Who made the first slot cars?

1950s. Scalextric was launched at the 1957 Harrogate International Toy Fair. Its inventor, Bertram ‘Fred’ Francis adapted his clockwork Scalex cars so that they could run on a slotted rubber track using an electric motor.

How does a slot car track work?

Getting around the track Usually, slot cars have an electric motor that draws power from the track. The driver uses their hand-held controller to raise or lower the voltage of the electricity travelling through the track to make their car. More simply, squeeze the trigger to go fast, let it go to slow down and stop.

When was the first slot car invented?

1912
The first slot cars were introduced in 1912 by the Lionel Train Company as an accessory for model train sets. The toy worked on a similar concept as Lionel’s trains, running on a pair of raised platforms with an electrified train track in a small trench down the middle.

Are there still slot car tracks?

Competitive slot car racing is still alive and well today, which is perhaps most evident by the 180 public raceways still existing in the United States and Canada.

Do all slot cars work on any track?

The good news is that standard track pieces are universal, so the majority of a GO!!! setup will be ready to go should you decide to upgrade to Digital 143.

Is there any skill to slot cars?

Unlike these toys, slot cars require some driving skills that to a large extent come down to instinct and getting a feel for the car and the track. A slot car is a miniature scaled automobile that is powered by a small electric motor.

What are HO slot cars?

As racing in this size evolved, the cars were enlarged to take more powerful motors, and today they are often 1:64 or larger in scale; but they still run on track of approximately the same width, and are generically referred to as HO slot cars.

What happened to AFX slot cars?

The Aurora Plastics Corporation introduced the A/FX (Aurora Factory Experimentals, later simply “AFX”) line of slot cars, slot car track sets, and related accessories in 1971. The AFX brand continued production until the company was forced into receivership in 1983.

How did the first slot cars work?

Most were static models but for some early propulsion was provided by a wind-up clockwork mechanism. Some of the first commercial available slot cars or more accurately model electric racing cars operating under constant power were made by Lionel (USA) and appeared in their catalogue in 1912.

Who makes slot car chassis?

A company that specialized in model airplane accessories since the 1940s, Robert “Hi” Johnson and Dynamic entered the field of slot car racing accessories in 1963 gaining fame with their die-cast aluminum DynaMite adjustable slot car chassis. By 1964, they entered into a joint venture with AMT, the plastic model kit manufacturer.

How much is slot car racing really worth?

In 1963 the Wall Street Journal estimated the value of the model car racing market at 100 million dollars. The Boom Years of slot car racing lasted barely two years from 1966-1968, and was never to approach that level of popularity again.

What is a flexi slot car chassis?

The stamped steel flexi chassis, that was introduced by Parma in the 1980s set the commercial slot car hobby in the United States on its ear. Here was a mass produced entry level slot car chassis that was competitive with many of the custom built brass chassis of the day.