Gordo's 1/32 plastic anything goes handicap a success

The fourth Friday of the month at Ecurie is now officially 1/32 plastic anything goes for 2012 and is beginning to pick up momentum toward not only the mainstream Scalextric cars but all kinds of brands and hybrids. Brainchild of motor rally boffs Gordon and Tony, the committee has developed it in to a useful platform for all skills levels of drivers with all kinds of 1/32 plastic slot cars.

Umhlanga Model Flyers Club's Anton and Mike, along with Mike's missus Karen, were first time visitors this month. After some cajoling, Karen got in to the race action and also enjoyed the evening, along with the lads. We are also appreciative of their full time marshaling support for the evening! Anton had the benefit of a prior practice evening and put it to good use by finishing second to one of the club's older farts - so the format rewards novice and experienced folk alike. Anton and Mike reported having enjoyed the evening, at UMFC flying on Sunday as well.

Those looking for something a bit more speedy but light on the pocket for the handicap series need look no further than Tony's Revell Monogram Lola T70, which posted a remarkable 19 laps in qualifying, in pretty much out the box form. The excellent 19 laps was going to be tall order for all six lanes in the final but Tony still had fun breezing past us quite regularly. ;-)

Another highlight for the older hands was ex member Craig Wilson and daughter turning up out the blue, after the first qualifier. Despite a couple of decades away and zero practice, Craig achieved an excellent 16.5 laps and sixth place qualifier for the A main with just the one run, prompting the race controller to ask who this ringer was! ;-). Craig also then went on to achieve an excellent fifth overall for the evening. 

These pics courtesy of Anton - nice track full view!

Chairman Costa, Karen, Ashwin and Phil in practice action.

UMFC's Mike practicing on yellow, along with the other relative newbies.

The range of cars could hardly be more diverse!

Carrera orange Capri, Fly leaded Capri, Ninco Saleen (on Slotiit HRS), Scalextric LMP and Scalextric super-resistant!

Costa, Shane, Ayrton, Gordon and another newbie. Gordon carried the concept across from full size racing.

Dave supporting Scotland and servicing the controller wiper with comm drops.

Shane's blitz vinnig Scalextric Ford GT qualified very well. 

Gordon and Tony's trial anything 1/32 plastic goes handicap event

Gordon in red shirt - he proposed the handicap event.

Tony Ball advises the newbies on the goodies in the new cabinets.

Marshals on duty.

Rare short of Phil on race control! Vallen spectates.

Thanks to the persistence of Ecurie's PRO Annetjie, I enjoyed a visit to the club's trial novelty handicap event last Friday evening. Gordon Neal proposed this as an “any 1/32 plastic car” class, with handicap based on the two 2 minutes qualifiers driven the same evening. This permits brand new drivers and differs from the handicap championships of old, which were based on two previous events. Those achieving more than 105% in the final "broke out" and were excluded, to catch out the ringers.


Maybe not a championship style event but it was certainly a bunch of fun for a one in a while giggle event and saw quite a range of cars dug out of dusty boxes. Of course the older hands always have to be smart - Mike and Shane had a double magnet F1, which is traction locked down for consistency, till it was panel beaten by other cars and the barriers. Tony and Dave went with an older Fly and touring car for consistency in the 7 to 7.5 second per lap category. Nigel decided on blitz vinnig, which turned out anything but consistent ;-)

The organisers were blessed with just the result they wanted, the top three results all being kids! Phil looked spot on 100% for his 102 laps with 51 laps at half way but Shane saw to it that the track calls increased exponentially and although Phil took it on raw laps, followed by yours truly, he suffered on handicap and yours truly was able just pip him on handicap with a useful 97.8% but the lighties were un-catchable at over 100%!

awesome Turnout

Hi all

Just a short note to complement everyone on some awesome racing on Friday night for the Stock class. It was thoroughly enjoyable. As Dave said, it was the first time that he battled to find parking to get in.

Well done to Tony who won the racing overall and to think, he bought the car on the night!

Ecurie SAMCA controller plug hook up

A picture is worth a bunch of words - this hook up picture is for my own edification and may be useful for anyone else connecting a slot car controller to the current five amp plug system at South African Model Car Association (SAMCA) clubs:

MRRC controller with 1/24 HD30 UPGRADE PCB

The rash of new visitors to Ecurie provides the enjoyable dilemma of how to kit them out with cheapie controllers. Amazing how folk take to electronic controllers once they have driven with them!

Both the Parma Turbo (Plus) unit and the newer MRRC unit provide an excellent base at reasonable cost. Difalco products are Rolls Royce and there is a present window of opportunity to purchase the new 30 band wiper boards complete with resistor banks at an excellent value price. Add two 20 ohm pots and a Tip 36c transistor for pennies and you have a stunning combination for club racing at well under a grand.

The unit above was assembled with the transistor soldered direct to the board and has tested well but not used in track action, yet. Feels luverly, though ;-)

Soldering the unsupported transistor direct to the board is neat but dubious without additional support (see under the right potentiometer) - that may be added later, if necessary. The rest of the soldering reduces to a simple six joints, using this gorgeous board. Reference to the previous posting reveals that there are a host of resistor bank options for the Tip 36c, although experience has shown that the 113 ohm bank will probably be the most suitable.

There will be a latter blow by blow once testing is complete but, in the meantime, these are the sources I used for the various components:

2 x 20hm potentiometers (loudspeaker volume controls) for brakes and start adjustment @ R30 each:
http://www.fort777.co.za/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=269_456_552_582_584&products_id=3056

Tip 36c transistor at R20 a pop, from most electronic shops:

http://www.fort777.co.za/index.php?main_page=advanced_search_result&search_in_description=1&keyword=tip36c

Difalco upgrade board with resistor bank from various online sources, or even direct from Difalco, at approx R400 (this one is 148 ohm):

http://www.ncphobbies.com/cgi-bin/vcat/CatalogMgr.pl?cartID=b-2753&SearchField=partnumber&SearchFor=DD261&template=Htx/product_detail.htx&hdr=Product+Details&displayNumber=1

MRRC controller base (normally sourced from Pendleslot for GBP25, under accessories) at approx R300:

http://www.pendleslotracing.co.uk/html/body_track.htm

That makes for an all up cost of about R800 for a larney controller and you can brag to your mates about the smooth as silk 30 band action......!

Scroll back through previus blog posts for the circuit but remember only to connect to the brake stop, never the brake band.

Nigel's MRRC project sorted

Nige’s controller successfully tested after a transistor and wiper board change back to the old standard 108 ohm total for the Tip36c. How I ever worked without this simple tester......? I will try amend the blog postings to drop all references to the ill conceived shorter travel and less ohm spreads, when I have a mo.

Nige’s board soldering attempt suggested for me (personally) that below is a far more logical approach in buying a Difalco pre-made board, complete with resister arrays that can be unplugged to change to a whole range of values – helluva cheap at the price for a Rolls Royce bolt on to the MRRC, with the bonus of 30 bands..... Just fit pots, tranny and hook up wire only – I have ordered my own through North Coast Hobbies.

1/32 HD30 UPGRADE PCB (Suits the Le mans MJ type)
DD553: HD30 Upgrade PCB: Convert. You get the HD30 circuit board with a standard 290 ohm resistor network board installed. Simply unsolder a few wires and remove the old PCB. Transfer the original brake and sensitivity rheostats over to the new HD30 board. Now bolt the PCB to the frame and solder a few wires to their correct positions. Simple instructions included.

Or

1/24 HD30 UPGRADE PCB (Ok for the Tip36C type or use the DD256 113 ohm array for exact)
DD261: HD30 Upgrade PCB: You get the HD30 circuit board with a standard 148 ohm network board installed. Simply unsolder a few wires and remove the old PCB. Transfer the original brake and sensitivity rheostats over to the new HD30 board. Now bolt the PCB to the frame and solder a few wires to their correct positions. Simple instructions included.

DD255: Standard Resistor Network. 180 ohm
DD256: Standard Resistor Network. 113 ohm
DD257: Standard Resistor Network. 78 ohm
DD262: Standard Resistor Network. 290 ohm
DD258: Custom Resistor Network. 136 162 and 192 ohms.
DD260: Custom Resistor Network. 64, 87 and 113 ohms of total resistance.

That completes all my committed or otherwise foisted on projects and no more third party projects will be entertained – it was spoiling my attendance at racing, even if that is spotty;-)

Simple controller checker for three pin plug type

Given my infrequent trips to Ecurie and distance involved, any transistor controller repair or development had ground to an effective halt as a consequence of the tedious delays in testing the units. A simple diagram off the British Darkside slot car site (see link at bottom) suggested that the new three pin plug and socket system now provides an excellent opportunity for a simple test unit.

A chat to Erlo and a tip from flying buddy Mark lead to the purchase of the white 5amp three pin plug socket shown at the left. I flirted with retaining the US controller three colour red/white/back approach but then decided I would stay with black/red colour shown for intuitive ease of hook up to the DC power supply source and test motor/car. When I can actually locate the Brit diagram drawn to controller colours on the net again, I will add that but for now it is actually easier to tell than draw:

1. Two negative black wires twist together and connect to the earth E (bigger) terminal [controller red]. One negative black lead connects to the DC power source and the second negative black lead connects to the test motor or car left negative braid.

2. One positive red wire connects to the live terminal [marked "L" - controller white] and across to the positive lead of the DC power source.

3. A second positive red wire connects to the neutral terminal [marked "N" - controller black] and across to the test motor or car right positive braid.

That's it! The DC source can be max 13.8 volts DC right down to my 8 volts DC unit Lance made us for Dremel cutters etc and worked fine in my case. Obviously mounting the 5 amp socket in to a box would be the next step.

The controller in the second pic down is Jono's, which was a basket case example of why unravelling insulation tape is a poor second to heat shrink tubing. Both adjustment pots and the NPN transistor had been changed without success but it was suspected that the thin red wire to the insulated wiper may have fractured internally under movement load or the intense heat when the the controller cooked. It was simple exercise to check, replace and immediately test the controller on the new tester - with great success. Those up the north coast may have heard the cheer at midnight last night ;-)

The controller savvy folk will by now have twigged why the German slot car racers insist their controller cable colouring is correct and the more common US colours incorrect. Our red "brake" cable is in reality the negative (black) common feed from power source to car!

Now that I at last have this bogey controller repair sorted, I can aim to finish off Nigel's new MRRC project...... ;-)

The useful "build a simple controller checker" article located here:

http://www.darksideracing.co.uk/page19.html
http://www.darksideracing.co.uk/controller%20checker.pdf