Notes on life, art, photography and technology, by a Danish dropout bohemian.
When you drink the water, remember the river.
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Slot cars
I'm considering buying my nephews, typical boys at 12 and 15, a slot car race track, like the biggest Scalextric set I can find. Do you think that's a good idea? Any ideas for a better gift? Or maybe just a better brand?
The the small town of Sigourney Iowa there were shops where you could bring your slot car and race them against others. So I'd go those or a friends house or on my small track and run a 50's Tbird or 60s Jag. I luv'd those cars and remember them now 40 years later. Good time.
I had Scaletrix as a kid, it was a hand me down from a cousin. Slot racing is great fun, slotless (TCR) was a bit more fun, but isn't as prevalent.
Here in the US there are slot racing clubs, I get the feeling that Scaletrix is not 100% compatable, however in the UK they are the defacto standard. Hope the qualities as good as it was 30 years ago (my, I sound old).
For a UK classic set, I'd be looking at a pair of rally cars, or a pair of Formula 1, they did used to have a police car chase, and of course classic John Cooper Works minis of the 60's vintage.
Mind you 10-12 isn't that getting to the top end of the slot racing age? I was 8 when I had mine, and it got retired when we moved to a smaller house when I was 12.
It may have just been part of the downsizing, and it was lesser used by me. I actually carried on collecting Matchbox and Dinky until I was in my early 20's, indeed I still add 2-3 cars a year to the collection.
Scalectrix can be built up into a good hobby, like making a model railway. Around 12-15 though it seemed that we were "growing up", between me and my peers our money went into our pet love, I remeber interests including bicycles, cameras(SLRs), air rifles, RC Cars (Tamiya), home computers (ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64), stereo systems.
It is very much an individual choice, and hopefully todays peer pressure is less, and kids can be who they want to be.
6 comments:
The the small town of Sigourney Iowa there were shops where you could bring your slot car and race them against others. So I'd go those or a friends house or on my small track and run a 50's Tbird or 60s Jag. I luv'd those cars and remember them now 40 years later. Good time.
I had Scaletrix as a kid, it was a hand me down from a cousin. Slot racing is great fun, slotless (TCR) was a bit more fun, but isn't as prevalent.
Here in the US there are slot racing clubs, I get the feeling that Scaletrix is not 100% compatable, however in the UK they are the defacto standard. Hope the qualities as good as it was 30 years ago (my, I sound old).
For a UK classic set, I'd be looking at a pair of rally cars, or a pair of Formula 1, they did used to have a police car chase, and of course classic John Cooper Works minis of the 60's vintage.
Mind you 10-12 isn't that getting to the top end of the slot racing age? I was 8 when I had mine, and it got retired when we moved to a smaller house when I was 12.
Yes, I was considering whether they would think themselves too old.
It may have just been part of the downsizing, and it was lesser used by me. I actually carried on collecting Matchbox and Dinky until I was in my early 20's, indeed I still add 2-3 cars a year to the collection.
Scalectrix can be built up into a good hobby, like making a model railway. Around 12-15 though it seemed that we were "growing up", between me and my peers our money went into our pet love, I remeber interests including bicycles, cameras(SLRs), air rifles, RC Cars (Tamiya), home computers (ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64), stereo systems.
It is very much an individual choice, and hopefully todays peer pressure is less, and kids can be who they want to be.
Hah, attal be the day.
But I don't know much about it. Never felt much myself.
hopefully todays peer pressure is less, and kids can be who they want to be.
From what I've heard from some of my teenage relatives it's just as bad as it ever was.
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