Slotcars: Jewels to collect and compete without leaving home

The first commercial slot cars were manufactured by Lionel (USA) and appeared in their catalogs since 1912, supplying power via electric train rails plugged into a slot.

Although it is called slot to connoisseurs, this term is still foreign to many people and they prefer to use the Scalextric trademark as a generic name. The term lock comes from English, without any modification,
in reference to the groove through which the conductor passes or keel of the car and from which it draws the electric current.

The miniature car racing game exists
since the middle of the 20th centuryand in recent years it has expanded and diversified into various streams.

The most common scale in Western Europe and Latin America is 1/32, but depending on the country, the most common scale is 1/24 or 1/43, especially in the US, reaching 1/83 (H0) in certain cases ) if available space is minimal.

Fan collectors, parents and children, have interesting novelties this year that can be perfectly incorporated into the letters to the Three Wise Men.

The Lotus Espirit S1 stands out among the cars recently included in the main catalogues.
This sporty two-seaterOr it has a polygonal design that went into production in 1976, with a central engine with 4 valves per cylinder and a twin carburetor that offered a measly 160 horsepower.

The producers of James Bond “007” they wanted their special agent M16 to pilot one in their movie ‘The Spy Who Loved Me’. In this movie, the Lotus Espirit S1 became a submarine, it had a submachine gun and even a torpedo launcher.

It is the latest edition in a series of famous James Bond cars. 1/32 scale replica featuring the film’s car in its on-road format. The price is € 59.99.

Also new is the Porsche 911 RSR 3.0 Gulf Edition. This fantastic model made on the 2.7 RS (Renn Sport) version to reach 300 hp with the 2.8 version replacing the rear wing with a fixed one in the shape of a whale fin.
In 1974 a version with a 3.0 engine was launched. 5 speed with higher compression that reached 330 horsepower.

A spectacular replica in 1/32 scale, with the vibrant blue and orange colors that perfectly match the look of the early 1970s Porsche. Price € 49.99.

The Jaguar E-type does
a legend in beauty and speed, and his results in the Goodwood Revival races speak for themselves. and its driver and owner is famed Red Bull technical director and F1 designer Adrian Newey.

1/32 scale car, with spectacular decoration. The price is about € 57.99.

The Ford Escort MK1 was presented in 1968 with engine options 1.1 and 1.3 in frontal position (54 and 75 hp respectively), rear wheel drive, rack and pinion steering,
and McPherson front suspension. His success was not long in coming. sports versions were made and soon began winning races around the world.

The 2022 Ford Modified Series has gone from strength to strength
one of the most beautiful cars and fast off the mark is this stunning MK1 with Mark Freemantle’s Castrol livery.

A spectacular decoration of the Escort MK1 in 1/32 scale, which will delight the most demanding fans, at a price of € 49.99.

The first commercial slot cars were manufactured by Lionel (USA) and appeared in their catalogs from 1912, drawing power from
some electric train tracks stuck in a slot. They were strikingly similar to the modern slot, but the speed control was an optional extra. It was discontinued around 1915. New, similar systems appeared sporadically over the next four decades. Although the patent for a slot car is from March 1936 to the late 1950s, almost all toy vehicles were guided by elevated rails.

The electricity reaches the car through two metal rails inserted into the track and is collected by two metal braids, usually copper. The braids are mounted on a fixed, pivoting, or orientable support called a guide. The rail voltage is varied from a controller button,
that works with a rheostat. This voltage comes from an external transformer to the track.

Cars are now equipped with magnets to keep them on the rail and increase speed when cornering. Lovers prefer to suppress it
for more fun, because it allows more human control over the car and makes for nice drifts. Today in Spain, very few competitions allow the use of magnets, and most of those that do only allow it in children’s categories.

Source: La Verdad

Ida

I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.