Possible new rule for 2018?

[Deleted]

Personally, I'd like to have everyone pick a car and stick with it through the entire season. I just don't have the deep bench of vintage to keep shuffling through like most of you and I'm certainly not versed on whats what with the myriad of motor choices and whats good and whats not.

Thoughts?

[Jim Weickum]

I know David A and myself will run more than one car during the year. I may use the same chassis on a few different bodies. I will try to pick a different car for each race. I don't normally paint my cars, I run them the way the cars were made. I like to guess which car will work on each track. Some times I come in last, but I do have fun with my choices!!!

I know some people can only bring one car for each class. I have had an extra car that I brought with me to the races. I am willing to share this car if someone needs to use it during the races. My only request from the user is that they beat me during the races!! Steve was a fine example of that last year when he set quick time while using the loaner car!!! Thanks Steve for making me feel better, knowing that my cars can run better than I drive them.

Jim W

P.S. This year I looked at 26 different cars/bodies for the Vintage class. I wanted to use a different car for each heat??? Some of the cars I thought would be sure winners , but I couldn't drive them around to make a complete lap. Good thing I did not bring all of them to the races, the corner marshals would still be looking for some of my cars on the floor!!

[Jim Weickum]

When I first started with the club, I didn't have any cars to use. I didn't know what to do. I talked to different members to get a little advice. Steve told me about a book that Robert Schleicher had written in 1967, "Technical Journal of Model Car Racing". This was my first ever purchase on Ebay, as Steve had told me the book was available. Davis A. has told me about a book he likes to use. I have referenced these books over the years that I have been in the club, looking at what cars were made and the motors or chassis that were available. Some of my cars have come from the other members that I purchased during the Vintage swap meets. Most of my Vintage inventory of cars and parts have come from Ebay. Steve did warn me about this problem!!

Some of my cars use open frame motors and the rest use can motors. I seem to prefer open frame motors, when I can use one for the class. Some people think that an open frame has an advantage because of the exposed magnet. I can only tell you that I have run the open frame motors on the routed tracks and the car won there. The torque and braking of my open frame motors seem to suite my driving style. I have some high RPM can motors that have little torque. They are hard for me to drive. On a track without an adjustable controller, I can not adjust my "hand" to race like most of the winners do.

Jim W

[Daryl Payne]

I am not for keeping one car for the whole season. Esp vintage cars, when they break replacemet parts migtht be slow to come or never. Another problem, especial out here in the wild east. The only track I drive, outside of race day, is mine. I do not have another track within a less than 1 hour drive. The whole season is continued tuning, that gets adjusted with ever race, and every different track. I found out that a 6 volt vintage motor may be hard to drive on a non-adjustable controller. Or exceeds the amperage available.
Some cars just don't work well on some tracks. I would have driven a can motored car at PDR had i known, but then that was a new experience for most of us.

One thing I would like to see is a more uniform controller set-up system. Alligator clips would be a pretty good choice. It would not be very hard for a track owner to make a small converter for other controllers, It would be nice to be able to bring you own controller. Actually the club member could make their own easier than the track own could.

It would be a bummer to spend all summer building a car for the next season, and finding out it was a dud and you were stuck with it all year
I would like to hear more comments on the bringing your own controller.

[Tom Dolan]

As far as controllers go, Colpar, my track and Jim Weickums track have the same controllers. Fred's track has adjustable ones but the older style. I don't have a problem with racers bringing their own controllers as long as they have alligator clips--actually mine will handle Carrera style plugs too. As far as running one car all year-I don't think it's a good idea. I agree with Daryl's reasons. Different cars run differently on different tracks, tuning the same car for different tracks can be a pain for some. anyway, just my opinion.

Tom

[David Asbury]

I guess I'll throw in my two cents worth. I love to bring a few cars for each class and see what works best on any given track. I sure as hell wouldn't want to have to stay with a crappy car all season just because and don't want another rule like that to police. As for controllers most of the tracks are equipped with the same adjustable controllers. The exceptions being me, Bob, and Dave R's. I have one of that kind and one of the "old kind" but have found the non-adjustable to work real well on my track but understand the desire to have a standard controller.

[Deleted]

Hmm, guess basically the vintage classes are between the haves and the have nots. Maybe this isn't the club for me.

[Jim Weickum]

I have tried to pick my cars that would run good on the track that we are racing on each time. Each track is set up different. Some use 12 volt batteries, a track that may favor an open frame higher amp motor or a "commercial track" motor, like the Strombecker red Hemi. Other tracks use power supplies and are run at about 10 volts. These tracks would favor a small can motor, 16 or 16d, that draws less than one amp.

I have a roller test bench where I have ran some of my cars to check the RPM and amperage of the motor. The red Hemi will pull over 4 amps at start or acceleration and pull 2 amps running. This motor will rev to 45k at 12 volts. Looks like the best one to use, except it has little power at slow speeds and even less braking. The Revell SP500 motor will pull 0.1 amps and rev to 20k RPM. Most of the cars I use have motors that rev to 25k to 35k and pull about 0.6 amps. This includes the Atlas open frame motors and the Monogram X-110 motors. Using these numbers for a modern slot car motor would be make for an extremely fast and/or uncontrollable car on our tracks!!

If one was to have only one car for the year, would it be a car that could make it all year without failure? If it did fail, could you get replacement parts? Would the car pass inspection? Is the car the same one that four other guys are using? What if you brought the car and you didn't know you could upgrade the motor or tires and wheels? This has happened to me, so I made changes on a car throughout the season.

Not being a Vintage authority, I have tried different cars and motors to make mine and others racing more enjoyable. I would hate to keep marshaling a car all year that couldn't stay on the track and having to reset the guide straight every time it came off.

Jim W

[Jim Weickum]

I do not know why anyone could not bring a different controller to most tracks to use. Most tracks are setup with alligator clips. You would have to know if the track is wired positive or negative polarity, if you are using an electronic controller. I have one track that is Neg polarity and the other is Pos polarity. You can NOT just reverse the wires and use the controller. It will burn up the controller. Ask me I know. Someone tried it and I now have a $135 dollar on and off controller. It was a special made controller to use on Carerra tracks at low voltage, negative polarity.

I ran a race where we had to use Vintage controllers with the Vintage cars. You need to change controllers for different motors. Steve brought his own controller and did very well. His was an adjustable ohm controller and he could change the resistance to suite his car. Most guys were not ready to use a thumb controller. Tim, being the youngest racer, just turned the controller sideways and used his finger instead.

Jim W