View Full Version : Something to be said for magnet cars (another garage sale story)


Captain Fred
10-08-2006, 10:52 AM
My story isn't as great as Marty's, but my wife just brought home a few old slotcar sets for me. They are all Tyco sets. One is a Cliff Hanger set with the 70s style glow Vettes. There is also a Richard Petty set. She picked up a TCR set as well. All sets are pretty much complete. They included all of the cars and original paperwork, which is how I was able to inventory all of the pieces. I think we have a little over $20 into these. All of the 440x2s are narrow chassis. The 70s Vettes look as if they've hardly even been run. The Petty stock cars are in great shape, but show just a little bit of wear on the pickups. There are 3 TCR cars. They are complete, but barely operational. The jam car and one of the F1s need some maintenance.

I own lots of magnet cars, but I've never owned one of those Cliff Hanger sets. My teenage daughters thought it was an impressive looking track and one of them wanted me to set it up, so we could try it out. It has a loop, a separate section of upside down track, a 90 degree curve that runs up the wall and a jump ramp with a special 15" straight that has an extra wide slot. The curve pieces have double thick rails too. Anyway, I set the Cliff Hanger track up just as the instructions directed (whew, no wonder this one didn't have much use). THIS IS A BLAST! It's quite a challenge just to keep the cars on the track. We proceeded to have a contest, who can do the most laps without overshooting the jump or flinging the cars off of the wall or dropping off of the loop. Those of you who think the magnets take the fun out of slotcar racing need to try racing on this track! You have to really watch what you're doing. Too slow and you stall on the wall & the loop. Too fast and you overshoot the jump or fling yourself off of the wall.

BTW,

so far, I have only been able to do about 24 laps without messing up. There's something to be said for magnet cars and the crazy track layouts!

Slott V
10-09-2006, 09:40 AM
Those early Cliff Hangar cars have the desirable grey chassis's and usually had the faster wide gap armatures and stronger traction magnets. Easiest way to indentify them is the brown dust covers over the motors. Some of them came with a goofy stepped rear tire that has a rasied rib in the center- get rid of those. Find other stock Tyco tires and sand them flat, or better yet go to a silicone tire and those cars should fly.
:thumbsup:

jamiestang
12-15-2006, 05:27 PM
I actually like those tires with raised rib in the center cause some of my tycos have so much magnet strenght the extra height helps.All the tyco cliff hangers ive ever seen never had any stronger magnets ?

Crimnick
12-16-2006, 12:43 PM
The cliff hanger set was the second set I found on clearence....We had a blast with them as well....I never noticed the double rail....I probably have a few mixed in my layout and didnt notice....I'll have to do a track review and see...I have so many 9" curves I could build a whole lay out from them alone...

Hmmm...maybe I'll built a hill climb with them...

roadrner
12-17-2006, 10:47 AM
Hmmm...maybe I'll built a hill climb with them...


Go ahead, just be sure to post some pix when you have her finished! ;) rr

Crimnick
12-17-2006, 02:30 PM
Go ahead, just be sure to post some pix when you have her finished! ;) rr

I saw a 1/32 hill climb built on a 45 degree board.....all twisties and end loops...

First thought was exactly that....ah....I have boxes of 9" curves...*rubs hands*....*insert evil laugh*

Use all the 9" stuff...add tyco/LL/afx adaptor and a 3" hair pin on the top and the bottom ends.....instant one lane hill climb circuit...

I just got a track layout program today...I'll try and work up a good layout...

I'm still playing with it right now....trying to document the first 4 lane I did on a 3' x7' 6" table...

Crimnick
12-17-2006, 05:05 PM
Something like this...forgive the unfinished part....this is a first attempt..and just an idea..

This could be built on a 8x4 at an angle or even a 8x8 set at a 45 degree angle with some modifications...

http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/511/hill_climb_idea.jpg