# Your Scale of Preference



## JazzyJerome (Feb 14, 2012)

What made you choose the scale that you use?


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## Dyno (Jan 26, 2009)

Size of the room where the track would be.


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## aurora1 (Oct 6, 2008)

HO. Scale of set I got in 1964. Affordability of cars using snow shoveling and lawn mowing money.


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## alpink (Aug 22, 2010)

I have 1/24, 1/32, 1/43 and 1/64 scale drag cars. there aren't many 1/24 drag tracks around anymore. the only 1/32 drag track doesn't understand the concept of eliminations so racing there is pretty much match/challenge racing. 1/43 drag strips are very few, but there is usually an annual event where i can match race a few people. finally there are beginning to be a lot more 1/64 drag tracks and people interested in racing vintage all the way up to ballistic. I don't currently have a track, aside from sectional that i can set up anywhere there are banquet tables, but i am prepared for any within reasonable driving distance. with the advent of this dragonslots timing system I anticipate a bigger interest in 1/64 drag racing too.
that is my story and I'm sticking to it.


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## gomanvongo (Jun 12, 2010)

the only scale i don't have any setup for is 1/24.

My ho setup is my main one - with a permanent table taking up a good chunk of my good sized basement. I had ho when i was a kid, and never threw anything away, so i still had most of my stuff when i got back into the hobby.

My 1/43 stuff was mostly given to me by people who had heard i was into "racetracks". That being said, my 3 (almost 4!) year old and I had a blast setting up the 1/43 stuff in the kitchen all day, and running all the cars I customized into the CARs movie characters , using the 1/43 McHappy Meal toys.

My 1/32 stuff belonged to my mother's brother (who had passed away in his teens) My Grandmother saved everything (runs in the family) so I would up with a couple of nice eldon sets.

I guess the reason behind choosing what I did was nostalgia, coupled with hard economics - if you already have it on hand, or it's coming in free, it's an easy call!


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## Bill Hall (Jan 6, 2007)

In the golden age I had them all.

HO was the practical choice when hiking or biking to the hobby store. It's still the practical choice at our house now.


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## JazzyJerome (Feb 14, 2012)

My first set was a HO scale AFX my parents bought me back in the early 70's and loved it. A friend of mine had a 1/32 scale track for what ever reason I felt the cars were too big and the track took up too much space. I do like the detail of the cars.


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## NTxSlotCars (May 27, 2008)

They don't make 24th or 32nd scale Tycos, so I just run HO.


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## slotcarman12078 (Oct 3, 2008)

Since I had HO trains, HO slots were a no brainer.. I like the detail of the larger scales, but nowhere to run them, and no space for my own track.


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## Dyno Dom (May 26, 2007)

I've always appreciated all scale slots but had HO for basement racing.
My slot table is 76" wide x 19' long. When I sold my Tomy layout, I thought
about going to 1/32nd for detail & slower speeds. Some newer additions
to the scale kept me in HO such as Dash, G-Jet, AW/JL and others.
I like to purchase current new cars & aftermarket parts.


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## Gear Head (Mar 22, 2005)

slotcarman12078 said:


> Since I had HO trains, HO slots were a no brainer.. I like the detail of the larger scales, but nowhere to run them, and no space for my own track.


Ditto


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## ParkRNDL (Mar 20, 2002)

HO is what i had as a kid, and what i found at a yard sale that got me back into the hobby. i have some Eldon 1/32 stuff around for giggles, and a couple of Parma Womps set up with 1/32 and 1/24 bodies from my college racing days, but the permanent layout and the bulk of my collection by far is HO.

--rick


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## sethndaddy (Dec 4, 2004)

HO, cost/space/had a bunch of it giving to me by my older cousin, stayed with it. I race 1/32nd with my brother and a few friends, but the cars are too expensive.


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## gonegonzo (Jan 18, 2006)

I race all 4 scales .

I just returned home from 1.24th scale drag racing . I also race 1/24th scale oval on a commercial track .

At the same commercial track I (when time allows) race their wed. night HO race folllowed by 1/32nd scale road course racing . 

I race T-Jets in a basement circuit . I also have an HO oval and roadcourse and 1/43rd scale roadcourse here at the house .

This is my 50 year anniversary of racing slotcars .

Gonzo


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## JazzyJerome (Feb 14, 2012)

Great answers.


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## Ralphthe3rd (Feb 24, 2011)

Ok, my rather long and convoluted story (and reasoning) goes like this. My Dad was into Lionel O gauge trains, but I was growing tired of the trains, and suggested we get a slotcar set too, but my dad didn't like tiny HO scale, so he thought that 1/32 would be better and would try and mix it into the Train layout. By the end of 1968 I saw and wanted an Eldon 1/32 set for X-mas, although all my friends and cousins had Aurora HO. I got the Eldon set and liked it sorta, but right about then my Dad got OUT of "playing" with his trains, and I took over his layout, and just set it up with the Eldon 1/32 stuff. It was fun for a while, but nobody around me had 1/32 scale, so by the winter of 1969 I put away the Eldon set , and bought a used Aurora T-Jet set from my oldest cousin who was into other things by now in High school. Well, I loved the T-Jets, and even bought some Tyco S cars and a few Faller, and eventually when the first AFX (non MT) came out I bought two of those, and then a couple of the TycoPro cars(which kinda gave me mixed feelings). anyway, fast forward a few more years and I got into Real Racing both Cars and Motorcycles, so all my HO was sold- I guess by my mom.
NOW, after a long career in the motorcycle industry of Wrenching and Racing, I saw the Tyco/Mattel (HotWheels) Jeremy McGrath X-treme Motocross set forsale in Wal*Mart in yr 2000, and thought they looked cool, and bought the set. Although those bikes scaled out to around 1/24 scale, the Brown Track was tyco HO and chassis were merely Tyco 440x2 slightly modified. After about 9 years playing, modding, and adding to that set, and having a few old Motorcycle buddies race with me, they eventually got bored and lost interest. Then, a few years ago, I converted some of the bikes into cars(since their chassis were 440x2), and started to gain interest in HO slotCARS. But I soon realized I didn't like the supersonic speeds of the modern style Magnetic downforce type cars, and looked for older non magnet cars, and drifted back into T-Jets, and also started collecting tyco U-Turn cars which are about the same speed, and drift very predictably with silicone tires added- so they don't run like they are on ice. 
Oh yeah, although I like the detail on larger scales,and at one time my McGrath MX track was fully scenic'd with 1/24 scale accessories, I realized I couldn't fit as much in with the larger scales as I can with HO, so I now choose HO scale (1/87 & 1/64) exclusively....


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## Lype Motorsport (Mar 14, 2004)

*Lifelong HO guy here*

* My first slotcar was a Aurora T Jet (cant remember what body) back in 1964. Since then I have owned and enjoyed 1/24, 1/32 & HO scale. Raced the larger cars competitively too. Ran NCC, USRA and several series over the years. In '65 I got a Aurora 4 lane set for my birthday. HO has always been my favorite, mainly because of the low cost and varity of the cars and I can have a layout (or 2) at home. My TM/RN/wife also loved the HO cars too. She tried all the scales and fell in love with the HO scale. 

Larry*


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## Joe65SkylarkGS (Feb 15, 2010)

Wow Gonzo!! 50 years!! Happy 50th bud!!

When i was a kid, my father was racing 1/24 like most dudes in the 60's. But for home racing, HO is the only way to go. I still hqve almost every car I ever bought!!!!!

In 69 I was 4 and beating my older brother, who was 7 and his friends lol!!!


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## JazzyJerome (Feb 14, 2012)

It seems most of us are 40 on up I guess younger guys are hooked on video games.


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## ajd350 (Sep 18, 2005)

I'm with Gonzo at 50 years in the slot. Dad brought home a Strombecker 1/32 set in 1962 and the following year built a routed track in the basement and was in a local club. I ran on the track by myself, being too young to run with the adults. Meanwhile I was given a Penn Line set with a pair of the beautiful, but infamously bad Watson Roadsters that didn't run. Dad bought me a red Lola GT TJet (I still have it) and the HO hook was set. All through grade school I bought up cars and sets from classmates and neighborhood kids who grew tired of theirs. Neighbors and my brothers were around to race against.

By 1970 the 1/32 track had found a new home, so HO became the only choice.

Although I still collect all scales, TJets are my favorites to collect and race. We have a strong local group and four quality tracks including my own, Jungle Park Raceway. I'm having more fun than ever with that, not to mention running the Midwest Slot Car Swap twice a year in the Chicago area. Who'd have guessed 50 years ago that it would be like this ?

There is just something about getting the most out of a pancake car that keeps my interest. Every one is a puzzle to be solved, and the proof is on the track. Hmmm.....I have an idea for the next build.


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## Joe65SkylarkGS (Feb 15, 2010)

ajd350 said:


> I'm with Gonzo at 50 years in the slot. Dad brought home a Strombecker 1/32 set in 1962 and the following year built a routed track in the basement and was in a local club. I ran on the track by myself, being too young to run with the adults. Meanwhile I was given a Penn Line set with a pair of the beautiful, but infamously bad Watson Roadsters that didn't run. Dad bought me a red Lola GT TJet (I still have it) and the HO hook was set. All through grade school I bought up cars and sets from classmates and neighborhood kids who grew tired of theirs. Neighbors and my brothers were around to race against.
> 
> By 1970 the 1/32 track had found a new home, so HO became the only choice.
> 
> ...


Al you certainly do build a stout tjet, and I appreciate your hard work on these tiny tedious cars.

And bravo on running the show out there all this time. I would love to make one of your shows. Maybe one day. :wave: I here it's quite a show at that. :hat:


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## 88T-BIRD (Jan 14, 2000)

JazzyJerome said:


> It seems most of us are 40 on up I guess younger guys are hooked on video games.


I am 61 years old and still race HO slot cars at home, have a N-scale model railroad L shaped 22' X 40' and also love to play RPG/Adventure type video games.


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## JazzyJerome (Feb 14, 2012)

88T-BIRD said:


> I am 61 years old and still race HO slot cars at home, have a N-scale model railroad L shaped 22' X 40' and also love to play RPG/Adventure type video games.


I like video games too it just seems like most of the youg guys only like video games at least around here.


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## JazzyJerome (Feb 14, 2012)

ajd350 said:


> I'm with Gonzo at 50 years in the slot. Dad brought home a Strombecker 1/32 set in 1962 and the following year built a routed track in the basement and was in a local club. I ran on the track by myself, being too young to run with the adults. Meanwhile I was given a Penn Line set with a pair of the beautiful, but infamously bad Watson Roadsters that didn't run. Dad bought me a red Lola GT TJet (I still have it) and the HO hook was set. All through grade school I bought up cars and sets from classmates and neighborhood kids who grew tired of theirs. Neighbors and my brothers were around to race against.
> 
> By 1970 the 1/32 track had found a new home, so HO became the only choice.
> 
> ...


That's great, a lifetime hobby!


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## slotking (May 27, 2008)

I like a scale that says I weigh 195



did some 1/24th, but a I have more fun with HO scale!
I run t-jets to unlimited cars

I also play a lot of COD black ops online
nothing like killing people from other countries to relax!
LOL


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## 1976Cordoba (Sep 20, 2000)

HO because you get more out of the space you use. I've been running HO since I started getting Tyco sets for Christmas as a kid in the early/mid '70s.

I have some 1/43 & 1/32 stuff also but it never gets used. I keep hanging onto it for when I am too blind to run the small stuff . . . but I know guys in their 60s still racing HO so who knows if I'll ever use the bigger stuff. Probably not.


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## Bubba 123 (Sep 10, 2010)

JazzyJerome said:


> What made you choose the scale that you use?


actally, I preffer 1/32....
i engoy the more detail-ability of the scale & driveability as well......
my 1st set w/ a Gilbert '40 (41??) Ford Coupe set (blue & yellow cars)..
still have & using the transformer & Peddle controls 2 :thumbsup:

next set, w/ an Eldon International 500 set, w/ i still have w/ a Porche & Ferrari (i think...NOT the Ford J i know 4 sure anyways...)

i detailed the body's lights, & yadda... & bought about 3 more of same sets
& 2 Dune-Buggy Sets (sold the bods..."Why" ..i w/ dumb..) over the past 4 yrs.....

BUT 4 practicality of room/space.....
i'm running HO w/ a 4laner 15.5' x 4' table....

i got an Aurora Dune-Buggy set in 1970 - 1......
still have most of the cars i had from them...
again, i sold the buggy, snow mobile, & afx cuda dragster bods :freak:

now i'm using Life Like track.. & trying 2 finish a 4laner Aurora L&J fig-8 in the infield..... :drunk:

Bubba 123


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## foxkilo (Mar 27, 2008)

I didn't choose H0 in the first place itw as chosen for me by my parents and grandparents for Christmas. They gave me a Faller set and I am still thankfull for that. Most of the guys in school had 1/32 sets mostly Carrera or the odd Stabocar, Fleischmann and if they had rich or quality conscious parents Märklin. So I was the odd one out. But it fitted to the train set and that was the big advantage. While the others gave up on slots after a while and i can't blame them for that being harrassed by their moms for having their sets set up in the living room. Not enough space in our own rooms you know living space was still scarce 20 years after the war. Anyway with H0 and specially Faller you had a lot to choose from buldings, roadside stuff and the like. Hadn't heard of Aurora except for their modell kits not to mention Tyco. Anyway later girls came and the rest like it happened with Ralph. From a modelling point I probably would have chosen 1/32 but it never occurred to me 'cause that scale was solely for tanks and soldiers (from Tamiya with love).
Around 2000 got back into and reactivated the remains of my track and amazingly most of the stuff had survived and was in fairly good nick. Then there was the evil bay and started collecting. Did I mention that I am a compulsary collector comic books, records, modell kits, motorcycles and many more.ZHording, hording hording.
Best in H0 are the amount of cars you can put in a fairly small space. But seriously it is ammazing what is available in that scale and what has been tried technicaly. I mean two cars on one lane, two speeder, brake lights, train transport, switchable lights and all those different motor concepts show me that in any other scale. The only thing on my wish list would be an slightly shrunken tjet or inline chassis to fit better into H0.

Lets face it in what scale do you have the choice from old school Tjet performance to ground rockets wizzard style.

Just my five cents

Mario


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## hefer (Sep 18, 1999)

HO since 1966. I'm 56 going on 12. Still have one of the original cars from my Aurora set. Came with a white Lola GT & O-Gauge track, still my favorite car to race. Now, 46 years later I'm still hooked on the sweeping curves of the O-Gauge track. I'm not a serious racer, more of a collector, but still love to run em'. Haven't had a track set up since we moved about 3 years ago, but I will rebuild. ;>)


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## Ohio_Danimal (Jan 13, 2012)

Grew up watching my Dad, Uncle and Grandpa racing Vibrators and then Tjets in my basement on a track laid out on two pingpong tables screwed together. I can remember the weekly trips to the hobby store to pickup stuff we ordered and to see what new stuff was coming in. We got out of it right when inline motors became the rage.
Now, years later we race all classes, but still prefer Tjets.


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## roddster (Jan 17, 2010)

My brothers and I got a Gilbert slot cat set for Christmas in the early 60's. Never got those cars to go more than 5 laps without stopping. This was the set with the twin 32 Ford-like hot rods. I'm guessing 1/43rd scale. We threw it away in a couple of years. I still smile when I see one at a swap meet.
Then, in about 1965 I asked for Christmas an HO Aurora T-jet set. It came with the twin figure eight and double bridges. I bugged Mom so much she finally let me open it on December 23rd. Wasn't long before I bough moore track pieces, the automatic lap counter, and mounted a small clock.
And, since it was the middle 1960's slot car racing was the rage. There were two tracks in the town south of me, so, a 20 minute bike ride and I was there. One place had a 1/4 mile drag strip, a stretched 1/24th figure 8, a 32nd scale road course, a 1/24th scale road course, and a long HO set up. I spent plenty of time there, until it closed.

Now I race with Al and the gang in HO. Another fellow in town has a commercial type 1/25th scale track in his basement. I race flexi's and the FFR Parma cars. I'm 60 now so I guess I've been interested in this hobby for 50 years.


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## [email protected] (Jan 31, 2010)

I race HO. Received my first Tyco set Christmas of 1980 at the age of 4. Still have the cars from when I was a kid. Only broke or traded off 5 cars growing up. I'd generally get a new Tyco set every year till I was 16. At 16 when I put them away I had 44 cars and US 1 trucks. Thanks to paper routes and Christmas. 

They sat in storage until 2003. When my Daughter found them and wanted me to show her what I had as a kid. Now that I have the bug again I have over 167 cars and counting. 99% are Tyco. Although I'm starting to like the Auto World cars. As I get older and my nerve damage gets worse. (shaking and numbness) I may be only a collector and no longer a racer, builder, or maintainer. Been struggling just getting tires on the rims lately. Waiting on tests.


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## Grandcheapskate (Jan 5, 2006)

I first saw HO cars when my next door neighbor had them. I asked my parents for a set at Christmas (or my birthday) and was disappointed when I received what must have been an Eldon 1/43rd set in 1968; I had wanted HO. I must have tossed the Eldon track back in the 70s (it was only a figure 8 I think), but I still have the two cars (fairly unused) that came in that set.

Funny thing is the cars had been sitting for about 40 years before I took them to Bud's last year and tried them on his 1/32nd track. The tires just spun and the cars went nowhere. Oh well, they still look good.

Then for Christmas 1969 I got my first Aurora - a Sterling Moss set with a Toranado and Maserati. The Maserati is the only car I've ever had which burnt out an armature. I still have every car I ever bought except for a Batmobile body (sans Robin's head) which I sold for 25 cents (and used the chassis for the Maserati). Most of the cars still look new and a lot of them are still packaged.

I too faded out of the hobby from the early 80s to the late 90s, only occasionally setting up a track. The internet revived my interest and I went wild buying cars. I've slowed up a lot the last 4-5 years as I've realized there really is a limit to how many cars you can have and enjoy. Everything bought today (new) is for collecting only as I must have over 150 runners. Still need to find a place to display it all.

My collecting has gone from my childhood Aurora stuff through the last 12 years of acquiring Tyco, Lifelike, Darda, Artin, Tomy, Marchon, Microscalextric, Johhny Lightning, Auto World, Majorette, Matchbox and Ideal. But my running and tuning fun still comes from pancake cars.

Most of the cars I still would like to get are the real expensive ones, so my collecting has slowed down to a crawl as I just can't bring myself to buy big dollar cars. But my enjoyment of tinkering with the pancakes and looking for those missing gems keeps the hobby fun.

And I have been collecting Carerra (and some SCX) 1/43rd cars. The price can't be beat and I would like to dabble in that scale as well. Have a whole lot of Artin and Fast Lane 1/43rd also.

Where are Great Eastern and Two Guys when you need them?

Thanks...Joe


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## SplitPoster (May 16, 2006)

I got an Aurora set (for my birthday I think) in 1966. I don't know the orgins of it, as it came in one of those Aurora plain cardboard shipping boxes with two Jag XK140's - with the spacers for clearance for t jet chassis'. I think it was a trade in at the toy/hobby store, or something similar, as by that time there were a lot of newer cars out. My third car was a green hot rod roadster. Still have them of course. I know I had Motorific around the same time, never could keep those curves lined up to make a proper curcuit for very long.

I always like smaller scale because I imagined huge realistic layouts with scenery and all. Like my Matchbox cars, but racing by themselves instead of by push power. Tried to do slots and HO trains together, but I didn't know they made a RR crossing! 

I do like 1:32 a lot, scale size chassis and incredible accuracy and detail. Some of the F1 cars are amazing. But I'm not buying them, and am thinning stuff out that doesn't fit what I enjoy most. Still hooked on Aurora t jets and vibrators!


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## JazzyJerome (Feb 14, 2012)

Grandcheapskate said:


> I first saw HO cars when my next door neighbor had them. I asked my parents for a set at Christmas (or my birthday) and was disappointed when I received what must have been an Eldon 1/43rd set in 1968; I had wanted HO. I must have tossed the Eldon track back in the 70s (it was only a figure 8 I think), but I still have the two cars (fairly unused) that came in that set.
> 
> Funny thing is the cars had been sitting for about 40 years before I took them to Bud's last year and tried them on his 1/32nd track. The tires just spun and the cars went nowhere. Oh well, they still look good.
> 
> ...


Two Guys and Great Eastern I haven't heard those words in years. Two Guys was my AFX store.


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## SlickRick (Mar 3, 2011)

I'm currently 22 and I started playing with t-jets when I was knee high to a grasshopper. My father had an HO train and slot car layout and, we used to play with them for hours on end and as I grew older I lost interest. About 2 years ago I asked my dad about the old t-jets and before you knew it we have a 4 lane oval in out basement, I'm in it for the long haul now. lol I use t-jets exclusively cause of their realistic speed and the satisfaction when modifying.

So I guess I like HO the best! lol


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## Grandcheapskate (Jan 5, 2006)

SlickRick said:


> I'm currently 22


22!

I've got T-Jets more than twice your age. Where did the years go? I want a recount.

Seriously, great to see someone your age get involved in the hobby. Just think, those T-Jets will probably still be running when your kids are 22.

Joe


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## alpink (Aug 22, 2010)

slick, cool, you might find some fun with inline chassis in time too.
I think it is great that you like pancake cars. I am a tad older than you (56) and I like them all, but still like the pancakes the best.
pass the syrup!


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## JazzyJerome (Feb 14, 2012)

SplitPoster said:


> I got an Aurora set (for my birthday I think) in 1966. I don't know the orgins of it, as it came in one of those Aurora plain cardboard shipping boxes with two Jag XK140's - with the spacers for clearance for t jet chassis'. I think it was a trade in at the toy/hobby store, or something similar, as by that time there were a lot of newer cars out. My third car was a green hot rod roadster. Still have them of course. I know I had Motorific around the same time, never could keep those curves lined up to make a proper curcuit for very long.
> 
> I always like smaller scale because I imagined huge realistic layouts with scenery and all. Like my Matchbox cars, but racing by themselves instead of by push power. Tried to do slots and HO trains together, but I didn't know they made a RR crossing!
> 
> I do like 1:32 a lot, scale size chassis and incredible accuracy and detail. Some of the F1 cars are amazing. But I'm not buying them, and am thinning stuff out that doesn't fit what I enjoy most. Still hooked on Aurora t jets and vibrators!


I think the fact HO is the same size as matchbox attracted me too.



SlickRick said:


> I'm currently 22 and I started playing with t-jets when I was knee high to a grasshopper. My father had an HO train and slot car layout and, we used to play with them for hours on end and as I grew older I lost interest. About 2 years ago I asked my dad about the old t-jets and before you knew it we have a 4 lane oval in out basement, I'm in it for the long haul now. lol I use t-jets exclusively cause of their realistic speed and the satisfaction when modifying.
> 
> So I guess I like HO the best! lol


KooL glad to see someone younger into the hobby.


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## AfxToo (Aug 29, 2003)

I started with a Hot Wheels gravity drag racing setup and was fascinated by that for quite some time until I was introduced to HO slot cars and TJets through a friend. I think it was the summer of 1968. It was a small two lane setup on an irregularly shaped table and just a few cars, Dune Buggy, Grand Prix Racer, '62 T-Bird, but we spent every rainy day that summer running those cars and listening to AM radio. The hook was set and HO slot cars have been a permanent fixture in my life ever since. Amazingly, I still have a couple of these original cars, in a well worn and memory laden state.

I also enjoy running the larger scales at hobby shops and have a couple of larger scale cars. I don't listen to AM radio anymore, but HO is in my blood and will always have a place in my life even when I don't have a lot of time to dedicate to focused involvement.


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## timmytorr (Jun 12, 2011)

JazzyJerome said:


> It seems most of us are 40 on up I guess younger guys are hooked on video games.


It makes you wonder what will happen to our sport in the next 20 to 30 years, I can’t get my son interested in slots..


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## foxkilo (Mar 27, 2008)

SplitPoster said:


> I always like smaller scale because I imagined huge realistic layouts with scenery and all. Like my Matchbox cars, but racing by themselves instead of by push power. Tried to do slots and HO trains together, but I didn't know they made a RR crossing!


I think that was one think that kept me attracted to the small scale. I love scenery. And did you know Faller and Triang Minic even had rail cars to drive on and have the cars piggy backed with loading ramps and the lot. You can use them for your Tjets as well.

Another reason no one mentioned and IMHO the reason why many of you collectors out there are loving those thingies because you can collect cars which can even run by themselves. No more pushing, just pull the trigger. Thats progress to me.

Mario


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## Bubba 123 (Sep 10, 2010)

Grandcheapskate said:


> I first saw HO cars when my next door neighbor had them. I asked my parents for a set at Christmas (or my birthday) and was disappointed when I received what must have been an Eldon 1/43rd set in 1968; I had wanted HO. I must have tossed the Eldon track back in the 70s (it was only a figure 8 I think), but I still have the two cars (fairly unused) that came in that set.
> 
> Funny thing is the cars had been sitting for about 40 years before I took them to Bud's last year and tried them on his 1/32nd track. The tires just spun and the cars went nowhere. Oh well, they still look good.
> 
> ...


clean/lube the chassis & new rear tires...u'll b a-ok on the eldons :thumbsup:
Bubba 123
Eldon reserecter


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## JazzyJerome (Feb 14, 2012)

timmytorr said:


> It makes you wonder what will happen to our sport in the next 20 to 30 years, I can’t get my son interested in slots..


I hope it will endure the test of time


foxkilo said:


> I think that was one think that kept me attracted to the small scale. I love scenery. And did you know Faller and Triang Minic even had rail cars to drive on and have the cars piggy backed with loading ramps and the lot. You can use them for your Tjets as well.
> 
> Another reason no one mentioned and IMHO the reason why many of you collectors out there are loving those thingies because you can collect cars which can even run by themselves. No more pushing, just pull the trigger. Thats progress to me.
> 
> Mario


Good point that was another attraction Hot Wheels that you can drive. That also got me into RC cars.


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## Rick Carter (Dec 2, 2008)

Well, here's my story.......growing up in the era of "miniature reality" for lack of a better term (trains, AFX, Tyco and Electric Football) I always wanted and had a track on Christmas. I'll never forget my first track, a figure 8 and sitting on the carpet floor in our living room as my mother showed me how to race and to be careful around the curves.

All of my boys from around the way had tracks and we would go over each others houses to race and set up drag strips. Although having an AFX track was the ultimate dream for me, especially when that Jackie Stewart commercial would make me go nuts, I always had Tyco.

Two Guys, the Sears catalog, Toys R Us and Dana's Hobby House were my Fantacy Islands where I would say my famous lines when I went there or was looking thru the pages -"Oooo, I'm gettin' that, I'm getting that and Ooo, I gettin' that."

By 12, things started to tail off and my crew of 4 became BMX bandits -street tricks and a dirt track at Pals were our new kick. At the same time, RC's drew our attention and we would go to Dana's Hobby House where we bought our slot cars from to get our RC cars or this place called John's.

We all had different cars (Grasshopper, Frog, Hornet and a Subaru Brat).

Fast forwarding to October 2004. I tore my shoulder playing football and had surgery in February of 2005. At that time, bodybuilding had been my kick for the past 14 years. I was pissed and miserable after my surgery because I was really hitting my stride at that point.

Around the middle of April, I had to drop something off to the firehouse to Mustard (one of the current racers) and they had the track setup in the basement and was racing. I swear to you, that I physically felt as if I were 8 years old when I saw it and was so geeked up inside. I thought to myself, "Oh, they don't know who I am with this!"

Mustard said to me, "Yeah Rick, every Tour 4 we're here racing." I said bet, I'm going to come back next time. I came back and was more hooked than a crackhead. He took me to Nastalgia Hobby to buy some cars and parts. This was a good "temporary" substitute, or so I thought from bodybuilding since I was still recovering.

Then in May of 2005, we went to see an ECRS Race (East Coast Racing Series). Now that's when I got discouraged. Man I could not believe that these cars had so many parts that you could change and that they went that fast. All of these guys had these big boxes with tools, tires, motors, metal, you name it and the controllers were not the ones that i grew up with nor was using at the Firehouse.

Truly it was culture shock and I was definitely overwhelmed! For once, I could go home and tell my wife, "No, I have a headache!"

I thought to myself, I could never be as good as these guys. For some dumb reason, I shook that shock off and continued to run at the Firehouse. Then, I hooked up with the guys from Tri State and was in my first "official" race around October of 2005. I think that I had only raced no more than 5 races before I went to my first HOPRA Nats in June of 2006.

I was all in then. I came in 15th in Superstock and just behind Tony Mickles, one of the seasoned Tri State guys so I felt good and even better because I knew absolutely nothing about my controller or really what I was doing. 

Since then and oddly enough, those same guys that I saw that I "could never be like," I race with today and considered as one of the big boys and I too have the big box and parts just as I first saw them with. It's funny how things work out when you take it one step at a time.

So in summary, I run HO because that's what I grew up with.

Rick
www.tsrho.com


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## JazzyJerome (Feb 14, 2012)

Two Guys and Sears catalog, another old guy.


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## vansmack2 (Feb 9, 2012)

[email protected] said:


> I race HO. Received my first Tyco set Christmas of 1980 at the age of 4. Still have the cars from when I was a kid. Only broke or traded off 5 cars growing up. I'd generally get a new Tyco set every year till I was 16. At 16 when I put them away I had 44 cars and US 1 trucks. Thanks to paper routes and Christmas.
> 
> They sat in storage until 2003. When my Daughter found them and wanted me to show her what I had as a kid. Now that I have the bug again I have over 167 cars and counting. 99% are Tyco. Although I'm starting to like the Auto World cars. As I get older and my nerve damage gets worse. (shaking and numbness) I may be only a collector and no longer a racer, builder, or maintainer. Been struggling just getting tires on the rims lately. Waiting on tests.


Try not to let the nerve damage get you down. Race any way possible. Back around 1980 I had a quadriplegic friend with limited hand/arm movement. I taped the Aurora AF/X controller to his wheelchair and he raced a damn good race around a 20 to 25 foot oval track.


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## vansmack2 (Feb 9, 2012)

So many stories and great memories so here is mine.

I got my first slot car set for Christmas at 10 years old, that was in 1968. My dad woke us kids up at 5 am to open our presents and there was an Eldon 1/32 scale figure 8 set all setup. It is such a great memory because most of the family got involved in the racing, as well as some foreign exchange students my older sister brought over later in the day. I also got an AT&T (American Train & Track) HO train set that same year, and I still have it sans the engine, which I replaced.

The following year (1969) I got a second Eldon set for Christmas to expand my existing one. The Eldons were OK, but they did not handle that great. I don't remember when I got my first Aurora HO set but I ending up having a good amount of track and several cars. I could not keep my track setup and having to take it down and set it up many times lead to the typical locking clicking breaking and having to use the metal clips on the underside to keep the track together. I remember having the Cheetah, blue Camaro and quite a few others. I also came across some Strombecker 1/32 track somewhere, but I don't remember where from.

I got hooked on the Aurora HO because they handled better than the Eldon and took up less space. I loved, and still love, speed, so I went from the T-jets to the MagnaTraction, then G-Plus and on to Tomy Turbos, SRTs and Super G-Plus cars. I still have a few of my original MagnaTraction bodies, but all except two of my cars are now running either Turbo, SRT, or Super G-Plus chassis. The two that are on MagnaTraction chassis are police overheads. When the Tomy track came out in 1986 in started buying it, and using it instead of the old Aurora track. 

I now have over 200 feet of track, and over 100 cars, plus several loose bodies that I want to get chassis for. I have 2 complete Thunderloop Thriller sets, one Formula 1 Duel set, and one I think is called Giant Raceway, but I might be wrong on that name. The Giant raceway set has 62.5 feet of track and was purchased at Sam's Club. I also have several other pieces of track, like 18 inch curves and too many others to list.

I don't get to setup my track much at present because I am very busy, but I also don't have much room to set it up at present.

I have two sons, one 24 from my first marriage, and one 7 from my current second, and hopefully last, marriage. My oldest son never cared for the slot cars. My 7 year old loves them and looks forward to playing with them, so hopefully he will be part of the continuing hobby.

As for my original T-Jets and track, I gave that stuff to my youngest brother and have no idea what happened to them after that. As far as I know he no longer has any of it.

I could go on more, but that is enough. I still love the HO slot cars, and HO trains.

In closing, Whenever I have time, which is not much, I am working on converting a G-Plus chassis to run on HO train track to use the Johnny Lightning DeLorean body on it.

Take care all!

Dave


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## JazzyJerome (Feb 14, 2012)

Thanks for responding Dave I like to hear everyone's tale of what got them into the hobby. I hope your younger son develops a lifetime love like we have.


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## Shadowracer (Sep 11, 2004)

I'm 42. I grew up in the 70s and early 80s, and electric slot racing wasn't something that I had a lot of experience with. Sure...pretty much everyone I knew had an HO set in their closet, but I don't remember ever playing these with my friends. I think the boom had died down by then. 

So HO slot are not a nostalgia thing for me....._mostly_. I only recall an electric race track under the tree once, and it didn't get much replay. 

However, as a couple folks have alluded to: Hot Wheels was another story....I had a whack of cars and track big enough to send collectors into orgasmic fits if I still had all that stuff. (of course, I'm one of a legion of guys that can tell THAT story.) My Dad even set up a makeshift table for my Thundershift 500 set with the track actually screwed down. So while slot cars might have no real nostalgia for me, the idea of having a racetrack on a table in the basement certainly does. 

An aside: That old HW stuff was awesome, as all the cars were meant to be raced on all the tracks...and the replay value and creative outlet of those toys make it a crying shame they don't use that business model any more. 

Anyway....so for a wee track rat like me (Dad was a 1:1 racer) it was standard procedure to go to the races with a pocket full of cars, then mess around at the top of the hill at the track with the other wee track rats, carving racetracks in the dirt and running our cars till the sun went down and we went to find our moms in the grandstands. 

So, for an older fella with a nostalgia for little cars, and a love for actual 1:1 racing, would lead one naturally to slot racing. And here I am.

If there's a nostalgia thing for me here with HO racing, it may be for 2 reasons: 

1 - That HO cars and dinky cars are about the same size. (I don't know about the rest of the world, but in my neck of the woods, Hot Wheels, Matchbox, Corgis, and all other little push cars were just referred to as "dinky cars".) And for everything else...the track building, the car tweaking...all the stuff that is "adult" about slot cars *completely disappears* once I actually have the controller in my hand and the car is motoring around the track. _Then_ I'm 8 years old again. And that is a beautiful feeling. 

2. - That they're not terribly expensive and its not hard to amass a pretty good collection of cars. (Anyone who went to play as a kid and had a Crown Royal bag full of Hot Wheels will get that) And I think that mantaining a 20 buck or so price point for regular slot cars keeps them well within reach for the casual hoarder.

Nostalgia aside, HO scale is reasonable space-wise. You can have a perfectly kick ass 4 lane track on a 4x8, and if you can go bigger, its just gravy. With 1/32 you won't get a good 4 laner in that space. Some guys swear by the 16 foot straightaway, but I tell ya - I race weekly on a buddy's 4 x 8 and its _more_ than good enough. (Shadow's yet-to-be-named Raceway is currently planned as a 4 x 12...and I only went bigger than my buddy's because I like a little green space on my layout. His is well-crammed.) 

Every scale has its features. No one does detail and accuracy like the 1/32 guys. And a nice 4 lane 1/32 track is a treat to run on if you can afford the space. (and the track. Some of that stuff is seriously expensive) And there's the fact that you can get 3-5 brand new HO cars at suggested retail for the price of one of the nicer 1/32s. That may be different elsewhere, but in my area the shops that have 1/32 are selling the nice ones for like 70-80 bucks. eek.

1/24 offers a lot from a car modeling/kitbashing standpoint because of the scale. Downside is where do you race em? We have a 1/24 raceway here and I never saw a hardbody on it once. 

Anyway...there's my reasons for HO.

Trev out.


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## JazzyJerome (Feb 14, 2012)

Good story Trev we are about the same age so I'm assuming its a regional thing. HO slot cars were all that here. We use to race car for car and chump change lol :dude:


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