Hobbies And Interests
Things You'll Need
Instructions
Decide on the size of the car. Slot cars come in 1:32, 1:24 and HO scale. You can find HO scale cars in household sets and toy kits. The kit usually comes with the track and cars, but homemade HO cars can be fast. The 1:24 and 1:32 size cars are for the hobbyist circuit, as they need larger tracks.
Choose the materials. Decide which type of materials to use for chassis construction. Enthusiasts build slot car chassis from many different materials-- from electrical conduit to brass piping.
Shape the bed of the chassis. Slot cars are between 2 to 3.5 inches wide after you put the wheels on, but wheel widths vary depending on the type of car you build. The length should be between 3 and 8 inches depending on the car type. Use the wheels and body to calculate the size of the bed.
Line up the axles. The front and rear axle placement will depend on the wheel hubs of the body. Sit the body on top of the bedding and mark the centers of the wheel hubs.
Attach the rear end using the center wheel hub marking. Cut a square hole out of the bed and rear-end tubing of the chassis. Make sure the area is large enough to accommodate the pinion gear of the motor and the rear-end gear.
Line up the front end with the front axle mark and attach it in the same manner as the rear.
Connect the guide. Attach a guide plate on the front of the chassis bed and connect the guide. Make sure the guide moves freely so the car can easily make turns without coming off the track.