old track, new cars

[oldracer999]

just coming back into scalextric and looking at buying the set i grew up with, the scalextric 400. is it possible to run modern cars on the old style tracks?

[MickF]

Yes it is possible, but it depends on the following factors

If the set you are planning to use a set with the 'classic' track then you can only use non digital cars until you upgrade.

Modern Scalextric cars have a deeper guide so they might catch in the groove, you can get replacement guides.

I recommend that you purchase a set with the latest track, as it's easier to put it together and on eBay you can get a set for a very reasonablre price.  Which will run the older cars.

Waterlow

[woodcote]

It is possible. One problem you will have with the most recent cars (2015-ish onwards) is that the guides are too deep for the old 'Classic' track. The easiest solution is to trim the bottom of the blade by a couple of millimeters.

 

Other issues might crop up with the old power supplies, controllers and the condition of the track rails (ie rust). If your heart is set on the Scalextric you grew up with, all these issues are surmountable with some hard work, searching for replacements or some compromise mixing in more modern components.

 

Personally, I have been less sentimental - replacing the track and electricals with the latest 'Sport' track, powerbases and controllers, including the fabulous ARC Air. I really enjoy running some of the 1970s & 80s cars of my youth on my modern layout.

[Fridomeister]

I'm new to the forum, so Hi!

I've got lots of old track, at least 25 years old.  I set it up at Christmas for the first time in at least 20 years.  The old cars worked OK but were a bit sluggish on certain parts of the track.  And, if they stopped, they often needed a nudge forward to get them going again.

So, I bought a new car off an Ebay dealer.  This works worse that the old ones, stopping regularly at various points on the track..  I see from the above posts that the guide is deeper on the new car so that probably explains a lot of the stoppages.  Alongside this, I've been repairing parts of the track as per Scalextric guidance and cleaning it up, but it's not making a lot of difference.  So, i guess my solution is to buy all new track.  Looking at the above, I guess most people would agree.

I do have some questions on the new car v the old ones:

1. The tyres on the new one are smooth, whereas the old ones are wider and have grooves.  Is this normal these days.
2. The magnetic attraction of the new car to the track is strong, whereas the old ones hardly have any magnetic force.  Would people think this is simply the age of the car, or has the design changed (I'm crap at physics!)

Any help, advice or deep sympathy welcome.

Thanks, Mick

[Andy P.]

"Slick" tires i.e. no tread, are more common these days.

You can sand the profil off if you like.

New tires might help as they will likely be softer and possibly higher than what you have.

The "magnatraction" has gone through a number of changes over the years. So has the material out of which the rails in the track are made.

Older track will also have a higher attraction to newer cars and conversly older cars have weaker magnets.

They can loose their magnetic force over time as well.

[Fridomeister]

Thanks Andy.  I've managed to get the track operating better through painstaking maintenance and discarding track that is problematic, mainly because of the track connectors.  The old cars work ok on it generally, but the new car is very picky. ;-).

I suspect my solution is to stick with this track and try and get some 'new' old cars.  I could then buy some new track, with connector pieces to extend the current track.  I will try sanding the guide on the new car.

Thanks again,

Mick

[glued and trued]

i have spent hours cleaning up my old track trying to run new cars on it, but i have also 'tested' a new track i bought for a friends kids to get them involved, just to check it was ok you understand.

sentimentality is great, but the old track is garbage by comparison. I havent bought a new track myself, but i bought a few new cars that just wont go around the old one. its just not flat or even enough after all my efforts. whilst the new track is obviously very good. and doesnt take half a day to fix up with power running through the whole thing.

ill still get the old one out, but really the writing is on the wall.

[Andy P.]

Honestly I got rid of all my classic track except for the bits for which there is no Sport equivalent i.e. Goodwood chicane etc. and replaced it with Sport.

If you take your time, visit swap meets and check online ads and auction sites and you can get track fairly inexpensive..

[Fridomeister]

Thanks to everyone for the replies.  I've got the old track working quite well now.  We will only ever use it when grandkids visit so we probably won't by a whole new set.  

One discovery I've made is that the new car works really well when you run it at a high speed on the old track and it grips the track on the bends.   It will actually beat the older cars quite easily when you do this.   It's not good when you drive slower though.  

Right, ebay here I come.  Thanks again.