Scalextric Classic track is great, but beware - you may have to shave the guide blades on some modern slot cars you use on it.
SCX & Classic are compatible, & you can buy converter straights if you add the modern Scaley Sport Track.
Your cars will also work on other slot systems.

There should be no need to solder joints if you use good quality track pieces & lay them properly.

Cheers
Kev

 

Ok then so scx and classic are what I'd be looking at, and sport will work with the cars but will need a adaptor to connect to scx or classic, fair enough.

Making blades fit isnt a problem for me, some of my cars are going to need the blades replacing anyway.

I wasnt thinking about joining track sections to track sections using soldered joints, I was referring to the section of the track that connects to the power supply and the throttles - the starting grid or whatever its called, this is probably a whole other subject however I'd be controlling the cars with pwm rather than the simple rheostat supplied in older throttles, way back I used this method and found the cars more controllable, and this is no doubt how digital systems work (and your rechargable drill).

 

Most Scalextric powerbases come with a piece of track already fixed in place. Those that do not, usually clip to the bottom of the track so no soldering should be needed.

 

If you are starting fresh then I would really advise get the stuff that is current - Scaley classic and SCX are now well obsolete. SCX has a new track system and Scaley now has sport. There are a better range of sport track pieces with 8 lanes and four lane banked track available (nice banking not like the old scaley stuff)

Plus although it's easy to trim guides, when you buy new cars why hamper yourself with that when you don't need to?

 

We race our vintage Scalexric here in Canada on several types of track but since Scalextric track is only 6 inches wide we don't use it. We have used vintage Strombecker , Revell, and Monogram track all 7 inches and modern Carrera which is 8 inches. The Strombecker is the shallowest slot , all others are deeper. I have heard of Ninco track but I never used it. We race vintage go karts, sidecars , Bentleys, Alfa's, Auto Union's and other cars with the 1963 round guide. The earlier square guide cars DON"T run on these track

 

I'll bear that in mind.

I wasnt thinking of using a powerbase, I intend to put together own control system, and I was thinking of making my own 'powerbase' track section from a piece of standard straight, drilling holes under the track conductors so I can solder lead out wires to.

 

This may sound like a very basic question, but I am still new so excuse me! Is the following assumption correct:

If you buy new Scalextric Sport Track you can run your Scalextric cars on it providing you use analogue controllers and with the same track if you remove these and put in Digital controllers etc then you can run Digital cars on the same layout. I understand that you can run old cars on a digital set up if you install a chip, is there anything else you need to do to run a vintage car on a digital track?

 

Part of the reason I'm playing with slot cars is so I can play around with electronics, thats my thing.

I think I've got myself a load of classic track and a few extra cars for little money.

 

Having owned all the major brands of plastic track I think Ninco is the best but it is expensive, about twice the price of Scalextric track.

 

QUOTE (scalextric_macc @ 31 Jan 2014, 08:48) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>If you buy new Scalextric Sport Track you can run your Scalextric cars on it providing you use analogue controllers and with the same track if you remove these and put in Digital controllers etc then you can run Digital cars on the same layout. I understand that you can run old cars on a digital set up if you install a chip, is there anything else you need to do to run a vintage car on a digital track?
Yes that's about right
In analogue, just about any vintage scalex car will run on modern scalex track with ancient or modern analogue power supplies and controllers. The controllers may not be ideally matched to the cars, but it will run.
To run digital needs a digital power base as well as digital controllers (Guess that was the etc. you mentioned?)
Digital chips can be fitted to petty much any slot car as long as the motor doesn't take too much current for the chip. Generally vintage scalex cars will be OK with scalex chips, I'm not sure about exceptions to that generality. I'm sure there are guys out there with an encyclopedic knowledge of vintage scalex stuff who could tell us more.

 

OK then so just about any track can be made to work, not regarding the control.

As far as I've researched the powerbase protects the cars board by limiting the amount of current supplied to the track, not a problem as I'll sort that when I get to it, these little motors continuously wont pull a great deal of current.

I have sourced a fair sized lot of track, enough to make some long straights and some circular track runs for corner speed tests.

 

That is most helpful guys I think I will invest in some brand new track then.

Why is Ninco track better then, is this compatible with Scalextric track?