Scalextrix - new or old?

slowbike

I have an older set - the one with the two hole tabs to connect the track - and obviously, it's analogue - one car per track ...

Got it out of the loft and set it up and had a good time with Little Slowbike - great fun, but rather limited on the circuits I can build.

Considering getting some more track - but then discovered there's a digital version ...
Don't want to spend a fortune on it as it's a rainy day activity really and nowhere to leave it set up (plus he still likes being out on his bike getting wet and muddy) - but do I just get a few bits of extra track (prob just buy a complete set off ebay/marketplace) or is there a good reason to swap for the digital?

rick_chasey

old old old old. They go much faster too.

slowbike

it did quite surprise me how well a 4yo managed to control the car with the trigger - on the square track I got the inside track and I couldn't keep up with him - despite it being shorter, but tighter corners ... but he did like crashing too...
So - Old = faster (one positive as my years progress then ... )

rick_chasey

Used to race my dad's old '70s set and it was a proper set which you could properly customise (to zizag through under the dining table). This was back in the late '90s now but you could get some very nippy cars which seemed to be supercharged by whatever juice was going through the track so how you drove them made a huge difference.

pblakeney

I seem to remember that the old version cars were much harder to control on the corners. I also remember them as being bigger (Jackie Stewart F1 version), but then I was smaller. 😉

slowbike

I'm now watching a few items on the bay - local to me - yup, it'd be fun zigzagging it around - want enough for it to be interesting, without spending a fortune ..

What took me back to our original set was the smell ...

photonic69

Still got one of these in a box in the loft. 1960's V8 F1 . Stuck to the track like a limpet and had big squishy rubber rear tyres. Used to give me nasty burns from the exposed motor underneath. Ah, heady days!!

rick_chasey

The Magnetraction on it was nuts - faster it went, the stronger the magnet worked - until it flew off.

slowbike

... and hit the TV ... ?

photonic69

slowbike said:

... and hit the TV ... ?

TV's in those days had such thick glass screens you could throw a shoe at them and it would just bounce off! Do that to a OLED and it's toast.

slowbike

well - yes - my little brother gave ours a push and it did a rollypolly off it's stand ... iirc, Dad had to do a little resolder on the motherboard before it worked again.

rick_chasey

photonic69 said:

slowbike said:

... and hit the TV ... ?

TV's in those days had such thick glass screens you could throw a shoe at them and it would just bounce off! Do that to a OLED and it's toast.

Preach. My shoe throwing days are long over.

wolfsbane2k

I've got a mix of new and old tracks - as long as you can get the interconnectors, just get on with it.

There is some difference in the length of the slot between cars for the two - I think digital cars are longer, but not 100% sure - I have about 16 old analogue cars that just keep getting smashed up.

You can often get old track for pittance on ebay/gumtree that's "local pick up only" - and you're far enough away from me that it's we're unlikely to clash bids

If you do buy old track, and it's tarnished, I've used a bunch of track rubbers (https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Scalextric-Slot-Car-Track-Cleaning-Rubbers-Fine-Medium-Coarse-Ex-Coarse/293044940536?var=591862507807) to give it a clean.

PS - I keep meaning to visit this place (clanfield, 10 miles north of portsmouth) my kids - i hear awesome things about it. http://www.bolwextric.co.uk/

slowbike

Ah - yes, seen a few interconnectors - ok if you want a big track I guess - pita if you just want a few addons to make it more interesting.

local pickup - depends on your definition of local I could quite easily clash - I'll send a PM if I'm going to bid

wolfsbane2k

slowbike said:

Ah - yes, seen a few interconnectors - ok if you want a big track I guess - pita if you just want a few addons to make it more interesting.

local pickup - depends on your definition of local I could quite easily clash - I'll send a PM if I'm going to bid

the old 2 hole analogue stuff is typically cheaper than the digital stuff - just buy that instead if you only want little bits. I've got 2 pairs of interconnectors, so I can have 2 seperate sections of "digital sport" in a generally "analogue" track. .

One of the best ways to get these are to keep your eyes out for digital sports throttle controller inputs, as they have both, and can regularly cost less than the official converters - just dont' apply power.

if you want some analogue track, ping me - I've got about 60m at present, and not bidding on stuff unless it's a mass box at dirt, dirt cheap. I think the stuff I've got at the moment cost a grand total of £35 (£20 for original track and cars from a charity shop, should have been 90) , plus a people clearing their lofts.

Oh, and the elbow grease. Can't forget that; it took copius amounts of alcoholic lubrication while watching TV to return it to "good".

This guy is local, and I've picked up a parts from him in the past, as well as bumped into him/bid against him at house clearances!
https://www.ebay.co.uk/usr/geekymonkey

[Deleted User]

All this talk of "Magnetraction" - pah! I used to rub a bit of soap into the track on sharp bends, just to get the back end to kick out when cornering at speed. I also managed to give my self an electric shock on my tongue by placing my head on the track to get a "worm's" eye view of the cars as they came round said bend - my tongue was out because I was concentrating hard. Loved Scalextric, proper old school toy.

rick_chasey

Dwjackson500 said:

All this talk of "Magnetraction" - pah! I used to rub a bit of soap into the track on sharp bends, just to get the back end to kick out when cornering at speed. I also managed to give my self an electric shock on my tongue by placing my head on the track to get a "worm's" eye view of the cars as they came round said bend - my tongue was out because I was concentrating hard. Loved Scalextric, proper old school toy.

wolfsbane2k

Dwjackson500 said:

All this talk of "Magnetraction" - pah! I used to rub a bit of soap into the track on sharp bends, just to get the back end to kick out when cornering at speed. I also managed to give my self an electric shock on my tongue by placing my head on the track to get a "worm's" eye view of the cars as they came round said bend - my tongue was out because I was concentrating hard. Loved Scalextric, proper old school toy.

I feel that! I've got a couple of cars who's entire point is to drift, and indeed completely 180 on the track and start driving the other way away from the cop scaletrix car with flashing blue lights and nee-naw sound. It blows some people's mind.

awavey

so they had a system which worked, and then went and designed a whole new system which isnt necessarily wholly compatible with the old one...for what purpose ? and they wondered why they almost went out of business

slowbike

wolfsbane2k said:

slowbike said:

Ah - yes, seen a few interconnectors - ok if you want a big track I guess - pita if you just want a few addons to make it more interesting.

local pickup - depends on your definition of local I could quite easily clash - I'll send a PM if I'm going to bid

the old 2 hole analogue stuff is typically cheaper than the digital stuff - just buy that instead if you only want little bits. I've got 2 pairs of interconnectors, so I can have 2 seperate sections of "digital sport" in a generally "analogue" track. .

One of the best ways to get these are to keep your eyes out for digital sports throttle controller inputs, as they have both, and can regularly cost less than the official converters - just dont' apply power.

if you want some analogue track, ping me - I've got about 60m at present, and not bidding on stuff unless it's a mass box at dirt, dirt cheap. I think the stuff I've got at the moment cost a grand total of £35 (£20 for original track and cars from a charity shop, should have been 90) , plus a people clearing their lofts.

Oh, and the elbow grease. Can't forget that; it took copius amounts of alcoholic lubrication while watching TV to return it to "good".

This guy is local, and I've picked up a parts from him in the past, as well as bumped into him/bid against him at house clearances!
https://www.ebay.co.uk/usr/geekymonkey

ta - yes, seen him on eBay ....
just keeping an eye to see if I can get a nice bit to make it fun ...

slowbike

awavey said:

so they had a system which worked, and then went and designed a whole new system which isnt necessarily wholly compatible with the old one...for what purpose ? and they wondered why they almost went out of business

because they won't sell all the new stuff unless the old stuff is obsolete - or that's what they think anyway ...

veronese68

Cobbled together a few sets and did this with the lad some years back, he's 21 now and doesn't seem interested

pblakeney

You’re going to lose a few under the sofa if going anti-clockwise. 😉

elbowloh

Digital track, does this imply the throttle is either on or off or do you get more control than that?

wolfsbane2k

elbowloh said:

Digital track, does this imply the throttle is either on or off or do you get more control than that?

The difference is really the cars - it's variable power not just on off, but the digital system allows you to have different cars going at different speeds in the same lane, and rather than controlling any car in your lane, you control in the car in any lane.

Ben6899

Oh man, I used to love Scalextric. We had Mini Coopers, a Capri, a purple Porsche with "JOKER" emblazoned across side panels... a few more as well which escape me recollection.

https://images.app.goo.gl/2BcAosRRJXaWVGi29

https://images.app.goo.gl/UybkYoEzpV34Bf588

https://images.app.goo.gl/ThLmC7iu43AVWPC96