[Gaugemaster Controls]

This morning I recieved a statement from Marco Montrasio of Racer slot cars. he said:-

"I read this morning various comments on slotforum.com regarding measures of 250LM and 330P4. The main problem in keeping right scale is due to motor mount width, and unless using real thin, thin wheels we are forced to improve car width, but of course keeping car proportions in order to obtain a good general shape and aspect.
Of course if you consider static models without fixed technical measure you can do whatever you want and keep measures according right scale.

Hope it' s clear..... my english is very poor."

As you can see, the manufacturers do read this forum!

Aaron

 

[tDI_Fahrer]

QUOTE (Gaugemaster Controls @ 30 Jul 2004, 08:18)As you can see, the manufacturers do read this forum!
Nice to know!

 

[dannyboy]

QUOTE (Gaugemaster Controls @ 30 Jul 2004, 08:18)As you can see, the manufacturers do read this forum!
They were stupid if they didn´t! We are after all the users of their products and with all the "wise-guys"

in this forum, they would be stupid not to listen to all the remarks made about their products. I think they could learn a great deal from us "serious racers"

 

[Gaugemaster Controls]

QUOTE They were stupid if they didn´t! We are after all the users of their products and with all the "wise-guys" in this forum, they would be stupid not to listen to all the remarks made about their products. I think they could learn a great deal from us "serious racers"

Be aware that comments like this just make the manufacturers regard you as arrogant and not really worth listening to. The number of members who use this forum are a mere drop in the ocean when compared with the worlds slot car market, so best not to be too convinced of your own importance.

Views from this form can be very useful if they are constructive and informative. Posts just 'blowing your own trumpet' are irrelevant and worthless.

Aaron

 

[dannyboy]

QUOTE (Gaugemaster Controls @ 30 Jul 2004, 09:33)Be aware that comments like this just make the manufacturers regard you as arrogant and not really worth listening to.
Hey Aaron,
didn´t you notice the

???
As for the manufacturers, I really don´t care if they find comments like this arrogant or not. I buy the products I like (and I buy A LOT. I would dare say around 100 times as much as "the regular user"! And that is not "a drop in the ocean").
I along with many of my kind, sets the trend of this hobby and turns other peoples heads this way as well! So why on Gods green earth shouldn´t they listen to the likes of us!?!

Danny

 

[Scott B]

To Marco Montrasio of Racer I say first thank you for taking the trouble to read and reply to issues raised on SlotForum. Please feel free to answer direct to SlotForum or via one of the Moderators if you want to add or correct anything to a discussion. Your English is very good!

Everyone here - and there and many hundreds who only read without ever posting - are by definition slot car fanatics and it is a pleasure to find that the makers of the products we buy and enjoy are also enthusiasts and not only faceless buisnessmen.

Secondly, I think your producuts are amazing and I was very interested to read that you consider proportion to be more important that absoute scale. I think this is the mark of a true artist - that is someone more influenced by the asthetic than the technical - becuase it is the proportion of the real car that captivates us in the first place and clearly you feel the shape is more important that the size.

No doubt you know that for some people the scale issue is paramount, and that is fine for not everyone can or will want to buy your products anyway. You have a market for your cars be they 1/30 or 1/32 scale and even if I never buy one I am happy to acknowledge that their mere availability enhances the slot car hobby, just as the latest low cost models from Horby enhance it in a different way.

Scott.

 

[howmet tx]

Thanks indeed to Mr Racer for responding in a very rational and sensible way. It must be a pain to have to deal with the irrational and obsessive fraction of his potential customers out here!
My only real complaint is that until things like this forum came up, the only way to find out if a car was right or not was the expensive way! If the true scale was clearly marked on the packaging, the catalogue or whatever, or the model dimensions and prototype dimensions given, there would be absolutely no difficulty whatever. I understand totally the problems of compromising scale correctness with performance; it's the most interesting challenge of all in scratchbuilding. With a specialist manufacturer making highly engineered models rather than toys, as Racer do, I somehow expect scale correctness to be high on the agenda- after all, at these prices, who's going to risk slamming them into the wall?
It may well be only me- the one with too much time to spend on the computer, but it is EXCELLENT to be able to discuss these things. I am very grateful to Mr Racer, and I also have absolute respect for Ecurie's view.
I have built up a stable of cars over the years, either ready builts, conversions or scratchbuilds. They are as far as possible 1/32nd scale, so they look right together on the track or the shelf. If I can build a scale sidewinder Lotus 23 with full cockpit, I'm not sure why it's beyond the wit of a professional; although given a minute or two, I do know and sympathise.
I reckon VMG unintentionally did great damage by marketing their monsters as '1/32' scale. It certainly alerted me to other 'compromises', which in the end have dissuaded me from buying RTRs, even the beautifully engineered Racer and other types. An out of scale bodyshell is a waste of a few quid- perhaps even rescuable- but not a whole car.

 

[Mo55man]

I would like to second Ecurie Ecosse's comments, and also add my comment by saying who care's what scale they are. They are beautiful models in their own right.

I would like to add my personal thanks to Marco of racer for re-producing such a beautiful car in the P4. Can I ask whether you will you be making the #19 & #20 works Ferrari cars from Le Mans '67.

Also, any clues as to what future models you will be producing.

M

 

[howmet tx]

No arguments there, Mo55. I guess it is just me then! But I forgot to give the nod to Aaron too, for being so forthcoming about the whole thing. I apologise for any unnecessary mud stirred up, but your willingness to present the issues- often against self-interest- is admirable. Respect due, Gaugehamster!

 

[alfetta]

I agree with Howmet. If a model is sold at the price of Racer models they need to be correct. Incidentally, why (this to gaugemaster) measure the model in mm when you have the 1:1 measurements in Imperial?
Alfetta

 

[Eno Dog]

I kinda disagree. If the car looks good on the width of circuit I totally don't care what scale it is. Nominally Scaley stuff is 1/32 however even these guys mess with the scale to fit bits in the car (like erm - motors) As long as it's roughly ok & pretty who's going to be so anal as to measure everything & claim it 3 mm too short?

 

[dannyboy]

QUOTE (Eno Dog @ 1 Aug 2004, 08:57)As long as it's roughly ok & pretty who's going to be so anal as to measure everything & claim it 3 mm too short?

I am!

Danny

 

[Gaugemaster Controls]

@alfetta - I measured the model originally in millimetres, not imperial. Since I was then presented with the 1:1 measurements in imperial, I was simply converting them to demonstrate how accurate the model was.

Aaron

 

[alfetta]

That is how spin doctors work ( please believe me i am not in any way suggesting you are trying to obfuscate) But that is how confusion sets in.
Alfetta

 

[Eno Dog]

Sorry Danny - wasn't having a go & could possibly have worded that more subtly. I'm just a bit of a "Art Buff" as in "I don't know my art but I know what I like".. (best read in a Northern English "self-made man" type accent..)

 

[Gaugemaster Controls]

@alfetta - I measured the model in millimetres. Next, measurements are posted here by vfr750 in imperial. What do you suggest I do to compare? Not owning a good imperial micrometer, I am afraid options are a bit limited!

QUOTE But that is how confusion sets in.

You find the measurements of the 1:1 in millimetres, post them here and then everything will be clear I guess!

Aaron

 

[howmet tx]

Principal dimensions of 250LM in metric;

W/B 2400mm
Length O/A 4270mm
Width O/A 1700mm
Height O/A 1115mm

Anything to keep you busy running around in that little wheel GaugeHamster!
All the best. Sorry for the trouble.....

 

[JohnP]

I really can't get my head around all these different measurements - what does it work out to in everyday pecks and bushels?

 

[astro]

For those interested, the airfix version is about 1:33, thought hte height is out of proportion due to a tall cabin.

 

[howmet tx]

Not if you chop it down a tad...

Standard Airfix below, adjusted version above.