Chicagoland Slot-Car championship? | FerrariChat

Chicagoland Slot-Car championship?

Discussion in 'Chicago' started by tifosi12, Dec 4, 2003.

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  1. tifosi12

    tifosi12 Four Time F1 World Champ
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    Oct 3, 2002
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    Andreas
    One of my major winter projects will be to setup a 1/32 scale slot car in my place. Hopefully some of you will come over to challenge me or each other.

    So I was thinking it'd be really kewl if some of you had your own track setup and we all meet there. Kindof a championship around Chicagoland. And another excuse to get together and have some beers and brats or whatever.

    So, I'm happy to host a party in the summer. Anybody else?

    PS: Setting up a slot car track isn't a big deal. A couple hundred bucks basically buy you all you ever needed to run your own races.
     
  2. FerrariFrank1

    FerrariFrank1 F1 Rookie

    Aug 15, 2003
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    Andreas. Back in the late '60's,there used to be a Hobby shop on Chicago Av.,just West of Central,where they had a BIG slot car track,with that scale of cars. My uncles all had cars,and would bring them there to race other guys. They also had their own,smaller tracks at home. One of my Uncles even had a Batmobile Slotcar.(The original,'60's Batmobile.) it was alot of fun. There's a Hobby shop in Elmhurst called "Al's Hobby shop" that also has alot of cool slotcars. It's just a 1/2 block North of the Elmhurst train station,if you ever wanted to take the train out to check it out. My son has a little slotcar track,like I had when I was a kid.
     
  3. Michael RPM

    Michael RPM Formula Junior

    Apr 10, 2002
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    Oak Brook, IL
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    Michael Wogronic
    I'm usually able to get all my slot-car stuff at Motorsport Collector in Downers Grove, Oak Ridge Hobbies in Downers, HobbyTown USA in St. Charles, or at Berwyn Toys on Ogden. They all have a good selection of cars and track.
     
  4. tifosi12

    tifosi12 Four Time F1 World Champ
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    You suburbian guys are so spoiled! I went to Stanton Hobbies (which is otherwise a fine hobby shop) and came back only with a handful of trees. No cars, no tracks. Sucks.

    I know Al's Hobby in Elmhurst. They're good. But soooo faaar away.
    :)
     
  5. FerrariFrank1

    FerrariFrank1 F1 Rookie

    Aug 15, 2003
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    Yes,but Al's is "EZ off,EZ on" the Choo-choo! Speaking of which,(choo-choo's) they have a GREAT selection of Train stuf there,too. And,Rockets,and 1:18 scale cars,and smaller,and R/C stuff,and....
     
  6. tifosi12

    tifosi12 Four Time F1 World Champ
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    Yeah I know them from my high power rocketry days. That was in a before 9/11 world.
    :(
     
  7. FerrariFrank1

    FerrariFrank1 F1 Rookie

    Aug 15, 2003
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    We used to do those "Estes" Rockets. ( The biggest engine that would fit into the Estes "Mosquito",etc...) Now,my son wants to do Rockets. So,maybe next Summer we'll do a few. :) There was a thing on the Discovery Channel a couple weeks ago,where they were launching all sorts of Sh*t. (and,I DO mean,Sh*t,as,one of the items that they launched was a "porta-potty".) It was pretty funny!
     
  8. tifosi12

    tifosi12 Four Time F1 World Champ
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    You're at the right address with me. I have flown 12 feet tall rockets with M motors (enough thrust to send a person flying).

    And I think Bob C. has done some High Power as well. Your son is in the right (or wrong) company.
     
  9. FerrariFrank1

    FerrariFrank1 F1 Rookie

    Aug 15, 2003
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    We did some pretty good sized Rockets...the biggest was one of those,I believe, 4 foot Tall, Saturn 5's,that took quite a few engines. Some (a cluster) in the "Middle",(regular place) and,If I remember correctly,another at each "corner". But,it only went up a few feet,then collapsed! It was fun,though! We mostly did Rockets that were 1' to 2' feet high. Best responses,and best "working" records.(Successful Parachute deployment and recovery!) Then,as we turned a little older,explosives,(M-80's) were added,with "Delayed fuses". Some DID blow up high in the sky :),and,some DIDN'T :(
     
  10. tifosi12

    tifosi12 Four Time F1 World Champ
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    Getting a little off topic here. Oh well, TGIF!
     
  11. FerrariFrank1

    FerrariFrank1 F1 Rookie

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    Is that Rocket painted Titanium and Rosso Corsa?
     
  12. tifosi12

    tifosi12 Four Time F1 World Champ
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    Yeah, as in rattle can rooso corsa.
    :)

    However if you look closely you see the Forrer crest on it. No joke. That's where my vanity begins, but then again it goes back about 700 years.
     
  13. wax

    wax Five Time F1 World Champ
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    Jul 20, 2003
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    Wow, this is so far Off-Topic, a Left Coaster weighs in.

    Any figures/stats on the performance of these little giant rockets?

    Slots rule.
     
  14. tifosi12

    tifosi12 Four Time F1 World Champ
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    Actually the one in the picture was for a movie special effect (notice the blunt end) and wasn't designed for performance (way to big in diameter compared to engine size).

    Performance of a good design M motor based goes up to about 12,000 feet and easily breaks Mach 1.

    Average performance of smaller engines goe to about half that. Really kick ass designs with multiple stages or one hell of a motor (like O, P, R) have gone to 30,000 and more. I believe the current world record is held at something like 90,000 feet altitude.

    A spin off of the hobby put these onto model race cars and launched them on the Nevada salt bed. That IMHO doesn't give me a thrill as they have to be wire guided or they go out of control.
     
  15. wax

    wax Five Time F1 World Champ
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    Dayum. Anybody ever get pics of the always fascinating barrier being broken by one of these sick puppies?

    (Dayum x Dayum)³

    You say that like it's a bad thing. How fast do they go? Any unguided car spastically beelining for crew/critter stories?
    I've often wondered if such fun was in the genes of rocket/slot-car nuts. I honestly appreciate you taking the time out to verify that you, sir, are out to test the limits.
     
  16. tifosi12

    tifosi12 Four Time F1 World Champ
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    Wax, no pictures of them braking the sound barrier. It happens so fast and they are so small diameters you don't get the cloud around it effect. Probably also because it happens near the ground with less humidity.

    The reason I'm not too hot about the rocket propelled cars (although I experimented with them about 25 years ago) is, that they're fairly "stupid". You can't do much engineering and you can't really drive them since they're wire guided. So you basically lit the candle and watch them go. Rockets are different as there is a lot more knowledge that goes into a successful flight.

    Anyway, if you want to know more about it, check out:
    http://www.the-rocketman.com/

    Rocketman is quite a character and knows everything about rocket propelled cars. As a matter of fact, he offers some kits of them.
     
  17. FerrariFrank1

    FerrariFrank1 F1 Rookie

    Aug 15, 2003
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    When I was in 4th. or 5th. grade. We used to tape CO2 cylinders onto Hotwheels,then,Pop the seal and let 'em rip across the School Gym floor! Fun,Fun,Fun!!!
     

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