Best 1 32 Slot Cars

1. Best 1 32 Slot Cars
2. Best 1/32 Slot Car Track
3. 1/32 Slot Cars For Sale
4. Fastest Slot Cars 1 32

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The average person has probably heard of “slot cars” at some point in their life; while most may not know exactly what it is, slot car racing has been around since the 1930’s.There is a significant segment of the hobbyist population that races slot cars in competitions, and while popularity may have risen and dropped several times over the past eighty years, there is still a core group of enthusiasts who race these small-scale vehicles. Slot cars are considered to be “classic” and oftentimes, worth a good amount of money. Many collectables are often modeled after real-life vehicles, making them very valuable. Just as vehicles change shape and size over time, slot cars often imitate vehicles of their respective time period.

A slot car is a miniature scaled automobile that is powered by a small electric motor. Scales include: 1/28, 1/24, 1/32, 1/42 and 1/64 or HO. The cars are raced on a track that has a groove for each vehicle lane, and the slot car has a small pin or blade that extends from the bottom and into the groove. The contacts for the electricity are picked up by the swiveling blade, or “guide flag” on the slot car, which provides the power to run around the track. The vehicle is controlled by a hand-held speed controller that filters in the voltage amount; the more that the trigger is pressed, the faster the car can go. The two types of controllers that are used are called analog and electric controllers. Analog slot car controllers allow the car to accelerate by distributing the desired amount of voltage to the car. Electronic controllers, unlike analog controllers, do not use the variable resistance method for power delivery, but instead use an electronic circuit to dispense the correct amount of voltage to the car. Because electric controllers offer improved control and the ability to command a wide array of cars, this type of controller is most recommended for a beginner.
What are the main parts of a slot car?

1. Scalextric C1368T 24 Hr Le Mans Sports Cars Slot Car Analog 1:32 Race. Carrera GO 62480 DTM Master Class Electric Powered Slot Car Racing Kids Toy.
2. Race Sets for 1/32 Scale Slot Cars. By Rich McMahon A - Introduction. The intention of this guide is to assist someone looking to purchase his or her first race set. There is a large selection of great slot car items and the numerous choices can make it very confusing on what to select.

· Body/Shell – The top of the slot car is molded and scaled to a real vehicle. The shape actually does not influence the car’s performance, as it would for a real car. Instead, the mass and distribution of the weight affects the car’s performance.

· Interior – The interior often features a real driver and imitates the interior of the real, life-size vehicle. The driver and interior are typically modeled just below window height to allow more room for the motor. It is usually clipped or glued to the body shell.

· Chassis – The bottom part of the car is called the chassis, which is often one piece but can be made with a separate motor pod section. This piece attaches all of the other parts.

· Motor – The electric motor is what powers the slot car, placed at the front, middle, or rear of the car. It can be in-line, sideways, or at an angle. Like a real car, small gears transmit the power from the motor to the axle.

· Axle – The axle is the steel rod in which the wheels are attached to.

· Guide or Guide Flag – This is a plastic fin with the ability to pivot, which sits on the slot of the track and holds the braids.

· Braids – Copper metal contacts or copper braids provide power to the car by making contact with the rails on the track. It’s important that these are adjusted correctly for optimal car performance.

· Magnet – Front and rear magnets provide force to keep the car on the track.

· Chip – This refers to the circuit board which interprets signals on the track and operating the motor for digital cars. Some conventional cars have a chip to control the lights, but many do not have a chip at all.

What are slot car racetracks made out of?
Slot cars include a variety of other features and parts and differ depending on when the car was made and the maker. The majority of the slot car racetracks used for home races are made from molded plastic snap-together track sections. This allows the racer to reconfigure their track at will. The tracks used for competition are often hand-built; the guide slots for the vehicles are routed into a type of sheet material, generally either medium-density fiberboard or chipboard. Voltage supplied to the track by the power supply is typically between 12 to 18 volts and 1 or 2 amps.

What types of slot cars are best for beginners?
Cars of the 1/32 scale are most recommended for beginners, as they are very durable and are actually the most common size among hobbyists. The cars with very strong magnets are good for beginners initially, but may limit the development of driving skills. As racing skills develop further, the magnets are needed less and less and you may find you need to update your slot car as your skills progress.

What types of racetracks are best for beginners?
A simple track plan allows one to learn how to drive properly and enjoy the hobby. Sometimes an oval of track is best so that beginners can learn the fundamentals of accelerating, braking and controlling speed in the corners. A more elaborate and challenging track can be then enjoyed after some skill has been developed. Unfortunately, many sets do not have a good track layout for beginners. The beauty of plastic track is that you can configure a simple oval first, practice and then expand the layout with the balance of the track to make a more challenging circuit.

Clubs are a perfect way to get more involved in the hobby. Whether it’s a few people getting together informally to share tips and run their cars for fun, or large clubs that are a little more serious, joining a club will allow you to get the most out of slot car racing. Major competitions do exist on large tracks in commercial raceways, but these are typically for 1/24 scale cars, which require more sophisticated cars and equipment.

Slot car racing is a wonderfully diverse hobby that can stay with you for a lifetime and can be shared by generations of enthusiasts. Whether you’re a beginner or seasoned pro, there is always something new to keep you in high gear!

Lynne Bernhard

Drivers...START YOUR HOBBY!

By The Numbers!

Race Sets for 1/32 Scale Slot Cars

by Rich McMahon

A - Introduction

The intention of this guide is to assist someone looking to purchase his or her first race set. There is a large selection of great slot car items and the numerous choices can make it very confusing on what to select. By recommending high quality brands and listing the exact content of each set Home Racing World provides some direction and specific information to allow a beginner to make an excellent first choice.

Slot car racing is a great hobby! We hope to help people appreciate the fun that this hobby has to offer. There are many debates amongst slot car enthusiasts on various slot car websites, however many of these debates do not pertain to the beginner. Our hope at Home Racing World is that we are providing valuable information for beginners to ensure them a good starting point so that many will develop into slot car enthusiasts.

Also included in this guide are some general ideas and suggestions for setting up a slot car track that we hope will help everyone enjoy racing slot cars. Please feel free toemail us with any feedback on using this guide. Thebulletin boards at Home Racing World can also be utilized for your questions and comments.

After market upgrades are not within the scope of this guide. We consider upgrades to be for the enthusiast who decides to take the hobby to the next level. Our hope is that some of the people that utilize this guide advance to this next level and become true slot car enthusiasts after positive experience with our recommendations.

B - Recommendations

We recommend three brands: Artin, Carrera, and Scalextric Sport. All three recommended brands have been evaluated and we feel that the majority of people will be very satisfied with them.These sets contain track, cars, throttle controllers and power supplies. All of the recommended brands are available in the US and have the ability for later expansion if desired.

Each of these brands is a good choice but they all have some differences. This does not mean any are better or worse than the other. We have attempted here to explain these differences for you. You will find a description of the various components that make up the system for each brand, the basics of the track, the cars, the electrical power supply and the throttle controllers.

There are other alternatives which have not been recommended here, such as other brands of race sets and vintage types of slot car track, this does not mean you will not be pleased with these alternatives. You may be very happy with one of them, especially if purchased at a bargain price, as there are many enthusiasts that are satisfied with these alternatives.

C - Summary: Content of Race Sets

The chart below summarizes the contents of race sets that are currently available. A more detailed list of contents is at the end of this guide. The list below is organized by total length of the straight track included in each set because this is very important. Many of the smaller sets do not have very many straight sections of track. We recommend having at least one six foot straight, plan on purchasing additional straight sections of track for a six foot straight if you purchase one of the smaller sets.

D - General Information

Track-

The track contained in the race sets is a very important but often under-appreciated foundation of the hobby. Slot car track can be expensive and the brands listed here are not interchangeable. One goal of this guide is to help people avoid the expense of changing to another brand of track at a later date, as some enthusiasts have had to do. All of the recommended tracks will run all of the slot cars available today and have a smooth racing surface with a deep guide slot.

The quantity of track pieces included in each set is listed. The most important aspect is to look at the total length of straight pieces included in each race set. Many of the smaller sets do not have enough straight sections of track. We recommend having at least a six-foot straight for a beginner; some sets will need additional straight sections to be purchased to accomplish this.

Squeeze track sections (called chicanes) bring the lanes close together such that the cars can not pass each other are not recommended because they are not good for beginners. These squeeze tracks along with cross-over tracks that the cars switch sides of the track, can be discouraging to beginners developing their racing skills by causing two cars racing each other to be displaced from the track. These special track pieces can be fun after some racing skill is developed.

Some tracks are made of a hard plastic and others are more flexible, this is one topic of debate amongst some enthusiasts but it most cases it really just doesn’t matter. Some sets have steel and others use stainless steel to conduct the electricity to the cars. The corrosion resistance of the stainless steel is preferred but is not absolutely necessary.

The distance between the cars or lanes of the track is not standardized, this is another topic that is not critical to a beginner. Some tracks have larger lane spacing for larger scale cars. Some people prefer the closer lane spacing for the close racing action and others like the extra room of a larger lane spacing.

Note: If you are intending on racing 1/24^th scale slot cars a four inch lane spacing will be required. In this case we highly recommend the Carrera Track system.

A very nice feature to have is borders on the outside of the curves (these are sometimes called aprons). Home Racing World recommends having borders. These are not absolutely required but they do add a lot to the racing experience. The extra room enables one to develop one of the fun aspects of this hobby: power sliding a slot car through the turns. All of the brands recommended offer borders, some sets include them but for others it will be an additional expense.

Power & control

The power output and types of throttle controllers are listed in this guide. The sets recommended are all fun to race and have good throttle control. The power of the different brands are listed, both the voltage and amperage are specified. Note: If slot cars are modified with aftermarket upgrades the power and controls will need to be upgraded also.

There are two types of throttle controllers, a thumb type and a finger (or trigger) type. Each type functions very well with most people, but not all, preferring the trigger type. Some sets have a braking feature. This feature provides some additional stopping when the throttle is fully released. Some racers like this feature and others do not.

There are many different brands of cars and many enthusiasts purchase numerous extra cars. How all of these different brands of slot cars will run on any particular track is beyond the scope of this review. But themessage forum on HRW is an excellent place to see what others experience has been with specific cars on specific types of tracks.

All of the items included in these race sets will allow one to enjoy the hobby of racing slot cars but the serious slot car enthusiast will not use the power supply or the controls that are included in any of these sets. This is another topic of much discussion on the Internet amongst enthusiasts. However it is not required to upgrade, so don't feel you have to in order to have fun.

Cars

There is much interest in the excellent slot cars offered in 1/32 scale- the variety and modeling quality of the cars in these race sets should be considered. All of the cars in these sets are very robust and will offer hours of racing fun. The idea of this guide is race slot cars of equal performance, therefore driving skill is the major factor for success.

A word on Magnetic Enhanced Traction - The cars in all of the sets recommended utilize magnets on the underside of the car to enhance traction, but the degree can vary greatly between the different brands of cars. These traction magnets account for the majority of the difference in the performance between cars. Some of these magnets are very strong and give phenomenal corning speeds, other cars have magnets that are moderately strong. The cars with very strong magnets are good for beginners initially but may limit the development of driving skills. As ones racing skills develop the magnets are needed less and less.

E- Specific Information

Artin

Don’t let the low price and plain brown package give you the wrong impression, Artin sets are very high quality. Their race sets also include items such as borders for the outside of curves and a grand stand with unpainted people figures that are usually extra cost. Artin is the only recommended brand to offer a four-lane race set.

Track:

Hard plastic that is easy to assemble and disassemble making it great for both permanent and temporary layouts.

Power rails are made with a low-grade stainless steel rails so it is highly corrosion resistant.

Lane spacing is three inches - the standard for 1/32 scale racing.

Note: borders are included in sets.

1 straight section is 10 ½ inches long

Power & Control:

The power supply is slightly lower than the competition; this may be noticeable with cars that very strong after-market traction magnets have been added to.

The power pack supplies 12 Volts and 0.15 amps per lane; each individual lane has its own separate power.

The controllers are trigger type but have a heavy return spring and could become uncomfortable for younger racers.

No braking feature.

Cars:

These cars are very smooth running racecars and have moderately strong traction magnet, which makes them great at developing racing skills. The cars run excellent and are very robust but are not as nicely painted and finished as some of the other brands.

Carrera

Track:
Carrera track is actually 1/24^th scale with greater spacing between car lanes, four inches versus three inches, but this means it is larger and takes up more space too. This is a hard plastic with making it excellent for tracks that are elevated. The power rails are made with a low-grade stainless steel so it is highly corrosion resistant. This is very solid when assembled but is the most complicated to assemble too. It can not assembled as quickly as the other two recommended brands.

1 straight section is 13 ½ inches long

Power & Control:

Carrera is the only one that utilizes thumb type throttle controllers.

A braking feature is used.

The power pack supplies 14.8 Volts and 0.35 amps per lane; each individual lane has its own separate power.

Cars:

Carrera exceptionally good looking cars and has recently upgraded the performance of their cars. They have very strong magnets, they use two magnets, one is removable and the other is adjustable.

Scalextric Sport

Track:

Scalextric introduced their Sport track last year. It is made of a semi-flexible plastic and it is easy to put together and take apart making it good for temporary layouts. It has a wide variety of track pieces for excellent track design changes.

The lane spacing 3”.

1 straight section is 12 inches long

Power & Control:

Trigger controllers are offered.

Brakes

The power pack supplies 15 Volts and 0.60 amps total power, which must be shared between two lanes (or 15 Volts and 0.30 per lane).

Cars:

Scalextric is making good looking and exceptionally detailed cars. They utilize very strong magnets that can be repositioned or removed.

F- Setting up your first track: Some things to think about

There are a number of items to be considered when setting up your first slot car track. Here are the major questions that you should try to understand when setting up a slot car track. It is interesting that the answers to these questions may change with time. The recommended brands allow enough flexibility to allow for the answers to these questions to change with your desires.

Before a specific track layout is designed consider these basic questions:

1- How much room do you have? There is never a shortage of space for a slot car track, but one needs to be realistic about this one. Everyone wants a huge track but that is not always going to happen. Typically the space utilization should be maximized and this may lead to a very twisty track that utilizes the most pieces of track for a given area. This is not necessarily the best track to race on and could be counter-productive for beginners learning how to race. The critical feature of any track is the longest straight; we recommend a minimum of seven feet long.

2- How many people will be racing on a regular basis? In other words do you need a two or four lane track? If you are lucky enough to have more than two others to race with you should consider a four-lane track. If it’s just one or two racers a lap timer/counter really adds to the experience, in fact a lap timer will help anyone.

3- Temporary or permanent layout? Many do not have the space to dedicate to a permanent track. Some brands of track are more conducive to a temporary track layout.

Home Racing World Suggestions

#1 Start out with a simple track plan.

A simple track plan allows one to learn how to drive properly and enjoy the hobby. A more elaborate and challenging track can be then enjoyed after some skill has been developed. Many sets do not have a good track layout for beginners. It is important to have at least a seven-foot long straight for beginners to learn. The important aspect for beginners to learn is not how to go fast but how to slow down for the turns.

#2 Lap-timer/ Lap-counter

All of the recommended brands offer a Lap-timer/Lap counter and are included in some sets. We recommend obtaining a lap timer. The timing of each lap allows one to refine their racing technique. This adds a lot to the racing experience.

Detailed list of race set contents

Artin

Two lane $100

27 feet total lap length – 33 pieces of track

9’ 7” of straight - 11 straight

2 straight cross-over
18 R1 curves

Lap timer/counter (battery operated)

8 outer borders for R1curves

Grandstand with unpainted people

Four lane $120

40 feet total lap length (20 feet of four lanes) - 52 pieces of track

24’ 6” of straight track - 28 straight
8 R1 curve, 16 R2 curves, 16 outer borders & 8 inner borders

Note: four cars and four controllers included

Grandstand with unpainted people

Checkered Flag Challenge $210.00

35 feet total lap length – 36 pieces of track

17 feet of straight - 14 straight, 2 quarter straight, 2 third straight, 2 straight “hump”

8 R1 curves (2 30 degree R1) & 6 R1 banked curves

Lap timer/counter (battery operated)

Winged Warriors $195.00

27 ¼ feet total lap length – 29 pieces of track

14’ 2” of straight - 1 straight, 1 quarter straight, 2 third straight, 2 straight 'hump'

12 R2 banked curves

Massive Power$169.00

17 ½ feet total lap length - 19 pieces of track

6’ 9” of straight - 6 straight, 2 quarter straight, 1 third straight

6 R1 curves & 4 R2 curves

Le Mans Challenge$137.95

14 3/4 feet total lap length - 14 pieces of track

6’ 9” of straight - 6 straight

6 R1 curves & 4 R2 curves

Le Mans Thunder $134.95 & Muscle Car Showdown $144.95

14 ¾ feet total lap length – 14 pieces of track

6’ 9” of straight - 6 straight

8 R1 curves

Mille Miglia 2

22 feet total lap length – 22 pieces of track

6’ 9” of straight - 6 straight, 1 straight “hump”

9 R1 curves

6 R1 banked curves

Challengers $124.95

17 feet total lap length – 17 pieces of track

5’ 8” of straight - 5 straight

1 straight “hump”

5 R1 curves

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6 R1 banked curves

Adrenaline Run

14 ¾ feet total lap length – 12 pieces of track

2’ 3” of straight - 2 straight

10 R1 curves

Scalextric has a big selection of race sets to choose from and include a wide variety of cars. Some of their sets can be set-up together making four, six, and even 8 lane layouts.

Indy - $99.95

15 ¼ feet total lap length –16 pieces of track

8’ of straight – 8 straight

8 R2 curve

Le Mans “T2” - $179.95

25 feet total lap length – 27 pieces of track

12’ of straight – 12 straight

8 R2 curve, 3 R4 curve

4 R2 border

Trans Am “T3” - $199.95

27 feet total lap length - 34 pieces of track

12 ‘ of straight – 12 straight

16 R3 curve, 3 R2 curve

7 R3 borders

GT Interactive + RMS “4” - $229.95

30 ¼ feet total lap length – 29 pieces of track

11 1/2 feet of straight - 11 straight, 2 quarter straight

2 straight squeeze

12 R2 curves

2 R2 cross-over curves

7 R2 outer borders

RMS included (a link to use your PC with your race set)

Le Mans 24 “4” - $219.95

30 ¼ feet total lap length – 29 pieces of track

11 1/2 feet of straight - 11 straight, 2 quarter straight

2 straight squeeze

12 R2 curves

2 R2 cross-over curves

7 R2 outer borders

Lap timer/counter (battery operated)

Formula One “3” - $199.95

21 feet total lap length – 20 pieces of track

10 feet of straight - 10 straight

2 straight squeeze

6 R2 curves

2 R2 cross-over curves

5 R2 outer borders

1 straight border

Lap timer/counter (battery operated)

GT 40 Sport/ Rally Sport “3” - $149.95

21 feet total lap length – 20 pieces of track

10 feet of straight - 10 straight

2 straight squeeze

6 R 2 curves

2 R 2 cross-over curves

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5 R2 outer borders

1 straight border

Touring Car Challenge/ John Cooper Trophy “2” - $139.95

16 ½ feet total lap length – 16 pieces of track

8 feet of straight - 8 straight

6 R2 curves

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2 R2 cross-over curves

Rally Champions/ Grand Prix “1” - $99.95

12 ¾ feet total lap length – 12 pieces of track

6 feet of straight – 6 straight

4 R2 curves

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4 R2 cross-over curves

We hope this guide helps you a little more in your new hobby. Remember, no matter what track system you choose it will be fun...and that is what our hobby is all about!

-Rich