[JEXY1]

News from our very own "Hobby Trader" Richard Perry (Mr Modifier) regarding his latest two products;

Route 1 Racing
Digi-Pace (Pace car controller for SSD)
&
"V" tyres and wheels

New from Route1Racing.com the Digi-Pace gives you control over two independent pace cars for any of the Scalextric digital power bases. Ideal for use with the 4 car digital power base - will also work with either of the 2 six car power bases.

For each car you get a 3 way switch - switch it left and the car runs as if it has the LC button constantly pressed so it always changes lanes. Switch it in the middle and the controller is off line. Switch it to the right and the car runs in the same lane all the time.

The speed control is variable across the whole range from zero to full throttle.

You also get a big red brake button - hold it down and the brakes are applied but let go and the brakes come off. You can use this to stop or slow a car temporarily, or on the APB it can be used when manually ID'ing the car.

So there we are - two sets of controls in one box so two pace cars can be set running independently of each other.

We realise pace cars are available through several race management software (RMS) systems but this is quick and convenient and works with the 4PB which has no RMS available.

Use it to give yourself a challenge - dodge the pace cars and see how many times you can lap them in 10 minutes. Make it harder by adding more magnets to the pace cars (so they can corner faster) or remove your magnets to see if you can keep up!

There's a video of it in action that can be found at

Available now at www.route1racing.com the Digi-Pace twin pace car controller costs £25 + P&P

"V" tyres and wheels

Route1Racing.com is proud to announce our own range of wheels and tyres for 1:32 slot cars.

We always wanted to do this and now we have; our very own design of wheels and innovative "V" tyres. Gorgeously simple concave moon disks - old school brought bang up to date, and outrageously low profile boots - 288/22R16 or 448/22R19 anybody?

Our new Satin Black Hot Rod wheels are 3D printed to our own design using sintered nylon. These wheels are round and strong. The surface finish is not quite as smooth as traditional plastic wheels and we would encourage you to prime and paint them to suit your specific needs (we use an acrylic primer) and to attain your desired finish.

The look is a concave "moon disk". Give it a few coats of primer and sand between top coats and you will have a gorgeously simple wheel that adds a contemporary twist to your project.

Our innovative "V" tyres feature the Route1Racing name engraved in the tyre walls and are made from Shore A50 hardness urethane rubber giving a good blend of grip and longevity. Called "V" tyres because they feature a deep central "V" shaped rib that grips the wheel and allows very low profile tyres whilst maintaining stability on the rims. The tyres are hand made so the inside edge is unfinished but doesn't spoil the overall look.

Made in very small quantities this is an exclusive wheel and tyre combo - ideal for scratchbuilders looking for a nice finishing touch to a custom car, hot rod or rat rod.

The large wheels are 15mm dia x 14mm wide and the tyres are 21mm dia x 14mm wide.

The small wheels are 13mm dia and 9mm wide and the tyres are 17mm dia and 9mm wide.

The wheels and tyres are available right now on www.route1racing.com

Priced at £7.00 per pair (two wheels and two tyres)

Images and text as supplied by Route 1 Racing.

 

[Rick Sirrom]

Congratulations Dudes = COOL Boots & Rims = Tidy!
Very Best ~ Rick .......................

 

[jeremycobert]

I dont like that the tires are only good on these rims. I prefer being able to use the tires on a variety of different manufacturers rims.

 

[GregK]

Nice one Richard ...... another innovative idea

 

[Mcewan]

QUOTE (jeremycobert @ 6 Mar 2014, 01:12) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>I dont like that the tires are only good on these rims. I prefer being able to use the tires on a variety of different manufacturers rims.

Route 1 Racing also sell tires to fit a good number of rims, they are even very good tires for racing!

 

[Mr Modifier]

It's true - I do sell a wide variety of urethane tyres to fit many, many different cars.

The "V" wheels and tyres are something a bit different and made for a specific hotrod/ratrod/custom car style application. It's innovation - so it has to be a little different

There are loads of tyre suppliers and everybody has a free choice of where to buy (I buy from others if I don't make a tyre that fits!)

Replacement "V" tyres are only £2 a pair.

 

[GregK]

I have just realised that they would be great on a project sitting in the pit waiting for just such wheels ......

Richard - may I have 2 x pairs of the big, bad-boys please? .....

 

[Mr Modifier]

On their way!

 

[Mr Modifier]

Digi-Pace has now shipped to Australia, Norway and the UK. 6 sales in 48 hours so far. A few sets of "V" wheels and tyres have shipped to Norway (a different buyer) and the UK.

I am very pleased with the power of the SlotForum News Item!

I would encourage all hobby traders to try it.

 

[Wraith]

Very smart idea with the wheels and tyres. You get a much better finish to the inside edge than I do so again, very impressed.

I wish you all the best, I'm sure many racers will buy them and I expect one of the big boys will be knocking on your door to use your idea.

 

[Mr Modifier]

Thanks Wraith,

The inside edge is easier to finish on this tyre than on my other normal moulds.

If you look at the technical drawing it shows a "shoulder on the inside edge. (I forgot to take it off for the promo illustration).

Choc-Ice drew up the tyre masters to my specs using his 3D wizardry. and we added that shoulder. The masters were then printed up using a high definition plastic on a 3D printer. The masters are brittle and were hellish HELLISH expensive but they are so easy to make moulds from. When the urethane is poured it is filled up to the top. When cured and removed from the mould I then trim the shoulder off with curved nail scissors (the curve of the blades makes it easier to nestle right up against the inside edge of the tyre).

It's a bit of a faff but you end up with a neater inside edge - not perfect but better than a conventional open mould.

 

[RACING LINE]

It it possible to create decals of various wheel designs, 5 spoke, multi spoke etc?

 

[Mr Modifier]

I don't see why not.

If you are thinking about applying them to the "V" wheels then it might be difficult because they are concave. You would have to cut a thin slice out of a round decal to get it to sit right. It would be better to get a wheel that takes inserts. Or one that is completely flat.

I guess I could design a "V" wheel with a slightly recessed flat surface - to use the same tyres. Then the decals would be very easy to apply.

I will talk to my overworked and underpaid 3D designer and see what we can do - that's if you don't mind me using the idea that your question sparked!

 

[RACING LINE]

A slightly recessed face sounds ideal. I am sure a well designed decal on a V wheel could look as good or even better than some of the factory supplied plastic wheels out there.

Of course I don't mind, my suggestion was in the hope that you might run with the idea. Good luck with it!

 

[choc-ice]

I think he's running with it!

Well, a kind of lop-sided hobble for the moment, but he'll pick up speed quickly

 

[Mr Modifier]

Run with it! Having the "T" Shirts printed right now. (oops! another idea!!)

Seriously - my 3D guru was excited by the idea and the flat faced "V" wheel exists in virtual cyber-reality-space-thingy.

Here's the proof:

Just a couple of bugs to iron out and they can go into production!

Is this the record for slot car product development !?!

 

[Mr Modifier]

And at 5:30pm, about six hours after the post that started it, the wheels are on order with the 3D printers for delivery in about a week.

 

[Wraith]

What stops you from having a deeper recess that would allow standard inserts to be used?

Just a though.

 

[Mr Modifier]

Nothing other than the "V" design means the deeper you go the smaller diameter the insert would have to be.

The design was always made with the concave moon in mind. I think if a photograph of a wheel were used sort of like a trompe l'oeil you would get the depth effect when looking at the car side-on.