# Okay... after 15 years away... I'm gonna start again



## harske (Feb 7, 2006)

Fellow slotters...

"Hi guys... my name is John, and I have a problem."

It's not quite a 'problem', but this whole slot-car thing has been a recurring theme throughout my life, and it is with some real hesitation that I say I feel myself falling back 'into it'.

Little bit of a backstory. I'm 37, living in Northern Virginia. I have an engineering background, and I recently started my own business. I grew up on Tyco tracks, and have had a track around through most of my life. I dabble for a while, then put it down..... dabble..... drop. I should point out that I'm totally into realism, so I'm not into it to see what lap times I can get, or how tricked out I can make a car. I, and my friends growing up, were always into how real we can make a car look, and how realistically we can make it perform. I think it safe to say that I'm in the minority on that one, and that's ok..... to each his own. But I feel myself having matured to the stage where I can finally see this thing through without bailing at the first sign of slotters-block.

I've had this conceptual idea for the last 20 years or so, and at various times in my life have picked it up and inched it a little further along. Well, at 37 it's time to dookie or get outta the restroom, right? I figure things are about right for me to see one of my ideas through to completion. I have modified some diecast cars.... mostly 1/64 scale NASCAR style stockcars to turn them into slotcars. I've also had a place in Oklahoma do some stereo-lithography of my CAD designed dirt late model, and it turned out pretty slick. Some of them have turned out so well, you really don't know it's a slot car from a diecast. I designed my own track, and had a CNC place in Wisconsin that I worked with in my professional life cut me a track. It's a little different than anything I've seen out there, at least commercially.

So, down to it. It's now to the point of being a labor of love, but I do think there may be a market for what I have designed. I have been away from this for enough time to pass by that I don't know where to get parts. I need some pretty specifically sized stuff, and have relegated myself to making my own chassis. I need some wheels and tires that match the size of the diecast. I've searched this forum since I found it last week, as well as the internet, but haven't been able to match up what you guys 'in-the-know' are talking about with Part Numbers from various online places. I need a tire and wheel combo that's about .440" OD x .200" wide. I know that sounds fundamental, but I want it to be on as realistic a looking rim as possible. I will pay for one-offs and higher end customs to get my prototypes together, but am really looking for bulk items in case I decide to market my finished product. My design is all based from the track surface up, so once I settle on wheels and tires I'll be pretty much off and running. I'll post some pictures of my shop and setup probably this weekend, just to give you curious guys a look-see.

If you've made it this far into my manifesto, I sincerely appreciate it, and look forward to starting up some good dialogue about all things slots. In the meantime, if you or anyone you know is interested in pointed an 'old newbie' in the right direction, it would be totally appreciated.

Thanks again...

John


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## noddaz (Aug 6, 1999)

Sounds great....
And welcome aboard.
Do you have any pictures you could share with us of your cars or track?
Scott


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## T-jetjim (Sep 12, 2005)

John- I liked the manifesto and wish you luck getting back into the hobby. Unfortunately, I don't have the answers you are looking for. I do not get fine tuned to the point of knowing all of the OD/ID of tire dimensions. I run a MM lock and joiner track so my needs and wheel heights might be different than those on other tracks.
Like Scott, I would love to see some pics.
Jim


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## JordanZ870 (Nov 25, 2004)

Welcome and welcome back to the hobby, eh?!

Have you been to Road Race Replicas hunting for your wheels yet?

We are looking forward to seeing your pics. Anything new that comes into the hobby is a good thing. There are so few new marketable items. Keep at it! :thumbsup:


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## Montoya1 (May 14, 2004)

Supertires make a 438 and 442 for Tyco. Not sure of width.

Supertires: http://www.supertires.com/specs.htm

Tyco rear axles: http://jaghobbies.com/ho_slot_cars/slot_cars.htm

Do you plan to have website?


dw


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## harske (Feb 7, 2006)

Fellas...

Thanks for the welcome, and thanks Montoya for the links. I think what I may try first is front and rear wheel sets for the HP7. That is the chassis and car that I am most familiar with and most closely matches what I'm up to.

I went to take some preliminary shots of my stuff earlier today but my digital camera had already sucked the life out of the only AA batteries in the house. I will get some this afternoon, and get some pics up here later on tonight.

Thanks again dudes... and I really look forward to some great constructive discussions!

J


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## Montoya1 (May 14, 2004)

Without knowing exactly what you have in mind, I can't comment overly much.

Personally I like the HP7 and I wish Tyco had continued with it rather than make the 440 range. The 440 cars, especially the X2 are beautifully engineered but they are not as user friendly as a developed HP7 would have been.

I'm in something of a minority view on that as most racers (especially in the US) are competent enough and happy to pull apart chassis like the X2 and Tomy SG+.

I stand to be corrected by I think a lot of the HP7 parts swap onto the later Tyco chassis including gears, axles & bodyshells.

Looking forward to whatever it is you are up to. Not sure what you mean about relegating yourself to making your own chassis.



dw


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## roadrner (Jul 21, 1999)

harske,
Welcome back and just remember, we like pix!  rr


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## zanza (Sep 23, 2005)

Welcome Harske, from Switzerland in Europa


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## harske (Feb 7, 2006)

Thanks again for the welcomes, and it's really good to see so many people from so many vastly different areas of the globe. I've always said more heads are better than mine,... or something like that, so I look forward to input from across the pond as well.

I finally uploaded some photos, so I guess if you click on my gallery you'll be treated to the preliminary views of my workshop and my track. I should point out that we just moved in, so my workshop is still being used for storage. But the cool thing is, that the entire room you see in the photo called 'sorkshop' is mine to use however I choose. I know, I know. Now I'm just bragging. ;-)

I'm still unpacking my hoby stuff, so I haven't found all my slot stuff yet. The 2001 #24 car is a modified Tyco 440, and the 2005 #2 is my current original prototype. I'm still playing with wheels and tires, but I'm leaning towards HP7 type, and toying with the idea of using rears all the way around. Like I said in my previous post, scale size and realism are more inportant to me than balls-out performance, so we'll see how it shakes out. I'm hoping to make some good headway this weekend on either the track or the chassis, so hopefully I'll have an update on Sunday or Monday. But, as I'm sure alot of you can agree with... just because I have a dedicated workshop doesn't mean I always get to be in it! ;-)

Take care everyone, and thanks again for welcoming me with open controllers.

Ciao!

J


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## Montoya1 (May 14, 2004)

Track looks ace, racing line - wow! You gotta make that stuff available to us all.

When I spoke about taking the HP7 forward, I had exactly in mind what you are doing with your chassis - it too looks brill.

What plans for traction magnets do you have? Are you aware there are several better can motors out there you could use such as the the red-wire motor from the Tomy Turbo/SRT (see below)

Some fantastic Nascar bodies there, what are they?

Keep plugging away & keep us posted, OK?


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## T-jetjim (Sep 12, 2005)

Montoya- You mentioned that you like the HP-7 chassis. What do you do to get improved handling/performance out of this chassis? Although I can probably guess that you have a repalcement magnet bar for the HP-7 that allows for some neo's to be attached! Please share your HP-7 hop up secrets!
Jim


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## vaBcHRog (Feb 19, 2003)

Vincent Wheels at of Germany,

I will drop my friend Clasu a email and see what he can find out

Roger Corrie


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## Montoya1 (May 14, 2004)

T-jetjim said:


> Montoya- You mentioned that you like the HP-7 chassis. What do you do to get improved handling/performance out of this chassis? Although I can probably guess that you have a repalcement magnet bar for the HP-7 that allows for some neo's to be attached! Please share your HP-7 hop up secrets!
> Jim


I haven't actually done anything to improve the cars speed that could be done on a proper scale as the sqaure neo magnets I used had to be glued in place. What I did with the turbo (a resin bar with neo rounds set into it) simply did not work in the HP as the mags were too small, so I found magnets that could glue in.

If was working on the chassis again, I could simply get the whole bar made in neo. A small run would cost me $600 but I don't think the market is there

The other thing I did was put in a hot stock armature. I always felt that had I been in charge of Tyco I would have stuck with the HP7 and made the improvements above. The 440 is such a good piece of engineering, I gotta imagine the R&D cost a lot of money.


dw


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## boss9 (Apr 19, 2002)

Fifteen years? 
Ahhh...just a drop in the bucket! 

Welcome back!
We all look forward to what innovations you can bring to the party.

...and welcome to the boards!  


Cheers..


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## Montoya1 (May 14, 2004)

harske said:


> Thanks again for the welcomes, and it's really good to see so many people from so many vastly different areas of the globe. I've always said more heads are better than mine,... or something like that, so I look forward to input from across the pond as well.
> 
> I finally uploaded some photos, so I guess if you click on my gallery you'll be treated to the preliminary views of my workshop and my track. I should point out that we just moved in, so my workshop is still being used for storage. But the cool thing is, that the entire room you see in the photo called 'sorkshop' is mine to use however I choose. I know, I know. Now I'm just bragging. ;-)
> 
> ...


Time for an update?


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