Power Slot Lola Review Update...

PPR Super Tires held a contest on a slot car site I lurk in and gave away 4 sets of custom painted PPR Super Wheels. He had painted a blue, pearl white, yellow and lime green set of wheels a while back with the intent to sell them. The painting process turned out to be more than expected to get the paint to stay on the wheels. If I remember correctly it was a 6 or 7 step process. They turned out great, but I can understand why he didn't continue to do them. Also, when he put them up in the For Sale Forum they didn't sell. Although I wanted the yellow pair, but didn't have the funds to buy them.

So, PPR held a custom car contest. At first, only one person posted pictures of cars that he used PPR's wheels and tires to customize them. Nobody else was posting pictures and I commented that I didn't have any PPR stuff to use and get into the contest myself. PPR quickly responded and posted that any car that you've paint, done decals, wheels and tires or any other type of customizing too was eligible to enter the contest. That was all I needed.

I entered the following cars for consideration.

First, my Skru'd Death Race Car. Artin Chassis, $5.00 model kit and hardware. This was made to run on a live figure 8 four lane wood track at a local weekend event a couple years back. Due to too much beverage consumption by most of the Death Race racers...it didn't happen and thus my car stayed intact and is now a shelf queen.

Click on the picture below to enlarge. Yes, the driver is flipping the bird. Just letting the other drivers know how he feels.

I hand painted everything inside and out except for the flat black color of the Chevy.

Secondly, is my Control Freak 1/24 Cheetah 2 powered slot car sponsored by Direct TV. Yes, I does work and better than most would expect it to do too. This one took a lot of planning and massaging to make it a reality. I took the garbage out at an apartment complex I use to live at and someone threw 3 of these remotes away in various conditions. I picked one up and held it at arm's length. Those lines are a race car I thought to myself. I took all 3 remotes back to my place and about a year later pulled them out and came up with the Control Freak.

Thirdly, I posted this picture of the Power Slot Lola I had just finished reviewing and is further down on this blog. I had robbed my NSR Mosler's wheels and tires since the stock wheels had issues. I also said that if I won that the lime green PPR wheels would be perfect for the Lola.

Well, my Death Race car got a couple of votes from other people posting on the forum or as they said, "A vote from the peanut gallery if that means anything." I guess it worked because I took 3rd place. The only thing left was to hope that 1st and 2nd place picked a different color than the lime green wheels. I got what I wanted and they are a perfect fit and fix for the stock Lola wheels that had issues. Plus, they go with the graphics painted on the car. I think they finished the Lola. Plus, the Lola is not only up to par, but surpassing it on the track.

FYI...PPR sent the wheels before I could get a chance to buy of his tires. These are Slot It tires and they are hooking up on the Scaley Sport track very nicely.

My Unicorn Is Finally Captured...

Today a 2 yr safari came to an end. Those who know me know of my love for yellow cars. Funny thing is I've never owned a yellow car. However, there's a big difference from being able to own a yellow Ferrari, Vette or Mustang Boss than there is a $50 slot car version of these cars.

I fell in love with the Fly Classic Ferrari 512S Berlinetta #23 2 yrs ago and could never afford to get it. Did I mention it is yellow? This car has gone for over $100 on eBay. Needless to say, I wasn't in a position to pay that kind of green for it.

I'd keep a vigil on the For Sale/Trade Forums of several slot car sites. Lurking, waiting and ready to strike. In 2 yrs, I've seen this unicorn up for sale or trade 4 or 5 times. Each time I was too late, didn't have the funds or trade car that would bring it my way once and for all.

That all changed when I lucked into a Limited Edition Spanish Ninco Nissan 350Z from a trade with a fellow in Spain. I say I was lucky because all he wanted in trade for it was a Scalextric Dewalt Nascar. I jumped on that deal. This is when I was wanting to add some Ninco cars to my stable after years of frowning upon them. Basically, like I did Fly cars and that has obviously changed over the years.  
 

As you can see above, it had more than enough yellow for my taste. The picture doesn't do it justice. Plus, it was # 21 out of 750.

After getting the Z in the mail I posted pix of it and showed it to Kurt. He loves Ninco and has been on the Ninco USA World Championship Team twice. I knew he had my unicorn held up in his dungeon and this might be the damsil he'd take for it's release. He quickly agreed to the trade and today the mystical beauty was waiting for me on the coffee table when I arrived home from work.

 
This version has the best looking rear end in my opinion. I think I'm in love. Kurt, did you run this thing? I can tell it's been around the track, but it must have been under the control of the Pace Car.  
 

   
I did some parade laps with her and then back in the case she went for safe keeping. Those mirrors would be the first thing to go in a race. I'm torn if she will be raced in our local club events or not. She might be a private runner for when it's just her, me and my choice of 4 lanes. Simply awesome. Kurt thank you so much. It feels weird now. Who will I stalk now?
 
NOTE: I do love my wife...just to set the record straight...LOL.

NOTE: Kurt doesn't...I repeat...doesn't drink the Kool Aid.

In the beginning...

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.

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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)