| The year was 1967. Slot car racing had officially | | | | racer, manufacturers in America set up shop full |
| abandoned scale appearance in favor of speed. | | | | time to produce high quality components that |
| This was a natural progression but one that would | | | | could withstand the high power requirements. |
| have long standing consequences. | | | | Motors used high temperature endbells and thick |
| The motor of choice until this time was the | | | | steel motor cans for more reliable magnetic fields. |
| Mabuchi 16D, a motor popular for its balance of | | | | Companies like Mura and Champion of Chamblee |
| low weight and power. From the factory, these | | | | made these, as well as armatures designed by |
| motors were not competitive. To make a | | | | real engineers and scientists to reduce heat and |
| competitive motor the internal armature would | | | | increase performance. The research done during |
| have to be altered. The easiest way, was to | | | | 1968-1969 was lost and forgotten about by the |
| have some of its windings removed to decrease | | | | mid 70's. Even today, motors being produced |
| it's resistance which was called de-winding. The | | | | costing over $300 are technologically inferior from |
| best modification, was to remove all the windings, | | | | a science perspective, to the 1969 motors. |
| and replace them with thicker gauge wire with | | | | The slot car viewed from above, still appeared as |
| less turns. This was called rewinding and it became | | | | a recognizable race car. It was from the side that |
| a cottage industry of it's own. Small companies | | | | it was not at all realistic. The wheels were much |
| would rewind the armatures, epoxy it all in place | | | | too small, and the profile much too low. Unrealistic |
| and even balance it. As these armatures utilized | | | | spoilers started to appear. From a drivers |
| lower gauges of wire, the term "hotter" was | | | | standpoint, these cars were really fast and |
| coined. | | | | stayed in the slot very well, even for the average |
| Hot arms draw more current through them. More | | | | participant. |
| current means more heat. The component of the | | | | This speed and handing came at a cost. The price |
| armature that accepts the electricity into the | | | | of a slot car had escalated, reducing the number |
| armature is called the commutator. Mabuchi made | | | | of kids who could participate. The loss of detail |
| theirs out of plastic with 3 copper plates. Yes, | | | | resulted in a lower appeal for the new prospect |
| plastic melts, so soon the need for a better | | | | seeing slot cars for the first time. Where before |
| commutator became necessary. The endbell of | | | | everyone could relate, now fewer and fewer |
| the motor that holds the motor brushes that | | | | were interested. |
| contact the commutator was also plastic. That | | | | The writing was on the wall for slot car racing. |
| needed a better replacement also. | | | | The fad had ended and this hobby would never |
| Can you see where slot car racing is going next? | | | | reach this level of popularity again. |
| With speed becoming the appetite of the slot car | | | | |