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eshorer
Starting Member
37 Posts |
 Posted - 04/12/2010 : 12:46:00 PM
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I was at Buena Park Raceway for a bit last Saturday (about the last commercial raceway running 1/24th scale in So Cal), and saw Bryan Warmack hand over some pre-cut brass for Paul Sterrett to build a 1/32 scale scratchbuilt car. This is significant since both are heavily into the 1/24th scale slot car scene. And I know Dennis Samson has been doing these for awhile. I wonder if that's going to be an increasing trend, as the commercial raceways are going to be more and more difficult to sustain.
What about club folks, who tend to run ready-made Ninco, Fly, Slot.it, etc.? Will there be any interest in scratchbuilding? I know they won't look as good (even though there are some supposedly nice looking lexan bodies in 1/32 scale out there), but you can be sure they'll be fast and fun to drive. What do you think?
Not so "Fast" Eddie anymore. Team Boola, circa the '60s |
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Stan Smith
Junior Member
212 Posts |
Posted - 04/12/2010 : 2:15:57 PM
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Eddie, if you know Dennis, you know he builds some of the prettiest scratch 1/32 cars out there! I was at Electric Dreams a while back and Scott Bader and Keith Tanaka (one of the BP guys) were there, talking about trying to bring 1/32 to the commercial raceway and/or getting 1/32 guys interested in scratchbuilding. This might be one of the first steps in that direction.
If I had more time, I would certainly be doing some scratchbuilding on my own; I have about 4 projects I'd love to be working on, but somehow just don't have the time (or a good workspace) to do it. You can always use any of the beautiful 1/32 hardbodies (Fly, Ninco, Scalextric, etc.) as a "topper" for a brass chassis...in fact, that's the way to make those cars run properly. I'd love to be able to race my Scalextric Ferrari P4, for instance, but the Scalex running gear is so execrable that it's not competitive in its class in our club. I'd love to see an "open" class next year that allows scratchbuilt chassis, just to see if anybody would run them.
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No one is completely useless...you can always serve as a bad example. |
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enthusiastm
Junior Member
275 Posts |
Posted - 04/14/2010 : 07:29:00 AM
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So many nice bodies, so few with good chassis. Revell, Scalextric and Carrera come to mind. I'm ready to give it a try and I wonder if we can convince Dennis to give us a comprehensive seminar on scratch-building.
Suggested rules?
Material list with where to buy?
Tools needed and where to buy?
Process steps?
Michael |
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gascarnut
New Member
71 Posts |
Posted - 04/14/2010 : 1:03:15 PM
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To start with, you guys should consider a class using the Slot.it HRS frame under hard bodies of your choice. That's the quickest and easiest way to get poor-performing cars to run well.
If you want to build in brass, you will need more equipment. Take a look here for some insight into what's needed. It is aimed at 1/24 scale retro racing but the basics are the same.
Tools of the Pros
Build a Samson Classic
Eddie, I must have been gone by the time you got to BPR Saturday, or you could have tried my latest 1/32 scratchbuild. (And before anything gets said about the body, this was the product of a very late night just to get something to drive, in no way representative of what can be done with them)
It is a sort of prototype of what might become a new Retro racing class at BPR, as there is some interest in 1/32 scale racing there, but the final details of that will depend on what the D3 dictatorship decide.
Personally, I think that trying to get the 1/32 scale club racers to frequent commercial raceways is an exercise in futility. Club racers have a different approach to racing, they often don't understand having to pay for their track time, and in any case, the commercial tracks in general are not plastic car-friendly unless some significant work is done on the cars.
Dennis Samson
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Scratchbuilding is life
Life is scratchbuilt |
Edited by - gascarnut on 04/14/2010 1:04:48 PM |
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Stan Smith
Junior Member
212 Posts |
Posted - 04/14/2010 : 5:49:25 PM
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Dennis, that car is one I saw Jackie drive at Riverside, one of the most exciting races I've ever seen. He started near the back of the pack as I remember, but drove like h*** for most of the race passing people right and left in the turn where I was sitting. He was going great guns until the car broke. 
I'd like to see a class in our club that allows for some sort of modified chassis, either PCS, HRS, or brass, so that we can race our gorgeous bodies with something that actually works.
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No one is completely useless...you can always serve as a bad example. |
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