had some fun, but it just didn't 'do it' for me. The racing and racers were fine, but it just wasn't for me. A few years ago, Honda drafted me into the TJet racing community. It clicked, and took off from there. What was a moderately small group of regular racers has blossomed into a large group enjoying great racing and cameraderie. We find the TJet to fit the bill with relative affordability, fun to drive, and low maintenence costs. I recall that one good wall shot frequently ended up with a terminally busted magnet car, not to mention the collateral damage to the scenery that I had at the time... lol. Add to that, increased parts wear. I don't hate magnet cars, just prefer TJets.

Speed is relative. The excitement and challenge is the competiton. Whether it's turtle races or Top Fuelers, it's beating the other guy with similar equipment. Speed only increases as a function of trying to gain an advantage. The TJets have become much faster over time as builders strive to squeeze that next bit out of the allowed package. 

We have converted magnet car racers, 1/1 racers, and 1/24th racers in our group and I dare say no one is having a better time with Mr Brand's invention than we are.

Viva TJets!


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## COMMANDER (Dec 20, 2015)

ok theres been a lot of great convincing answers to this question so heres what I propose, someone loan me a tjet to try out. if I like it il buy it if not il send it back lol.


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## alpink (Aug 22, 2010)

I'm your huckleberry
will send one tomorrow


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## sizzlerjoe (Nov 21, 2009)

*why T jets ?*

There is far more variety with the ho scale for customizing also. T jets rock ! and model motoring don't have to go fast, let the kids down the street just see them run up close, and they can be hooked for the next generation to come  Yes the aurora T jet smell is probably the strongest memory kick back of all. The bodies have good detail and I always feel the smaller you design, keeping detail of the real thing, the better ! HO is the way to go !

Anyone else have Tjets, on their license plate ?


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## COMMANDER (Dec 20, 2015)

alpink said:


> I'm your huckleberry
> will send one tomorrow


lol alpink your to kind.


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## Rapid Robert (Feb 13, 2008)

I love the tjets we race a lot of skinny tires that really run good.I have some friends who are really good car builders that have helped me.We also dragrace them too.


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## Joe65SkylarkGS (Feb 15, 2010)

Rapid Robert said:


> I love the tjets we race a lot of skinny tires that really run good.I have some friends who are really good car builders that have helped me.We also dragrace them too.



The 2 best classes we run is the stock tjet, all stock. And the pro stock. Same stock internals but allowed to use silicon rear and wheelie bars .Two most intense classes!!!!!

The Silicon tires that come on the tdashs are great to use. Ground em a little and they really work well. But your not allowed then on the stock class. But for roundy round they're great!!! Look like the original but super grip!!!! ?


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## LDThomas (Nov 30, 1999)

Why not?


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## mfinger1 (Nov 7, 2006)

ditto


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## purple66bu (Dec 18, 2013)

ajd350 said:


> From a racer's POV, I tried magnet cars back in the 90s and had some fun, but it just didn't 'do it' for me. The racing and racers were fine, but it just wasn't for me. A few years ago, Honda drafted me into the TJet racing community. It clicked, and took off from there. What was a moderately small group of regular racers has blossomed into a large group enjoying great racing and cameraderie. We find the TJet to fit the bill with relative affordability, fun to drive, and low maintenence costs. I recall that one good wall shot frequently ended up with a terminally busted magnet car, not to mention the collateral damage to the scenery that I had at the time... lol. Add to that, increased parts wear. I don't hate magnet cars, just prefer TJets.
> 
> Speed is relative. The excitement and challenge is the competiton. Whether it's turtle races or Top Fuelers, it's beating the other guy with similar equipment. Speed only increases as a function of trying to gain an advantage. The TJets have become much faster over time as builders strive to squeeze that next bit out of the allowed package.
> 
> ...


you said it Al!


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## Joe65SkylarkGS (Feb 15, 2010)

Cause they're too freaking cool!!!*


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## super8man (Jan 29, 2013)

COMMANDER said:


> what am I missing?


This: https://youtu.be/AS32gKioIuo

Tjets taken to extreme. No traction magnets...


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## alpink (Aug 22, 2010)

*saga continues*



COMMANDER said:


> ok theres been a lot of great convincing answers to this question so heres what I propose, someone loan me a tjet to try out. if I like it il buy it if not il send it back lol.
> 
> " ... Anyway I'm going to send it back as per original agreement that if I didn't like it I would an its just to small and fragile for me. not to mention it didn't have a guide pin so I couldn't use it anyway lol. .... , thanks again AL for even goin through all the trouble in the first place."
> 
> ...


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## Dyno Dom (May 26, 2007)

You're slippin' up Al, you could have sent a small track layout too!


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## alpink (Aug 22, 2010)

LOL, dyno.
I have half-timers!
that's my story and I'm stickin to it


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## Bubba 123 (Sep 10, 2010)

alpink said:


> LOL, dyno.
> I have half-timers!
> that's my story and I'm stickin to it


Al,
(meant with all luv & respect..)
Care to "Join" My; "Senility Slot Car Club"....  :freak:

You can Have Loads of fun!! 
Just "Thinking" You've had Cave-Time already... :drunk:
heck, I've gone from Half-Timer's, to; "ALL-Timer's".... 

But the Main-Thing is; 
You Actually TRIED, Wholeheartedly, to Help out..:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup: 

Your share, of the Milk-n-Cookies, for tonight, are on Me. :thumbsup:

Bubba (The Senile) 123 :wave:


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## COMMANDER (Dec 20, 2015)

Super8man that is one impressive video, I would have never believed u could race a t-jet that fast consecutively without crashing. Those drivers are definitely skilled.


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## Rich Dumas (Sep 3, 2008)

All of my T-jets have the guide pin glued to the chassis. Although I use bodies that are held on with screws I normally leave those a little loose, which improves handling. People that do not race T-Jets assume that they are much slower than modern cars and that is not exactly true. T-Jets do not have much magnetic downforce, so they do not corner as fast but if they are tuned properly they can be nearly as fast in a straight line. Actually they can be just as fast in a straight line if you use a high performance armature.


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## roddster (Jan 17, 2010)

If you were alive in the 60's you knew the feeling. Of the kid down the street who got their track at Christmas and you didn't. Of every town having at least one slot car track emporium to go to on a Saturday just to run your car around. Of having the Tjets to run at home, then you eventually took your 1/25th scale stuff to the "place" on Saturday.
And, for whatever reason, it ended all too soon. Tjets still are the favorite home track cars to run. And, I'm still that 12 year old kid I was when I'm running them...like I did 40 some years ago.


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## COMMANDER (Dec 20, 2015)

roddster said:


> If you were alive in the 60's you knew the feeling. Of the kid down the street who got their track at Christmas and you didn't. Of every town having at least one slot car track emporium to go to on a Saturday just to run your car around. Of having the Tjets to run at home, then you eventually took your 1/25th scale stuff to the "place" on Saturday.
> And, for whatever reason, it ended all too soon. Tjets still are the favorite home track cars to run. And, I'm still that 12 year old kid I was when I'm running them...like I did 40 some years ago.


hmmm I was born in 1963, I'm 52 and as a child I never knew of t-jets. perhaps to young or to poor lol.


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## TK Solver (Mar 18, 2004)

I too was born in '63. My first track was a Tyco. The kid down the street with an older Aurora track with TJets was pretty ticked because all the kids liked mine better.


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## rholmesr (Oct 8, 2010)

TK and Commander: I was born in 64 so you guys are old timers. LOL. I always preferred Aurora and AFX to the Tyco stuff. But they're all fun. Those old tycopros with the white boots were fast but the tires would come flying off all over the place. 

But I was lucky that dad owned the hobby shop that had 1/24 scale tracks and also an aurora tubby. I still have the tubby but it now has a TKO 4 lane inlay. Dad had cut the hump out of the back straight because kids were getting their tycopros and afx's so fast they'd launch off the table plus I think the tycopros were bottoming out over the hump and shorting the track out. On my inlay I put the hump back in, because...tjets have lots of clearance!!

Back in the day, in lieu of a babysitter dad would just turn on a lane on one of the 1/24 tracks and I would hook up the controller and run laps for hours at a time. I may be biased but I think I was a pretty good 1/24 driver when I was 7-8 years old. But then they got rid of the big tracks when the slot car thing faded out and I haven't run a 1/24 car since.

I can still smell that place. Cigarette smoke, pepsi, ozone and oil of wintergreen. mmmmm.


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## scooke123 (Apr 11, 2008)

rholmeser - where in St. Louis did you race? I used to go to the one at Grandview Plaza in Florissant, don't remember the name of the place.


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## Bubba 123 (Sep 10, 2010)

TK Solver said:


> I too was born in '63. My first track was a Tyco. The kid down the street with an older Aurora track with T-Jets was pretty ticked because all the kids liked mine better.


Ah,...yer All "Kidds".. (push'n 59 this year ((Hopefully)) 
we had a slot car track in our downtown (don't know if it was 1/25 or larger)
only went to it once (about 1963-4 I was about 6 - 7 then)

"Santa", gave me a Gilbert 1/32 '40 ford coupe set about that time....
Dad & I ran it till the cars eventually died-off... still have/using the transformer & bridge supports, & "Gas-Peddle" controllers.......
box & track & cars LONG gone... just acquired the cars of that set, in the actual colors & NOS conditions.. 

that was my BIGGEST on my "Bucket-List" :thumbsup:

Bubba 123 :wave:

hoping to "Luck-Up" on 1/32 TV/Movie cars, trucks, "Kill-Dozers", ect (ROFLMAO!!!)


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## blue55conv (May 23, 2007)

Bubba 123 said:


> Ah,...yer All "Kidds".. (push'n 59 this year ((Hopefully))
> 
> "Santa", gave me a Gilbert 1/32 '40 ford coupe set about that time....
> Dad & I ran it till the cars eventually died-off... still have/using the transformer & bridge supports, & "Gas-Peddle" controllers.......
> ...


I turned 67 this month. I am battling cancer. It is a long story. I am buying slot cars like I will live a while.

I have a brand new Gilbert '40 Ford coupe set. One car needs a chassis. Any interest? PM me. We can talk a trade.

Mike Cook


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## rholmesr (Oct 8, 2010)

scooke123 said:


> rholmeser - where in St. Louis did you race? I used to go to the one at Grandview Plaza in Florissant, don't remember the name of the place.


Checkered Flag raceway in south county (concord village)


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## Joe65SkylarkGS (Feb 15, 2010)

blue55conv said:


> I turned 67 this month. I am battling cancer. It is a long story. I am buying slot cars like I will live a while.
> 
> I have a brand new Gilbert '40 Ford coupe set. One car needs a chassis. Any interest? PM me. We can talk a trade.
> 
> Mike Cook



Mike, you are now in my thoughts and prayers my friend .My stepfather is now dealing with itt too .

And BTW Tom Stumpf had every Gilbert car made. Not sure but he may jump on that .I'll pass the info on Screen name tomhocars. &#55357;&#56397;&#55357;&#56397; &#55357;&#56833;&#55357;&#56833;


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## alpink (Aug 22, 2010)

COMMANDER, I got the lexan bodies. THANK YOU


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## COMMANDER (Dec 20, 2015)

Heyyy Bubba I got the t-jet body and guide pins, ty sir. but I don't think t-jets were made to run on tomy track lol.


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## alpink (Aug 22, 2010)

I have a TOMY drag strip with AW start and finish gates and t-jets run just fine.
I tuned that chassis up before shipping it. unless you are using less than 13 volts, it should gettyUPgo


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## COMMANDER (Dec 20, 2015)

alpink said:


> I have a TOMY drag strip with AW start and finish gates and t-jets run just fine.
> I tuned that chassis up before shipping it. unless you are using less than 13 volts, it should gettyUPgo


I think the tires are to small, the car bottoms out and it wont stay on the track not even on the straights. the back end turns side ways and the car falls off the track, it cant even make it past two track sections lol.


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## Joe65SkylarkGS (Feb 15, 2010)

COMMANDER said:


> I think the tires are to small, the car bottoms out and it wont stay on the track not even on the straights. the back end turns side ways and the car falls off the track, it cant even make it past two track sections lol.



That shouldn't be .These tjets are much better than your reporting. Something is wrong .Not sure where. Hard to tell from here. Give us a short video .

Al sent you a fine runner I'm 100% sure .Like stated. 

We'll get it worked out.


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## Boosted-Z71 (Nov 26, 2007)

If a tjet wont go down a straightaway, and pulls to the side it is either a pickup shoe / attachment plate crooked or bent, a front tire wheel binding (can either be on the chassis, body or even hitting the pickup shoe, a bent guide pin, or 1 of the rear tires is too loose on the rim, and you have a 1 wheel peel instead of a locker rear end. 

Boosted


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## COMMANDER (Dec 20, 2015)

Boosted-Z71 said:


> If a tjet wont go down a straightaway, and pulls to the side it is either a pickup shoe / attachment plate crooked or bent, a front tire wheel binding (can either be on the chassis, body or even hitting the pickup shoe, a bent guide pin, or 1 of the rear tires is too loose on the rim, and you have a 1 wheel peel instead of a locker rear end.
> 
> Boosted


thanks boosted I'm sure its one of the reasons u listed.


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## COMMANDER (Dec 20, 2015)

After a lil maintenance I was able to get the car to go around the track and I can see why u guys like them so much. They really are a lot of fun. I wont be stocking up on t-jets lol but I may get a couple more.


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## Bubba 123 (Sep 10, 2010)

COMMANDER said:


> After a lil maintenance I was able to get the car to go around the track and I can see why u guys like them so much. They really are a lot of fun. I wont be stocking up on t-jets lol but I may get a couple more.


keep the stuff I sent ya's :thumbsup:
a lighted AW T-Jet chassis, will finish that body off :thumbsup:

Bubba :wave:


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## COMMANDER (Dec 20, 2015)

Bubba 123 said:


> keep the stuff I sent ya's :thumbsup:
> a lighted AW T-Jet chassis, will finish that body off :thumbsup:
> 
> Bubba :wave:









Thanks bubba see anything u like let me know its yours.


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## Bubba 123 (Sep 10, 2010)

COMMANDER said:


> View attachment 223346
> Thanks bubba see anything u like let me know its yours.


Naw :thumbsup:
we're Good..
Might ask some of the guys about w/ you have..
I "Think" I saw some stuff that goes for some righteous-$change$, or so (?)

we're just like that here,.. 
Guys have Given me KOOL-Stuff, 
just pass'n the "Pay-It-Forward" :thumbsup: 

Your ONLY going to Find a FEW Places as good as "Here"....
Not Perfect, but; "FAMILY"  :thumbsup:

Bubba 123 :wave:


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## Gear Head (Mar 22, 2005)

Hey Commander, is that copper tape all over your Tomy track rails? And why? One of my tracks is a 4 lane Tomy track and with a couple of quick and easy mods, they can be made to run real smooth.


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## COMMANDER (Dec 20, 2015)

Gear Head said:


> Hey Commander, is that copper tape all over your Tomy track rails? And why? One of my tracks is a 4 lane Tomy track and with a couple of quick and easy mods, they can be made to run real smooth.


Yes it is copper tape, I wanted to try it out and for the most part it runs pretty good. the cars seem to run smoother. the only down side is, with some of the more extreme magnets that tend to drag along the track it tends to tear pieces of the tape off making it look less then desirable. I would be happy to hear about some of the mods u came up with and or using.


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## Gear Head (Mar 22, 2005)

Choose track pieces with consistent rail height from end to end and cut the little nubs off of the center tabs of the ends of the track pieces where they meet so that they don't cause a bump when they don't click together perfectly, which they usually don't.


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## Bubba 123 (Sep 10, 2010)

I think we have gotten a lot said here..

enough to confess that I "Like" ALL slot cars, chassis, scales.. 
(ok, not done 1/24's yet..) HO; (all 3 sizes, early 1/87, 1/68, AFX), 

1/43; (Carrara-Go, and ARTIN.. ((I'll "Preach" about these after I post my updated Pics of my "Garage" thread..)) 

1/32; (My passion, due to the high detailing of the more $$ brands..) 

I'm more of a "Collector-Addict".... 
(mainly 'cause I got's NO-1 to Play with )

and "TV/Movie Customs".. are another Passion..

( I'm "Fair" @ it, Hittman, Hilltop, Bobzilla and a host of others on here ((OK, I'm having a Senile-Brain F-rt Moment on names, so no one take offense fer yer name's been left out..:freak)

Are FAR-BETTER @ it than I... 

and BIG TY's to; Bruce Gavins (RIP), 
Greg Gipes, 
Hilltop, 
Larry Lypes (RIP) 
ect. for "Humoring" me, & casting personal requests.. or just making them for me :thumbsup:

Bubba 123 :thumbsup: :wave:


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## COMMANDER (Dec 20, 2015)

Hey guys are these any good?


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## super8man (Jan 29, 2013)

Not compared to the originals. When you get a smooth running original, you'll see the difference between made in China and made in USA in heartbeat. And the heartbeat belongs to the USA.


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## Bubba 123 (Sep 10, 2010)

COMMANDER said:


> Hey guys are these any good?


there's been some objective speculation on one color.. fitting working better than the other.. "Which" one I can not remember... 

Bubba 123 :wave:


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## Bubba 123 (Sep 10, 2010)

super8man said:


> Not compared to the originals. When you get a smooth running original, you'll see the difference between made in China and made in USA in heartbeat. And the heartbeat belongs to the USA.


I wasn't aware any T-jets were "Made" in the USA (???)

Bubba the Senile 123 :wave:


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## Dslot (Sep 2, 2007)

Bubba 123 said:


> I wasn't aware any T-jets were "Made" in the USA (???)


... I was thinking the same thing. 
In fact weren't the _original_ originals actually made in China (Hong Kong?). Of course Hong Kong was _British_ China, then, not China China. 

Or was there an initial run actually made in the US before moving to Hong Kong? T-jet historians, what do you say?


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## Dslot (Sep 2, 2007)

COMMANDER said:


> Hey guys are these any good?


I think those were "First Lap" limited edition AutoWorld chassis that came with colored-clear bodies also, intended mostly for the collector market, not the runner market. 

AW chassis in general have been subject to fluctuating quality control problems. They are not generally considered as well-made as original Aurora T-jets, or Dash chassis, though they have gotten better over the years. Lots of people have griped about them, especially the early ones, but practically everybody (except serious competitive racers) seems to have them and run them. I'm certainly happy with mine for the prices I paid. Whether the colored AW chassis were better or worse runners than the average AW chassis, I don't know. I'd guess most people who bought them never ran them.

They certainly look beautiful in those pictures, though.

You might try a Google search for something like:
*"colored chassis" site:Hobbytalk.com*
Don't bother with HobbyTalk's worse-than-useless SEARCH function. Just use a real search engine, and add *site:Hobbytalk.com* to the end of the search terms. :wave: Good luck.

-- D


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## COMMANDER (Dec 20, 2015)

These are for sale on ebay for 30 bucks shipped. As u can see they have a small magnet on the bottom, thats the reason I was asking about them because I know most u tjet racers like none mag cars.


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## blue55conv (May 23, 2007)

Dslot said:


> I think those were "First Lap" limited edition AutoWorld chassis that came with colored-clear bodies also, intended mostly for the collector market, not the runner market.
> -- D


These chassis were for AW T-Jet Release 11 Looney Tunes. A racer friend of mine claims that there are some performance advantages with them. I don't recall what that is.


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## stirlingmoss (Aug 24, 2012)

jag hobbies has these colored chassis for $12.50,
what is so special about them? I gutted my color chassis.


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## Bubba 123 (Sep 10, 2010)

COMMANDER said:


> These are for sale on ebay for 30 bucks shipped. As u can see they have a small magnet on the bottom, thats the reason I was asking about them because I know most u tjet racers like none mag cars.


sounds like that's the going $$ for these chassis...
those magnets easily POP-Out of their cups via a pin/toothpick through a hole on their "Up" side.. :thumbsup:

Bubba 123 :wave:


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## Dslot (Sep 2, 2007)

> _*blue55conv* sez:_
> These chassis were for AW T-Jet Release 11 Looney Tunes.


Thanks, *blue55*.:wave: Sorry for the mistake. Old-guy memory. I thought, when I said it, that the "First Lap" cars seemed a bit further back than I remembered the discussions of the clear chassis being. Should've checked the archives to make sure. "First Lap" had colored clear _*bodies*_, right? Or am I completely garbled up?

Now (assuming I have any credibility left) --



> _*stirlingmoss* sez:_
> jag hobbies has these colored chassis for $12.50,
> what is so special about them?


They're clear. And have colors. 

I think that's it.

(I must admit I love the way they look. I wouldn't mind having a few at all. I could make earrings for Carol from the extras.)



> I gutted my color chassis.


I suspect many guys who just want running chassis do gut them for parts or paint them if the chassis shows below the body.



> _*COMMANDER* sez:_ As u can see they have a small magnet on the bottom, thats the reason I was asking about them because I know most u tjet racers like none mag cars.


The Johnny-Lightning/AutoWorld Thunderjet500 chassis was originally a near-replica of Aurora's Tuff-Ones (late-model improved T-Jets). A while back, AW started adding the dot magnet and calling the chassis the ThunderJet Ultra G. I'm not sure if there were any other changes. Those who like the original non-magnet handling just pop out the magnet. There's a hole in the chassis that makes it easy to do.

-- D


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## blue55conv (May 23, 2007)

I checked with my racer buddy. He likes the colored chassis because they are stiffer than the regular chassis. They do not flex.


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## Bill Hall (Jan 6, 2007)

Grandcheapskate has some 411 on these. Axle hole irregularities with body fitment issues..... if memory serves. I dont recollect the final diagnosis.


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## Dslot (Sep 2, 2007)

Here ya go, COMMANDER -
*Six pages of info* on the AW translucent chassis and AW chassis in general. Don't just read the first page; things change a bit later.

The key was the word TRANSPARENT in the search terms. CLEAR and COLORED with CHASSIS returned too many false positives and bad leads. I searched for:
*transparent chassis AW site:Hobbytalk.com*
(In post #1, Joe (*GRANDCHEAPSKATE*), class act that he is, uses the technically correct term "translucent".)

You're welcome. All part of the service.

-- D :wave:


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## slotcarman12078 (Oct 3, 2008)

There were some issues with some of those chassis. Some really sucked big time! The axle holes weren't located properly as I recall. 

To be honest, if you can find 3 lam Dash chassis, I think you'll be happier with them in the long run. If your wallet is a little fatter, original Aurora chassis can be found, but they are a bit pricier.


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## 60chevyjim (Feb 21, 2008)

[QUOTE=COMMANDER 

some people don't like them , but I do !!

i have some that are very fast right out of the box
without doing anything to them at all ,
or I just may have added a couple drops of oil. 
some sit too low and the front body screw will drag.
so I just use a tapered fray style screw in them ,
or I file the head of the screw.
I like my cars low as possible. 
on the real low ones you may have to file the ring around the traction magnet if it touches the track .
go on ebay and look for AW looney toons slot cars
some times you can get a much better deal buying a whole car .
than buying just a chassis from someone that all ready sold the body ..


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