 
Little_buddy
Member
Username: Little_buddy
Post Number: 76
Registered: 03-2006
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 02, 2008 - 1:35 pm: |    |
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? |
Jrvass
Member
Username: Jrvass
Post Number: 601
Registered: 01-2007
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 02, 2008 - 1:39 pm: | |
Try Models Hobby. Woodward & 13/14 or so. |
Downriviera
Member
Username: Downriviera
Post Number: 203
Registered: 02-2008
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 02, 2008 - 2:33 pm: | |
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. |
Detroitjim
Member
Username: Detroitjim
Post Number: 15
Registered: 02-2008
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 02, 2008 - 4:40 pm: | |
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. |
Rickinatlanta
Member
Username: Rickinatlanta
Post Number: 147
Registered: 07-2006
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 02, 2008 - 4:54 pm: | |
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! |
D_mcc
Member
Username: D_mcc
Post Number: 597
Registered: 12-2007
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 02, 2008 - 4:55 pm: | |
DR...do you live...or used to live in the old AP? |
D_mcc
Member
Username: D_mcc
Post Number: 598
Registered: 12-2007
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 02, 2008 - 4:58 pm: | |
DR...do you live...or used to live in the old AP? |
Downriviera
Member
Username: Downriviera
Post Number: 204
Registered: 02-2008
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 02, 2008 - 5:00 pm: | |
Grew up in AP and am back there now. |
Angry_dad
Member
Username: Angry_dad
Post Number: 190
Registered: 02-2006
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 02, 2008 - 5:01 pm: | |
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. |
Hpgrmln
Member
Username: Hpgrmln
Post Number: 391
Registered: 06-2007
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 02, 2008 - 5:08 pm: | |
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. |
56packman
Member
Username: 56packman
Post Number: 2140
Registered: 12-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 02, 2008 - 5:28 pm: | |
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. |
Pgn421
Member
Username: Pgn421
Post Number: 488
Registered: 02-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 02, 2008 - 5:35 pm: | |
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. |
Downriviera
Member
Username: Downriviera
Post Number: 207
Registered: 02-2008
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 02, 2008 - 5:38 pm: | |
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! |
Plymouthres
Member
Username: Plymouthres
Post Number: 483
Registered: 02-2007
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 02, 2008 - 7:54 pm: | |
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. |
Kahnman
Member
Username: Kahnman
Post Number: 47
Registered: 02-2006
| | Posted on Thursday, April 03, 2008 - 3:00 am: | |
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? |
Island
Member
Username: Island
Post Number: 42
Registered: 01-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, April 03, 2008 - 12:05 pm: | |
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. |
Little_buddy
Member
Username: Little_buddy
Post Number: 83
Registered: 03-2006
| | Posted on Thursday, April 03, 2008 - 5:23 pm: | |
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. |
Gpcharles
Member
Username: Gpcharles
Post Number: 15
Registered: 01-2008
| | Posted on Thursday, April 03, 2008 - 5:31 pm: | |
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. |
Sailor_rick
Member
Username: Sailor_rick
Post Number: 209
Registered: 02-2004
| | Posted on Friday, April 04, 2008 - 10:50 am: | |
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. |
Luckycar
Member
Username: Luckycar
Post Number: 78
Registered: 02-2007
| | Posted on Friday, April 04, 2008 - 5:51 pm: | |
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. |
Jfk
Member
Username: Jfk
Post Number: 4
Registered: 03-2008
| | Posted on Friday, April 04, 2008 - 6:00 pm: | |
Redford Township had a place called Checkered Flag on Five Mile west of Beech Daly |
Richard_bak
Member
Username: Richard_bak
Post Number: 5
Registered: 04-2008
| | Posted on Saturday, April 05, 2008 - 6:33 pm: | |
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. |
Ltdave
Member
Username: Ltdave
Post Number: 129
Registered: 09-2006
| | Posted on Saturday, April 05, 2008 - 10:34 pm: | |
""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... |
Karl_jr
Member
Username: Karl_jr
Post Number: 244
Registered: 06-2007
| | Posted on Sunday, April 06, 2008 - 3:26 pm: | |
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! |
Living_in_the_d
Member
Username: Living_in_the_d
Post Number: 157
Registered: 01-2008
| | Posted on Sunday, April 06, 2008 - 4:12 pm: | |
Yeah, Joes, many a dollar spent there. |
Durango
Member
Username: Durango
Post Number: 89
Registered: 10-2006
| | Posted on Monday, April 07, 2008 - 10:47 pm: | |
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. |