The magic drawer

[slotmadmac 177]

Like most of us, I have tuned a lot of slot cars over the years. Some go great from the get go. Some don't. Some I get frustrated with and put away in the storage drawer to be revisited another day. My frustrations are usually based around one of the performance brands - NSR /Slot It / Thunderslot. They should be straight forward and very easy to tune, but some cars just won't play ball and track performance isn't up to par. They aren't as fast or smooth as I know they should be, so in the drawer they go to be looked at another day.

Weirdly, when I pull them out of the drawer (usually after in a few weeks time), they sometimes run far better - even though nothing has been done to them. A recent Sideways Toyota Celica is a case in point. When first built, gear mesh was good and the completed car felt 'free' and supple on the bench, but it was a dog on the track; lumpy and erratic under full power. I ran it at a club night and it was fast but jumpy; far from what I was looking for. Fast forward a month and I pulled it out of the drawer to tune it again, and it's a silky smooth runner that corners like it's on rails. 

My fastest car, a NSR Mosler, was built for the 2017 NZ Nationals. It was never a good car and consequently was never raced in anger. I spent hours on that bloody thing but eventually gave up on it. Mid way through last year I thought I'd have another go, but tested it it straight out of the drawer first. It started lapping my track right on record equalling pace. Weird, right? 

Am the only one who has seen this happen? I don't think my car storage drawers have secret tuning capability, but something's going on. Is the chassis 'relaxing' over time and does that somehow equate to a better drive and faster times? Are the tyres coming on under 'hibernation'? I have no clue.

And before anyones asks, no you can't rent space in my storage drawers, and no, they aren't for sale. 

Edited January 12 by slotmadmac

[SlotsNZ 182]

2 hours ago, slotmadmac said:

 

And before anyones asks, no you can't rent space in my storage drawers, and no, they aren't for sale. 

BU@&%@  - off to open another bottle of Beach House....

[dangermouse 108]

"And before anyones asks, no you can't rent space in my storage drawers, and no, they aren't for sale. "

and there I was reading through the post thinking I will ask for your address to send you a box of cars to put in the drawer

I have no answer - my only suggestion is you have a house elf that likes tuning slot cars - leave a plate of cookies in the drawer if they're gone come morning you have the answer

 

Edited January 13 by dangermouse

[Caddo 36]

Haven't had the benefit of a magic drawer unfortunately, would love one though... Generally find running the car for more laps improves it overall, especially with the same set of tyres on, the tyres develop the camber to suit the track of the car, and cornering speed improves. 

[Wobble 126]

Yeah, I think I've got a magic draw. Have a good night and win a few races and when I get home put them in the drawer and next time I put some of them on the track they don't go as well or make a lot of noise and go like s**t or don't go. I've taken to using small 'post it notes' of late and sticking it on the car so I remember what needs fixing in what car.

[Sports Racer 76]

I don't think it's chassis relaxing but more likely the tyres are a fraction harder due to age and now suit the car/grip much better.

We're experimenting with narrower tyres on some of our cars and getting better lap times on Ferrodore tracks. Slot.it Group C respond well to this trick.