Jump to content

Nz Proxy Series 2012 - General Discussion


SlotsNZ

Recommended Posts

Well, may as well get this up now, whole people have the current series in their mind, and thoughts of what they would like done differently, and what type of series we might run next year

 

I already have some input from others, and a couple of thoughts myself

 

1) I was thinking of a different class next year - but I know that at least 3 people already have CanAm cars part built for a series with the same basic rules and needless to say, CanAm again - what do others think? do we spin CanAm one more time, maybe with a twist, or is consencus for a different class.

 

2) Hosting - regardless of class, I feel we need to spread the hosting more, as our local guys are asked to run 5 rounds, which takes up a lot of our clubnights, and we also run the national enduros team tacing AND the "Nationals" out of here. So probably max 3 rounds HB, 2 in Taranaki, 2 in ChCh, possibly one in either or each of Te Arhoa and Tauranga - will be talking to the Te Aroha wood track owner today when he hits town in a couple of hours. [EDIT - and of course one in Auckland as long as Orakei-Racer and his cohorts will keep hosting!]

 

3) Instructions for hosts - No host is to open up or adjust any car without permission of entrant, under threat of a slow and painful death by involuntary ingestion of assorted spur gears, shaved tyre rubber and broken peices of resin bodty - It appears Mac's car and Stig's car have been opened for "examination" without need or permission. To assist in this aspect I propose that we not onl;y allow, but encourage partial sealing of body screws with some softish glue, dab of paint, or whaever on the "heads" of the body screws, and glue or nail varnish on pod screws, griub screws used to set axles etc.

 

there's a start..... speak freely....

Recovering Lapsed Slot Addict :ph34r:  *  Custodian of many used screws (mostly loose :rolleyes:)  *  Total kidder  *  Companion of other delusional slot addicts :lol:  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I like the CanAm class as it is run here ( I am probably one of the three, but that doesn't matter). I feel it is a bit unique. I know there is another CanAm proxy but it seems so complicated.

 

However I am interested to know what other class you were thinking of.

Alan Stubbings

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Mark,

 

As a first time entrant (in any proxy event) I would be keen to enter again.

 

Canam also is much preferred as I would look to enter same car hopefully with improved condition/performance. Would also be keen to see two classes maintained as it added a bit more interest from my perspective at least. I also have an "A" class car under construction.

 

Re opening up cars (as organiser of Round 6) I certainly did not open Mac's or Stig's as neither needed attention but I did open one other to fix wire that fell off (Anthony I think) and another (Davinc74) that was touted for motor replacement but found other problems needed attention instead. Inexperience on my part but I also lightly lubricated the gears on most cars (not the motors) as so many of then seemed so dry. At time I thought I was supposed to do this but on further checking perhaps not. I do not think however that this was to the detriment of anybody's performance.

 

On opening I see two schools of thought. One is as stated no touch without direction. I certainly broke this rule. In my defence however I was under instructions to get round through as quickly as possible Iachieved in less than a week) so just did what was required but nothing else. Other thought as suggested during round was that owners should ensure cars can be opened if required so they can be attended to (screws not glued in).

 

Re touted Taranaki Rounds I have not checked with locals yet but past comments would indicate they would be very happy to host 2 rounds in 2012. On on "Green Acres" and one on "Plymouth" again.

 

Regards

 

Chas Le Breton

Green Acres Slot Racing Group

New Plymouth

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Mark

I would be up for sending another car across the ditch next year, I'm not to fussed what class but I would like maybe one more crack at the Can Am cars. I'd maybe send the same car but specced up to how I intended for this year. Either that or move up to class A with something I've got on the build plate at present. And If I can talk the minister for war and finance into it, attend a race or two while on a holiday there.

Cheers Alan

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Mark

I would be up for sending another car across the ditch next year, I'm not to fussed what class but I would like maybe one more crack at the Can Am cars. I'd maybe send the same car but specced up to how I intended for this year. Either that or move up to class A with something I've got on the build plate at present. And If I can talk the minister for war and finance into it, attend a race or two while on a holiday there.

Cheers Alan

 

heya Alan, we already have one entrant promising to personally deliver his car, AND his wife to our fair region . . . , but they're coming earlier, for our local "Art Deco" weekend all being well, so if you wanted to attend a round of the proxy, sometime in March could be a goer. Either we'd have a bed or someone else in club would if you wished to save on the cost of the trip.

 

cheers

 

mark

Recovering Lapsed Slot Addict :ph34r:  *  Custodian of many used screws (mostly loose :rolleyes:)  *  Total kidder  *  Companion of other delusional slot addicts :lol:  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Mark

 

I'm all for another crack at the Can-Am class.

 

You always get a nice variety of cars entered.

 

The formula works well and everyone knows the rules.

 

Orakei Raceway will be available to run a round again.

 

Regards

 

Orakei Racer

Orakei Racer

 

Slow is smooth, smooth is fast!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'd be happy to go with Can Am again for another year (or two...) as these are fantastic cars from an era which I can identify with. :rolleyes: Gads, I can't be that old, can I or am I.........!!!?

 

As for opening up the cars for examination, I thought one of the objectives of a proxy was to help improve the car building and setting up knowledge of those who help in hosting the races. As such, I see no harm in the hosts taking a closer look at the cars to see what makes them tick so long as they don't tinker with them (unless requested to) and replace the bodyshells in the same way as the owners had intended for them to be mounted. Hey, these are just TOY CARS so there are no corporate trade secrets to hide. I certainly wouldn't mind someone taking a look at my car to see what they SHOULDN'T do in building a slot car!! :lol::lol::lol:

Lim

 

I enjoy racing. Winning or losing is secondary.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I agree with Lim about opening the cars up, Proxy racing is about us all learning from others. You made a comment a couple of years ago that you thought NZ racing behind Aussie, but this is certainly not the case this year and I hope it is because the host clubs have been able to drive and look at the proxy cars and see what does and does not work.

I would only hope that when the cars are opened up they are put back the way they were.

 

I had a proxy car returned from the US last year and the pod had been taped up before the first race with out asking! Not the right thing to do.

Edited by kalbfellp
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am not sure I agree about opening up cars without good reason. Reasonable access for essential repairs however seems in the best interest of providing fair and reliable competition. If cars are not to touched why do rules provide for screw instructions to be supplied.

 

Re others learning how to make their cars better I would have thought such details could be gleaned from observation or measurement including weighing. I was certainly interested to see what weight of cars was and in fact still have the weight of all cars if anybody is interested.

 

I repeat my earlier point however that in the case of repairs being required cars should at least be capable of being opened without further damage being sustained.

 

Regards

 

Chas Le Breton

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Observing how a car runs and knowing its weight can tell you only so much about the facts behind its performance. A 2gm weight located in the front or at the rear of the chassis will result in a vast difference in the car's handling but the overall weight remains the same.

 

Similarly, how a smooth gear mesh is achieved and little things like the tidy routing of motor wires, small preventive bullet-proofing measures taken by the car builder are procedures which add to the reliability of the car. And with the chassis of most cars these days being of the flat pan type - from front to back - about the only way you can see how it's done is to remove the bodyshell. What is important is that before taking off the body, a careful check and note is taken of the way the body is mounted - if loose, how many turns of the screw out from dead bottom, etc . What is CRITICAL ,though, is DON'T MESS AROUND with the mechanical settings of the chassis (if that happens, I agree with Mark that the culprit should be hung, shot and quartered!). So long as hosts observe proper etiquette in handling the proxy cars - and we need to trust them, otherwise we wouldn't be letting them host races with our precious little cars - I honestly do not have a problem with anyone taking a closer look at our cars.

Lim

 

I enjoy racing. Winning or losing is secondary.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am strongly against opening the cars. When my old 512M came back for the last of the local rounds it was obvious it had been opened - unless the screws self-tightened while it was touring NZ.

 

I don't have any secrets but you invest so much time experimenting with the correct amount of float to set up a car that will be user friendly and as stable as possible. A half screw turn can make all the difference. Chassis set up is vital. I wouldn't trust others to put an opened car back the way I set it up. If the car was opened several times the fine tuning aspect would be eroded for sure.

 

Next year why don't we all just post a picture of the chassis without the body. Everyone can have a look. We can answer questions on this forum.

 

Mac

Podiums are for short people.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Good idea Mac, may the pic should be part of the entry requirement, they can be posted the day after the due date for delivery.

A thread for everyone's car specs and the pic would make a great reference for everyone.

Edited by kalbfellp
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yup, posting a pic of the chassis should not present a problem to anyone except those who don;t have access to digital camera (difficult to imagine in this day and age). So I guess MArk should include the chassis pic as part of the entry requirements.

Lim

 

I enjoy racing. Winning or losing is secondary.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, going by the comments above, we'll spin CanAm one more time - 2012.

 

I understand both sides of the discussion via a vis opening cars, and the idea of publishing a photo of the chassis from above, and the car's specs should provide all who wish to see, with enough information.

In the end the fine tuning that makes a good car REALLY good is not what is visible to replicate by just peeking, but the sheer quality of workmanship and test-and-tune, which has to be learned.

 

In the event any competitor cannot photograph their entry, they can provide me with the spec as usual on the entry, and I will open it, photograph and carefully replace to same screw tightness.

 

I'll tweak the rules regarding this requirement.

 

My only other thought is if we could somehow limit the class B entries to truely small cars, as Stig's entry was far and away superior, perfectly legal under the rules, but wasn't what I had in mind for the B group. I was wanting to acheive a platform for those early (and thus smaller in 1:1) cars like the Revell M6a/b etc.

 

We can open entries when I get back to NZ 1st December.

 

Yep Phil, the 3 years I have run a proxy has served to help us lift the bar more quickly here. Your faithfulness in entering has given us a "target" for which I am very grateful. You're very lucky to get your cars back, quite a few greedy eyes on them.

 

Locally we've also been fortunate in that Kennedy-rd was our best builder right fromt he start 5 years back, and he got into racing metal chassis at national level as well, so we all justy had to chase him down as best we could to quickly improve our club cars. Plus Munter had umpteen years of building standard metal chassis cars so came with a skill set built in, then Slotjockey turned up and raised the bar again as well. Mac had been messing with Scaleys for longer than he probably cares to admit, so all in all our local club became quite competitive.

 

Orakei Racer has Dave West alongside him, and Dave has built nationals winning circuit and drag cars for many years, so that sped him up too.

 

And as said other times, we're grateful for the great attitidue entrants and hosts have brought to the event, and made it pretty much stress and winge free.

Recovering Lapsed Slot Addict :ph34r:  *  Custodian of many used screws (mostly loose :rolleyes:)  *  Total kidder  *  Companion of other delusional slot addicts :lol:  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Good decision there Mark about repeat Canam and photos.

 

Not sure how you are going to limit B Class cars but no doubt you will think of something appropriate. Can you perhaps just restrict width a bit more? As it was there were not many so is there also something we can do to further promote. Perhaps we should dare some of the guns to enter B Class cars and see if they can still win overall.

 

Would like to repeat point however that many of the cars did not include screw instructions as required so can this be stressed a little more strongly.

 

I will certainly be one to enter B Class for 2012.

 

Regards

 

Chas Le Breton

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Hi Guys , am liking the current ideas being tossed around regarding the 2012 Proxy Series .. The idea of a photo showing chassis being included with entry form brillant ... Regarding Hosts and removing bodies from cars .. I believe hosts should not perform any type of work on entrants cars unless permission is given by the car owner ... If a car suffers a breakdown during a round of racing ... BAD LUCK .. it just means you didn't prepare your car well enough ... if a car suffers damage as a result of a racing accident , then the car will need to be fixed before moving on to the next round ... Like wise in qualifiying , if a car has a breakdown .. what ever time it posts , thats it .. No whip the body off and fix a broken lead wire , then requalifiy the car .. It all comes down to attention to detail ... Sure things can happen for no real reason , but regardless of the situation the car owner should be notified before anything is done to the car . Just my 2 cents worth ...

 

Mark , i will be happy to Host a round or 2 on my track again next year ... Not sure if you are aware of the current situation at the Sockburn Club ... But at present they have No track to race on ... They are racing on peoples home tracks till they can get themselves relocated ... I will even be putting in an entry myself for next years Proxy series ...

 

Regards Wazza . ( Warren ) .

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Guys. I aggree with WAZZA (hi mate) and all of the above too!!! I see the want for builders to keep the car "as posted" so the idea of providing a "clear" photo of the car with the body off would surely have to deter the thought of having a nosey. CanAm again would be great for another year or two although I would be keen to see old school Trans Am cars too.

This time I'm in and will be sporting a Revell/Mongram Lola T70 with Slot-It running gear. No secrets here, just wanna have fun doing the CanAm proxy series.

I'll even ask the HMMRC committee if a round can be held on their BIG track if the 2012 NZ CanAm organisers think it'll be a good idea. It's a great track for HB cars, naturally grippy even with the tire goo washed off. Dave

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest jazzbell

Guy's don't agree at all with the opening up of the cars and posting pictures before the event.

 

My opinion the only time the cars should be opened up for all to see is at the end of the series. I had no problems

showing my car this year as i never do have a problem but still don't agree in opening for all to see at the start of the event.

 

Example,i send mine in as one of the first entry's early,how many cars are going to have the same car and set up by the series start.

 

Just my thoughts.

 

Regards shane a

 

team thunderbird

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ok, adding to this discussion on posting a pic of the chassis and fears of copycats. Mark, why not allow entrants to email/PM a digital photo of this chassis to you. This doesn't have to be published on the forum until a stipulated date i.e. when entries are closed. Put all photos on the forum after that date - should satisfy the curious and secretives.

Lim

 

I enjoy racing. Winning or losing is secondary.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Hi guys

 

It doesn't matter when they are posted so much. ie, can be once all cars have been dispatched.

 

I'd rather entrants did it for themselves, otherwise I have to load up 28 pics, and 28 sets of data

 

Probably a seperate thread, and people can take the picture and hold it till the cars are all in hand here, then throw them up with the specifications about tyres wheels gearing etc below the pic.

 

If any entrant doesn't have a photobucket account, they could load their data and a [PICTURE HERE PLEASE] text, and email me the picture to post up on their behalf - being a moderator has some advantages - I can edit their own post to add the picture :) :)

 

Except for Jazzbell of course . . . I'd like his car here tomorrow for cloning ooops, I mean "pre=scrutineering" :lol: :lol: :lol:

Recovering Lapsed Slot Addict :ph34r:  *  Custodian of many used screws (mostly loose :rolleyes:)  *  Total kidder  *  Companion of other delusional slot addicts :lol:  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have updated the entry list to show all those from whom I have received an entry form and payment.

Looking pretty thin.

I have entry fee in hand for one Kiwi - that's you Westy, but i need your entry form.

Recovering Lapsed Slot Addict :ph34r:  *  Custodian of many used screws (mostly loose :rolleyes:)  *  Total kidder  *  Companion of other delusional slot addicts :lol:  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Members

    No members to show

  • Who's Online (See full list)

    • There are no registered users currently online
  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      4,977
    • Most Online
      1,324

    Newest Member
    BS Slot Cars
    Joined
×
×
  • Create New...