woodcote

Hi Livio - welcome to the forum! A Micro Scalextric collector created this website for all sets and cars produced 1994 to 2014: www.microscalextric.wickedlemon.co.uk All the new 2019 & 2020 sets and cars are listed in this thread: www.scalextric.com/uk-en/forum/new-micro-scalextric-track-system I hope that helps!

Hi Ralph - I am an Andy P too (very confusing)...The question is, what were the six Le Mans cars that you'd bought in your dream? I realise I have well and truly blown your budget, so I definitely won't mention the fabulous (and very good value) retro-Le Mans buildings in the GP Miniatures range. They come as printed & laminated foamboard kits... but you really don't need to look at them here: https://www.pendleslotracing.co.uk/brand/gp-miniatures.html

Hi BeckhamTobias - welcome to the forum! If you are looking for a fun HO (1/64 scale set) to enjoy with your kids, I would suggest the new Micro Scalextric range. If you are in North America, this is the link: www.scalextric.com/us-en/shop/by-brand/micro Ignore the Hyper Cars set (and the P9503 Transformer) which is part of the old range and nowhere near as good. The sets on that page are all battery-powered, so a set (or two) of six rechargable AA batteries will be handy. The system works really well with the battery power. The Justice League set is huge and you can add the other two DC Comics cars, plus Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner. The basic Looney Tunes (Daffy Duck vs Bugs Bunny) is smaller, but still makes four different layouts. The controllers can restrict the maximum power available, so are ideal for learner drivers. In the UK, there is a little more choice, and European mains power options: www.scalextric.com/uk-en/shop/by-brand/micro - just ignore the American Racers and Race Karts sets, which are the old system. I've written about the new Micro Scalextric system here: www.scalextric.com/us-en/forum/new-micro-scalextric-track-system and here: www.scalextric.com/uk-en/new-micro-system-sets I hope that helps.

Hi Ralph - that is an old mould and will look and perform very differently to the modern Scalextric cars. My rule of thumb is to race cars manufactured in the past 20 years together. Older cars are fun (and can be chipped), but they are different beasts, both to the eye and on the track. If you are 100% set on some 1970-1 Le Mans cars, I would suggesting looking at the Spanish 'Fly' classics (also sold under the Slotwings and FlySlot brand names). The performance and finish will be in the same ball park as the Scalextric cars - the price a bit more. The C7005 retro-fit chip converts them to digital. Look for Porsche 917k & 917 LH, Ferrari 512S & Coda Lunga, Lola T70 MkIIIB and Porsche 908 Flunder LH. There are some 60s cars too - Ferrari 250 GTO & 250 LM, Ford GT40 & GT MkII. If you are a 60s-70s Le Mans fanatic, the Fly cars are essential considerations. Together with the Scalextric Ford GT40s, they are what rekindled my slot car passion back 15-20 years ago.

Hi Shaun - welcome to the forum! Pattos Place produce Lightning McQueen decals in 1/24, 1/32, 1/43 and 1/64 scale, depending on which model you are restoring. You're looking for the sheet "#95 - Lite'n Mc Queen" in the N/car list. I hope that helps!

Hi Eric - if you have the Sunset Speedway or Le Mans 24 Hour set, the powerbase is compatible with the old curved lane changers. If you want to use the analogue mode of ARC Pro, you will need to follow the tips at the bottom of this page: https://www.scalextric.com/uk-en/support/scalextric-digital Modifying a curved lane changer (and the other tips in that section) for using analogue mode with the C7042 powerbase is the same for analogue and ARC Pro. If will use you layout only for digital running, you can ignore those tips. I hope that helps.

Hi Eric. If you put an analogue powerbase into a circuit it will only deliver power when you pull the throttle on a controller plugged into that powerbase. So any second or third powerbases around the track will not deliver any extra power to the track. If you were to do that on a digital layout, it would be the same - no extra power. And you really wouldn't want to mix the AC power from the digital powerbase with the DC power from the analogue powerbase. It might be a very expensive disaster. The way to avoid power drops as you move away from the powerbase is to: keep the track cleankeep the track connections in good orderinstall power taps or 'jumpers' That's the same for analogue or digital tracks and there is more here: www.scalextric.com/uk-en/support/track-maintenance At my local Scalextric digital club, we build temporary tracks every month for an evening or day of racing. The circuits are 100 to 150-foot long and built in just over an hour. The track is given a good clean once a year and all the track tabs tightened. During construction, if the connection between two track pieces feels particularly loose, we will tighten the tabs. Each race track is built with two or three power taps running from a track piece next to the powerbase to 1/4, 1/2 and 3/4 of the way round the circuit (or 1/3 and 2/3 for shorter tracks, or one 1/2 way round for tracks of 30-50 feet). A power tap is simply a length of wire that runs from the rail of one track piece to exactly the same rail on another track piece. Scalextric produced their own C8248 Track Power Bosster Cables, but these are hard to get hold of. Jadlam Racing Models have their own version: www.jadlamracingmodels.com/scalextric-c8248-sport-track-power-booster-cable-2x/ The first cars to be run after the track is built have one drop of INOX MX3 put on each braid and the cars are run round the track, over the lane changers and through the pit lanes. INOX MX3 seems to work perfectly to clean and condition digital track rails, limiting electrical arcing and keeping the digital signals as good as they possibly can be. I would say it is a must-have for all digital racers - if used in small amounts. Pendle Slot Racing sell INOX MX3 in the UK and have two products. I would recommend decanting the pump spray into small dropper bottles. www.pendleslotracing.co.uk/brand/inox After the racing, the disassembled track pieces are stored in covered, dust-proof cardboard boxes without being cleaned - the INOX stays on the rails to protect them between races. The next month we build again... And we experience very few power issues during the year. I hope that helps.

Hi Eric - if you mean the C7024 power supply, then yes - it is the same as the P9300 and will safely plug into the second power socket on your ARC Pro. If the power supply is second hand, it is worth having the unit checked over by an electrician. The C7042 is the Advanced Six-car powerbase and shouldn't be used in the same circuit as an ARC Pro unit. The two codes being so similar is ripe for confusion! I hope that helps.

Hi Ralph - welcome to the forum! Before Scalextric produced Digital Plug Ready cars, there were a small number of cars that were chipped in the factory. Almost all the other cars produced - including all the classic Le Mans models - could be converted to digital using the C7005 (F1) or C7006 (saloon) 'retro-fit' chips. There were no classic Le Mans cars that I know of that were factory chipped. Nowadays, the C7005 chip is the only Scalextric 'retro fit' chip available and it is a fairly straight-forward job to convert any Scalextric car - requiring basic soldering skills. Looking through the old catalogues, there are a lot of Scalextric models of cars that raced at Le Mans in 1966 and 1967. Starting with the most recent... C4031 Ford GT MkIV #4 Hulme/Ruby 1967 (DPR)C3951 Ford GT MkIV #3 Andretti/Bianchi 1967 (DPR)C3893A Ford GT MkIV #1 Gurney/Foyt 1967 (DPR) part of twin pack with 2017 Ford GT GTEC3630 Ford GT40 Scuderia Filipinetti #14 1966 (DPR)C3533 Ford GT40 Rindt/Ireland #12 1966 (DPR)C3315 Ford GT40 Ligier/Grossman #15 (non-DPR)C3097 Ford GT MkII Andretti/Bianchi #6 1966 (non-DPR)C3028 Ferrari 412P Attwood/Courage #23 1967 (non-DPR)C3026 Ford GT MkII Donohue/Hawkins #4 1966 (non-DPR)C2918 Ferrari 412P Rodriguez/Barghetti #25 1967 (non-DPR)C2917 Ford GT MkII Hill/Muir #7 1966 (non-DPR)C2683A Ford GT MkII Whitmore/Gardner #8 1966 (non-DPR)C2642 Ferrari 330 P4 Mairesse/Beurlys #24 1967 (non-DPR)C2641 Ferrari 330 P4 Scarfiotti/Parkes #21 1967 (non-DPR)C2578A Ford GT40 Revson/Scott #59 1966 (non-DPR)C2529A Le Mans 1966 1-2-3 weathered triple pack (non-DPR)C2509 Ford GT MkII Gurney/Grant #3 1966 (non-DPR)C2465A Ford GT MkII Bucknum/Hutcherson #5 1966 (non-DPR)C2464A Ford GT MkII Miles/Hulme #1 1966 (non-DPR)C2463A Ford GT MkII Amon/McLaren #2 1966 (non-DPR) I'm pretty sure that is all the 1966 and 67 Le Mans models that Scalextric have produced in recent years. There are a few gaps that could be filled - the Chaparral 2F that Scalextric produced did not appear as either of the two 1967 Le Mans cars - the 2F was DPR. A DIY re-livery would be possible. The yellow #2 McLaren/Donohue MkIV from 1967 has not been released yet (although the yellow Sebring winner has). The 1967 MkIIBs are a different shape to the 1966 cars and I suspect Ford would want new tooling to be produced for an accurate model. Looking through the entry lists, there are a couple more GT40 (MkI) cars from 66 and 67. The Gulf cars from 1968 and 1969 are all available as DPR models. Finally, there are a couple more Ferrari 330 P4 and 412Ps that could be done - the #19 factory car and #22 Filipinetti car from 1967. I hope that's useful to plan your grid. It was fun looking back through the fabulous classic Le Mans models Scalextric have produced.

Hi Dave. The voltage of the old Micro Scalextric system is 18 volts, the new is 9 volts. The similar geometry of the new and old cars means the braids will sit nicely on the rails and they will chug around at a lower speed. Conversely, the new cars will bomb round an old 18-volt track really quickly! There should not be any long-term issues of running the older cars at a lower voltage. However, running the new cars at higher than 9 volts will almost certainly reduce the life-span of the motors. Having said that, the new cars are incredibly robust and long-lived - the Hornby pop-up shop at St Pancras station in London had a Micro layout running non-stop day-in-day-out for nearly three months. I was told they were the same cars and the same set of pick-ups... Yes, you can use two Micro Scalextric powerbases in a layout as long as you only use one controller in each (each controlling one lane). That is beneficial as each lane will be powered by its own power supply - you don't get that annoying 'surge' when the other car crashes. An 'advanced' alternative is to get a variable voltage DC power supply - offering 9 volts and 18 volts and rated at around 2 amps - and attach that to your powerbase using a plug cut off the end of the new Micro power supply. You can then set that to the voltage appropriate for the cars you are running (old or new) and the extra amps should avoid the dreaded 'surge'. I hope that helps.

Hi Michael. Adapting the full-size 1/32 scale accessories for Micro Scalextric certainly doesn't require re-inventing the wheel. However, there are differences that need to borne in mind... The input voltage of the 1/32 scale powerbases is 15 volts - this runs the track, the 2.4GHz wireless controller interface and the Bluetooth interface for communication with a smart device. The input voltage of the Micro Scalextric powerbases (battery and mains) is only 9 volts.The guide blade on the Micro Scalextric cars is too small to trigger the optical sensor that is the basis for lap counting with ARC One, ARC Air and ARC Pro. I have looked at adapting an ARC One powerbase for use with Micro Scalextric and the best option would be to use Hall Effect sensors that are triggered when the car's traction magnets pass over the track.The ARC wireless controllers are very good. However, they are too big for the smallest hands - the target audience for Micro Scalextric.Any Micro digital system would need new miniaturised electronics for the cars and lane changers.For a functional digital track, 1/64 scale (3-inch wide) lane changers, pit entry/exit pieces and single lane pieces would be required.None of this is impossible - a DIY version would require considerable technical knowledge and skill, but could use modified 1/32 scale accessories and off-the-shelf components. For digital, creating specialist lane-changing track pieces would be a big job and the biggest hurdle. To produce an official Scalextric product would require a lot of development work, testing and significant amount of very expensive new tooling. In other words, a huge investment for Hornby Hobbies - with absolutely no guarantee of any sales. It makes no business sense. I do expect to see Scalextric continue to develop the Micro range in 2021 and onwards. I am guessing that they will look primarily to the core Micro market - young families - and offer accessories that add to the experience of the basic sets. At some point, I wouldn't be surprised to see some sort of lap counting and some sort of wireless controllers. However, I think the design team will look to the technology of today rather than back to the ARC system that is now six years old. There are some very cool and exciting concepts that other leading toy companies are experimenting with at the moment. Innovation is very important, but so are getting the basics right. The Scalextric team were very open when they launched the new My First / Micro system last year - the foundation is a vastly-improved and easy-to-use analogue system to give a near-perfect first experience of slot cars. From that, Scalextric want to offer a Micro range that offers an enjoyable medium-term hobby experience - acknowledging that some families may choose to stick with 1/64 scale because it is more suited to the size of their home than 1/32 scale. How that range develops depends on hard facts - sales, demand and the overall financial health of the company. I imagine it will be an exciting but gradual evolution, as we've seen in the nine months since the first sets arrived.

Rodrigo - você envia um e-mail para Pendle.

Hi Idontwannaspendsolongonaname - welcome to the forum! Page 5 of the ARC Pro Quick Start Guide has an explanation of the various LED warnings on the powerbase and controller. A regular flashing LED on the controller suggests that the controller is in binding mode or the battery is low. An intermittent flashing LED on the controller suggests it is in 'sleep' mode. If in binding mode, there should be a corresponding flashing green LED on the powerbase. That should clear if you turn off the controller or powerbase, but following the 'Connect Controllers' instructions on pages 8 & 9 of the Quick Start Guide is worth doing. Most commonly, the reason is a low battery. Although most rechargable batteries should work, I use good-quality alkaline AA batteries. Sleep mode is best resolved by switching off the controller and then turning it on again. I do remember having an issue exactly like yours - a flashing LED and then nothing - but I can't remember what caused it or how I fixed it! Does this also happen when the ARC app is disconnected? Or only when the app is being used? If it happens in both cases, check that no other controller is connected to the same colour. A good solution would be to turn off your controllers and switch one on at a time. If you find two lighting up the same LED on the powerbase, go through the 'Connect Controller' steps for each of your three controllers to connect them to the three colours you want. If it only happens with the app in use, hard stop the app and then re-launch it. It is just possible that a glitch in the Pace Car feature has caused the problem. I hope something there helps.

Hi Rodrigo. Pendle Slot Racing in the UK have thousands of spares and will ship worldwide. If you send them an email, I am sure they will be able to suggest a motor for your car.

Hi Peter E - welcome to the forum! To help with finding spares, there are service sheets for some cars on this website. The one for your Mini is here: https://www.scalextric.com/uk-en/catalogsearch/result/?q=C2919#product_tabs_servicesheets_contents The direct replacement for the rear axle assembly is W9861. I don't see any available online. All the other axles on that sheet will fit your car, but the wheels might not be the correct style. Maybe you could search for those? I am pretty sure the gear is smaller than the standard Scalextric inline gear, so you won't be able to replace the split gear with a new Scalextric one. I hope that helps.

Andy P - I am pretty sure the only sensor in the Pit Lane Game is to check the ID of the car - there's no guide sensor. Steve - The LED needs to be directly above the sensor, so don't place the Pit Lane Game directly after pit entry - if the car comes in a bit quick and sideways, the LED and sensor won't match up. It's better to have the Pit Lane Game at least a couple of half straights after the entry piece. And enter slowly... If that doesn't improve things, I would check the LED on the underside of the car is nice and clean (if it is dirty or damaged, you'd probably get lane changing and lap counting issues too). I'd also give the sensors a good blow, in case they are a bit dusty. If they look really dirty, use a cotton bud with some lighter fluid on it to gently clean each sensor. However, my hunch is that it is an entry speed / getting sideways issue. I hope that helps.

That's really cool Dave! Micro Scalextric is a great tool for teaching various aspects of the STEM syllabus. I've taken a Micro set and stripped-down cars + components to a couple of STEM events at our local library and from those got invites to local primary schools - my response to those was for the teachers to buy a set and create their own lessons plans around it. We also find some of our younger slot car club racers really get into the technical side of the cars. Most just enjoy the fun of the racing, but to win races they do need to understand why the car behaves in a certain way.

Hi Rodrigo - welcome to the forum! The motor in the Ford Mk4 is a 'slim can' FF-050SH motor that is rated at 18,000 rpm @ 12 volts. Most slot car stores that sell spare parts should have similar motors in stock. You might also find one at an electronics retailer. Motors are more likely to fail after very many hours of use rather than short times at maximum power. If the car is reasonably new, I would contact Scalextric Customer Services for a replacement. I hope that helps.

Hi AcuMD - welcome to the forum! Do remember that the feedback that gets posted online tends to be negative - if a customer has a good experience, they just get on and enjoy using the product. The ARC Air and ARC Pro systems are complex, so can - in some cases - go wrong. If that happens, Scalextric Customer Services are always very helpful - so there's no risk involved. I have four ARC powerbases - 1 x One, 1 x Air and 2 x Pro. I have used them all a lot, including at public events, and never had an issue. There are a dozen other people at my slot car club who have ARC Air and/or ARC Pro sets and none of them has had to send a powerbase back for repair or replacement. Some have asked for tips about using the ARC app and that could be part of the issue with some of the bad reviews - it can be a steep learning curve with the app. Whether it's people I know or people posting here (or on other forums), I would say 60-80% of problems are fixed by reading the set instructions, the ARC Quick Start Guide or having a few issues that are not covered in the guide explained by another enthusiast. In the past, there were a lot of issues with Android device compatibility, but this seems to be better now. Reports that people have had exactly the same problem with 2, 3 or 4 replacement powerbases will mean 999 times out of 1000 that the product is not being used correctly. An exception could be with the Ford GTEs that Yupster mentioned. They have a different motor in them that can be a little temperamental, even with normal use. It is the only Scalextric GT car with that motor. In my opinion, ARC Air is a great introduction to slot car racing. It has loads of exciting features and that means it takes time and some work on behalf of the new owner to learn how to get the most out of it. If you take it step by step, read the instructions and ask questions here if you are stuck with something, I am sure it'll work out fine. An alternative would be to buy a standard Scalextric set, learn the slot car basics and then upgrade the powerbase to ARC Air later. I hope that helps.

Hi Eric. The same Scalextric Sport Digital chips work with all Scalextric Sport Digital powerbases. Yes, the controllers have changed, but the powerbase to car communication remains the same. I hope that helps.

Welcome back Paul! The Scalextric Club was a little rudderless for a few years, then closed down completely and relaunched at the UK Slot Car Festival last May. The bare bones are a club car and catalogue each year, plus the 10% discount. I was pretty impressed by the attempt to get both the car and catalogue out to everyone the week of the catalogue's launch in January. Problems with the courier service means it didn't happen for some club members. I understand from the Scalextric team that more will be added to those bare bones - I am looking forward to seeing what they come up with.

Hi Steve - welcome to the forum! It's a long time since I used the standard Pit Lane Game and I don't have one in the original configuration to try and replicate what you are seeing. I can't remember any issues like this. However... The first thing I would check is that the connections between the single-lane track pieces are tight and you are getting the required power to the Pit Lane Game section - it is powered from the track. Check the metal tabs underneath the track (see video here: www.scalextric.com/uk-en/support/track-maintenance). The second thing is to check and clean the pins and sockets that connect the Pit Lane Game tower to the base. These can get dirty, tarnished and bent. If everthing looks good, but a little dirty, some lighter fuel on a cotton bud should do the trick. Otherwise, everything else with the digital layout is working fine? And this is definitely a standard Pit Lane Game - it hasn't been modified as a pit sensor? I hope that helps.

Hi Dave - I have built some pretty fun tracks with the new system (mostly without the loop-the-loops). The track available - 45-degree curves, 3 and 6-inch straights - does give a lot of versatility for some nice layouts. I have spotted that Jadlam Racing Models are already selling track separately. For lap counting and timing, I find 'Lap Tracker - Auto Timer' to be good and reliable on my iPhone and iPad. I've also had fun making some simple scenics for the lovely new Wacky Races and Looney Tunes character cars: www.scalextric.com/uk-en/new-micro-system-sets And we're planning a Gotham City street circuit Grand Prix at our local slot car club during the summer holidays 😎

Hi Dave - the American Racers set is the old-style (1995-2018) track system. The track has the thin vertical rails and is powered at 18 volts. The cars have the old-style 'square' motors and no screw holding in the braid plate. The old track system can be very glitchy and frustrating - which is why the new (2019) system was developed. I wrote up some tips for the old-style system here: www.scalextric.com/uk-en/forum/tips-for-getting-the-most-out-of-micro-scalextric/ The new (2019) track system - the one in your Law Enforcer set - runs on 9 volts. If you put the new 9 volt cars on the old 18 volt system they will be getting twice the power they are designed for. That might be why they seem to 'work' on a glitchy track. I do strongly suspect the problem is the track, rather than the American Racers cars. I would look through those tips and see if you can get it working better. There is a discussion about the new (2019) track system and cars - and why I think it is a huge improvement - here: www.scalextric.com/uk-en/forum/new-micro-scalextric-track-system/ I hope that helps!

Hi Paul - the new Scalextric Club sends out the club car and the 2020 catalogue. There is no magazine. If you haven't received the catalogue, do contact Scalextric Customer Services. Although most of us received our car and catalogue at the beginning of January, I understand that there have been a few issues with the courier company. The 2021 club car will be announced in May this year. Expect more news about other exclusive club offers. I hope that helps.