[Chez Pouvet]

Interesting point about the tyres and grip at the CM track.
As a regular on this track I have noticed something which puzzles me:-
Not withstanding Richards' point above, when I run my modern cars, using modern tyres (Thunderslot/Revoslot/Slot.it/Racer sideways etc) I always have good grip. (unless its exceptionally cold). I just fit the tyres, keep them clean and away you go...
Having now had to go "old school" for the annual green monster event I have bought some pre 70 cars and new tyres from Ortman/Slotcar Tyres fr/ and others. I have yet to find any grip with these. In fact its like driving on ice.

I wonder if the "specialist vintage" tyre makers and the modern manufacturers use a different recipe - or something?
Or do you experts prep your tyres with some top secret magical process !?!...

So the best vintage car to run would be one with same rim size as Thunderslot - have not found one - yet...

 

[Mark50]

Ian, if silicone tyres have been run on the track during normal weekly race meetings then your urethane tyres are going to struggle for grip until the track is clean again. Rubber tyres NSR, Slotit etc) are less affected by silicone deposits, but will still need regular cleaning until the silicone deposits are removed. If everyone is using urethanes then the track will eventually get clean, but you have to run a lot of laps with regular tyre cleaning. Clutch and brake cleaner fluid is often used to clean the track surface and remove goop or silicone deposits. Perhaps this is planned for CM before the vintage meeting?
Mark

 

[Chez Pouvet]

Ian, if silicone tyres have been run on the track during normal weekly race meetings then your urethane tyres are going to struggle for grip until the track is clean again. Rubber tyres NSR, Slotit etc) are less affected by silicone deposits, but will still need regular cleaning until the silicone deposits are removed. If everyone is using urethanes then the track will eventually get clean, but you have to run a lot of laps with regular tyre cleaning. Clutch and brake cleaner fluid is often used to clean the track surface and remove goop or silicone deposits. Perhaps this is planned for CM before the vintage meeting?
Mark

Ah. Makes sense.
Dunno what prep is done before the meeting. (However I know it's regularly cleaned with alcohol & cloths).
Ian

 

[merkit the grof]

Ian, I have seen people using silicones tyres on a number of Wednesdays, that won't help grip at all.
Modern cars/chassis have a way of getting their tyres to work that is nigh on impossible to reproduce with old stuff.
When you say driving on ice, what are the lap times with what car?

Joel

 

[Chez Pouvet]

Ian, I have seen people using silicones tyres on a number of Wednesdays, that won't help grip at all.
Modern cars/chassis have a way of getting their tyres to work that is nigh on impossible to reproduce with old stuff.
When you say driving on ice, what are the lap times with what car?

Joel

Hi Joel
You have to pay for such intel !!!!

Honestly I have not been able to set any decent times due to the grip issues.
(I did not realise that people were using silicones) - this explains a lot.
In fact as a newbie to this vintage malarky I could not spot a silicone tyre if it hit me in the face.

I reckon the track is currently 6/10 down on its best due to the grip issue

Some times - which are crap
1/24 Policar Alfa Periscopa 12.350 ( Standard car which is slow anyway)
1/32 Cuca 12.2
1/24 Viper thingie 10.8
1/32 minidream 10.5
Have not yet run a revell 1/32.

Of course these times will tumble with more work

These compare to a "modern" standard 1/32 Thunderslot time of 8.800 - easy

If we could keep the track clean it would give a sub 8 second lap.
Maybe you will do it with that orange Cucaracha of yours...

You make an interesting point about modern cars/tyres. This is causing me sleepless nights !
Ian

 

[merkit the grof]

Not sure, I don't think there is a sub 8 lap in the Cuc, especially with the standard motor, it has now been sprayed blue, only question: Is blue a faster colour than orange?
I'll pop along next Wednesday to find out.

Joel

 

[Chez Pouvet]

Not sure, I don't think there is a sub 8 lap in the Cuc, especially with the standard motor, it has now been sprayed blue, only question: Is blue a faster colour than orange?
I'll pop along next Wednesday to find out.

Joel

Blue is faster, scientific fact.

 

[ArJayAytch]

...Clutch and brake cleaner fluid is often used to clean the track surface and remove goop or silicone deposits...
Mark

That's what we used at Luton SCC.

Richard

 

[ArJayAytch]

Good morning gents,

There has been debate amongst the scrutineers and at the club about what cars should be eligible for the Thingies race. Jean-Mi in particular was concerned about non-FT36/36D equipped cars; some of the commercial, largely American Thingies after the 'first generation' ran FT16 or FT26 motors as standard. Generally these will out-perform a FT36 because the '36 is such a large lump.

Restricting the entry to FT36/36Ds would, however, still mean that the majority of the popular Thingies could still be run. At the same time it would avoid a 'Cucuracha infestation' because the Cox Cuc. has a FT16 motor.

Jean-Mi has now ruled that the 2022 1:24 Thingies race will be for standard commercially available catalogue cars with the chassis corresponding to the body that came with a FT36/36D motor. Apologies to anyone who was already preparing non-FT36 cars.

Below is a list of eligible cars:

Thingies: FT36/36D motor only​

AMT - Bandido, Fantum-1.
BZ – Banshee, Batmobile.
Cannon - Vendetta, Batray.
Carrera - La Bostella (care, some had FT16 or FT26 motors).
Classic - Astro-V, Manta Ray, Stinger, Viper, Batmobile.
Dynamic - Renegade.
Garvic - Coronado, Firebird, Lunar, Ocelot, Sonic Needle, X-Stream.
International - Piranha MK II, Tijuana Taxi.
Monogram - Assassin, Snake, Vampire.
MPC - Manta Ray.
Nichimo – Manta Ray (but not later edition with FT16 motor).
Premier - Cyclone Avenger.
Ritrosi - Speedy Thunder.
Testor – Marauder.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bodies only (thus ineligible for Confolens Classic)
Choti - various
Detail Models – Tarantula
Lancer – Drifter, Spoiler
Shinoda – various

(Amended 10 March in light of Don's correction below about Classic models).

 

[Mark50]

Richard,
That is not good news and a little unfair I think. I have recently bought as Asp just for this event (it will run nowhere else) which has a 16D as standard. I would be amazed if it is faster than a 36D on the main straight. Perhaps you guys could have further discussions....the rules seem to be a moving target at the moment. I have also bought a Powersledge, which of course have now been dropped.
Mark

 

[merkit the grof]

Mark, I am in the same boat as you in not having a 36d thingy (I just sold the last one), but I was one of the people for the change.
The reason is my Cuc has lapped the CM track in about 8.7s and I think there is another 3 or 4 tenth to come off that, it could end being a full second quicker than my "scratchbuilt" car.
In effect it would turn the class into a Cuc only class which isn't really the best way forward. Cucs are expensive, but luckily 36 powered thingys aren't.
In the early years of the meeting it is important to remain accessible, otherwise people are put off by the cost and/or difficulty of obtaining competitive cars.


Joel

 

[dgersh]

Hi guys,

First a corrective on one of the above listings:
Classic - Astro-V, Manta Ray, Serpent, Viper, Batmobile - the Serpent is 26D powered, so ineligible and it omits the 36D powered Stinger, which I ran last year.

In the end, i'd agree that it's better to restrict the Thingies to 36D powered, just seems fairer all around.

But..; since it was not originally announced that way, could we have two subcategories: 16 (and maybe others...) and 36D? That's what they do in Italy, and they even have all-Cuc races.

It is true that a normal 16D powered car will not be faster in a straight line than the 36Ds, and not always in the curves either - for instance, take my GRC Spitfire run as a loaner last year, please! I don't really think there's much of a danger of becoming an all-Cuc class, for reasons of cost, availability, etc., but the 36D option does seem more equitable in the end.

Don

 

[Chez Pouvet]

So who do I send the bill to for the cucaracha I have just bought?!
This becoming a bloody farce.

 

[Mark50]

If you are worried about it becoming a Cuc only class then run a separate race for them or exclude them?! The latter is not good for Ian of course.
The rules are becoming unnecessarily complicated.....

 

[scaleslotcars]

Ian, if you want to send the Cuc back to me I can make a refund to you, but if you don't mind, less £20 to cover my time and expenses.

 

[vfr750]

A combination of a very busy personal life and ever changing rules means I won't try to make this meeting this year.

Maybe next year if there's consistency in the rules.

Cheers,

John

 

[merkit the grof]

If the class doesn't become Cuc only, it's probably worst, because 5 people will turn up with one and blitz the field, the others might as well stay home.

Ian doesn't need to send his back, just mount a different body and race it in the scratch class (they don't actually have to be scratchbuilt). My original plan was to race Dinoracha (stanard class), Cuccaracha (Thingys), Somethingelseracha (scratch class) using the same chassis/motor/wheels/tyres combo.


Joel

 

[Chez Pouvet]

Ian, if you want to send the Cuc back to me I can make a refund to you, but if you don't mind, less £20 to cover my time and expenses.

Thanks Phil, I will email you.

 

[Mark50]

Anyone want to buy as Asp or trade it for a 36D Thingy?!

 

[ArJayAytch]

Anyone want to buy as Asp or trade it for a 36D Thingy?!

Mark, I can trade you a Classic Manta Ray that needs fettling, with a repop Dilworth body, for the Asp. We can message about it.

Sorry again to the couple of you that already had a 16D-powered Thingie. Jean-Mi and I discussed it again at clubnight yesterday, before I had seen any of yesterday's posts, but the decision stands.

Ian, it's not clear to me why you should choose to buy a 1:24 Cucuracha when you'd already bought a 36D-powered Classic Viper that's going round the Green Monster at least as fast as any true Thingie that ran last year.

Don, I'll amend the list (although I'd already run it past you a little while back).

A case of we can't please all the people all of the time...