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View Poll Results: Allow lexan bodies for racing?
Want to see lexan bodies allowed on all mini-z racing. 3 12.50%
Lexan bodies on pan cars and unlimited class only. Keep Autoscale for touring class. 18 75.00%
No lexan bodies on mini-z. They are out of character on a mini-z. 3 12.50%
Voters: 24. You may not vote on this poll

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Old 2008.02.08, 12:01 AM   #1
benmlee
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Lexan Bodies on Mini-Z

There are some lexan bodies on the market like the Hurda. Right now they are mostly limited to pan cars. What are people's opinion about lexan bodies and racing rules?



My opinion:
Autoscale bodies are a big attraction for mini-z. They make it looks like real cars racing. It adds a lot of character to the races. Is part of what makes it so much fun. No doubt there will be a place for lexan bodies. I think eventually, Pan cars and unlimited class will use lexan bodies for maximum performance. I hope mini-z touring class will not switch to lexan like in 1/10 scale racing. With the bland look, it gets boring after a while. It could be a turn off for new people.

Last edited by benmlee; 2008.02.08 at 12:07 AM.
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Old 2008.02.08, 02:03 AM   #2
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Personally: I think they take away from the hobby... The second people completely change the chassis and go for lexan bodies it doesn't become mini-z anymore.

They may as well be at a different scale.
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Old 2008.02.08, 04:13 AM   #3
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In my opinion that's a cruel statement to make Tom. 'Taking away from the hobby?!' They all have a place at this scale, which is why we are catering to the professional racers needs with the Sinister. In my opinion and as our club runs currently, all classes run together and you run what you are comfortable with. If we started seeing huge out and out leads, then this may change but you're always going to have a large field spread with the range of driver skills that are present from month to month with any car. These type of bodies and chassis only help our scale to grow. In competition however, they obviously have to be classified differently.

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Old 2008.02.08, 08:20 AM   #4
mleemor60
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Lets wax nostalgic

Some of the greatest competition cars of all times competed during the 70's
The Can-Am series, the Trans-Am series and internationally the Group 7(unlimited prototypes). For us crusty old guys who actually saw these cars compete it becomes kind of a Walter Mitty trip to own and compete with any of these legendary cars. Through the magic of Polycarbonate, we are able to. Don't take me wrong. I think that the BTTC and the Australian supercar series are bar none the best and most competitive series' on the planet. The vehicles used are at least identifiable with their street cousins. The Auto-scale bodies we use are fantastic replicas of the actual vehicles they depict, but, there isn't a fair representation of American race cars unless they raced internationally. That's great. It shows our presence in the world racing theatre. Two of the greatest Porsche cars ever built competed only in the States. Alas, the greedy and litigious(sue happy) society that we live in doesn't necessarilly prevent but does severely limit a companies willingness to participate in a venture that might cost them millions of dollars in legal fees and awards because some by-stander gets a toenail broken by a mini-missle while she chases her unattended 2 year onto the track during a race. Lexan is much more pliable then Polystyrene. By going back a couple three decades for bodies and to a limited degree, whatever livery you want to showcase, this can be avoided.

Let's not through the baby out with the bathwater. Everything in moderation,etc,etc. There is a place for it and I think it should be allowed. It will seek its own level and survive or die on merit. To ban it only makes it more desireable.

Thanks for listening to an ollllld racer. Both scale and real.
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Old 2008.02.08, 10:02 AM   #5
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leave the lexans for open/pan car classes in my opinion. the weight differenece will be significant in stock classes.

fyi, lexan for 1:28 is not new idea. squat used to make them long ago but sales dried up from what i heard so they discontinued them. it's a shame to as they had some good sedans.
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Old 2008.02.10, 06:38 PM   #6
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I was watching some show on the History Channel about the 1960's hobbies. There was a segment on 1/32-1/24 slot racing. It talked about the two camps, the older guys that fussed over the details, then the younger set that didn't care about details only the speed. In the early 60's you seen alot of the scale cars that looked like static models, around the late 60's and into the early 70's it was dominated by racing wedges. Some have said that that had a big impact on the slot car hobby. What I see in Mini Z's or 1/28 RC racing seems to follow that very close.
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Old 2008.02.10, 07:36 PM   #7
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I think using lexan bodies would be great. I'd love to see bodies of cars that Kyosho won't make due to the cost. I'd really like to see LeMans cars from the past and present. Also who wouldn't want to see the vast array bodies that you see with slot cars. I dont know how many times I've seen a slot car body and thought "Man, that would make a nice mini-z body." It's only a matter of time look what's happened with this scale in less than 10 years.
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Old 2008.02.10, 10:27 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by HammerZ View Post
In the early 60's you seen alot of the scale cars that looked like static models, around the late 60's and into the early 70's it was dominated by racing wedges. Some have said that that had a big impact on the slot car hobby. What I see in Mini Z's or 1/28 RC racing seems to follow that very close.
Did the show say whether the impact was positive or negative?

I hope more people vote on this. Lexan bodies are not an issue now, but it can be in the near future. As soon as one of the major race format allows it, and with suppliers starting to produce it, it will trickle down to club race, and other races.
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Old 2008.02.11, 12:19 AM   #9
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Probably negative. When people come to a track and see realistic Autoscale bodies flying all over the place, they say "Wow, that's pretty cool!" and a good number of those who see a Mini-Z, will end up looking at a Mini-Z. A small fraction of those who look, will eventually buy one.

When all you see at the track are racing wedges, and $$$ poured into what essentially are toy cars that aren't even pretty, interest drops off. I'm semi-positive that this is what happened to slot cars, and now to an extent, larger scale RC racing cars as well.

That said, the top echelon of competition should probably shift to Lexan bodies. They're lighter, cheaper, more durable, and you can use "clear" as a color.

IMO, Lexan replicas of Autoscales, like what Wolf/TGR is doing, is the best compromise. You get a good racing body WITH details, so you can have a good time, look good and attract newcomers to the hobby all at the same time.
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Old 2008.02.11, 05:01 AM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by benmlee View Post
Did the show say whether the impact was positive or negative?
It was negative, as slot cars was widely popular back in the early to mid 60's. Then the lexan bodied wedges drew all the speed junkies. The scale cars appealed to everyone, but the wedge cars brought the limited market competitive racers to the tracks. That was really before I was born, and there are many members on this forum younger than me. I think that should put it in perspective.
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Old 2008.02.12, 12:47 PM   #11
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I think lexan bodies should only be able to run in the open classes. They would ruin it if they ran in stock classes.
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Old 2008.02.13, 03:26 PM   #12
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You can look at the Xmods crowd, and how that grew so fast. Of course with a cheap $50 starter set the same size of a Mini Z, no wonder. Of course the cheap also went into the build of the cars as well. That has I think worked against the Mini Z's as alot of them are put off on an $140 readyset to start with. Once they are able to get around the better car for the cost. Now they face the racers that has to have every upgrade in the book. That is quite intimidating, this I think can kill the hobby for most people. I guess to the "real" racers, they don't want a bunch of newbies mucking things up with dumb questions anyway. This is looking at it in general. Lexan bodies may have a place here, but it can bite back as well.


Quote:
Originally Posted by mleemor60 View Post
Let's not through the baby out with the bathwater.
I like this line, I think it sums this up well. Mini Z's have alot of popular potential. For newbie and seasoned racer alike.
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Old 2008.02.13, 03:52 PM   #13
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I’m not sure if everyone knows what lexan bodies can look like.
They don’t have to be “thingies” or “wedges” with little or no resemblance of real cars.
I wouldn’t like to see them legal in pure Mini-Z classes but they are perfect for the growing 1:28 Open class IMHO.



Why not visit truescaleproducts and see for yourself >>
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Old 2008.02.14, 10:10 AM   #14
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you guys are almost forgetting the most important thing here.........

PROTECT YOUR INVESTMENT!!!!!!!!!

Honestly, who would want to do a chassis swap in the middle of race day because the guy following you tried to cut that corner, and happened to nail you in the side with no protection other than a lexan body? These autoscales arent cheap by any means, but they are durable. They give me a sense of security knowing that at the end of the day I could throw on a brand new ASC and it would be a new car once again! Things can be fast enough for a medium size track with a mere handfull of option parts. If speed is what the lexan brings, then throw in Lithium, FET stacks, and Hot Motors, that will get you more than enough speed, trust me.

Sometimes you have to go slow to go fast. the ATL area racers showed me this. Their "Stock class" cars turn out faster lap times than any of the mod class cars. Figure that one out and you have all the answer you need.
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Old 2008.02.14, 12:28 PM   #15
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I think - like the majority it seems - that lexan bodies should be allowed in the Open/unrestricted class.
My reason for this is the same as Ninjas - it protects your investment!
I have been racing Open car with lexan bodies for more than 3 years so I guess I can state this on good grounds.



The bodies in the pic is the lexan bodies that I've used the last three years - all of them still very much drivable.
But what about the chassis? Well, in three years I haven't broken or worn out one single part - EVER!
  • No burnt fets
  • No broken H-bar
  • No stripped threads
  • No nothing!!

This applies if you run a Open pan car chassis with a lexan body:
Much tougher
Much cheaper
Much better handling



Of course there are downsides - like with everything else.
Kyosho Mini-Z Racers are very simple cars that are especially well suited for beginners.
Like Ninja wrote - if your ASC body breaks you can buy a new one, mount it and be "gone in 60 sec." . A lexan body needs to be cut and painted before you can mount and race it. This is only for the experienced mechanic/driver.

Keep it simple for the beginner - keep it challenging for the serious racer.
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