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Little_buddy
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Username: Little_buddy

Post Number: 76
Registered: 03-2006
Posted on Wednesday, April 02, 2008 - 1:35 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I remember this place over in Allen Park on the corner of Outer Drive and Southfield I think that you could take your slot cars and race them as they had a track. Can you still buy slot cars? Or is that another thing totally gone?
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Jrvass
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Username: Jrvass

Post Number: 601
Registered: 01-2007
Posted on Wednesday, April 02, 2008 - 1:39 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Try Models Hobby. Woodward & 13/14 or so.
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Downriviera
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Username: Downriviera

Post Number: 203
Registered: 02-2008
Posted on Wednesday, April 02, 2008 - 2:33 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

There was a place in the early 70s' in Allen Park on Allen Road called Jims Modelrama that had 2 tracks. I would run my Ferrari slot car there after school. They would announce over the PA that my mom had called and it was time to go home. I'd just keep racing, till after about her third call, then they would cut my power. Funny, I was just thinking about this the other night while watching Pulp Fiction for the zillionth time. There is a slot car track in the Jack Rabbit Slims scene.
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Detroitjim
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Username: Detroitjim

Post Number: 15
Registered: 02-2008
Posted on Wednesday, April 02, 2008 - 4:40 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I was told that Nankin hardware has a new annex in Farmington. Located on the N.E. Corner of Farmington and 9 mile (second building from the corner). They have a track there.
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Rickinatlanta
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Username: Rickinatlanta

Post Number: 147
Registered: 07-2006
Posted on Wednesday, April 02, 2008 - 4:54 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I still have my old Eldon slot cars, controllers, and about 80 feet of track from the 60's. The transformer burnt out YEARS ago so I need to find one and maybe put it all back together!
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D_mcc
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Username: D_mcc

Post Number: 597
Registered: 12-2007
Posted on Wednesday, April 02, 2008 - 4:55 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

DR...do you live...or used to live in the old AP?
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D_mcc
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Username: D_mcc

Post Number: 598
Registered: 12-2007
Posted on Wednesday, April 02, 2008 - 4:58 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

DR...do you live...or used to live in the old AP?
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Downriviera
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Username: Downriviera

Post Number: 204
Registered: 02-2008
Posted on Wednesday, April 02, 2008 - 5:00 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Grew up in AP and am back there now.
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Angry_dad
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Username: Angry_dad

Post Number: 190
Registered: 02-2006
Posted on Wednesday, April 02, 2008 - 5:01 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Nankin is running HO cars these days. If you think of them as the same as they were during the days of buying a set, putting a track together piece by piece, well things have changed. The track they've got is CNC cut, seamless rails. The cars are tricked out, very specialized. They have very powerful magnets, custom tires, very light and fragile bodies. The guys that race are a group that know each other and have set race dates.

There is / was a larger scale race track over on Mound road near 13. Saw it last year. What you may remember from as a kid, it has changed. The track is roughly 160 feet long, the faster cars will lap it in less than three seconds. These cars are not running magnets. They run wings. Very expensive motors. Very sophisticated controllers. Hand built chassis.

But there still is a "lesser" cost controlled class. These cars look like cars. Much harder to run.

And according to their website, the Joe Dumars fieldhouse now has a track.
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Hpgrmln
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Username: Hpgrmln

Post Number: 391
Registered: 06-2007
Posted on Wednesday, April 02, 2008 - 5:08 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Its going to be a drive, but this weekend a model store specializing in slot cars will be opening.Its in a stripmall on the south side of the 94 service drive and just west of Rawsonville,at the Washtenaw/wayne county border.Not sure when Ill get a chance to go back to that area but Id like to check it out.
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56packman
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Username: 56packman

Post Number: 2140
Registered: 12-2005
Posted on Wednesday, April 02, 2008 - 5:28 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I used to go with my older brother to a hobby store on 7 mile near evergreen (south side of 7 mile), I used to ride on his bike handlebars carrying his tackle box that contained his car, controller, tires, tools etc. It was a great way to spend a Saturday morning.
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Pgn421
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Username: Pgn421

Post Number: 488
Registered: 02-2005
Posted on Wednesday, April 02, 2008 - 5:35 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

gratiot and seymour, three d's,shorecrest, are just a few that were here on the eastside.I launched my car,thru a plate glass window,on the gratiot track.needless to say, i was banned.
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Downriviera
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Username: Downriviera

Post Number: 207
Registered: 02-2008
Posted on Wednesday, April 02, 2008 - 5:38 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Had the HO slot car track in the basement back in the day with the HO train and crossing. Lost a lot of cars trying to beat that train!
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Plymouthres
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Username: Plymouthres

Post Number: 483
Registered: 02-2007
Posted on Wednesday, April 02, 2008 - 7:54 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Little_Buddy-

I grew up in the sub on OD an Southfield-Princeton Estates-during the 60's and 70's. There was no hobby shop or track there at the location that you speak of as far as I know.

Perhaps, however, you could be thinking of Star Hobby, which was located the first block north of the intersection of OD and Pelham, on OD across from the old Farmer Jack location and adjacent to Adray Appliance. They had a very nice figure-8-over-and-under track there that I believe was about 6 or 8 lanes wide. I used to shag cars for people in the corners sometimes.

A friend of mine in Dearborn now has the best track that I have ever seen, with organized racing and the whole shot! You can pass, cross over lanes in the turns and there is a timer that forces you to pit when your "gas" allotment runs out. It is, by far, the most awesome track that I have ever had the pleasure of racing on.
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Kahnman
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Username: Kahnman

Post Number: 47
Registered: 02-2006
Posted on Thursday, April 03, 2008 - 3:00 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I have vague memories (circa 1968) of the the Merrie 5 hobby shop with a huge (to my childhood eyes) layout. Part of the track wound up corkscrew-like inside a mountain and popped out at the top. Or am I dreaming?
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Island
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Username: Island

Post Number: 42
Registered: 01-2005
Posted on Thursday, April 03, 2008 - 12:05 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Star Hobby was great, and you could walk a few doors down to the bakery to 're-fuel'. Anyone remember the Farmington slot track by Greene's Hamburgers, SW corner Orchard Lake/10 Mile? Figure 8, road course & a drag strip along the wall, where your car would be stopped by crashing in to a pile of soft foam blocks. I was in heaven, with my oak machinists chest full of cars, parts, controllers. Friend's dad routed a 3-lane basement track, we wired our Cox/Strombeckers/Revells with tiny 'pea' headlights and would race enduros for a a couple hours in the dark.
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Little_buddy
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Username: Little_buddy

Post Number: 83
Registered: 03-2006
Posted on Thursday, April 03, 2008 - 5:23 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Maybe I have the wrong location, its been a long time. I grew up in Dearborn till I was 8 and moved to Allen Park and graduated in 74. Pelham would have been more of a travel location for me and my bike than OD and Southfield Area. I remember riding my bike to Greenfield Village and hopping the brick wall to get in.
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Gpcharles
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Username: Gpcharles

Post Number: 15
Registered: 01-2008
Posted on Thursday, April 03, 2008 - 5:31 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

There used to be a track in Grosse Pointe Park on Kercheval right near Alter. I spent a lot of time there...

I don't remember a lot about it and slot car racing in general, but I do seem to recall that if you had a sidewinder rather than an inline engine you were really cool.
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Sailor_rick
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Username: Sailor_rick

Post Number: 209
Registered: 02-2004
Posted on Friday, April 04, 2008 - 10:50 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I remember “Tiny Tim’s” Hobby shop that had a few large, banked tracks back in the early 70’s.

It was located on the east side of Woodward between 13 and 14 Mile.

On a tangent, does anyone remember “Grand Prix Racing”, on 15 Mile next to “Berz Airport” (now Troy Executive) during same time frame?
They had Wankel powered, Grand Prix bodied go-carts on a small track.

They charged a buck a lap which seemed a fortune since my after school job paid 8.

The best I could was watch my “rich” pals zoom around which was almost as much fun as watching someone gamble when you’re broke.
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Luckycar
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Username: Luckycar

Post Number: 78
Registered: 02-2007
Posted on Friday, April 04, 2008 - 5:51 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

sailor-rick you stole my thunder.Tiny Tim's on Woodward ruled.They had a H.O. scale track plus the 1/24 scale high bank track.Tore up a few of my allowance money bought cars there.Great place in the late 60's.
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Jfk
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Username: Jfk

Post Number: 4
Registered: 03-2008
Posted on Friday, April 04, 2008 - 6:00 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Redford Township had a place called Checkered Flag on Five Mile west of Beech Daly
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Richard_bak
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Username: Richard_bak

Post Number: 5
Registered: 04-2008
Posted on Saturday, April 05, 2008 - 6:33 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

My first girlfriend, circa 1967 (sixth grade at Epiphany Grade School in Detroit) was Jennifer Josaitis, whose dad and uncle owned Joe's Hobby Shop on Wyoming. I recall it cost a dollar an hour to race your car -- and the reason I recall is because I got absolutely no price break for walking the shop owner's daughter home every day to her house on Elmira at Mendota after school. Coincidentally or not, I broke up with Jennifer and moved on to Denise Maher, whose father had nothing to do with Strombecker racing tracks but whose cousin was Bruce Maher of the Lions. True to form, I got no free tix to Lions games because of this connection, and so then it was on to Patty Valdock, whose uncle was Alec Delvecchio of the Wings, and...well, you know the rest.

Don't know exactly why I posted this. Just free association and all that. But no doubt about it, slot cars were cool.
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Ltdave
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Username: Ltdave

Post Number: 129
Registered: 09-2006
Posted on Saturday, April 05, 2008 - 10:34 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

""Had the HO slot car track in the basement back in the day with the HO train and crossing. Lost a lot of cars trying to beat that train!""

i had that same track set up! it was TYCO's Road and Rail set. i wanted that for about 5 years before my parents could afford to get it for me. i didnt lose too many cars at the crossing but i did smash into several...

i used to check a book out of the library about 8 times a year that was written in the 60s and had the old 1/48 and 1/32 cars and track designs in it...
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Karl_jr
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Username: Karl_jr

Post Number: 244
Registered: 06-2007
Posted on Sunday, April 06, 2008 - 3:26 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Joe's Hobby Shop on Wyoming, what I wouldn't give to step back in time to the 1960's and walk in there again!
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Living_in_the_d
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Username: Living_in_the_d

Post Number: 157
Registered: 01-2008
Posted on Sunday, April 06, 2008 - 4:12 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Yeah, Joes, many a dollar spent there.
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Durango
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Username: Durango

Post Number: 89
Registered: 10-2006
Posted on Monday, April 07, 2008 - 10:47 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Back in the mid-90's there was an HO Track on Ford Road and Merriman called Hot Slots. It was a huge six lane track next to a bar on Ford Road. Unfortunately, the building was torn down and a drug store took over the space.

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