View Full Version : AFX Non-Magna Traction Cars


Rolo9th
05-20-2008, 12:17 PM
Hi,

First off, new to the forum, been lurking here for about a month or so, soaking it all in. Great place.

Newly re-introduced back into the hobby (mania? obsession?) of HO Slotcars after being out of things for about 8 years or so. Slowly rebuilding my former collection and have plans for a 4-lane Tomy track in the future. Anyhow, chassis identification and set up of cars was never my strong point. I picked up a vintage Red/Blue AFX Roadrunner recently, and gave it a quick whirl around the track, and the back end slides out really easily, so I assume its a non-Magna Traction chassis. I really like the "looseness" of it, and would like to collect a bunch of similar performing "runners" for my collection.

My question is, how do I determine non-Magna Traction vs. Magna Traction chassis? And do the new AutoWorld bodies fit on the older chassis?

Thanks in advance.
Rolo

jeremy1082
05-20-2008, 12:24 PM
Magnatraction cars have part of the motor magnets exposed on the bottom so that there will be magnetic attraction to the track rails. Magnatraction cars have taller motor magnets than non-magnatraction cars.

videojimmy
05-20-2008, 12:55 PM
yes, new autoworld bodies fit onto AFX and Tomy Chassis, as long as it's not AW's Super III bodies.

Rolo9th
05-20-2008, 01:11 PM
Excellent, thanks for the info.

Now, can one convert a Magna Traction car/chassis into a non-Magna Traction? Would one just need to swap in the lower magents, (and are they available anywhere?), or is it just not that simple? And I guess there is that pesky problem of the magnet exposure on the bottom-Any way to defeat that?

dlw
05-20-2008, 02:34 PM
The non-mag chassis doesn't have the holes that expose the magnets, so to convert a AW XT chassis to a non-mag, just fill in the holes with resin, or something. The other difference is the weight. MT's and XT's have bigger magnets, so they weigh a little more, which is why non-mag Afx's are a bit squirrelier in the turns.

You can use AW rear tires, which are a half-silicone-like tire that will give you some good traction.

twolff
05-20-2008, 02:46 PM
yes, new autoworld bodies fit onto AFX and Tomy Chassis, as long as it's not AW's Super III bodies.

But no better than they fit the AW XTraction chassis. The Can-AM body is way too high and all the Chargers I've seen sit with the nose WAY up in the air.

Also noticed that the Tomy Cobra and Chaprrals also sit nose high on an Aurora Magnatraction chassis. Not real bad, but enough to notice and painfully obvious when side by side with the same body on an Tomy chassis.

tjettim
05-20-2008, 03:23 PM
90% of the original AFX bodies are lighter and handle better
than the AW ones.The non mag cars come with a hotter arm
than the magnatraction cars.The hot setup back then was
putting the non-mag gearplate and arm in the magnatraction
cars.

grungerockjeepe
05-20-2008, 03:54 PM
Also noticed that the Tomy Cobra and Chaprrals also sit nose high on an Aurora Magnatraction chassis. Not real bad, but enough to notice and painfully obvious when side by side with the same body on an Tomy chassis.

Well there's a reason for that. The turbo and SRT chassis body tabs arent parallel to the track, but have a forward rake to them. So if you put an AW charger on a turbo or SRT it helps balance that out a bit, just as it did with some of the old JL pullbacks like the viper and Shelby.

Dragula
05-20-2008, 05:53 PM
If you need afx non mag chassis,PLEASE call!I have 100's of those and I cant stand 'em!
DRAGjet
859-356-1566

mahorsc
05-20-2008, 06:51 PM
how much for the chassis'

Bill Hall
05-20-2008, 07:28 PM
90% of the original AFX bodies are lighter and handle better
than the AW ones.The non mag cars come with a hotter arm
than the magnatraction cars.The hot setup back then was
putting the non-mag gearplate and arm in the magnatraction
cars.

I STILL like that 6 ohm setup for the magnas Jim!

T-Jet Racer
05-21-2008, 02:58 AM
I think covering the magnets with resin would not reduce the attraction to the rails. You need to install the non magna trac magnets and space them up in the chassis to keep them away from the rails. this would probably slow the car down slightly because of the weaker magnetic field from the weaker magnets. I would use the johnny lightning blue and whites if they fit. good luck

AfxToo
05-21-2008, 07:39 AM
If you just say "AFX chassis" the AFX non-mag (hate that designation, it's also a non-TycoPro, non-Riggen, non-CobraMite, and non-TJet so why designate it by something it isn't? It does have magnets!) is the chassis I assume. It was the first and arguably the best AFX chassis ever produced.

The AFX Chassis literally broke the mold of the TJet chassis that preceded it. While the TuffOnes was a very minor and somewhat ill conceived tweak to the TJet chassis (not home track friendly and ran too hot) the AFX was truly new and allowed Aurora to compete head to head and on the same scale as Tyco and their TycoPro line. While the AFX did not have the straight line speed of the TycoPro it more than made up for it in handling, especially on home sized tracks.

The Aurora Factory Experimental moniker definitely fit the original AFX. I personally wish that Aurora (and its list of successors) had used a different designation for the later Magnatraction, G-Plus, Turbo, and Super G-Plus cars. Nothing against the MT and I absolutely love the G-Plus, but the AFX designation has one special affiliation for me, and that's the original AFX chassis. The fact that Aurora and others made hundreds of millions off the AFX moniker may say something for the market value in the AFX designation. But for me it's still Aurora Factory Experimental, that's where it started, and that's the chassis that launched the whole thing and allowed Aurora slot cars to survive the post TJet era - for a while.

tjd241
05-21-2008, 08:47 AM
The AFX non-mag (perfectly fine to call it that :thumbsup:) is a great "jumping back in point" for anyone. From your description, some have pointed out what's up with how to differentiate mag from non-mag, so you should be good there. Might be easier to go after a few NOS non-mag chassis instead of doctoring the mags. Plenty of body choices new and old are out there. Definitely contact Dragula. Good source and a go-too guy even if you have a question or too.

Good luck beefing up the collection and have fun!!!:thumbsup: nd

Dragula
05-21-2008, 02:53 PM
If you just say "AFX chassis" the AFX non-mag (hate that designation, it's also a non-TycoPro, non-Riggen, non-CobraMite, and non-TJet so why designate it by something it isn't? It does have magnets!) is the chassis I assume. It was the first and arguably the best AFX chassis ever produced.

The AFX Chassis literally broke the mold of the TJet chassis that preceded it. While the TuffOnes was a very minor and somewhat ill conceived tweak to the TJet chassis (not home track friendly and ran too hot) the AFX was truly new and allowed Aurora to compete head to head and on the same scale as Tyco and their TycoPro line. While the AFX did not have the straight line speed of the TycoPro it more than made up for it in handling, especially on home sized tracks.

The Aurora Factory Experimental moniker definitely fit the original AFX. I personally wish that Aurora (and its list of successors) had used a different designation for the later Magnatraction, G-Plus, Turbo, and Super G-Plus cars. Nothing against the MT and I absolutely love the G-Plus, but the AFX designation has one special affiliation for me, and that's the original AFX chassis. The fact that Aurora and others made hundreds of millions off the AFX moniker may say something for the market value in the AFX designation. But for me it's still Aurora Factory Experimental, that's where it started, and that's the chassis that launched the whole thing and allowed Aurora slot cars to survive the post TJet era - for a while.

Magnatractions say AFX on the back to,afx non-mag is a term everyone knows.Argueably best,thats definitely a stretch,maybe on a board track with braid rail like we used to run on,but thats about it.I was there for the pan wars and my brother designed some kick ass pans for afx non-magnetic downforce cars,but the magnatraction with polymers and a good solid arm will shut it down easily.
DRAGjet

AfxToo
05-21-2008, 07:05 PM
Yes, "best" is highly subjective.

Dragula
05-21-2008, 07:24 PM
If you non-mag nutjobs want these chassis,I have an abundance,some may be used,some NOS with factory test spot marks on te shoes,im not going to seperate,6.00 each plus shipping,come get 'em!
DRAGjet
859-356-1566

Rolo9th
05-22-2008, 07:29 AM
If you non-mag nutjobs want these chassis,I have an abundance,some may be used,some NOS with factory test spot marks on te shoes,im not going to seperate,6.00 each plus shipping,come get 'em!
DRAGjet
859-356-1566


PM Sent

grungerockjeepe
05-22-2008, 07:30 PM
Jeez Drag thats a smokin deal! Too bad I have plenty of AFX chassis both mag and non in my spares case or Id take you up on that.

Oh and I can vouch for Dragula's trader integrity as well!

brownie374
05-22-2008, 10:22 PM
Drag is a great trader and a good guy to talk to!

domer
11-08-2010, 12:23 AM
If you non-mag nutjobs want these chassis,I have an abundance,some may be used,some NOS with factory test spot marks on te shoes,im not going to seperate,6.00 each plus shipping,come get 'em!
DRAGjet
859-356-1566 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting**************859-356-1566******end_of_the_skype_highlighting

Given that the last post in this thread is from May of 2008, I don't hold out much hope, but do you still have any AFX mon-mag chassis available?

Thanks!

twolff
11-08-2010, 11:17 AM
Given that the last post in this thread is from May of 2008, I don't hold out much hope, but do you still have any AFX mon-mag chassis available?

Thanks!

You might have better luck contacting him by phone.