Home Racing World

Sorry Harry, I missed that, not thinking right today!

Regards, Lloyd.

[quote="MikeySlotCars[IMG]........ , IMO at the end of the day it's only a "game" to have fun & quality time with some friends & family

Mikey[/quote]


As to guide pins - who forces you to use them ? Since we talk about SCRATCHBUILDING, two examples that almost any guide can be used in 43rd scale as well. The red one is a more or less unaltered Scaleauto guide, the other one is a guide flag of which I had made a series about thirty years ago after the dimensions of the Parma Jetflags. This one here is totally reworked for the specs of a REAL SCALE 1/43 Dragster. It is only 6 mm wide. But it works. Because it is scratchbuilt.








As Shakespeare or whoever once said - "Deeds, not words ! "

Roland

I just started into 1/43 scale a year ago. I have had no problem finding everything I need to build anything I want. Perhaps that in itself tells a story. An enthusiast will find away to enjoy regardless of what the manufacturers are doing. It is not like this slot car business is a run away success. I have lived through more then one bust in this hobby. However I am a life long hobbyist, have a large basement N scale layout, and have been casting for years. I looked at 1/43 scale and just told myself I could make anything I wanted. Saw all the diecast subjects and knew this would be no problem.

Some however are not in that place, and would just like to buy what they want. In 1/43 scale slot cars that is just not possible. All you have is toys with guide pins, blacked out windows and over sized wheels.

IMO there is a demographic looking for quality built 1/43 scale stuff. Who are these guys. The 55 + guys who are retiring, and looking to get a hobby. They have money, they have time, and many of them "used to" have slot cars. Many of them may have downsized their residence, and are looking for something with a smaller footprint. Many of them may not have space for a dedicated hobby workshop with paint booth and exhaust fan. Their current lifestyle has them traveling maybe between residences. Condo near the kids and a vacation retreat somewhere else.

If this market is not served it will be lost to something else, Most likely trains or RC scale vehicles. Trucks, Tanks etc. Big move into scale RC trucks, heavy equipment and tanks lately. Again driven by the demographic that has money to spend.

I find it strange that the largest demographic with disposable income is simply being ignored in this scale. But hey that is just my opinion. What killed slot cars before?. A move away from scale and instead into winged things that were all about speed. This concept was impossible to capture on a home track so only catered to club type racers. What resurrected home sales.? Scale like cars appearing, and people getting interested again.

This mindset that 1/43 can only be for kids is baffling to me. Scalextric and Carrera are in a perfect position to produce a few scale 1/43 scale cars. You don't even need track. GO is fine, and 1/32 scale track is good as well. You already have paid the licence to the manufacturer to produce a 1/32 scale car. I would think it would make good business sense to spread that cost over into the 1/43 scale market. For them it is easier. They are established and have all the tooling at their disposal. For someone new to come in is very tough as this market is very shaky for a start up. But the big boys have big enough roots to do it, but are not interested. I don't lose any sleep over it, as I am happy building what I want to build. I am certainly not whining about it and frankly could not care less about it personally. If the manufactures are not interested in appealing to this demographic, it is their business.

I built a Ferrari this weekend, and just laid up another chassis and have a Lotus 40 1 day away. It is all good.

Cheers

Guys it's all good.Sometimes we tend to forget that..
Let's all have some fun here..
Rusty

I agree with ya there Danny C.

Rusty

Time for some updates...

Here some Ninco 1/43 cars , in fact it's only one car with different colors & decals but it a start...
They are not bad looking cars & if they really do have lights like in the pictures then that will be a+ in my book









What we still don't know is if the cars have a guide pin or a guide flag?
But I'll bet it will be a guide pin , we'll know soon enough...

What I found out on a french forum (See the link) is that Ninco 1/43 track will be 10% larger (Then Carrera/SCX?) if so then the Ninco track will be about 4".95 wide
Also they will have the controllers with 5 progressive speeds , what ever that means?

Link--> http://www.circuitsroutiers-gentlemendr ... 20#p101488

Mikey

Update:
Available in November...

Here a few pics from GD forum... http://www.circuitsroutiers-gentlemendr ... 20#p107343











The guy said that it's working on 12v 1.5 amps
Motor is a 16000 rpm & consumed 0.06 amps
Tracks are wider then Carrera Go
The controllers have a very smooth throttle

More update in the next few days

Mikey

it is looking strangely familiar.
new crown gear, so.

Looks like they run on 14 volts, but nothing really new here from what I see. These I guess are meant to fill the void left by Artin.

Cheers

Dan

I guess those fine gents @ Ninco just didn't get the memo. :(. For their sake I hope it is priced as Artin.

Randy