Toy makers found it a necessity to duplicate the quality that car manufacturers have applied on their automobiles, thus paving the way for the creation of slot cars. But did you know that the first slot cars were not really clamped on slots?
The first commercial slot cars were made by Lionel in 1912, and were being operated on rails similar to that of modern trains. These were often referred to as Rail Cars, and they were built with spare model train motors and parts.
The appearance of these slot cars was surprisingly almost similar to what we have today, except for the fact that during these early years, the cars can only run on a single pace. You can't make them run faster or slower.
During the late 1930s, slot cars were powered by small combustion engines, allowing them to dash through the rails at a faster speed. Human intervention is still not possible, and the slot cars were just being clamped to a single central rail so that they will not lose their track.
As years went by, and with the continuous improvement in technology and in electronics, hobbyists began to conduct experiments on how toy cars can become controllable. They installed hand-built motors inside the cars, thus permitting speed adjustments and manipulation in the presence of a human who acts as the controller.
1954 was a milestone for slot cars and slot car racing. This was the year when the first electronic racecourse was created. Hobbyists became driven as ever on slot car racing as the electricity-powered racecourse further increased the popularity of slot cars. Racing clubs eventually switched from center rails to slots in the track surface.
Slot car racing was at its peak during the 1960s, where slot car facilities began to grow in multitude in every town. Major manufacturers like Eldon, Revell and Scalextric began to make home sets and became commercial successes.
By the late 1970s, there was a gradual decline in the slot car frenzy; perhaps this can be attributed to other technological advancements that sparked interest to other hobbyists.
In the 1990s, slot cars had more detailed and intricate designs, thanks mainly to the computer which made it possible to design a model, even on 3D. The hobby is currently in a sort of revival with makers like Scalextric and Carrera making a comeback. The renewed interest also spurred hobbyists to collect vintage slot cars that became popular during the early years.
The most modern of the slot cars are the digitized ones, which were invented in 2004. Digital slot cars have the ability to race on multiple, providing a more realistic simulation of car racing.
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.
Most cars won't perform their best when raced straight out of the box. They are just not competitive enough for racing against other cars that have received some modifications. Fine-tuning is very much needed to shake off the mass production settings of the car.
Braids The original braids of slot cars are often too small for good performance. A little push to keep them apart will do the trick of allowing them closer contact to the rail. For better performance, exchange the original braids with softer ones to reduce friction and enhance electrical conductivity. Always do routine maintenance to the braids to keep them free of dirt.
Rims and Tires Slot cars are molded from plastic and as such, are likely to have burrs in some areas which could affect the performance of the car. Remove all burrs as much as possible. Remove, especially, the burrs on each wheel and polish the rim to make it completely round.
To do this, remove each wheel and give the rim a more round profile. Put back the wheels and run the car on sandpaper for a few seconds. This process, called 'truing the tires', should polish the entire circumference of each wheel. For further polishing, you can soak the wheels with oil to soften the rubber.
Clean the tires. Use light fuel to rub the entire with a clean sheet to remove dirt. You can do this for routine maintenance and every after race to keep the tires free from dirt.
Some people glue the tires to the rim to prevent these from spinning. You can do this if you don’t want the axles of your car's wheels to move during the race.
Cleaning Routine maintenance is a key component of keeping the car's performance at its best. After each race, cars get dirty. This is especially true if you are racing on simulated rally courses that use either cocoa powder or flour to substitute for dirt or snow.
Check the entire car for dirt, especially the interior or chassis. Check the chassis for dust and dirt and wipe these out.
Motor Serious attention should be given to the car's motor. Needless to say, the motor should always be clean and well maintained.
Prior to the race, most racers make it a habit to warm up the motor before putting the car on the track. This should take more or less a few hours to complete. When doing this, be sure to gradually increase the voltage to ensure that the car gets the power it needs to perform well.
To prevent wear and tear, most racers attach the motor to the chassis permanently. Do this by either gluing the motor to the chassis or by taping it.
Chassis Just like real racecars, the chassis of any slot car should be optimized for performance. Sanding the sides of the car as well as loosening the screws will do the trick.
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.
Slot car racing, by the name itself, is focused on controlling the car while on the track. The name 'slot' itself refers to the grooves in the racetrack that prevents the cars from falling off of the track. But slot car racing needs more than grooves for total control. Drivers need to have something in their hands to have full control over the acceleration, breaking and general performance of their slot car. They need the slot car controller.
Analog Slot Car Controllers Analog slot car controllers are handheld devices that distribute the desired amount of voltage to the slot car on the track. A trigger, a common part of the controller, is connected to an electrical contact that is then connected to a resistor. When this trigger is squeezed, the track sends more voltage to the car, thereby causing it to pick up speed. When released, the reverse happens and the car slows down. The resistance of the controller is measured in ohms which should be noted as changes in the resistance positively affect the response time of the car.
But analog slot car controllers provide more than better manageability of the voltage received by the car. Without this, drivers would have lesser ability to make turns when needed or to follow a straight path where there are long straight sections on the track.
Modifications in the extent of control controllers provide have somewhat emerged in recent years. As opposed to the older system of squeezing and releasing the trigger to speed up or slow down the car, newer controllers now provide at-the-push-of-the-button breaking system. These controllers come with an integrated button which sends negative voltage (remember the positive effect of resistance on response time?) to the slot car's electric motor. This action then causes the car to stop.
Improvements in analog slot car controllers have also paved the way for even better control on the breaking system. More advanced controllers are not equipped with a highly accurate system of controlling breaking power which lends these newer controllers a decent advantage over drivers during turns in the track.
Electronic Slot Car Controllers Electronic slot car controllers, on the other hand, pick up where their older counterparts left off. Unlike analog controllers, these do not use the same system of power delivery to the grooves on the track. Instead, these use an electronic circuit that distributes the precise voltage amount needed by the car. This also offers better car performance, improved control of the car, and better command with virtually all motor setups. These also work very well with cars that have different magnet setups.
Getting Yourself A Slot Car Controller Choosing between an analog and electric slot car controllers is basically a matter of preference. Most slot car drivers begin with analog slot car controllers. These are relatively much cheaper than electronic ones and do not require much know-how and electronic savvy. Enthusiasts, on the other hand, prefer the more complex system used in electronic slot cars.
Electronic controllers allow better power manageability and excellent breaking systems which make it very easy for drivers to control their cars on the racetrack.
