Club Arnage

Hello everybody

I have some scalextric tracl, and my 'powerbase' is donald - ducked. I've seen powerbases on fleabay but they are the digital models (not the 'sport digital' ones which allow for lane changing.) but the track looks like kwik fit together stuff.

What I'm wondering (you're probably ahead of me here) is can you use the classic track with the new snap together tackle?

Cheers

Nick

I've bought an R8 and the dome, and would like to redress the balance (in miniature at least)

I believe that you can get converter pieces to connect the old track and the new track, so that the newer style powerbase will fit.

We've only got the sport track which santa clause kindly brought my son 2 years ago.

Or did Santa buy it for Santa?
btw, can anybody explain the benefits of digital track to me?  I too, only have the sport track.

Hi nickliv, is this what you mean?>> http://www.scalextric.com/track-7/converter-straight-175mm-2-c8222/product.html

I believe JPChenet has a layout somewhere on his computer 8)

The new digital Scalextric track was developed for Hornby by the Scientific Generic group (my previous paraent company) now called Sangentia www.sangentia.co.uk, if you really get stuck drop them an email.

Hi Nick,

I'm a bit of a closet Scalextric buff and have a a good couple of hundred yards of track and about 150 cars at the last count. With regards to powerbases you have to be a little careful, what you want is most likely an old classic powerbase that works with all hand controllers. The powerbases you describe on ebay are scalextric sport (not digital, sport) and your classic controllers won't work with these you would need to buy two sport controllers as well. Like the people say you can buy convertor track to then hook the sport powerbase into your classic track setup.
Now digital that is a whole different kettle of fish. Digital handcontrollers won't work with classic or sport powerbases they need the digital powerbase, of which there are two types, one will allow 4 cars to run simultaneosly, the other will allow upto six to run on the two lanes. Digital cars will work on classic and sports track, but non-digital cars will not run on a digital setup unless you have soldered the relevant convertor chip between the pick-ups and the motor, you also need to cut a hole in your car to allow the lane change sensor to see the track.
I was looking into the cost of converting my set-up to digital and the lane change and powerbase is not overly expensive, but the cost to convert the 50 cars that I run on a regular basis was going to work out a more than £500. Each saloon/sports car convertor chip cost £11 to buy, I am planning to write to Hornby and see if they can do me a deal on a bulk load. Either that or I will join a club once I have moved and see if I can wangle a discount through them.

Its a pity all my stuff is in storage at my mums or I would have just sent you a new one in the post I have about 20 of the things I have picked up at carboots, you have to buy the sets to get the cars for spares or whatever. If you are still looking for one in a few months when I get all the stuff back after the house move you can have one.

I found this on ebay, its the sports powerbase but comes with the two sports controllers you would need, you can tell sports controllers from classic by the colour of the trigger (classic = yellow and orange, sports = blue and red). Then all you would need would be a pair of convertor tracks on either side that Paddy posted.


http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/NEW-SCALEXTRIC-SPORT-POWER-BASE-TRANSFORMER-CONTROLLERS_W0QQitemZ200079601486QQihZ010QQcategoryZ137908QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Alternatively here is an original classic powerbase looks like it could do with a Plebys clean though.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/SCALEXTRIC-CLASSIC-DOUBLE-POWERBASE-TRACK-UNIT-USED_W0QQitemZ160083578075QQihZ006QQcategoryZ137908QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/New-style-throttles-power-supply-and-track-N0-2_W0QQitemZ230093160284QQihZ013QQcategoryZ137908QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

I'm being a bore now but this is what you want, its cleaner, has two controllers with it and has a buy it now price of £7.50 and that includes p+p, bargain. I'm gonna go to bed now.

bloody hell Jay,weve finally hit on a thread that you're an expert on!!
PM

Thanks, Jay, for clearing that up.  Even Mr Termite didn't really know and that's a first!

In the absence of threads on analytical chemistry, Scalextric would probably be the next best bet for me.

Jay

You are not being a bore. I have just 'bought it now'  You are a star. (I thought about asking if I could pop over to Banchory and pick a piece up, but my wife may have had something to say about it.)

Which SCX R8 and Dome did you buy? I have the 2004 RfH Dome (the one with the black wheels - not the yellow ones) and the Crocodile ALMS Adelaide R8, and also the Gulf Johannsen R8.

Anybody else got the RML Lola? - positively the fastest thing we own.  My pride and joy - A Fly Lola T70 in David Piper green with the base signed by "himself".  (Mr T knows the way to a woman's heart!) I haven't had the guts to run it though.

Whatever you do don't even put it near the track, do what I do with stuff like the Aston Martin DBR9, buy one to race and another to keep mint. The mint one being the signed one obviously  ;)

I don't have the RML Lola, but I have the factory MG-Lola and the Knighthawk MG-Lola which is the same chassis and shell as the RML car, and your right it goes like **** of a stick. The fastest Scalextric car I have found recently (straight out the box) is the cheap Audi TT and porsche boxsters they sell. I think they are designed for kids because you can chuck them at all but the sharp 90 degrees corners without them coming loose. No fun that though.

Fly or Slot-it cars are really quick but again they are normally too pretty to chuck round the track.

Scalextric are bringing out later in the year the Audi factory R10 and the Porsche DHL Penske spyder. I'll be adding them to my collection certainly.

Slot cars are a pretty good drain on the Termite finances without buying two of everything but I get your point! ;D  Some we look at, some we run.  The cheapy TTs sound perfect for me as I'm pretty cr*p!  A chance to slaughter Mr T perhaps.... ;)

http://www.scalextric.com/new-cars-for-2007,43,SAR.html

http://www.scalextric.com/2007-new-classic-cars,44,SAR.html

Have you got the new scalextric Ferrari?

I have about 15 Fly cars. The detail is amazing and I felt a bit guilty using them so most have never seen the track.

Before my daughters came along i was bitten by the collecting bug and tried to collect the Fly classic range and Le mans winners. I also got some of the Maroon UK Gaugemaster special editions.

There used to be a place in Bognor that hired out a 6 lane track, but since it closed about five years ago I have not had them out.

The best one one I had for racing was a 908/1, and a ninco Porsche GT1.

The 04 Kristiensen R8, and the 04 Dome (With yellow wheels)

A few of the stars!
(http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q103/cooperlola/fly.jpg)

Very nice. Mrs T

I have a photo on my computer of my post xmas purchases but don't know how to attach it to my post.

I use
http://photobucket.com/
Very easy to post on fora etc.

When you click to post, there is "Additional Options" where you can attach a file. Jpg files have to be smaller than a certain size, so it may need resizing.

Ooh, when his inevitable hangover abates, I'd like to have a look at that.

And one for fran.

(http://www.flymodelcars.com/pages/images/cars/flyracer/Originals/07065.jpg)

Cheers for the advice on posting photos, I shrunk my jpg using snagit so I hope it works. As I said this is all the cars I have bought since xmas. The rest are in storage at my mums whilst we move house.

Bloody hell!

Ohh very nice.  My model is just plain silver, but the doors, boot, bonnet and back window open!  ;D

The stuff arrived the day before yesterday, and it's spot on.

I think having immaculate boxed cars and ones to drive isn't a bad idea.

I'm tempted to do a permanent layout when I move house next year, so I'll be needing an authentic snatch vehicle :-

http://tinyurl.com/yuvoc6  ;D

I knew I downloaded it at the time. Took a bit of a search, but here it is...
http://www.drinkingforholland.com/Paddy/LEMANSTRACK.pdf

Have fun with it! 8)

No No.  You need a Manitou Maniscopic like at Le Mans.

http://tinyurl.com/2jp5c9 (http://tinyurl.com/2jp5c9)

Very true steve.

And a spare aircraft hangar eh Paddy?

When I move into my new permanent house in about 6 months to a year I am seriously considering building a permanent track, either a wooden routed track or a scalextric sport digital track. Check out slotforum.com for inspiration some of the permanent layouts done by the members are unbelievable. I am definetly going to have to brush up on my woodwork and modelling skills if I want to achieve anything really good though.

Slotforum has loads of good advice about powerbases and modifying the digital lane changers to prevent the powerbase from becoming overloaded - if you are serious about your slot cars.

Le Mans as a permanent track has one fatal flaw that rarely sees it used is that as it is effectively a large loop people with limited space i.e. a garage, shed, loft, slotcar den, see it as a very inefficient use of the space available. This is the problem with most modern circuits although their are exceptions such as Catalunya.

PS Nick I'm glad it worked.  ;)

We've considered doing the Bugatti but it's a nightmare scale-wise.  Currently some obscure part of the US Railroad system has triumphed in taking over one of the barns but maybe once I've got all our junk out of the other one.... ::)

Most Scalextric permanent layouts don't strictly fit scale the way model railways do. Their are some interesting discussions on this topic on the above mentioned forum.

Did not have scalextrix as a kid, but Triang minic -

who else knows this system?

Minic Motorways.  Most of my mates had this.  There was a Mk2 Jag, and a doubledecker bus.  Its worth a fortune now apparently.

I built brad a great layout (Still hinged up on his bedroom wall) but always had  alot of problems with thermal expansion and contraction of the track disorting it - are there any recognised solutions to this?

Not really for the classic track, the new sport track is supposed to be a lot better for that. Most rail distortions can be fixed quite easily with a lollipop stick or a small swiss army knife, just pop it in the slot and give it a sharp twist.

I had a look to see if anyone else had this problem and a few people in warmer climates than ours have had the thermal expansion problem on their permanent tracks, their solution after several warpangs and cracks was to remove one section of track when the circuit is not in use. This allows the track to expand and contract without any actual stress being placed on the rails.

Le Mans as a permanent track has one fatal flaw that rarely sees it used is that as it is effectively a large loop people with limited space i.e. a garage, shed, loft, slotcar den, see it as a very inefficient use of the space available. This is the problem with most modern circuits although their are exceptions such as Catalunya.

[/quote]

I can see what you mean, I'm quite tempted my the Brands GP circuit as there's not a huge amount of wasted space. It'd have to be properly done though, with the gradients etc. (And maybe that bit of the M 20 past the back of the loop as well.)

I suspect Google Earth may be my friend in the next 2 to 3 years.

Further to a permenent layout idea. I intend building a 7 by 11 M garage and workshop with 'storage' above. Probably usable space of 4 X 11 m. Storage can go down the edges under the eaves. I will have a Scalextric loft even if Mrs Liv kills me.

But I need to build the house to go with it first. Otherwise she really will kill me.

To celebrate becoming a doctor I invested in a Digital scalextric set. It is really good fun, I just need to get some more lane changers and I'll be sorted. Only problem is I have 200+ non-digital cars and at 10 quid a chip I don't think I will be converting them all. I think I will need two permanent layouts. God I need to buy a big house.

I had a mighty metro set when i was a wee fella that was mighty fun untill i wrecked the cars trying to make them do burnouts  :P but reading this has made me want a set again. any suggestions for a basic set for arsing about with and can the modern cars do burnouts yet???  ;D

You used to be able to get a piece of track which looked a bit like a rolling road, the rear wheels of the cars would sit on the rollers, and you could rev the nuts off them, smoke oil would then give you a burnout effect, moving a switch would release both cars at the same time, for a 'fair' race start. I never had one, but I do remember seeing them in the dim and distant past.

Now that would be cool  ;D i would end up smoking the whole house out though :-\ i used to just put a book or somethig heavy in front of the car and rev it up,end result being 2 burned out motors and a very upset 10 year old.

http://tinyurl.com/2gwwkw

My brother and I used to put fairy liquid on the track for big slides around the corners, its a miracle we're still here

And

http://tinyurl.com/2cfkh4

WD40 was our 'ice' of choice when we were kids.

Yeah,i used the fairy liquid method  ;D i will never forget the sight of a mighty metro smashing the glass front on the fire and getting shouted at even though it was my dad in control of that car  ::) aparently it was my fault for showing him how to slide it.

If you go to most car boots you can usually find a mighty metro set or similar. I have loads of them and never pay more than a fiver for them.

As a wee lad, my aunt bought me a 'Zip Raceway' which had a metal/tin track.  Talc' on the corners was brill.

Scalextric was originally built by Minimodels of Havant. They used to dump their rejects at Bedhampton (now called Harts farm Way).  Me and me pals used to scavenge for bits there.

When I finally got a Scalextric, I had a sharknose Ferrari, D Type and a Lister Jag with lights. That was in the early 60's.

Probably got abot 50 slot cars in my collection - latest is the Olive Garden Lola from the ALMS race at Silverstone in 2000 - cool car, looks like a boat! Got LM winners since 1997 (my first year) except the '01, '02 Audi's and '03 Bentley, waiting on the '06 Audi. Also got a whole raft of cars from 1970 (probably about 25 of them) building the Porsche 914/6 at the moment from a 1:32 scale model kit - should be cool. Also converting an old Airfix 1:32 scale Alvis Stalwart to a slotcar - should be a bit of fun if rather slow!

cheers! AB.

Airfix did there own version of slot racing in the 60s. Not very good or popular if I recall.

http://pws.prserv.net/gbinet.dbjames/mrrc.htm

Adrian,

Are you getting the slotcars ready for the kids? ;) My collection must be around 500 cars or so. I haven't counted them in a long time. Also have about 25 kits that need to be finished, just haven't had the time. I find myself watching races on TV and checking out the barriers and advertisements more than the race itself. It's all about the scenery really.

Sew on and sew on....
Chris

Hi Chris, no way are the boys playing with daddys' cars!!! Having seen the pictures of your track the scenary looks fine to me as it is, still looking at the barriers can sometimes be more interesting than the race - guess Alonso was looking at the scenary whilst screwing over Lewis in the pits during qually today, he certainly wasn't getting on with doing his job.

cheers! Adrian.