About Your HO Racing Slot Car
Modern slot cars are pretty hi tech, and someone new to the hobby can easily get confused with the terminology being thrown around by experienced racers. This page is aimed at the new racer who wants to understand his car a little better. This is by no means an exhaustive tutorial about slot cars, but it is a great help to identify the various parts of your car.
The single biggest difference in the rules concerning the various "stock" chassis raced at THORN events concerns tires. Tires are one of the best single upgrades you can make to enhance your cars performance.
THORN Formula One rules require that the TOMY Mega G and Super G Plus have a minimum rear tire height of 0.453, equivalent to 11.5 millimeters. Tires on these chassis will be checked for minimum height before the race! All other chassis may use any size tire.
Unlike the Formula One Class, NASCAR and LMP/Can Am class cars do not have tire height minimums for any chassis.
Note the difference in width of the front tires in the top photo. Both are legal in all classes. The "thinnie" O-ring front end is an after market upgrade.
THORN Formula One rules require that the TOMY Mega G and Super G Plus have a minimum rear tire height of 0.453, equivalent to 11.5 millimeters. Tires on these chassis will be checked for minimum height before the race! All other chassis may use any size tire.
Unlike the Formula One Class, NASCAR and LMP/Can Am class cars do not have tire height minimums for any chassis.
Note the difference in width of the front tires in the top photo. Both are legal in all classes. The "thinnie" O-ring front end is an after market upgrade.
To comply with THORN rules, all chassis, with the exception of the TOMY Super Racing Turbo (SRT) chassis, are required to have 7 tooth pinion gears, and 25 tooth crown gears. The SRT chassis is allowed to use its "stock" 22 tooth crown gear.
After market gears may be used, but must comply with the defined gear ratio's.
Your car must be able to be pushed through a tech block 34 mm wide.
The parts of various manufacturer chassis may be slightly different in appearance, but share the same names.
Inline "magnet" cars use magnetic attraction to help them "stick" to the metal rails of the track.
The Mega G chassis allows you to adjust the magnetic downforce of your car by flipping the traction magnets. Be sure to mark to bottom of your magnets with a colored marker before you flip them so that you can easily return them to their original orientation if desired.
"High Downforce" will help your car on tracks with allot of technical sections. "Low Downforce" may be more desirable for tracks that can utilize more horsepower. You should experiment to find your personal preferences.
The Mega G chassis allows you to adjust the magnetic downforce of your car by flipping the traction magnets. Be sure to mark to bottom of your magnets with a colored marker before you flip them so that you can easily return them to their original orientation if desired.
"High Downforce" will help your car on tracks with allot of technical sections. "Low Downforce" may be more desirable for tracks that can utilize more horsepower. You should experiment to find your personal preferences.
Allowed Chassis & Descriptions
AFX Mega G, Mega G 1.7
This chassis is eligible for Formula One, NASCAR, and LMP/Can Am classes.
Open wheel cars must have a minimum tire height of 0.453. Bodies must be original AFX Panoz DP01's or resin bodies approved by race control.
This chassis is eligible for Formula One, NASCAR, and LMP/Can Am classes.
Open wheel cars must have a minimum tire height of 0.453. Bodies must be original AFX Panoz DP01's or resin bodies approved by race control.
AFX Mega G 1.5
This chassis is allowed in the NASCAR class only. The Mega G has no tire height minimum in the NASCAR class.
This chassis is allowed in the NASCAR class only. The Mega G has no tire height minimum in the NASCAR class.
TOMY Super G Plus
This chassis is eligible in Formula One, NASCAR, and LMP/Can A, classes. This chassis has a tire height minimum of 0.453 in the Formula One class.
Only standard Tomy (not A.F.X) armatures with red windings are permitted.
This chassis is eligible in Formula One, NASCAR, and LMP/Can A, classes. This chassis has a tire height minimum of 0.453 in the Formula One class.
Only standard Tomy (not A.F.X) armatures with red windings are permitted.
TOMY Turbo & Super Racing Turbo (SRT)
These chassis are eligible in Formula One, NASCAR, and LMP?Can Am classes.
These chassis are eligible in Formula One, NASCAR, and LMP?Can Am classes.
Tyco/Mattel 440 "Family"
All incarnations of this chassis family are eligible in Formula One, NASCAR, and LMP/Can Am classes.
Only standard Tyco armatures with red windings are permitted.
All incarnations of this chassis family are eligible in Formula One, NASCAR, and LMP/Can Am classes.
Only standard Tyco armatures with red windings are permitted.
Tyco/Mattel 440x2 Chassis Exploded View
Walther's LifeLike M
This chassis is eligible in Formula One, NASCAR, and LMP/CanAm classes.
Only standard Life-Like or Rokar armatures with red windings, or the skewed 'powertracker' armature are permitted.
This chassis is eligible in Formula One, NASCAR, and LMP/CanAm classes.
Only standard Life-Like or Rokar armatures with red windings, or the skewed 'powertracker' armature are permitted.
LifeLike T
This chassis is eligible is Formula One, NASCAR, and LMP/Can Am classes.
Only standard T armatures are permitted. Must be run with standard and unmodified T can motor.
This chassis is eligible is Formula One, NASCAR, and LMP/Can Am classes.
Only standard T armatures are permitted. Must be run with standard and unmodified T can motor.
Hornby Scalextric Micro
This chassis is eligible for Formula One, NASCAR, and LMP/Can Am classes.
Any legal Tomy-timed armature may be used. Motor can and internals may not be altered in any way, other than re-profiling of electrical tabs.
This chassis is eligible for Formula One, NASCAR, and LMP/Can Am classes.
Any legal Tomy-timed armature may be used. Motor can and internals may not be altered in any way, other than re-profiling of electrical tabs.
If you are running Mega G cars, check out the official AFX Technical page to learn more about your Mega G cars and how to maintain them.
Some excellent tutorial video's on how to use various HO car tools, and great tips for improving the performance of your inline and pancake motor cars.