OK here we go. My Goodwood Track thread.
I have some of the sections started, most finished and some of the sections still to go. Mostly due to the fact the I am learning more and more about the Goodwood circuit and how its driven. I keep changing my mind but I'm nearly decided on the final shape. I've watched countless hours of in car footage of drivers negotiating the final couple of corners from Lavant through the Woodcote corner and down to the chicane and I find they drive these corners pretty much as one giant right hand turn so I just made it so you'll have to balance the car at speed in a giant slide. I started making the track corners exactly like the aerial photo of the track but found it was a bit too slot car-ish and the cars would pendulam on the guide maybe a bit too much. Also, as you can see from the following photos, the track is 4 lanes and this final section is one giant squeeze. This is mainly due to the fact that my boys grow and get faster and faster/ there'll be little chance to pull alongside and pass as I guess they'll just pound around this track pretty much on the limit. Although the squeeze section is just wide enough to fit past..just! So perhaps make the corners through here work best suited to the slot cars and get used to the fact that I wont win many races around here anymore. So here are the first couple of photos and I look forward to everyones comments..enjoy.
This looks like its going to be a big boy when it grows up. I would like to see the track plan as well as more pictures as you progress please. but great so far.
Very nice..lets see some photos of the track in the background. I take it, like me, you like the old fashioned cars. I`ve just received the Cartrix Bugatti T251 today, and like the other Cartrix clasics it`s a beauty..would look great on your Goodwood...keep the pictures coming...
I dont really have a track plan. I just google earthed the track and then worked out how the track boards would lay out from there.
The Brooklands idea was ok and the boards I routed worked easily but you drive around almost flat out so that mean't classic cars in huge accidents. Still fun to try.
The Goodwood idea seems to me to be the most practical. The square flat layout will lend itself to some fairly large radius corners and the racing will be alot cleaner and easier to learn for the novices as the corners can be made with plenty of room between lanes. So no track plan as such but I've built enough layouts to know what looks good on paper might be a bugger to get a slot car to go over.
Next is to work out how to hoist the whole thing to the ceiling on a frame.
Basically, its the same stuff we use to make metal frames for internal partition walls. Extremely light and very strong. Hopefully not too many issues hanging it all up from the perlins. Then it was a matter of putting the main chicane straight and start straight onto the frame and then aim the whole set up for a spot where I think the Lavant corner will exit when the cars leave it 12.5 metres away and then head up to this section. Its pretty much the only spot it will fit and its very close to the right shape so I can count myself lucky that the shape is ok..
I also re-shaped the Chicane ..
I thought its now a bit closer to the historically correct shape. The Goodwood Chicane is such a significant section of Motor racing track I thought it best to get it right. I can always make Madgewick, Fordwater and St Mary's absorb any extra curves to bring it all back into shape.
I also mean't to say , when I mentioned I didn't use a track plan I have plotted the whole thing out to within a few degrees using the satillite photo. So although I dont consider myself a rivet counter, if this track didn't closely resemble Goodwood, it would drive me mad.
It looks like you're off to an excellent start UK, and I love your commitment to getting it right. I'm excited to follow your progress. Thanks for sharing it with us.
Seeing that wide shot picture got me to thinking how cool it would be to have a track running around the wall of the whole garage. Of course there would have to be a temporary way of suspending the track across the garage door openings. That Goodwood track plan would be a nice one to do.
Maybe a bit hard to see. Track is hanging off battens in the shed. Perhaps a pre-disaster shot. Lets hope not. It's not heavy so I just hung it off small hooks and some light gauge chain. I should park the new car under it. Then Murphy's law says it will fall down instantly. Or give me an instant "hillclimb".
This means I can now begin to put together the run through St Marys down to Lavant before placement of the Lavant Woodcote run.
Knowing your dedication to detail I will be following this very closely. Great start to something that I am sure will be a GREAT track when finished
Chet
Nope no rain. Its the middle of Rep footy so I'm all over the country with my kids at the moment. Costs about $3500 each trip. ( God I wish they played the piano) so cant justify extra money for slot cars just now.
I've completed the frame work for the roadway down to Lavant and including the bend at St Marys. Its all raised up and looking good for weight and I hope structurally safe as I have our 4 cars parked under it. ( lets hope it stays up there or Yikes am I in trouble if....)
Only the run back to Woodcote to finish, lay in the boards and we're good to set up a lane and trial run it.
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