GT cars....Is it a sickness?

[btaylor]

I have to ask this. Does anybody else have an obsession with the GT cars? I cant quite figure out why I have so many of them, when I don't follow the series at all. Sure, I have caught a few races on the speed channel, but to say I know anything about them would be a false statement. Most if not all my builds, on both my road course and my oval, center around a time period long ago. My Midgets are mostly from the 50's and 60's. My jalopy's are from the same timeframe. All my 1/25 cars are based on sports cars from the same era, and my Can Am cars, well you all know the deal. My "newest" cars, are probably my T/A series, and we all know when they were the kings of the hill.
So, my question is, what the heck prompts me (us) to buy these Gaudy, huge winged wonders from the last decade or so? I mean, I have over a dozen of them in my humble collection, and I keep eyeing more as each week passes. I had been running and building 1/25 a lot lately, and this weekend I decided to break out some 1/32 cars for a change. What did I grab off the shelf? about a half dozen of my favorite GT cars! yes, they are fast as hell, and the handle great, but what is the allure? I have lots of cars that can run with them time wise, and just as many that handle that good.
So again, I ask anyone with the same affliction, why?????. Or is there even an answer for this? do we need an answer, or do we just keep waiting on the next bright and shiny version to come out, and put down our hard earned slot dollars on a series that does not even run in this country that I know of?
Either way, answer or no, I once again had a blast carving corners out of my twisty road course, with these strange little brightly colored monsters. And yea, there are two of them in my shopping cart as I type this, just waiting for me to pull the trigger on a couple more of them.
It must be sickness, but I'm not sure I want the cure!
What are your thoughts?


Bob

[mnfordguy]

Hey Bob. I'm in the same boat. Sportsman/Modifieds (both 1/32 and 1/25) and T/A cars are by far my favorites. I am looking to thin my herd of cars, especially Group C and Can AM cars, but stopped at the GT-3 cars, They are a blast to run and handle great. I also find myself eyeing these up when they pop up for sale, and no doubt will have on my list for Santa. (My holy grail is the Scaley Gulf Porsche)

[HomeRacingWorld]

I seem to be picky when it comes to them. When the right body style/design comes along? I am the same way.

My personal favorite is currently that Scalextric Mercedes. It just looks menacing. Plus it runs so dang good :lol:

[btaylor]

Harry, are you referring to the ABBA green version? that is one awesome looking car.
And mnfordguy, that is truly a great looking car also. but its Gulf livery, how could it be anything else?

Bob

[slothead]

While I don't have any feelings for those 2 freaky new-fangled cars in your photo, I do share your affliction with cars from the 'golden era' of racing which in most cases is seen as being decades ago. Over the past 12 years or so I've bought and built about 150 slot cars and 98% of them are pre-1975. The only exceptions are cars I got with a set or bought for my grandson.

The dirt racing cars on my oval are reminiscent of cars I watched race at local tracks starting in the early 70s. A bunch are based on the Wicked Good Racing series up here in Maine which restores and races cars from before 1960, nothing newer is allowed. On my road course I have 3 series - Trans Am, World Sportscar, and Can-Am. Trans Am and Can-Am had their heyday from '66 - '75, when American iron, AKA muscle cars, were on steroids. I own a newer Mustang but only because the retro design pays tribute to the late 60s models. If offered a Mustang or Camaro from any year you'd have to choose one from '66 - '72, they are iconic and extremely valuable. Same goes for Can-Am cars from that era - McLarens, Porsche 917 10s & 30s, Shadows, etc. I started following World Sports car (Le Mans) when the GT40 went Ferrari hunting. Oh yes, and there was that Steve McQueen movie which has become a cult classic.

Okay so I've shown that I too have the retro race car affliction, but why? I think there are 2 primary reasons. First, these cars are from our nostalgic past. They are among the first cars and race cars I fell in love with. Second, and this might be influenced by the first point, they just got it right back then. A '57 Chevy Belair is an ageless of masterpiece of design. As are GTO's, Mustangs, Camaros, Chargers, etc. from the '60's - early 70's. Just like some older buildings are seen as being masterpieces (Grand Central Station in NYC, or Sydney's opera house), the cars from 50-ish years ago have stood the test of time as being the best of the best.

[HomeRacingWorld]

Yes Bob that is just one of them, it all started with this:

[btaylor]

oh yea......nuff said.


Bob

[ccobra]

I thought you were talking about these GT's and the Mustangs from the 65-73 era. These and the older stock cars (some call jalopies) are what I have an infection for. I try scannig them them for printing if I can't find the models.

[btaylor]

Nope. We all have our favorites of course. I was talking specifically about the modern GT cars. GT3 etc.
They are just so out of the normal for most of us suffering from collecting them.

Bob

[slothead]

Are you suggesting there could be more than one "golden age' of racing? Interesting idea. If so perhaps that could apply in other areas too - like music. Wow. The universe is expanding.

[GRUNZ]

Bob, you mean GT3 cars. Well in that case I am with you.
I think it is my fav series together with the modern DTMs.
I cannot get enough.
I think there are several reasons for me: fantastic liveries that keep updating almost at each race, huge rear wings (i would give a toss without that big wing...in fact I am not so excited by the GT4 cars), and very close racing. Look at the GT World channel on youtube: lots of races for free.

My favorite car at the moment is the BMW M6: I have lightened a Carrera M6 body and using a prospeed chassis.
It is a huge brute (even bigger than the Scalex Conti) and it goes really well.

[Pepsi62]

perhaps I have a similar sickness, I have both Gulf cars on display, plus 2 race used gulf Porsches, Falken Porsche, 2 x Z4 BMW, both raced, 2 x rumbum Audi R8 both race prepped, blue AMG Merc and Blue/white Porsche from the set also race prepped all Scalextric

have Carrera Corvette c7 with Pioneer 21K motor and a Lamborghini Huracan with Piranha motor, scaley chip & lights added
plus my Audi R8 with Hawk motor in the RAA proxy,

definitely a sickness

[silverspringsslotcars]

The reason some people like the GT3 cars could have something to do with maybe seeing their road going counterpart on the street. In the Midwest maybe you don't see many, but if you live on the coast or close to a big city you see a few now and then. When we go to California and even here in Reno I have seen a few of the street versions they are based on (Corvette, Audi R8, BMW, M4,6 and 8 etc.). It is probably they same with your sportsman cars that people build. You see their road going counterparts all over the place.

Joseph

[Wobble]

In the 60's in New Zealand the vehicle fleet was one of the oldest in the world and although there were new cars around there were also a lot of 'vintage' cars, and it wasn't uncommon to see cars with wooden spokes etc in everyday use. In those days most new car buyers had to have access to 'overseas funds' whatever they were, so it meant that new cars weren't too common but pre-war and post-war cars were the norm. My father bought a brand new 100E Ford Prefect in 1955 at the same time I was born as he knew he would probably never buy another new car, and he kept that car until it was no longer roadworthy and never did buy another new car. It's like when I used to go to 'speedway' in my teens, my favourite cars were the pre wing super modifieds that looked like oversized midgets with a V8 instead of a VW engine. They were bigger and sounded better. For me that's what influences me to this day and modern GT cars just don't seem to 'hit the spot' for me, and although I have quite a few in my collection, the last one I bought was the 1st release of the Scaley BMW Z4 although I have often thought about getting a Scaley Vantage and Bentley but they've never passed the 'thought about it' point for me. The only 'high end' modern GT car I've bought so far is the 1st release of the Scaleauto BMW Z4. There's just not enough appeal for me to hit the 'buy it now' button on any of the 'high end' GT cars. I just scored a Scaley #14 Mercury Cougar (which I missed at release time) and I'm more excited about that than I was when I bought the Scalauto Z4. But lately I do find myself drawn to the new Scaleauto Dodge Viper but I'll cross that bridge when and if I get to it.

[btaylor]

This probably wont help the sickness at all, but there a few scalextric BMW Gt3 cars on ebay for $23 new.

Just sayin.


Bob