OMG Banger Racers.... (the slot racing thread)

[garethj]

Yes, Mr Lobster has been very helpful already!

 

I’ve taken some advice from others who build this kind of thing in very low volumes, and they seem to slip below the radar. I’m not going to do anything like advertise it as a Dukes of Hazzard car where TV companies would get involved, and I think Dodge will have other worries at the moment, rather than some bloke making 20 toy cars.

[Alexg]

Perhaps a tie-up with Mr Lobster if you decide to enter series production?

 

Already discussed

 

The problem is licencing though. If you make a model of their car, you've got to get a licence from the manufacturer. With some its dead easy (Ford I believe to be one) but with others they want to see the model, the packaging it will be sold in and allsorts so it could become a bit of a minefield and potentially costly.

 

Answer -make models from car companies that don't exist anymore

[Shep Shepherd]

Just bought a Scalextric set off the 'Bay for the princely sum of £10. It's suitably shite as it's the "Mighty Metros" set

[Alexg]

Did that just end in the last 30mins or so? Because I contemplated a cheeky bid on that

[catsinthewelder]

Coming soon to a model shop near you

 

Lobstertrix Saab turbo challenge?

[Shep Shepherd]

Did that just end in the last 30mins or so? Because I contemplated a cheeky bid on that

 

Could well have been the one. I was the only bidder in the end

[155V6]

 

I latterly had an inferior Tomy set after I'd worn out the Scaletrix. It was actually pretty good, although the 205 GTI and the other car (can't remember what it was) got a right drubbing in the time I used it..

Golf GTi

[Autoplas]

Blimey that guy in the 'Trackbusters' set looks seriously angry at being tailgated.........

[garethj]

Blimey that guy in the 'Trackbusters' set looks seriously angry at being tailgated.........

He's in a Datsun pickup, he's probably upset that he didn't get a Toyota Hilux

[garethj]

An update, just for shits and giggles.

 

I lent one of the cars to the guy who makes the resin bodyshells for me. Even though it's really really not a racing car he took it to his local track. The onboard footage is ace!

 

Youtube

[eddyramrod]

Perhaps a tie-up with Mr Lobster if you decide to enter series production?

 

Already discussed

 

The problem is licencing though. If you make a model of their car, you've got to get a licence from the manufacturer. With some its dead easy (Ford I believe to be one) but with others they want to see the model, the packaging it will be sold in and allsorts so it could become a bit of a minefield and potentially costly.

 

Answer -make models from car companies that don't exist anymore

 

That might be easier than it appears. Many exciting names have gone: Plymouth, Pontiac, Oldsmobile, Mercury from Over There, Simca, DKW, from Yurrup, and from good ole Yuk: Riley, Wolseley, Triumph, Reliant, to name but a few. Obsolete models might be a way forward too; surely nobody at Vauxhall could object to a PA Cresta, for example? There's no way that can hurt sales of the full-size Astra.

[garethj]

Clicky picture for another video, 2 cars is a real hoot

 

[vulgalour]

I'm glad I finally clicked on this thread, those wibblywobbly cars are awesome! If only they'd been available when I had my Scalextric as a kid, far more exciting than the stuff we did have.

[morris_ital_lover]

Gareth, those are TEH BUSINESS when it comes to slot cars! I was flicking through your thread on the slotforum about the blues mobile and just thought I'd ask how "easy" is it to convert renders of cars into 3d models suitable for printing and consequent reproduction? I've been after a Volvo 240 in 1/32 for a while and it could be a decent shortcut.

[garethj]

I’ve used a couple of different methods for creating cars:

 

1. Find an existing kit and modify it. The ’77 Dodge Monaco and the ’81 Van were done like this.

2. Find an existing 3D model and get it printed. The ’74 Blues Brothers car, the ’72 Cadillac and the ’82 GMC pickup were done like this, I’ve done the 3D master of the pickup, just waiting for some funds before I get the silicon mould made.

 

Or you can do as everyone else does and carve one. I don’t have the skill for this, it would turn out very badly. However you can ask someone clever to go this way.

 

Dunno if option 1 is available for a Volvo 240? I’ll have a look for option 2 if you like?

[Volksy]

I really think you should patent this.

[garethj]

Tricky to patent, it would cost at least hundreds of pounds, possibly thousands. Most big companies would do it anyway if they wanted, because their legal department is bigger than me on my own. My chances of defending a patent are practically zero.

 

It’s also not a new idea; there were slot cars with suspension in the 1960s but they did it to try and win races, I just do it to make the cars look cool. But the idea of suspension on a slot car isn’t a new one.

[dieselnutjob]

It's now in the public domain anyway so you can't patent it, and neither can anyone else.

[morris_ital_lover]

Thanks for that Gareth. I've already gone down the route of option 3 (i.e. getting someone skilled to carve me an Ital from a Marina) the problem is that it requires a fairly large amount of money to get it done. If I could get Volvo 240 to use as the basis for a master for a reasonable price, I could re-pop the 240 saloon for a few others to get them should they wish and then send one on to my man on the inside to convert to an estate.... Have you sold on any of the bluesmobiles, and if so what did you do with the intellectual rights etc? Just ideas ATM though!

[garethj]

I've sold a couple of Bluesmobiles, I have no intellectual rights because I didn't pay Dodge to use it, nor anything to do with the film.

 

Here's a 240 I found which is suitable for 3D printing

 

It's not cheap though....

 

Here's another

[morris_ital_lover]

Thanks for that Gareth... how much do you reckon it would cost from now to getting a 3d print of the 2 door 240?

[garethj]

The 3D data costs $100 and it's probably another $50 to get all the surfaces stitched together, then you add the cost of a 3D print which is anywhere from £100 to £300. Then it's the normal cost of silicon tool for the bodyshell and vacform tool for the interior and windows, another £100 or so.

[RedSparrow]

These are excellent. I'd imagine the prices will drop as the technology becomes more common.

[garethj]

So you think you've got just a morsel of street cred left? Want to get rid of it, really fast?

 

Be like a 1:32 scale version of yourself with these superb* bodyshells you can get for your slot cars!

 

Marina Coupe

 

Marina saloon AND Maxi

 

Austin 1100

 

Triumph Dolomite

 

Anglia

 

Fiat Strada (or Ritmo if you prefer)

 

Renault 12

[Negative Creep]

I have a boxed Scalextric Le Mans set if anyone is interested in taking it off my hands? Since I'm at my parent's house at the moment I can check tomorrow, although I believe it's complete minus the cars and think I bought a few more bits of track over the years

[garethj]

Spotted this tasty addition to the world of slot cars, forget about the latest Lewis Hamilton F1 car for your Scalextric track, ignore the new offerings of Le Mans racers.

 

Get yourself this epic Renault 11

[Wilko220]

Clicky picture for another video, 2 cars is a real hoot

 

 

I missed this the first time around - but it is excellent!

[garethj]

That one was a laugh to make, I tried to get a few more car chase clichés in this one

 

[Wilko220]

Again, brilliant! These are all so entertaining to watch.

[Junkman]

Fuggin ace!

Do you have a scale Heather Thomas, too?