I am finding with summer here and the schedule of obligations and overcommitments that the thrill of slot cars has been waning with me so to speak for sometime now. I have been bored with them for quite awhile now. I keep buying more thinking it would spark my interest just to find a short burst of excitement then back to the boredom again. I have been considering bailing out and selling my car collection and track.

I'm an n scale model railroader also and I have been finding more interest in my trains lately when I do have the time......

Maybe it is just me being moody and depresed but this has been going on for sometime now.

I may need to take a little time to thinking things through with a clear head but I may be listing a lot of cars and bodies soon to support my n scale train habit.

If any of you have any n scale trains to swap please feel free to contact me. I'm looking for better grade n scale stuff not the cheap low end stuff.

Lacking slotcar enthusiasm,

Wayne :(:(:(

PM sent Wayne....

I thought I would get out at one point too. For me it was just too much stuff just sitting there... I still enjoyed modeling and running my creations... but I simply felt I didn't need all of it (just some would be fine). So, I just downsized my collection and kept only cars that I enjoyed running. The stuff that made me smile stayed... the rest went. From that point till now I'm only buying what I REALLY like... and buying waaay less. I became less of a collector and more of an enthusiast I guess you might say. I also ripped up my old layout and built a new one... that helped... and I do some fishing here and there too... That breaks up the same-old same-old pretty nicely. Good luck with your decision. :thumbsup: nd

Hi Guys!

I have come to the conclusion that I have been trying to substitute slot cars for 1:1 cars for quite some time now.

I had been into 1:1 muscle cars prior to my 2 little ones coming along. Once they came along plus down to only 1 income now put a real damper in my 1:1 hobby and needless to say I no longer have a classic car.

I thought for the time being slot cars would be a nice substitution to pacify my car hobby interest.

I came to the realization that it isnt filling my needs and have grown bored with slot cars.

I have been a n scale model rail roader all my life and I have yet to loose that passion.

I guess it is time for me to come to the realization of what really makes me happy and go after it.

Slot cars have been fun for awhile but I have grown tired of them and it is time to move on I believe......

Again if anyone is interested I would entertain swaps for better n scale trains or I will be selling lots of bodies and cars shortly in the for sale section.

Thanks again,

Wayne

You just need to hook up with real slot car racers for some serious competition.
That's what slot cars are for. http://i34.tinypic.com/34dflh2.gif
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I have hooked up with a local ho club recently.

Nice group of guys but slots dont compare to sitting behind the wheel of a 1:1 model A coupe with a big block and 4 speed if you get what I'm saying! LOL!

The sound of a big block chevy being reved is music to my ears!

Slot cars just dont compare unfortunately.....

At least to me anyway.......

Wayne :thumbsup:

What brands do you consider good stuff in N-Gauge and what's not?

I'm looking more for the atlas,athearn,concor,kato type stuff currently.

I have a lot of the more common bachmann n scale stuff already.

Most n scale stuff is good. I have most of the more common set stuff in my collection already.

Pretty much looking for anything that runs well and isnt all beat up in swap for my slot car stuff.....

If you were looking to replace a 1:1 car hobby with a slot car hobby I can see where that would be a tough sell. Trying to completely fill a void with something else usually doesn't work out for very long.

The secret to long term enjoyment of any hobby is balance. You have to learn how to enjoy it alongside everything else in your life, including other interests and hobbies. If you get overly obsessed with just one thing, and at a very intense level, you run the risk of getting burned out, losing interest, or incurring serious financial debt. When the intense, obsessive phase is associated with the acquisition of hobby items, i.e., buying and collecting stuff, you can run out of a place to keep it all, run out of products to buy, or run out of money. I see each of these scenarios playing out across this hobby in one form or another.

I've enjoyed slot cars on and off for more than 40 years. There's been some gaps in there, frankly, because there were more important things in my life that needed my attention at the time and I didn't always have the luxury of time and space to play around with slot cars. But I never gave up on the hobby and still considered myself a slot car hobbyist even when all my stuff was packed up in boxes. When the opportunity arose to resurrect the hobby and bring it back into the foreground, I did. But it's still a slow burn and I still have to factor the time I spend in the hobby around all of the other demands on my time. However, one great thing about the hobby is that you can put it down and pick it up whenever you have the time and desire to do so. Having a permanent layout and slot cave helps because I still get to enjoy it even when I'm just looking at the fruits of my labor and don't have a controller in hand. It is what you make of it, and you are the one who gets to decide the intensity and demand, or total lack thereof, that you share with your hobby.

Finally, just a reminder that you are located in one of the few remaining slot car meccas in the country, maybe even the world. Whether you decide to stay in it for the long run and set your own pace, or bail out and focus on trains, make sure you get out to the local and area tracks and see what they are like:

1) For HO in Cleveland/Akron/Canton area there is nothing better than Mark's Model World in Canton. Pack up your stuff and controller and see what it's like to run on a 110 foot custom with huge sweeping turns and two level racing. If you like the larger cars there are 4 more custom tracks for them, including a 1:24 scale drag strip.

2) Before bowing out, make sure you make the trek to Ravenna, OH for a run on the Tuckmaster Steely at Freddies Hobbies. You won't find one of these tracks anywhere else.

3) On the west side heading into Lorain you have all the North Coast guys with another fine selection of quality tracks.

4) Want to learn how to compete in top tier HOPRA racing? The Ohio State HOPRA series runs a full schedule in the fall and winter to get you heading in the right direction. http://www.ohioho.com/OhioHOPRA.html

5) Hit the road for Columbus and the CentralOhioHORacing group which boasts 5 Max tracks and 6 Tomy tracks. These guys don't know when to stop - racing that is, which is a good thing. They put the friend back in friendly. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CentralOhioHORacing/?v=1&t=directory&ch=web&pub=groups&sec=dir&slk=3

6) If you can find Columbus, head west a bit more and you'll find Dayton. They like slots too. http://www.daytonslots.com/tracks.htm

7) Holy Toledo, the AMSRA racers run one of the best clubs in the state in the Toledo metro area. Huge tracks and huge fun. For more information email Steve at smwronk@bex.net or chat with fellow HobbyTalkers Crimnick or amsra.

8) TJets anyone? http://groups.yahoo.com/group/VASCRA/

9) PA, MI, upstate NY, and IN are not far away. Basements aplenty.

If you were looking to replace a 1:1 car hobby with a slot car hobby I can see where that would be a tough sell. Trying to completely fill a void with something else usually doesn't work out for very long.

The secret to long term enjoyment of any hobby is balance. You have to learn how to enjoy it alongside everything else in your life, including other interests and hobbies. If you get overly obsessed with just one thing, and at a very intense level, you run the risk of getting burned out, losing interest, or incurring serious financial debt. When the intense, obsessive phase is associated with the acquisition of hobby items, i.e., buying and collecting stuff, you can run out of a place to keep it all, run out of products to buy, or run out of money. I see each of these scenarios playing out across this hobby in one form or another.

I've enjoyed slot cars on and off for more than 40 years. There's been some gaps in there, frankly, because there were more important things in my life that needed my attention at the time and I didn't always have the luxury of time and space to play around with slot cars. But I never gave up on the hobby and still considered myself a slot car hobbyist even when all my stuff was packed up in boxes. When the opportunity arose to resurrect the hobby and bring it back into the foreground, I did. But it's still a slow burn and I still have to factor the time I spend in the hobby around all of the other demands on my time. However, one great thing about the hobby is that you can put it down and pick it up whenever you have the time and desire to do so. Having a permanent layout and slot cave helps because I still get to enjoy it even when I'm just looking at the fruits of my labor and don't have a controller in hand. It is what you make of it, and you are the one who gets to decide the intensity and demand, or total lack thereof, that you share with your hobby.



Extremely well said!

I ran with the North Coast guys a few times.

Great bunch of guys!

I'm just to the point where it is time to move on and do something else now.

With family obligations and such I just cant seem to find the free time on a regular bassis to devote to a club or racing at this time plus racing by yourself when you do have time isnt much fun either.

I've been in and out of slots over the course of my life in many scales.

I keep thinking it will be better the next time I get back into them after being away for awhile just to find that it is the same again for me.

I have enjoyed meeting many of you on the boards and swapping with a lot of you also.

It is just time for me to pursue other hobbies at this time that I have been into for the long run that I am more passionate about.

After I work through the couple deals I have going with a few of you that contacted me with n scale stuff for trade I will be posting what I have left for sale or swap in the sale area.

Thanks again guys for your responses!

Wayne

Read this several times..... and finally responding. There is a time and place for everything, and what goes around comes around. AFXToo is too wise.

It hits me because I almost gave up on the whole idea of 1:1 projects, started driving my "rescue" MG and realized I didn't want to finish it. Convinced myself last summer that I was getting too old and out of shape to do the 95 degrees in the garage thing, too tired for early mornings or late nights getting things done, no finances to do things "right" and, most importantly, no way to race again. Then a month or so ago the reality set in that I could get out of my stale projects and get a new, major one requiring even more work, but with something I really wanted...... maybe a track car way down the road, probably not... but I got excited, and I found myself pulling bearings out of my old trailer in 100 degree heat, fenders too hot to touch in the sun, borrowing a truck, getting one driveable car out the door and hauling a roller onto the same trailer using a come along by myself. Spent all day last Saturday in "cool" 92 degrees, caked in sweat and dust from a grinder, between garage and yard work, and loved every minute of it. Time is short, slots will take a back seat for a while, but the door won't be shut. No yard work season will come, quiet nights at the bench....

Been burned out with EVERYTHING at times myself, I got a spark that started a fire even though my overall situation isn't much different. Hope you get the same jolt.

"Been burned out with EVERYTHING at times myself, I got a spark that started a fire even though my overall situation isn't much different. Hope you get the same jolt."


I decided not to toally get out of slots,been there done that multiple times in the past just to find my way back again. I decided to downsize my collection of cars/bodies from around 100 to just my very favorites of about 2 dozen. Also my track was downsized to a 4 lane short track oval on a fold up table to make it more convenient to set up and take down. I guess I am a bit burned out on slots currently and need to take a break for other interests but the reason I decided not to bail out the most was I would miss to many of my friends here on the hobbytalk board that I enjoy posting with on a daily basis. At times I think I get more enjoyment out of that then the hobby itself!!!:thumbsup:

Anyhow, I just need a cool down period again from the hobby to allow a spark to be generated again.:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

Glad to hear you are sticking around!

I'm like the plague, your not getting rid of me that easily!!!!! LOL!!!!:thumbsup::thumbsup:

Anyhow, I just need a cool down period again from the hobby to allow a spark to be generated again.

Nice.

There's something about that first cold winter wind blowing in off the lake, leaves all down, mower put up for the season, featureless gray skies choking the sunlight, and then, the beckoning of the warm indoors, camaraderie, and lighthearted competition to generate that spark once again. The first whiff of ozone tinged with a hint of red racing oil, and ... before you realize it ... game's on ... you're back!

...it's ok to set something down;

just remember where you put it!

I'm like the plague, your not getting rid of me that easily!!!!! LOL!!!!:thumbsup::thumbsup:

This is great news!! Downsizing to your absolute favorites and back burner is a smart move!! At one point or another, we all have to step back and take a breather. Burnout hits the best of us. Buying, selling and re buying almost never works out in ones favor. And having too much can be as much a pain as it is a blessing. Unless you really don't want the stuff, or really need the cash, I would box up the extras and rainy day them. I still kick myself every time I think of the $1200.00 worth of HO scale trains and buildings I sold for a measly $125.00. Replacement cost now would exceed $2500.00. Glad you're hanging around!! :thumbsup::thumbsup:

This really is a winter time hobby. When the weather gets nasty and daylight arrives after you get to work and leaves before you do; that's when slots beckon you to the slot dungeon.

I sometimes wonder what I love about these things. I don't race and don't have any friends who are into the hobby. I keep collecting and have more cars than I'll ever be able to use. But I love it.

However, come the winter time, I can be found spending a few hours here and there tinkering with trying to get some car to run a little better.

I think I'm really going to get charged up when I do two things. First - rout my own track. Second, figure out a way to get plastic track running really smooth. For me, a lot of enjoyment is created by the track - get a good track and the enjoyment factor will skyrocket.

I've got my first slot car in 1969. There were a lot of years when they were boxed up. But I am really glad I never sold a single one.

Thanks...Joe

This is great news!! Downsizing to your absolute favorites and back burner is a smart move!! At one point or another, we all have to step back and take a breather. Burnout hits the best of us. Buying, selling and re buying almost never works out in ones favor. And having too much can be as much a pain as it is a blessing. Unless you really don't want the stuff, or really need the cash, I would box up the extras and rainy day them. I still kick myself every time I think of the $1200.00 worth of HO scale trains and buildings I sold for a measly $125.00. Replacement cost now would exceed $2500.00. Glad you're hanging around!! :thumbsup::thumbsup:

I gots a bunch of ho trains to get rid of.

Summer really is a crappy time for the slot car hobby. In my case, all the people I enjoyed spending time with for six months have other things going on. That disconnect can leave a bit of a void. If, in your case, there is nothing about the upcoming fall/winter months that you are looking forward to; it might be time to just focus on trains. If I've learned nothing else from this post, I've learned that...I need to move to Ohio!

Ya I know what you mean.At my race last sun.I only had 11 racers not bad for the middle of summer.

Hi Wayne,

I'm glad to see your staying in. I had a blast that night we raced at John's track.

I knew at that time it'd only be a couple of weeks that I'd be putting the slots up for the summer season, Since then I've only raced the Central Ohio Challenge but am looking forward to the slots again in the fall. I already knew I'd be back. When this post first strated I only hoped you'd re-cosider.

I too have a passion for the 1=1 cars. Have been into drag racing , off road racing and have been into hot rodding since high school.

I sold my latest project a few weeks back and want to build a new old school hot rod for next summer. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm , now I'm laid off and can't swing the standard move so I'm going back in time and am still going to build my hot rod using what I have on hand, just like I did in high school. Maybe you should look at your 1=1 along thos lines.

I've always liked the different stuff so it might be easier for me. I'm cutting an old VW body and making a pickup roadster body by channeling and chopping. Won't be much VW left when the body is done. Track roadster front end and garaged fabricated bed. I am building the chassis from square tubing and if I can find an old inline Chevy 6 cylinder , I'll use that for my power plant. If not I have a potent 4.0 Ford V6 already here.

Start scrounging, build your 1=1 car and keep your slotcars for those cold dismal days we have here in Ohio.

Also , contact me in october and we'll make arragements to meet at Mark's Model World in Canton on a friday and do some 1/24th scale oval racing. Just show up , I'll have a car for you. If that doesn't put some HY-PO slotcar venom in you , nothing will. It's intence as you can get without comming home black and blue. Just like the real thing man.

Gonzo

For me I think the time has come as well, I won't totally count the hobby out but for now I'm done.

I've decided to hang up my controller finally.

The last of my cars have been traded off and my 4 lane track with a box full of cars have been passed on to my little nephew to enjoy.

I will race with him ocassionally. I just decided that the time has come to call it quits for now.....

I just could not generate a spark for the hobby currently any way I tried.

I think I enjoyed the social aspect more on the board here with all the wonderful members then the slot hobby itself.

I will stop in from time to time but for now I'm out.

Take care to all and keep em' in the slot!

Wayne :thumbsup::thumbsup:

Here's a pic of my collection as of yesterday. Of course, it changed today. Thanks to you, I have all the Yenkos. I blacked out the grills per our fellow member and am ordering new grills from RRR thanks to a tip from another member. Get your nephew over here! I'm trying to get my grandsons interested by sending them some stuff. For xmas it's time for a nice big AFX set!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v322/Davesx4/H%20O%20Slots/Sell008.jpg