[driver#8]

We've got a Carrera muscle class for box standard cars. By 'muscle' we mean anything born in the USA. Classic NASCARs vs. Pony Cars vs. Muscle vs. modern Mustangs and Chargers.

Figuring that all Carreras are born equally brakeless, overweight and wooden-tyred, I thought that the '67 Mustang fastback - originally released to tie in with The Fast & The Furious: Tokyo Drift - was a fair choice. I found a nice candy red one that looked just the job... until I took it off the plinth.

Guide behind the front axle, anyone? At what point did that become acceptable behaviour for any slot car designer?

Now I must admit that Carreras are my least favourite cars by a mile, not least because we insist on running them the wrong way round the track. To add this kind of insult to the injury of having to shell out for an unwanted car seems a little bit stiff to me, however.

When Scalextric has even managed to get the guide up front of a classic Mini, failing to do so on the socking great schnoz of a Mustang seems woeful. Does anyone have experience of trying to convince this thing to go around corners as I haven't dared try it out - firstly on principle and secondly because I don't want to add to the Fiat-like depreciation that Carreras suffer from!

Yours, perplexed!

 

[DJ]

Sorry I don't have any solution to offer, but you did put a smile on my face, thanks.

(afterthought - Was the guide position designed to get more "drift" for the F&F tie in?)

 

[DJ]

Is the one shown here a Carrera? I think it says it is.... LINK Looks like the guide in this one is up front.

 

[driver#8]

Link's broken DJ!

I had a shortlist of four candidates - '57 Chevy, '65 Mustang (had one years ago - not special but not dreadful) '77 Trans-Am and this one. None of the others seem to have this random act of madness committed to them. Whaddamistake-a-da-makea.

I have a horrible feeling that I'm going to have to buy another one and swallow a lot of depreciation on the candy red thing.

 

[valie]

We ran a class for GT’s in a recent past, which, eventually, turned out to be a failure. But, nevertheless, one of the chaps there found the Aston Martin, with it’s long wheelbase, had too much “drift” in it, breaking out too much. Seeing that the Slot.it HRS chassis was permitted, he then took the loose guide from the HRS2 chassis and used that on the HRS and modified the existing guide to only take the front axle and wheels. The result was that the guide ended up behind the front axle and the car behaved better and handled as predicted.

 

[Mr.M]

I've only got the '65 and that has the guide up front.

Get a '57 Chevy Nick, they rule the Carrera Muscle class at Home Farm.

 

[DJ]

Broken? Oh, works for me.

This is the image..

 

[Deslotted]

QUOTE (driver#8 @ 20 Aug 2012, 16:19) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Figuring that all Carreras are born equally brakeless, overweight and wooden-tyred, Guide behind the front axle, anyone? At what point did that become acceptable behaviour for any slot car designer?

firstly on principle and secondly because I don't want to add to the Fiat-like depreciation that Carreras suffer from!

Yours, perplexed!

I also have no answer for you but nearly wet myself laughing, thanks I was having an awful day and this made me feel better.

 

[driver#8]

Ah thanks DJ - now I'm confused! Same car, same body but the old style guide in the right place. Feeling epically swizzed right now!

QUOTE (valie @ 20 Aug 2012, 09:53) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>The result was that the guide ended up behind the front axle and the car behaved better and handled as predicted.

Thanks Valie. Interesting... the '67 Mustang seems to have done pretty well in group test of Carreras. But that's not a glowing recommendation! That makes it the winner of the X-Factor next to, I dunno, Pete Townshend!

QUOTE (Mr.M @ 20 Aug 2012, 09:54) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Get a '57 Chevy Nick, they rule the Carrera Muscle class at Home Farm.

Thanks Jim... given my NASCAR predilection this was my original first choice. I'll do just that!

 

[driver#8]

In case you think I'm making it up... here's a photo of another Mustang with the same affliction! I can only assume that it's some sort of devilment intended to make it more Digital friendly.

Pah!

 

[Julian_Boolean]

I suspect it's the only way they could get their new guide design to fit on a Mustang, it's a shame they changed from the old guide, which was pretty good.

Anyway, my advice is to go for the Ford Torino or the Dodge Charger 500, BTW both the Dodge Chargers and the Plymouth Superbird have the same chassis but the spoilers and droop snoots on the Daytona and Superbird mean they handle a little worse than the Charger 500, though the Torino handles better than the Chrger.

 

[Screwneck]

QUOTE I haven't dared try it out - firstly on principle

So you are simply having a go because it's different to what you are used to? Just try it out before you reject it on principle. Trimming the guide flag and adjusting the gearing to 3:5 or 8t:28t should be all you need to do to create a good slotcar.

 

[driver#8]

QUOTE (Julian_Boolean @ 20 Aug 2012, 14:18) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>... go for the Ford Torino or the Dodge Charger 500, BTW both the Dodge Chargers and the Plymouth Superbird have the same chassis but the spoilers and droop snoots on the Daytona and Superbird mean they handle a little worse than the Charger 500, though the Torino handles better than the Chrger.

Thanks Julian - I'll save up for the '57 Chevy as I do like that one, but will keep an eye out for a wingless Plymouth too. Torinos seem to command quite a premium - sounds like there's a good reason for that!

QUOTE (Screwneck @ 20 Aug 2012, 15:17) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>So you are simply having a go because it's different to what you are used to? Just try it out before you reject it on principle. Trimming the guide flag and adjusting the gearing to 3:5 or 8t:28t should be all you need to do to create a good slotcar.

I'm not bashing them compared to any other brand as we only run Carreras against Carreras. We've got four Carrera classes, none of which I'm overly fond of. We have to trim the guides to get round the track but can't change the gears or tyres so everyone's in the same boat. For this class we're retaining one magnet... just for variety!

The cherry on the cake with this Mustang, however, is that the distance between the rear axle and the centre of the guide flag is less than half the total length of what is a tall, long, narrow and heavy car. I just doubt that Carrera has discovered the secret of optimum handling - and lament spending my hard-earned on it.

 

[BEEJAY7]

It is a fairly straight forward fix....I've done it on several Carrera cars. It does transform handling.

http://www.freewebs.com/atadd/carreraporschers.htm

Alan

 

[DJ]

Good fix but I think the problem is that they have to run "box standard".

 

[ss67]

At least it's not as bad as the Carrera F1 cars.
The guide is so far back behind the front axle it would almost run the same backwards.
You certainly don't want front wheels touching the track as you'd never get it round a hairpin bend!

 

[driver#8]

QUOTE (BEEJAY7 @ 20 Aug 2012, 20:56) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>It is a fairly straight forward fix....I've done it on several Carrera cars. It does transform handling.

Very smart Alan. Like that. But yes we do have to run box standard - and with the polarity reversed!

QUOTE (ss67 @ 21 Aug 2012, 08:59) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>At least it's not as bad as the Carrera F1 cars.

True - although Carrera F1s are quite fun to race against each other, and a lot tougher than Scalextric F1s. I tried a Carrera against the Scalextrics and although they had half a second a lap on me I picked up some points by thundering in weighty, Germanic fashion through the debris field of where the Scalextric cars had come to grief!

If you run box standard cars as club classes there's always going to be one or maybe two that are head and shoulders above the rest, whether that's single make like this or something more general like 'Raid'. Carrera seems to throw more oddballs into the mix than most. For example we run the Mille Miglia cars with only the weak sliding magnets permitted - yet some are in front of the motor and some behind, giving a clear advantage.

This guide position is just another permutation, but b!00£y annoying.

 

[j-c]

Hi Nik,

I will bring along my Chevy tonight, but will need to remove the magnet but I thinmk these maybe too narrow to be as fast as the Torino or Chargers.

Jamie

 

[driver#8]

QUOTE (j-c @ 22 Aug 2012, 10:20) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Hi Nik,

I will bring along my Chevy tonight, but will need to remove the magnet but I thinmk these maybe too narrow to be as fast as the Torino or Chargers.

Jamie

Thanks Jamie,

I'll bring the Mustang - so that everyone can have a good laugh at it!

 

[j-c]

Nick,
We won't laugh.......just put you down for 1 in each race!!