Calling Pioneer - Jules and Tom

[frank9129]

To the amusement/frustration (in about equal measure) of many guys, I can report that, unbelievably, we are still dicking around trying to get all the pieces to fit properly on both of the Legend racers, the ’34 Ford and the ’37 Chevy. It’s driving me nuts. My ‘great idea’ to have tooling made as each set of parts was designed has come back to haunt me. The main issue being lack of control of revisions to data which – when so much time has passed since the first tool and the last – means that one tiny change to the placement of, say, a screw hole that was not back-tracked into, say, the chassis has an impact on many different areas. It’s real ‘tear-your-hair-out’ stuff. Jules

Momma always said, "Good things come to those who wait".

[MoparGreg]

Hi Jules, So you won’t be releasing any AAR Cudas? I thought they were still in the pipeline even after all these years?

[frank9129]

Greg,
Get in line. I'm waiting for the Legends Racers.

[Fathead59]

Looks like everyone has a certain car they want to see produced

[slothead]

Yes, we have always had our personal wish lists. I remember going to the Pioneer website everyday when they were still manufacturing in China hoping to see hews about the first Trans Am Camaro releases. As a mater of fact I think my last Pioneer purchase was the #15 Penske-Donohue "lightweight" Sunoco Camaro, many years ago. I would have loved to be able to add some Pioneer 'Cudas and Javelins to my series, but those needs were filled by SCX and Scalextric releases, along with Cougars I never expected.

I think the most we can hope for from Pioneer in the near future are Legend cars. Like their Trans Am offerings, once the molds are completed and some initial releases find customers, there should be more versions coming. Hopefully, there won't be the same licensing hurdles to clear to create both replicas of some successful team cars as well as fantasy liveries. I've enjoyed watching the Legend cars run as an underclass to the modifieds at several NY dirt tracks over the years.

[HomeRacingWorld]

If any actual "Team" cars are produced, I would be surprised.

A lot of people say they want these cars. 99.9% are simply because they look like the old coupes. Not due to any certain driver or team.

In fact, cannot even imagine anyone passing up these cars because they did not make (insert driver/team).

Have not heard a peep since getting a prototype to test. I can only guess that they are busy producing them for a release date in time for this Christmas.

[slothead]

Your right Harry, since almost no one would know a replica from a fantasy livery. My point was in searching for realistic livery styles there are a few local/regional cars that have been successful and may warrant being asked if their colors and number could be used on a release. For example, the #31 of Noah Korner was a division leader near the end of the 2016 season when this photo was taken.


There are national points champions in several divisions, mostly based on driver age and experience. I would think basing a car or two on some winners would increase visibility of the slot cars among spectators at the tracks those drivers compete at. And, perhaps introduce some news fans into the hobby.

[HomeRacingWorld]

[waaytoomuchintothis]

About those Monte Carlos... Surely there are lots of guys snapping up decal sets to "recreate" original liveries for the cars. Its easy enough to figure out what is what, after all. Stripping and re-decaling is fun to do, especially if it makes a car more pleasing to the guy doing it. Something to be proud of, anyway.

[slothead]

Yes, very good discussion - It's why I check into HRW everyday. It's never my intent to disagree or debate, but I do love dialogue.

I want to see these cars too, and hope nothing trivial, like livery issues, delays their release. I haven't watched Legend cars race regularly since attending races all over the northeast 20 years or so ago, so like just about everyone else I don't have a favorite driver or livery. I totally understand why the Monte Carlos have fantasy liveries given what license fees would be, just didn't think that would apply for any local hero Legend car or driver.

Before the current releases weren't just about all slot cars based on actual 1:1 cars? Even going back to the vintage Strombecker cars found at a flea market and posted on HRW recently, that #66 Chaparral was iconic when I was in middle school. One reason I never cared for the wedgies at commercial tracks was because I couldn't relate them to an actual car and driver, and all my race cars have an assigned driver who actually drove it in a sanctioned race. Yes, I know I'm a nerd and proud of it.

Just saw this on Slot Car Today - so perhaps all DIY fantasy cars as you choose:

"will initially release a 34 Ford Coupe and 37 Sedan. They will be offered in six basic colors and a decal sheet with numbers."

[frank9129]

I feel sorry for all those collectors out there who only want cars driven by certain drivers or teams.
I'm into slot car racing for the fun of it. I collect cars for the body. I could care less who drove it.
The kids I cater to don't care either. Just put out a car which is fast, holds the track, and they can see.
I have a pink car of every Artin group I have. Numbers are only for figuring out which car goes on which lane after a pile up.
As soon as they come out I will try to acquire 4-6 of each car to make the kids (and ME) happy.

[slothead]

Frank - I'll get some too and love them for the unique cars they are. But there must be a reason why all the top manufactures list the make, model, race, and driver of their cars on the case. It's because most slot car fans willing to pay the price they sell for are race fans who crave actual replicas of cars that raced in series or races they care about. Every Slot-it, MRRC, FLY, etc. car I have was advertised as being a replica of a specific car that ran in a specific race and was driven by a specific driver or drivers.

I accept this isn't an issue for Artin cars or for the HO cars I raced as a kid. Most of Pioneer's cars are specific Trans Am replicas and the driver is part of the attraction.

Different people love the hobby for different reasons. At the higher end of the quality and price range it would seem manufacturers know the details matter, right down to who drove the actual car.

[HomeRacingWorld]

Actually Pioneer have released quite a few fictional models. X-ray versions, Santa, Limited Stealth, etc etc and so on. The list goes on and on. With prices through the roof. And guess what? I see some people paying it and bragging about it. Why do think he makes them?

I’m not following the statement about listing the data on the cars. Of course they will list that data...but only on the cars they actually make of the specific team and driver. That doesn’t mean these cars are the only desirable ones. Perhaps they are for YOU...but that really doesn’t make a fictional model less attractive or desirable for all of us.

And the statement regarding the higher end? Might want to revisit some of the Sideways models, NSR, and the slew of plain color/fictional Scaleauto. In fact, the higher end segment of competition level models is full of fictional or plain offerings. Revo Slot just released fictional Gulf Porsche’s. Why is that?

So I must disagree with the statement that “most” Slot fans are willing to pay these prices due to scale accuracy.

Because there are just as many out there who could care less. And who do not even know. Most of the series of models available to us are literally unheard/unknown to majority of people on this side of the pond. Carrera DTM? Slot.it 90s DTM? 80s IMSA or Group 5? This is all meaningless to the vast majority.

I held up a brand new Audi LMP in front of my last two classes of students (30 in each class) with age ranges between 18 and 34. Want to guess how many even knew what it was, not to mention driver/team authenticity? You don’t want to know.

But they did think it was “cool as @#$&” And most discovered there was hobby called slot cars after a quick tour of HRW:)

In here, among racing and Motorsport enthusiasts? Of course. Do many of here care about the driver, team, history? Of course.

Our own Sportsman and Modified Showdown cars are almost all fictional. Have been for years and years. We paint and model them to represent the cars we remember, so that they look like they “belong” out there.

I wish there were more cars that did follow actual teams and drivers. But sometimes it’s not possible. A new mold for a manufacturer has to be worth more than just one or two releases. How about a Firebird for the Trans Am series? If I tooled up one, you can bet there will be more than just Jerry Titus. But I would make the actual scheme if it had one. If possible.

Licensing costs sometimes prevent that from happening. Unless the company ignores it and produces them anyway. Like one company that makes a C7R but never says Corvette. Or releasing A Ferrari and just calling it a 250 with the absence of the logo.

We can debate it about all day. You like and appreciate team/driver accuracy. So do many in here, including myself. No argument there. But it is a proven fact that this isn’t as important as we want to think it is in this hobby. Fictional Gulf, John Player, and....some early Pioneer “Club Racers” end up selling more than the historic versions.

[Czar]

Just curious if those of you who are begging for the Legends cars bought a bunch of the Carrera hot rods?

[Dangermouse]

I have a few hot rods and always looking for more :)