So I'm finally getting back to my track and started some landscaping and lighting upgrades over the past week. I thought I'd share some photos of my progress and ideas. The track is getting old but I hope to upgrade many areas before the Spring.

Here are some landscaping upgrades I started:
After getting the new inlays around these corners I primered the wood and started the black edging. I ran it wide to give the feel of cars picking an inside line:
http://planetofspeed.com/slots/track-upgrades/wide-edge.JPG

Next I applied the earth base coat and stippled the edges with the brush for a more natural look:
http://planetofspeed.com/slots/track-upgrades/stipple-edges.JPG

Brown base is Benjamin Moore sample bottles. Gives a nice even coverage and dries flat:
http://planetofspeed.com/slots/track-upgrades/brown-base.JPG

New and old landscape supplies ready to go into action!
http://planetofspeed.com/slots/track-upgrades/materials.JPG

New trees are fun!
http://planetofspeed.com/slots/track-upgrades/new-trees.JPG

Old trees are cool too. These are some rare Britains trees I got off Dave Ferguson (Scale Auto) years ago:
http://planetofspeed.com/slots/track-upgrades/old-trees.JPG

The "Island" inside of turn 6 got some patch work done after years of wear-n-tear:
http://planetofspeed.com/slots/track-upgrades/island-touchup.JPG

The adjacent dog leg of the corner is the toughest turn on the track with 6" radii. Even though the landscaping material is worn away it looks even more realistic with wear. This is why base coat and multiple grass layers are important:
http://planetofspeed.com/slots/track-upgrades/natural-wear.JPG

"Marlboro Corner" Turn 2 gets some patch work as well...
http://planetofspeed.com/slots/track-upgrades/turn-1.JPG

More to come as I go along.

-Scott V.

I consider your track one of the classics here on Hobby Talk, and other places around the 'net. It's clear from the pics that while the track has had some hard-living thru the years in some spots, it has also developed a very cool "character" to it that makes it unique.

Glistening white walls and perfectly manicured putting greens doth not a classic race track make.

Nothing better to see than a well worn track.. except a well worn track getting upgrades!!! Keep us posted!! I will be ripping up and re-laying down shortly on mine too!! Keep the tips coming!! :thumbsup::thumbsup:

"Marlboro Corner" Turn 2 gets some patch work as well...
http://planetofspeed.net/slots/track-upgrades/turn-1.JPG

More to come as I go along.

-Scott V.

did ya crash into that porta ptty?lol:p

I consider your track one of the classics.

I do too and I REALLY like these worn areas. Adds character. BUT... something is doggin me... How's about a little help for a fallen hero?

The Wienermobile is down .... I repeat.... The Wienermobile is down!! nd

I do too and I REALLY like these worn areas. Adds character. BUT... something is doggin me... How's about a little help for a fallen hero?

The Wienermobile is down .... I repeat.... The Wienermobile is down!! nd



Not only that, but some little punks dumped one of the porta-pottys! :eek:

http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/500/turn-1b.jpg

there's a couple that those punks got to,it seems!

I consider your track one of the classics

I will "third" that motion. All in favor say "aye".

I just love seeing tracks with "extras".

beautiful track.... please give us the lowdown on your "chainlink' fences. mj

Ha you guys are a riot! :p Yep I guess 'classic' describes the old relic, kind of like me. I think the track was first built in 90-91 and has seen thousands of laps on it. That Marlboro corner has shredded billboards. The guys that race on it are concerned about my rehab lately and insist that many old worn areas remain intact. I promised I wouldn't pretty it up too much. :p The track is probably comparable to Darlington or Talladega. Classic speedway, well worn, pot holes and bumps but still running and loved by those who were brought up racing on it.

The chain link fences are mostly aluminum window screen with 2.50" finish nails. The drill bit I use for the finish nails has tape for the depth setting so the nails all come out the same height. The holes are slightly smaller than the nails so the fit snugly. The screen is cut at 45° angles to appear more like the real stuff. The tricky part is attaching it to the posts. I actually went to the painstaking task of stripping twist ties of their paper and attaching the fencing to the posts with the small wire using needle nose pliers. Along the top of the fence I use thick wire from coat hangers for the horizontal pipe.

Some of the other catch fence above the billboards is done pretty sloppy with the vinyl type screen and a glue gun and are falling apart. That needs to be done correctly as part of the rehab. Those fences have the finish nails glued to the billboards and are bent to angle the catch fence- they are similar to the fences you see on course laid out on city streets. The fences are active in keeping cars out of the carnival but some still make it over and crash the rides. (Hey, read the back of your ticket race fans. Crashes happen! LOL :p )

Future plans for better fences are to design them to be incorporated with scale cement K barriers like the ones on street courses. I want to build modules of fence sections that can be more easily installed.

More to come-

-Scott

Some of the other fence frame work you see in the photos are from an old "Nerf Ping Pong" game I had buried away. The polyethylene plastic is durable, easy to cut and makes for perfect HO scale fence framing around the track. You can connect sections end-to-end to whatever length you want. I've painted it silver or white and used it many places at different heights. Some have the window screen over it too. ;)

I actually went to the painstaking task of stripping twist ties of their paper and attaching the fencing to the posts with the small wire using needle nose pliers.

Well I'll be...That's how I attached my fencing to the nails though I stripped some wiring of it's insulation instead of twist ties. I didn't think about twist ties. :thumbsup: