Scale fidelity and Proxies

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Scale fidelity and Proxies

Postby BARC 1 » Wed Jan 18, 2017 3:07 pm

I was wondering how far something can be off of scale, and still be considered OK. I bought a recent diecast Camaro and when I put the calipers on it the scale is 1/35 not 1/32. Just wondering if there is already an acceptable tolerance people are OK with. I.e If I entered a prosy race with a 1/35 scale car how would it be received?

I have seen a couple of proxies that just indicate it needs to be 1/32 ish, and was wondering what the cut off might be?

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Dan
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Re: Scale fidelity and Proxies

Postby HomeRacingWorld » Wed Jan 18, 2017 4:27 pm

I think common sense comes into play.

If compared to say, a Scalextric or Pioneer, and it's obviously a lot smaller then I wouldn't use it.

Somewhere in the mix, the individual modeler has to decide what is right. If you know it isn't and still want to try and use it for some sort of advantage, then why??? Just because you have it?

The scratchbuilding of a slot car takes time, money and effort. Why waste time on a mold that is that far off?

In the Showdown I make a list of bodies. If not on the list, then sometimes people simply ask. I am open to bodies I might have missed, so I check it. If it's that far off, then no deal.

But if the race host will bend the rules, and the modeler doesn't care about scale...then in that case I guess it's fine.
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Re: Scale fidelity and Proxies

Postby BARC 1 » Wed Jan 18, 2017 5:02 pm

Not looking for an advantage, just trying to utilize low cost diecast to use as masters. It was advertised and packaged as 1/32 scale, but the caliper measurements when compared to the prototype have it as actually 1/35 scale. Honestly I have not put the calipers to many 132 factory slot cars and just assume they are 132. I just got a 132 McLaren M20 and the car is a monster.

I guess I am wondering how much scale drift there is in this scale between manufacturers, if any,

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Re: Scale fidelity and Proxies

Postby Ky.Slot Racer » Wed Jan 18, 2017 10:38 pm

I agree, it`s up to the modeler if it fits his need, But if your thinking about popping dups of a under scale unit. You may just find your one of a few that are interested. If a Camaro is the same length as a MGB, it don`t pass in my book.
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Re: Scale fidelity and Proxies

Postby CrockettNZ » Thu Jan 19, 2017 1:43 am

there are quit a few models that are over or under scale from what the manufacturer states
I run 2 proxy's here in NZ and they both state that the car must be no more than 10% over or under scale

if you are building a car for just yourself and you are happy with it just go for it
as for selling any bodies you would have a very limited market
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Re: Scale fidelity and Proxies

Postby BARC 1 » Thu Jan 19, 2017 2:49 am

1/35 would be within that 10% ruling.Had I not put the calipers to it, I might never have known it was not 1/32.

I have zero interest in selling the bodies, my only concern was using the body for a proxy race. Probably that 10% number is a good one, as I wouldn't be surprised to find the odd older factory release out of scale as well. I think when you start hitting 1/38 and 1/28 then you are out of bounds.

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Re: Scale fidelity and Proxies

Postby walker » Thu Jan 19, 2017 3:44 am

If it is for a race - even if it is a proxy - I would not use a car that is 10 % smaller, simply because it is not only to be seen that it is smaller, but also because it IS smaller / narrower and thus its handling is not so good.

If it is for me, I ask the seller about the length, width an wheelbase before I buy, and compare with the original specs.
If it doesn´t fit, I don´t buy it.
Okay, I go for scale as exact as possible, my pain barrier is around 3 %. Not everyone´s cup of tea.
But I prefer having models on the track that have the correct size, so that one is able to imagine the differences in size of the original cars, just looking at the models.
Otherwise I could do H0 racing.

I would never place a plane model of the B - 52 in 144th scale side by side with a P -51 Mustang in 48th scale...

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Re: Scale fidelity and Proxies

Postby BARC 1 » Thu Jan 19, 2017 7:10 am

I hear you Roland, and that is why I am asking the question as what is acceptable scale drift in a proxy race. I was wondering if there was already an established norm or if it is just left up to the proxy organizer. All I have witnessed in proxy rules so far is 1/32 scaleish. That is a little vague. I purchased 6 Bachmann Porsche 935 shells that were advertised to be 1/32ish. When they arrived they scaled out to 1/38, which is a real useless result. They are visibly too small for 1/32 and too large for 1/43. However the Camaro diecast is 1/35 and to the eye it looks like 1/32. I suspect only when placed beside another Camero would the difference be seen. Against a Mustang or Cuda it would blend in unnoticed by most.

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Re: Scale fidelity and Proxies

Postby Mitch58 » Thu Jan 19, 2017 7:26 am

Typically the sponsor of the proxy is the one that makes the rules regarding the eligibility of cars. there is usually a minimum height off of the track, a maximum width, which motors and what tires are allowed, ect. We just finished a proxy where the car I entered was a Racer. It turns out that the axle width was too wide so it ran the year with a 5% penalty. Nobody realized the size difference until it was sitting amongst other cars of the same type. It has since been removed from the approved car list. The proxy invitation will have several paragraphs covering the rules section and they are all different for each and every proxy. Whatever the rules, I have found that I really enjoy participating in various proxies.
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Re: Scale fidelity and Proxies

Postby Dodgefarmer » Thu Jan 19, 2017 12:24 pm

For me, one of the most glaring examples of scale discrepancy is placing an Eldon 1st gen Charger beside a Monogram version. :lol:

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Re: Scale fidelity and Proxies

Postby slothead » Thu Jan 19, 2017 9:01 pm

This got me thinking about what scale sizes represent. A 1969 Mustang has a wheelbase of 108 inches. 10% larger = 118.8 inches and 10% smaller = 97.2 inches.

108 inches = 3.375 inches at 1/32 scale.
118.8 inches = 3.7125 inches at 1/32 scale
97.2 inches = 3.0375 inches at 1/32 scale

10% plus or minus is really a very large variance, which might seem less so at scale. But a 1969 Mustang with nearly an 11 inch longer or shorter wheelbase than nominal would be a monstrosity.

I thought Lindbergh models were 1/32 scale and bought a bunch of them on sale years ago to make old school street stocks out of. I think they are actually 1/35 so I created a class of their own because they just don't fit in with my 1/32 cars.

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Re: Scale fidelity and Proxies

Postby Reegs » Fri Jan 20, 2017 2:18 pm

The original maker of those kits (Pyro) was guilty of scaling the models to fit the box (which, apparently, they had a warehouse full). While some of the kits were close (if not spot-on), others, like the '49 Ford and '57 Plymouth, were way underscale. Lindberg was also guilty of that practice.
Come to think of it, I wouldn't be surprised if all the manufacturers, past and present, haven't made that same business decision at least once.
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Re: Scale fidelity and Proxies

Postby mattb » Fri Jan 20, 2017 3:27 pm

With all the Camaro bodies around that are close to correct scale size, why would you want to re-invent the wheel and make a smaller body of the same model with the associated performance issues of smaller width, height and wheelbase ?
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Re: Scale fidelity and Proxies

Postby BARC 1 » Fri Jan 20, 2017 5:48 pm

I was buying Diecast from a mail order vendor and it was a $5.00 add in. As you pointed out there are enough scale ones around, so why waste the silicone. This may go into the grandkids toybox.

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