Why are they faster

RalphsRacers Sunday, 9/15/2024

So im going to be experimenting with a few cars, 2 of the same three different pairs to see difference between with and without dry lube etc. But why are some cars so much faster than others before they have been modded straight out the pack. A lambo v something realistically slower in real life gets beaten, surely it cant be aerodynamics


Discussion

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Fabel 9/15/24

Just think about all the things we do to ensure our customs are faster. Cars that are faster out of the box usually have more stable axels, little to no flashing on the wheels from mold lines, a naturally smoother axel just by luck ect ect.

There are other things too like weight, weight distribution, wheel base size, wheel size and all of those factors.

Also keep in mind these cars have no actual engines in them, the performance of the real version of the car has little to no affect on the hot wheels version of the car. 


  • I just thought the aerodynamics might help? Ive bought a few matchbox superfast, ok, they are old like 70’s 80’s but they arent fast let alone super… probably all those knocks etc. — RalphsRacers
  • Aero is certainly a factor, but at this scale the other things I mentioned, mostly pertaining to wheels and axles, are the big contributing factors when it comes to speed — Fabel
  • Weight and weight distribution being the other Big Factors at play — Fabel
  • all good points — dr_dodge
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RalphsRacers 9/16/24

I have hundreds of still in the case cars, but like to buy ones i see in charity shops or car boot sales or ebay etc. I went through my over 100 loose cars downstairs, have over a hundred in the attic and found just one with FTE wheels 07' Shelby GT.I found an FTE2 but supposedly they arent as good. I raced it against my Alfa ive had from new probably 6 months and does ok on a downhill drag 8ft. Im guessing because one is much much newer than the other


  • While age is certainly something that can slow down a car due to material degradation and the like, I have a 20 year old Deora II that beats out a fresh Color Shifters Deora II, even if the race is very close it consistently wins. It's not modified in any capacity, it's just well taken care of. Every car is a wild card till you run it on the track. — Fabel
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redlinederby 9/17/24
Site manager

Science! An old Mark Rober video about gravity racing. Oldie but a goldie full of great info...especially if you're drag racing.

www.redlinederby.com/topic/the-science-of-downhill-racing-video/2184

But as others said, there are so many factors in this cheap little cars that there's no good reason why any one is faster than the other. You can take 2 of the same model and one could be much slower/faster. These are mass produced toys so depends on the batch and process.

Playing around with weight and placement might be a nice thing to get control over first since it's easier and avoids the "ruining" modding of wheels and axles. 

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