I got into slot cars around 5 yrs ago and by accident. While searching the web I came across a website that sold 1/32 scale slot cars. It was a flashback to my childhood of playing with my AFX HO track set. I started searching for as much info about them as I could and eventually made the decision to buy a track set.
I went to eBay in search of a good deal. I ended up having the winning bid on a Scalextric Classic track set. However, I didn't bother to consider it's overall size when it was set up. A quick measurement of the area I planned to make its home showed the error of my ways. Luckily, the seller was very understanding and offered 2 other sets he had of equal value and that had a smaller footprint.
I had just become a fan of the WRC or World Rally Championship while flipping past the Speed Channel late one night. After watching that first night I was hooked and watched every single race religiously going forward. So, I chose a Scalextric Sport Rally set pictured at the top of this post.
It was great getting that package in the mail. It didn't take long to get it set up on the floor and the cars speeding around the elongated figure 8 layout. Thus, the addiction was born and
I started hunting eBay for slot car deals.
Soon our lease was up and we started looking into getting a home of our own. However, we were not in a position to buy right away and decided to give the rent 2 own option a try. The wife found a home in a nice area, great school system and closer to work than where we were currently renting.
The deposit $ was paid and papers signed, knowing if it didn't work out it would all be lost. We had 30 days notice at the rental to insure getting the deposit back and we began collecting boxes for the move.
I had been battling a really bad cold prior to all this. I had been to the family doctor and I was sent for a chest x-ray to make sure my lungs were clear. The next day after I had a routine visit with my thyroid doctor since I had thyroid cancer 7 yrs prior. This all happened in the week leading up to the signing of the paperwork to move in with the intent to buy the home down the road.
1, 2, 3 days after the ink was dry I got a call at work. It was my family doctor with the results of the x-rays. "Are you having trouble breathing?" I replied, "No, why?" She responded, "I'm afraid there's a 10 cm. mass in your chest and it's either this type of cancer or this type of cancer depending on future testing."
That change everything. We tried to get out of the deal based on what we expected to come medically and they wouldn't budge. The upcoming weeks resulted in tests, scans, surgery to remove a growth in my neck and still having to pack and get ready for a move into the house.
The kicker...my first chemo treatment was 2 days before the move date. It knocked me on my ass and I basically sleep through the move. Luckily, family and friends made it all happen. I was down and out for 6 months and in and out of the hospital. However, we beat it and life started to get back to normal.
Sadly, the expense killed us and bills became a mountain. Our happy home was a prison for me the first 6 months and we lost the whole joy of trying to make it our home. At the end of the first year of renting we made the hard decision to take the loss and move into an apartment. The slot car room gone and now no room in the apartment...my track only saw the light of day when my nephew spent the night. We would stay up to 2 or 3 am racing each other on the living room floor and that time was still worth holding onto the track and cars.
We lived there for 3 yrs and I still held onto hope and collected cars and track to build "The Big One" somewhere down the road. I ended up coming across a website and in the For Sale section a guy was selling some cars. I asked if he was up for a trade and we decided on the deal. It turned out to be a local guy. I met Shawn at the local slot car track to make the swap.
He was quick to answer my questions and was the nicest guy someone could ever hope to meet for the first time. He told me about his site he did slot car reviews for...Slot Car Garage. I joined and got turned onto another site Home Racing World. I started showing up at the local track when he was able to get there himself, etc.
Long story short (as if this isn't long already)...we became good friends, I ran on his track when our schedules allowed, he gave me the inspiration to ask a local shop to give me cars to review on Shawn's site Slot Car Garage in turn for advertising and links to their website, he became my slot car mentor and eventually we joined forces with Harry the owner of Home Racing World were I continued my slot car reviews.
(queue the music and fade to black)
(fade in)
We ended up moving into a duplex with the one requirement I needed...a basement. I came up with my 4 lane track design and started buying and trading for all the pieces I needed to make it. We've had more ups and downs combined with the economy (like everyone else) going into the toilet and it got to were I ended up selling 75% of my car collection off to keep up with things. It has been a long and rough road, but a year and a half after moving into the duplex...
IT HAS BEGUN....
Oh yeah, remember how I said I downsized my original track purchase because of size restraints...think 4 lanes of 1/32 glory spanning 7.5 feet by 18 feet. (queue the choir of angels and the beam of golden light shining down upon me and my basement)
