Try Again
I joined last year(?). But things just didn't come around. I lost interest in HO slots, and everything else hobby related, took everything down. I soon found out that I just can't hang around and do nothing. In the past I've tried HO club racing, but it's expensive and people take it way to seriously....I did enjoy HO proxy drag racing, but that was only about twice a year. I enjoy the modeling part, not so much the speed (modeling is cheap, speed is expensive)....Okay, I'm rambling. My grandkids keep asking me to set up the 4 lane HO oval, just did today (I love oval and drag racing). I posted a few pics. The oval is about 10ft. Over the oval is the platform for a 15ft drag strip, it's actually 25ft long....HO drag strip is not going back, Hot Wheels drag strip will now go there....Questions: Is "Blue Track" any good or are the sections of HW orange better?..Will the Max Traxx finish gate work (even with modification) with Blue Track? What is the average length for a track? Will 24ft be good enough?
I just checked my posts..I joined here almost a year ago to the day!
I can see I'm having trouble posting pics...Image host is in France, I'm not!
Discussion
First off...very cool setup. Looks like a nice little room in the basement with both setups. I've been thinking about slot cars myself, as my 5yo has show a little interest...but that's another story...
As far as the tracks. BluTrack is its own beast. Most of the stuff you find in retail stores will not work with BluTrack. You'll have to make and/or special order BluTrack. You can check out my old BluTrack review for a bit more.
The Max Traxxx is Hot Wheels orange track compatible. The MT finish line will work with the HW orange track just fine. You can even mix segments of orange track and MT track with little problem. I would suggest just picking one brand and making your track all the same, rather than mixing. Here's my review of the Max Traxxx track packs.
Personally, I'd recommend good old Hot Wheels orange track. It is plentiful and available almost everywhere and it's affordable. Your Walmarts have 3' track packs for about $3. Toys R Us sells longer 1.5' high wall segments for a $1 each...so either way, about a dollar a foot (give or take). You could certainly use the Max Traxxx finish line with the orange track and that'd be a good start...but you'll probably want to upgrade eventually. My thoughts on the MT finish line are also available.
The 24-feet you have space for is plenty...I mean, plenty...that's a long track in my book. I'd say the average track is 10'-15' or so. Most people just don't have the space. My track is on a shelf on my wall and it's about 18-feet. With all that space, I'd say you can do what you want. Max it out or just do as much as you want to fit your desire and budget. Length will not be your worry.
Hope that helps and gives you some food for thought. And welcome back, hope you have some fun this time around. :)
Thanks for the info, extremely helpful. I'll post what I decide to get...I'm leaning toward this https://www.blutrack.com/products/30-ft-blutrack-ps-series?variant=52570665109
This is not quite as wide as the BluTrack classic., and "slightly" wider than the traditional HW track.
I think that's the same BluTrack pack I got, just longer - good price too. It's good stuff once you can get it straightened out and if you have a way to attach it down so it's flat. That was my biggest problem with it, I just couldn't get it flat, even after water/heat/etc (of course, my roll of orange track has the same problem). You might have to make your own finish line but they do have some like The Judge that fit well with the BluTrack, just expensive.
But cool...have fun with the build. Share photos as you go. I can say that BluTrack is greatly unrepresented here on the site. Most guys have orange track or the Drag Track system setup. It'll be nice to have someone gaining BluTrack experience.
My two cents...
I think Drag Track is the the best racing surface...and you don't have to deal with getting it to lay flat due to changes in temperature (drag track is a hard plastic).
I would just buy the Drag track sections, if they are available...you can get them through Jegs or Summit racing...and make your own start gate. I adapted a 3d maker bot finish line and I've been very happy.
You can see my setup in my videos...the most recent being the first Muscle Truck races.
And FWIW...I did a review of Drag Track a while ago too. :)
Drag Track is a solid product. Only downside in my book is it's limited availability...you're not going to find stuff in stores or anything. You'll have to order/ship everything...of course, same goes for BluTrack.
I don't enjoy the problems that come along with the Mattel track but the accessibility of it is the trade-off for me.
https://i62.servimg.com/u/f62/19/73/08/68/100_0212.jpg
A few HW converted to slot cars.
Rig Storm
https://i62.servimg.com/u/f62/19/73/08/68/hot_wh10.jpg
Maverick (short tracker)
https://i62.servimg.com/u/f62/19/73/08/68/img_0011.jpg
Poppa Wheelies
https://i62.servimg.com/u/f62/19/73/08/68/img_0010.jpg
Cockney Cabs (chopped, sectioned.)
https://i62.servimg.com/u/f62/19/73/08/68/img_0012.jpg
https://i62.servimg.com/u/f62/19/73/08/68/img_0013.jpg
Maximum Leeway and Cockney Cab
https://i62.servimg.com/u/f62/19/73/08/68/img_0014.jpg
I found that I've been having fun with HW all along!