Hey guys, just got my beautiful red GT40. The front axle slop is gone, a little whole in the bottom of the chassis for the dot magnets that they will be putting in there.(on one side? does that seem wierd to any body else? how about make the magnets half as strong and find a way to fit them on both sides). The wiring for the light rubs the front axle, but I think the afx ones did that too, not sure. Only thing I don't like so far is that the lighted chassis dont have pick-up shoe springs, they didn't solder to the bottom but underneath the shoes, and the springy flat tab thingy under the shoe for electrical contact is the spring. My cars front wheels sat almost 1/4 inch up off the track before bending it. Love the bodies, hope they continue to improve the chassis, J

Could we have some pictures of the chassis please?

Hi Jimmy, Which side is the hole on? Driver(left) or passanger(right).
The flat tabby thing is it sort of like the tabby pick-up shoe thing on a LifeLike T chassis?

A hole for a dot traction magnet in an XT chassis...? This is the first I've heard that AW was even considering such a thing. I knew that they were going to put a traction magnet in the new "TJUGs".

It was always going to be both, just happens the TJs in release 4 has the magnets and the XTs only have the aperture.

Cant wait to see some images and hear about lap times.

. . . Only thing I don't like so far is that the lighted chassis dont have pick-up shoe springs, they didn't solder to the bottom but underneath the shoes, and the springy flat tab thingy under the shoe for electrical contact is the spring . . .

HUH? :confused::confused::confused:

'doba

without pics, this thread is kinda meaningless, doncha think?

Hey, here is a pic. I figured at least a few people had these by now. Another thing is this looks to me to be the third different type of material for the rear tires, nice and sticky so far, J

That looks like a home made experiment.

UGH! I was gonna bid on a couple of theses tonight on feeBay until I saw that pic.

Anyone have pics of the Daytonas out of the clam. I'm looking to see if they actually sit correctly on the chassis before I go to the trouble of tracking some down. I've got some nice NOS lighted Magnatractions to put under 'em.

Enhanced photo:
http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/500/xtrax.jpg

Whoa -- What is up with the pick-up shoe? Is that being done for the light?

'doba

Hmmmmm...yuck is the only word that comes to mind...

I am so glad I stopped pre-ordering.

Ok, so now it has a leaf-type spring, ala Tyco slotless....sort of.

Ok, so now it has a leaf-type spring, ala Tyco slotless....sort of.

Now I will never clean under my desk..Only time it gets done is when I am on a elusive spring hunt...

Is anyone else sickened by this piece of crap there trying to sell?
DRAGjet

I'm not buying any now. I will possibly if they get good reviews.

I wasn't excited about the lights anyway. If they could do LEDs, then I might be interested in lights.

It looks like I'll dump mine on the bay what a piece of crap. Did they ever see the original? It looked like it may have had a good start with those connectors on the bottom but the crap jump wire right where the spring goes WTF!!!!!!

Jimmy I guess the real question is , How do they run ? I really don't care what the light / pick up shoe looks like as long as they run and handle well.

I am so glad I stopped pre-ordering.
I will nevr do it again.It can be fixed but then you need springs too WTF! This is unbeliveable, all they had to do was wire it down the side and solder it on if you have no clue what you are doing just copy a proven design. I hope the ultra g is a better deal because this looks like a real loser....

Jimmy I guess the real question is , How do they run ? I really don't care what the light / pick up shoe looks like as long as they run and handle well.

time will tell, but I am betting the farm that it has problems desloting or getting power from the rail.

Wow! Where exactly does the squirrel go?

This is wrong on so many levels, I dont know where to begin. Coulda really ruined Taco night. Fortunately I ate early today so my sickness was relagated to the dry heaves between fits of hysterical laughter.

How we went from the nifty T-jet flamethrower "foldy tabs" or the quick tin the wire and solder poke on AFX style hanger plates defies explanation.

Sorta reminds me of an American Joke one of my German cousins told me. Nasa spent millions trying to perfect a pen that astronauts could use to write in zero gravity....the Russians took a pencil.

I don't know... I kinda like it. I found mine waiting for me when I got home and I liked the way it ran. I also like the new body colors. It's different, and if you were worried about getting TOP speed, why would you even consider a lighted car to begin with?

I liked lighted cars, I've always liked lighted cars. I love the lighted Tyco 440-X2 chassis, but they're getting hard to find. So, I may use the ever faithful buddy clip and put the white Daytona on the lighted 440. Love those tyco chassis to AFX body buddy clips. I have at least a dozen JL bodies on tyco chassis and they hold tight.

As for this release...I'll probably buy more of these than the other two releases combined. I'm looking forward to the new T-jets too. Some of them look really nice and new chassis should be interesting. I give Tom's efforts two thumbs up. :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

On another note.... the Dash 55's are awesome. Way to go Dan!
Can't wait for the Falcons and the VW buses

These chassis look like an abortion of slot science,AW isnt trying to take slots further,there sitting back laughing at how bad they can make something and still have people buy there junk.I would like a pound of whatever there smoking,it may give my back some relief.Sorry to rant,but they didnt re-invent the wheel,they just squared it off a bit,way to go. AW=Absolutely worthless
DRAGjet

I don't know... I kinda like it. I found mine waiting for me when I got home and I liked the way it ran.

What are lap times like? Could you take a HQ overhead shot of the chassis in all it's ''glory''

Enhanced photo:
http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/500/xtrax.jpg

Whoa -- What is up with the pick-up shoe? Is that being done for the light?

'doba

The original has a tab that is part of the shoe-hanger, yeah? Doesn't it extend up the side of the chassis? They would have had to create a whole new set of dies to recreate the original part. These chassis are not junk, really, this is just truely odd. If I inadvertantly end up with any of these chassis, I will go out and buy a new "solder-sucker" and a bunch of new coil springs. :thumbsup:

I wonder if the leaf spring trick was used in response to complaints of people losing pickup shoes springs....And the 'new' tire recipe? Hopefully it will be applied to the Thunderjets tires.

????? Odd is not one of the words that come to my mind, Joe. "Expedient and cost-effective" pop right up.

Wonder how many tries it took to approve the prototype? My guess is less than 2.

????? Odd is not one of the words that come to my mind, Joe. "Expedient and cost-effective" pop right up.

Wonder how many tries it took to approve the prototype? My guess is less than 2.

That is great!!! :lol:
But it is one of those things... If it works you are a genius, if it doesn't you are a goat... I may have to buy 1 or 2 and try them out before I pass judgement...

Scott

That is great!!! :lol:
But it is one of those things... If it works you are a genius, if it doesn't you are a goat... I may have to buy 1 or 2 and try them out before I pass judgement...

Scott


I tend to agree with Scott, With the dukes set having two crossovers to appeal to the kids I can see springs a flying, and if we all recall the dark ages.. ( When the nearest hobby shop was 40 miles away). losing a spring was a disaster. So it may work for the good, but I think hiring someone who could actually do a neat job would have been better then letting the drunken drawfs solder it up. looks like something I would do at 3 in the morning..lol.. :drunk:

I'm worried and pretty sure that the leaf spring thing under in place of springs will lose its tension/elasticity , you know what I mean, it could only be adjusted a few times before it wears out.
It does run great, AW's chassis are pretty much drop on the track and go, which is good for kids, they might not even notice the front wheels don't touch the track;-) but after adjusting it was level and running great. To me AFX makes slot cars and AW makes toy slot cars, but of course I always buy a couple each release, J

Coach I think looks more like an up-all-nighter to me lol.

I don't quite get the kid angle. The Dukes were a kid thing 30 years ago, and I have seen AW's on the shelves of vintage toy stores and hobby shops, not Wal Mart. I have seen the target audience, and it is us.

The easy answer is to put a "service manual" in the box/set and include an extra set of 5 cent springs..... but that would involve long term commitment to customers who actually run the cars.....

So, I may use the ever faithful buddy clip and put the white Daytona on the lighted 440.

Hey Jimmy,

Do the Daytonas sit on the AW Chassis properly? Do ya think they will fit a Magnatraction and look right? The last time I dove in to an AW car was for the '71 Charger Stock car and got something that sits on the chassis like a '55 Gasser drag car with a tube front axel and leaf springs.

After looking at doba's pics, in another post, I feel better about the F/T chassis and will try at least one of them.

Hey Jimmy,

Do the Daytonas sit on the AW Chassis properly? Do ya think they will fit a Magnatraction and look right? The last time I dove in to an AW car was for the '71 Charger Stock car and got something that sits on the chassis like a '55 Gasser drag car with a tube front axel and leaf springs.


Here's a link to a picture I found on ebey. It doesn't look too goo to me in thr front.

http://i6.ebayimg.com/02/i/000/b7/4d/79db_1.JPG

Hey Jimmy,

Do the Daytonas sit on the AW Chassis properly? Do ya think they will fit a Magnatraction and look right? The last time I dove in to an AW car was for the '71 Charger Stock car and got something that sits on the chassis like a '55 Gasser drag car with a tube front axel and leaf springs.

At least the front end won't drag on hills and on banked turns....

Looks a little high in the picture, but at least it looks level. Then again, the '71 Charger looked ok in cube too.

. . . Do the Daytonas sit on the AW Chassis properly?

NO. Looking at them in person today they looked nose-high again, just like last time.

'doba

Thanks for the info guys. Just pulled the trigger on the Ford GTs and a blue Shelby. A lighted NASCAR dosen't make sense anyway.

A lighted NASCAR dosen't make sense anyway.
Sheesh....how else you supposed make one street legal :cool:

I think they needed to use more solder. :freak:
Glad I didn't order these yet. :eek:

:devil: rr

The Daytona still sits alittle high but it looks like they brought it down a little.

As for the leaf spring under the front.... I have a dozen or more Tyco S chassis that have a simular pickup spring system, they're 40+ yrs old and still work great, so I'm not too worried about the AW system wearing out.

Just got my cars delivered this morning. The XT's all have clear glass while the TJets came half smokey-orange glass (green Cobra, yellow El Camino, purple Snadvan, pea-green Stude, turquoise Suburban, brown 57 Chevy). The other Tjets have dark smokey-black glass.

The GT40s are a little souped up in the rear (This could actually help it as a race body). Tom may have to have a word with the factory.......The Daytonas do have an upward warp in the nose, but it does sit well on the chassis. The Hummer hides the chassis nicely.

The Daytona still sits alittle high but it looks like they brought it down a little.

As for the leaf spring under the front.... I have a dozen or more Tyco S chassis that have a simular pickup spring system, they're 40+ yrs old and still work great, so I'm not too worried about the AW system wearing out.

I was refering to the body sitting like this:

http://fyi.gmblogs.com/images/drag_car_090806.gif

twolff.. I know... I was also responding to the other post about the new pick up system wearing out

twolff.. I know... I was also responding to the other post about the new pick up system wearing out

Cool, thanks for the info BTW.

I'm not a big collector and not into these AW cars, but I have to ask; do they have engineers with degrees or...designers with any vision??? That horrid power jumper arrangement looks like a very short sighted design. Yes that thing is going to wear out. And there is now no option for after market shoe springs, or even replacements at this jucture. How could you even tune that? The need for lights seemed to over ride logic in the main power pick up system that's worked for decades. I read in the other thread how the front end hops. No, really? Maybe they should have put one of those little extra magnets on the front too so it will hold the front end down to the track. :confused:

And BTW, aren't those little tabs on the side of the chassis designed to hold the wires for the headlights? What was wrong with that method?
:drunk:

you couls awlays just snip off the metal and put a spring in

It's a plan sooooo crazy, it just might work.

So, does anyone like the bodies? I like them as well.

I'm finding that the Flamethrowers are prone to bob excessively up front and the lighting just makes it more apparent. The power is great but not hooked up due to the front hopping all over.

The bodies look nice.

What? The lever spring is boingy? Who'd a thunk it?

Ever try and tune a set of vibrator pick ups? Well thats what they crammed under the existing pickups!

The spring, cup and shoe provide a redundant electrical contact. The electro mechanical redundancy of the progressivly wound pick up spring had it's merits. The original AFX engineers felt that it was a necessary to the design.

You've now lost the redundant electrical contact of the spring in the cup touching the back side of the pick up. A nifty, functional little package that stood the test of time. It was a huge improvement over the previous t-jet design just as the previous t-jet design was a monumental jump from the vibe contacts.

The lighting circuit is now on a variable pressure slide contact instead of hard wired. So now you'll have to keep the backside of the pick ups clean too. Grungous and char are the by product of any slide contact. The utmost of care will undoubtedly be required to tune and then maintain/clean this design.