Well it's been since April of last year that I posted my first pics of my track so here is an update on what I've done:

Added trees (bought some higher priced ones on line and at hobby stores and some cheap ones before xmas at craft stores).

Added lap timer on obsolete computer I got for free, used Gregory Brauns lap timer program. Works great except one lane has lately started giving me false counts.

Added lights in tunnels (lemax 20 packs glued to balsa wood)

Started to add lights to whole track (Lemax rustic lights, only cost $5 for 4 lights)

Added a grouted looking tunnel portal (has a third world look to it haha)

Used testors paint pens to identify lanes.

Just bought 2 60 ohm controllers (what a difference those make) Now have to buy 2 more.

The nascar bodies in pic 2 are trevco xmas ornaments, with super g plus chasis underneath.

Bought 4ea checkerd flag garage stools at GI joes.

Thats about it. Love to read this site to get more ideas on what to noodle with next on the track.

Rich

Bandit - looks good. Where did you get Lemax lights? And are the rustic lights on poles that you will be adding?

I like the fridge in the garage. Now you can get a frosty cold one without leaving the pit area!
Jim

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Jim: I saw the first rustic lights at Micheals at 60% off, I bought the last set, then I bought some more that just arrived off ehobbytools.com. You can see a couple of them in the second picture. With the lights off they throw very nice pools of light on the track. I need to work on the faux rock bases they come with, but I think they are a pretty good deal.

AFXtoo, thanks for the kind words. Yes those are the cars. They are what is left of the cars I got as a kid. I think I got the Daytona Ferrari around 1976. I've carted about 5 HO cars around with me as an adult, moved them from place to place without throwing out or ever using. They've moved to Hawaii, San Diego 3 times, LA, Albuquerque, Yakima, Bay Area, and finally back here to Portland. I don't know what happened to the Tjets we had as kids. They and the model motoring track were in a separate box and Aurora pit case. That stuff was mostly my older brothers and I think one of them may have it, but it may have gone in a parents garage sale.

The missing Tjets we had: Love bug with flowers, GT40, GT cobra (2 I think a red and blue), dune buggy plus dune buggy coupe, blue El Camino, Willy's gasser, mako shark, and a few tycos.

I don't think we cut them either. I always remember putting the rear of the body on the screws to "jack" them up and have room for the "slicks".

Some day I'm going to my brothers house and ransack the place.

That was always a neat trick in jacking up those TJets. Saved alot of wheel wells of my early collection. Never figured out away to save them from my mom. :rolleyes: I think that's how my baseball cards disappeared too. If I recall, she was cleaning out some of the junk that had been stored in the attic and sent it to the dump. :freak: rr

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I got all the lights installed so I took some 'night' pics.

Now I have to purchase some cars with working lights.

Those lights are great! My brother and I spend many hours sitting in the basement racing our flamethrower Porsches with a just a flashlight handy in the event of a crash. Major improvement!

Ed

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Our night racing ended when I scared my brother and he took off running for the stairs....but ran into the ping pong table and chipped a tooth instead! Mom couldn't see the humor in the situation. Kid brothers ruin everything....!

Night races rock but you need a lot of little lights. Some old shots: (my camera had trouble focusing without the flash.)

Check out the Chernobyl KFC! :p
http://www.supervipersystems.com/VargoSpeedway/PHOTOS/NASCARrace1101/NASCARracepics1124/carshownight.jpg
http://www.supervipersystems.com/VargoSpeedway/PHOTOS/NASCARrace1101/NASCARracepics1124/frontstandsnight.jpg

Awesome lighting. Looks like fun!

Jim

The lights, the backdrop, just outstanding. Someday I'll have more room to do this kind of thing. Very inspiring....dave