Slot cars come in different scales – from the smaller HO scale to the larger 1:24 scale. The best scale size for you actually depends on how much room you can use to work with it and what you are planning to do with the car.
Most slot car drivers these days settle with the generic HO scale. This scale varies from the smallest scale 1:82 to the larger scale of 1:64 and is relatively less expensive than the larger models. Originally, these scale sizes were used to create model railroad accessory cars in the 1960s and later evolved into the now popular HO scale.
This scale size run on smaller tracks and is best suited for home racetracks. The larger scales are equally popular too because of the intricate detailing that is often given to them. They are also more or less the exact miniature copy of the original model and are often raced in hobby shops and clubs. Because of their large size, they are often not seen among enthusiasts who race at home.
The 1:24 scale is the biggest there is. Although generally more expensive than their smaller cousins, this scale is preferred by slot car enthusiasts, hobbyists and collectors as these often feature the exact appearance and even performance of their much bigger counterparts. This is the scale that is often raced in competition circles.
Despite their size, large scales are less maintenance-hungry. Routine maintenance is also very easily done because there are no tiny parts that need extra attention.
The main disadvantage of using cars falling under this scale is that you need plenty of space to race them. The tracks, even while they are digital, need to accommodate the size of the car, about 7 to 8 inches long. If you have enough space, this is the best car for you. If not, it is advisable that you settle with racing in hobby shops or settle with much smaller cars.
1:32-sized cars, which are in general 5 to 6 inches long, are more popular in home racetracks than their larger cousins. These usually have decent detailing and can be modified to perform in the same manner that the original models perform. Only, the performance is scaled down as well.
1:32 is perhaps the most popular competition scale both in competition circles and home racetracks. This often requires an 8 by 16 feet track that could fit any decent sized basement or garage.
HO scales belong to the smallest of commercially available slot cars. Cars under this scale are 2 ½ to 3 ½ inches long and may or may not resemble the exact appearance of the car they are modeled after. The motors of the smaller cars are often bigger than what could actually fit the chassis so manufacturers usually modifying the appearance of the exterior.
As was previously mentioned, HO scales are currently the most popular scales there are. These could be found in home racetracks and are also quite common in competition circles.
There is more to slot cars than just being miniature mock-ups of real race cars. Most of them are lovingly made from scratch by slot aficionados and most of these cars can be modified to achieve better performance. Driving skills matter a lot in slot car racing because nothing's really keeping the car on track aside from the blade or pin in its bottom. So you really need to be proficient enough to make sure the cars don't fly off in the track's twists and turns.
Slot Car Sizes
Slot cars are available in different sizes including:
1:24 scale size– slot cars with this size need large course, making them inappropriate for home use. Most of the time, 1:24 racing is held at commercial or club tracks. Cars included in this type come seven to eight inches long.
1:32 scale size – this is the most popular slot car size. These cars come smaller than 1:24 scale cars so they are more suitable for home enthusiasts. These are also a common choice for racers and hobbyists out there. Most 1:32 slot cars measure five to six inches long.
HO-sized slot cars – these cars differ in scale, ranging from 1:97 to 1:64 scale sizes. No matter what their size are, they operate on track with the same width. A typical HO-sized slot car may come 2.5 to 3.5 inches long.
Aside from these three major scales, 1:43 slot cars are also available in the market as toddler's toys. In the 1960s, 1:48 slot cars were also marketed.
Slot Car Components
• Body Also called shell, this component is made up of solid molded plastic and is fitted over the car's chassis. Much like in real cars, the weight of the vehicle's body as well as the distribution of the said weight are considered in building a slot car. Attached to the body is an interior portion which oftentimes contains a driver figure. To make room for the motor and other components, most slot car interiors come only half the body's height.
• Electric motor This component can be positioned in front, in the middle, or in the rear of the slot car. Motors are rated by means of their speed or their revolutions per minute. This factor is determined by gauging the quantity of voltage received by the motor.
• Guide Dubbed as guide flag, this is the plastic piece placed under the vehicle's chassis to assist the car in running along the slot. This guide, which holds the braids, pivots in the slot.
• Gears These components play a major role in the slot car's acceleration and speed. Standard gears, including the small gear that's connected to the motor, can be upgraded using aftermarket components to deliver better performance.
• Magnets These components are installed in the front and rear portion of the slot to provide the vehicle with downforce. This makes sure the vehicle does not fly off the track. Some racers prefer slot cars without magnets and favor the use of lead weights. Some even want to race without magnets or weights at all.
• Microchip Not all slot cars come equipped with such component. The microchip allows the slot car to follow a car in the same race track or to change lane at a pre-set portions on the track.
Most components of slot cars can be modified, upgraded, or improved for better performance. However, without a track, your slot car will look nothing more like a car model.
Carrying out routine maintenance on slot cars should be very easy. This is especially true if you are handling the larger scale sizes 1:24 and 1:32 which don’t have hard to reach very small parts, unlike with HO slot car models and other scales in between.
Critical to performing car maintenance is knowing the model of your car. Although the basic components of slot cars are pretty much the same, there are some minor variations with each model. Before you open your own, check out model information first so you can be sure that you are not doing anything wrong with your car. If, for any reason, there is a need to replace a part, you should check available parts for that particular in online stores and hobby shops near you.
If you don’t wish to open your car yourself, it is advisable that you have a professional do it for. If, however, you prefer to do it on your own, you should take note of the first step to opening up a model – removing a few screws to separate the shell from the chassis. After opening the model, you should inspect the following:
Braids Braids, or brushes as other drivers call them, are the wires connected to the side of the track that send power to the motor. Although these are generally for keeping the slot car powered and running, they are also very important to keep the car attached to the grooves on the track. Worn out braids won't do that. Worse, they won't guarantee that your car receives the power it needs.
It is, thus, very important to replace worn out braids with new ones regularly. To do this, simply pull off the braids and replace them. New slot car sets often come with extra braids. If you've run out of these, you can always buy them in packs of 4 in slot car or hobby shops.
Gears If your car creates strange noise while running, you have problems with the gears. The best solution is often to replace the worn gears with new ones.
Motor Motors, no matter how excellently built they are, do not last forever. After long hours of racing, your motor should be replaced. A good sign that your motor needs replacement is when problems with speed and performance start to crop up.
Tires Your car's tires should be replaced whenever necessary as well. Bad tires affect performance. Often cars with bad tires often perform slower than those with perfectly good tires. Also, these tend to fly off of the racetrack as they no longer have the grip suitable for racing.
Replacing parts is not the only thing you should do during routine maintenance. Cleaning the entire car should also be part of the process. Usually, cars collect fluff, dirt and other components on the ground. To prevent these from affecting your car's performance, it is best to remove them regularly or after each race. You need not open the entire model every time though. You can simply scrape off the dirt or fluff using a small tool like a screwdriver or a pair of tweezers.
If, however, you wish to remove the fluff or dirt that has collected in the chassis of the car, you can unscrew the car and separate the chassis from the shell. This should allow you access to the gears which usually collect fibers, hairs and dirt.
Slot car racing is a very popular hobby among miniature car racing enthusiasts. It satisfies the inner speed demons among us and is a relatively inexpensive hobby for people who love building model cars. In this article, we will provide you with information that can help you not only save on buying slot cars and slot car accessories but also buying advices that will allow you to make the best choice:
Which slot car scale? There are 1 32 slot cars, 1 24 slot cars, HO slot cars and more.
Slot cars come in various scales and each scale has its own pros and cons. The larger scales, for example, have superb detailing and are often geared to perform according to the performance specs of the original cars they were modeled from. These are usually raced in competitions and are often considered among the cars worth collecting.
The main disadvantage of using the 1:24 scale, the largest there is, is that this takes so much space. The same is quite true with the smaller 1:32 scale. For a decent basic racetrack, you should at least have an 8 by 6 feet racetrack.
The space needed to accommodate the racetrack for larger scales is always a major consideration. If you have a small space available for your racetrack, it is often more advisable to stick with smaller scales, like the HO scale.
The HO scale is where the smallest of slot cars are categorized under. This includes small cars whose size ranges from 2 ½ inches to 3 ½ inches.
Now, when it comes to buying, it is very important to first check how much space you have for your toys. If you don’t think larger scales are good for you, it is advisable that you settle with the smaller ones. Also, if there are no race circuits for 1:24 and 1:32 slot cars near you, you should stick with smaller scales.
Which manufacturer? There are literally hundreds of companies that produce competition-ready slot cars for hardcore slot car racing enthusiasts to slot car toys for children. Obviously, you should look for those companies that produce high quality slot cars whose performance is optimized for racing. Among the most common manufacturers are Artin, Johnny Lightning, Carrera, Fly, Ninco, Monogram, and Scalextric. These differ in the quality of cars they produce as well as the price range. The most affordable cars are produced by Artin and the manufacturers that are known for winning the most race are Scalextric, Carrera and Johnny Lighting for individual scales. The high-end slot cars are produced by Fly.
Where to buy? Slot car shops can be found in brick and mortar shops as well as online shops. eBay, a very popular worldwide online bidding site, is where many slot car hobbyists and enthusiasts go for their supplies. Individual online vendors are also some of the best places to visit online to get your car sets. It is also a good idea to check out hobby shops near you.
How to buy? It doesn’t matter where you buy; what matters is how you buy. Slot cars command relatively inexpensive price tags although there are some well-made ones that could cost you a fortune. So do your research first before you buy your own car. It is important to know everything about the car first before you pay some serious money for it.
