Dreaming of Building the Big One!

[marc]

Hello there. For the longest time I have had this dream. Now don't anybody get in a fluff here, I'm not set out to buy anything, just want to share a dream and get some feedback, suggestions, ideas, have questions on material and model building and what not.
So, here it goes...........................

I'm a big WRC fan, and I love watching those cars race on Monte Carlo. You know, lot's of twisty mountain bumpy roads with plenty of obstacles, dips, jumps, banked turns that the cars fly off, drifting around hair-pin's, switch-backs, over bridges and what not.

I dream of this. Some day, when I have my own house, or when the house is all mine, I dream of having a large area where I can build up against all the walls, a 1/28'ish scale of Monte Carlo and other similar scenery. I want it to be very realistic, doesn't have to be 100% accurate but at least gives you the right feel.

I'm curious as to what's the best way to build something like this. Would you have to have a wall specifically built in the pattern you want the roads, etc'. Can an RCP track be bent, shaped, cut, modified to accommodate such a track. Could you have some turns with more slip than others so it's easier for the cars to drift around? In other words high-speed grip on straights and mild turns, and slippery drift around hair-pins and switch-backs? I've once tried connecting my old RCP track half/half but the two sides wouldn't work together. In other words, your either all grip, or all drift.
What cars would be more suitable? AWD, or RWD or a combination of both to keep it interesting?
What size area would you require to make something like this in 1/28? I don't want it very large as it would take forever to loop around.

Now that we have the 1/43 scale Dnano's, would it be more wise to build it in 1/43 scale? You could fit a lot more in 1/43 scale than 1/28, but the variety of cars is much greater in 1/28 Mini-Z so far.

I think it would also be fun to incorporate a working train-track in the mountains as well, and does anybody know what train-scale equals that of 1/43?

Lot's of ideas, lot's of questions. I've never in my life built anything like this, but every time I watch the WRC, or play the Colin Mcrae Rally game on my computer, I keep having these visions in my mind.

Has anybody built anything like this? I think it would be a blast! Would be great for hill-climb and/or WRC type competitions rather than just looping around your typical RCP layout's.

What would you aim for, 1/28 scale Monte Carlo, or 1/43? And it doesn't exactly have to be Monte Carlo, just that type of scenery. Put in some old-looking towns, maybe a couple of villages, small towns, et'c.

Make it highly detailed, snow effect, ice effect, maybe even a working water-fall that the cars would race under a tunnel? Get the picture?

Please, share me your thoughts. This is all hypothetical, assuming one has enough funds for such a project. What would your dream track be?

And a question for RCP theme selves, if one had the money, what kind of track pieces could you make for theme? Foam-made mountain-like railings, foam-made rocks and such for cars to hit, but not get damaged.

[color01]

If you're going to build a realistic Monte Carlo course, start learning how to mix asphalt. ;)


My dream track would be a replica of the Nurburgring Nordschleife, complete with the metal railings, rumble sections, and the narrow passageways it's famous for. We'd actually be able to take our cars up to 30mph on the straight (assuming we could keep them going straight) and the concentration required to just make one lap would be phenomenal.

[marc]

I don't think asphalt would be good for our cars, especially the Dnano. The scenery should be to scale, as should the running-surface. I like the grip the RCP has, but I don't think it'll do what I want.

[imxlr8ed]

It would be a big investment in time and materials, but I too have always had the idea for a true to scale roadcourse, something like a realistic looking trainset. There is an older gentleman I know around here who has his own private N scale train setup in it's own cinderblock building on his property. (it's way bigger than my own house, and bigger than his too!) I've seen all kinds of setups for trains but this one is the only one I've ever seen that almost took my breath away. The detail is unbelievable... from old tires in the mud at the bottom of the river, to the trails through the woods where you can spot a small deer or rabbit hiding between the trees. This guy spends hours upon hours just building all kinds of structures from scratch, carving tiny wood floors, adding furniture, painting everthing with extreme detail. He has a few friends that will stop by and help out with some things and take some of his collection out for a spin once in a while.

Something like that translated into an actual, driveable road course would be incredible. I would definitely go to a smaller scale like the Dnano if I was ever to build something like that. I would probably use Regupol for the track surface, For the knowledge as to how to build all the rest of the realism, it's already out there in the train scale hobby. I've always been impressed by the care and devotion and raw innovation these guys put into their setups.

So... you build a huge ultra-realistic track in your basement... now what?

I guess you'd have to find some who want to drive the lonely (but maybe not for long) scale of Dnano. Might be hard to find racers willing to devote to an oddball scale, and have them show on a regular basis. And then hope they are skilled enough to drive the cars on scale width roads. You would probably limit the speed via motor or radio setting though.

It's a big commitment, but I'm sure we've all thought how cool that video was a while back of a guy whipping a MiniZ around on a setup on an O scale setup over in Europe somewhere. (I'll have to find that video on here... it was a while ago!) My first track was fun, and easy to maintain but we all made the decision to go RCP for the better competition. I do miss crashing off the bridge into the trees though. The night races were fun too!

[pedrocamp]

Oui, Oui here it is...

http://www.nanospeeders.com/mini6z/Photos-videos.htm

[marc]

Hi there, thanks' for your replies. I agree Dnano scale would be more appropriate. It was actually that set up that had me thinking, but I'd want mine inside. While it would certainly be fun to have a group of fellow drivers, I think I'd have just as much fun on it alone provided I had plenty of Dnano's to keep me entertained. Having just one would be boring as I'd want variety. I've even looked at some of the slot car set ups and seen some elaborate 1/32 scale set's as well.
A while back somebody had made a pretty cool Monte-Carlo-ish track for his Bit-Char'gs and I thought that would be perfect for the Dnano's.

However. One of my other ideas was to have cameras mounted in each of the cars, have the cameras broadcast the image on a big screen and you'd race up the "hills" that way. A camera on the Dnano I think would be impossible, but as you said, 1/43 scale would be much easier.
I've been looking at Real Track's track systems for some ideas including somebody's track system they posted at TinyRC's forum.

If I had the money to build this project, I would hire professional model builders to do the job for me as my skills would be very weak. Granted, it's more gratifying building your self, but if you don't have the skills, you don't want it looking like a POS set up either.

I guess it would be wise to start off small, or one wall of the house, see how much use you get from it, and expand from there. Like anything else we do, start off small and expand as you find out how much enjoyment you get from it.

I also tend to dream and imagine much bigger than reality. :D

[imxlr8ed]

Those are the videos... thanks Pedro! Yeah... visibility would be tough. I used to run my cars out at Hobbytown with a wireless cam on the roof so I could just see the front nose of the car... it was tough, but it is possible. It is hard to judge your track position though (side to side).