Scalextric Ford GT GTE questions

[HomeRacingWorld]

[BRS Hobbies]

My solution is set up the class with a fairly fast minimum lap time and if you go under the minimum lap time your lap doesn't count. If a particular car that you want to race is too fast, then detune the car with a milder motor and/or adjust the gear ratio. On the other hand, if a car isn't up to speed, you can tune it up so it's more competitive.

This format makes it easy to combine a lot of different brand of cars and run them in one class. The idea is to tune your car so it's about two tenths off the minimum lap time.

Brian

[GRUNZ]

Sure we can ignore and not buy it but I see that a lot of people are not too happy about this slimcan motors. And this is not good for business.
Simon (a guy working for scalextric) has signaled on another forum that the main reason to go for this motor was for scale reason.
However, Carrera managed to put a standard motor there...so not sure what issues scalex faced to trigger the use of the slimcan.

One other aspect to consider is that scalex is one of the only two commercial digital systems. I know that in this forum the digital concept is completely out of context, but when you have a system that support 6 cars to race at the same time, would be nice to be able to set up a grid of 6 different cars (not only in liveries) with comparable performance. Especially when the real class you are replicating has more than 3 or 4 models (BTCC, GT3, etc).
Carrera does a much better job in this respect: their GT3 class is huge and with the same drivetrain which means similar performance. So is their modern DTM class (which they are keeping updating with new models - not only releveries).

Now I am not trying to bash a brand here. I think Scalex has done an excellent job with the redesign of their models (lightweight shells, flat interior, Euro standar wheels, etc.). But sometimes it is really difficult to understand where it is going. Anyway, hope that Dave is reading this and reporting back.

[Racie35]

Please don't think I don't like this car...I do but the motor keeps our club from adding it. Along those lines I wonder how hard it would be on some cars to offer an adapter for using either motor(room allowing)...I'm sure scalextric could figure it out.

[HomeRacingWorld]

Fair point on the digital field.

However.....may we allow another view?

Such as I have raced digital, and the fastest car does not relate to the winner every time. In fact, It is just as much about strategy as top speed. I have seen and read reports of class winnners, and they were far from being the fastest qualifier. Because that is just one aspect. So perhaps a few thousand RPM isn’t as big a deal as we might think?

Some clubs might not allow it, but others do. Couple reports I have read have had this car given to newer drivers to help balance the field a little. So it might not work for every club out there, but there are some that are making it work. To me, that is part of the fun. Take what you have and make it work.

Perhaps it was a mistake in one regard, but I doubt they will change it. It is what it is. Would it have been better overall to have the same motor? Of course. But it isn’t.

So my comment on passing it up stands. If it doesn’t work for YOU or your racing program, then don’t buy it.

Maybe the responses will help Scalextric in the future? Perhaps sale figures will tell them that they need to avoid this motor in future releases. But I highly doubt they will tool up an all new chassis for this one. If they do? Well, then I guess hats off to them for doing so.

Time will tell. Meanwhile, it works for me. As I showed in my tuning article. I really don’t need more than one, but I’m glad I added it. Not being restricted by others rules can be a great thing. :clap:

[GRUNZ]

[HomeRacingWorld]

[GRUNZ]

Just making sure that we are on the same page mainly because your comment on "passing it up" might be read as "if you do not like just pass it no need to stir things up". The fact that you also run the forum might carry extra weight on your comments.
Anyway, I agree that this is a good discussion and it is important to have as many views as possible.