The Independent Scratch Builder Version 2.0
Having been some days in preparation, a splendid time is guaranteed for all...
John and Paul, 1967
While the purpose of this web site has not changed, the scope of its presentation has, so the format must likewise evolve to accommodate.
This new version will incorporate a greater emphasis on the technical history of our hobby, differentiating and correlating the evolution of various aspects of scratch building from chassis parts to motors to bodies, and the individual architectural elements of chassis design.
Further, a clearer distinction between cars scratch built as scale models, those purpose-built as race cars (including Thingies) by amateurs like myself, and "Pro-level" cars whose designers and builders in large part drove the evolution of the slot racing car from 1966 to 1973.
For example, instead of organizing the Scratch Builder's Showcase into sports cars, coupes, open wheels cars and Thingies, it is now divided into scale cars, "magazine" cars, amateur built race cars, pro-built race cars, and Thingies.
In another section, vintage race reports are correlated with vintage published photos and or drawings of the original cars, or photos of modern replicas or recreations of at least one of the cars that ran in that race. Other appropriate vintage published articles and information such as catalogs, ads, rule sets and chassis, motor or body related articles are included in their own section.
There are now separate technical history sections that will catalog and depict, by type and in chronological order, various chassis parts, motors, slot car bodies and architectural elements of chassis design.
Construction articles written by current builders are featured in their own section.
Yet another section will serve as a scratch building "primer", including scratch building tutorials, "how-to" articles, and sourcing for various generic parts and materials.
Migration from the old format to the new format is generally complete, but there may be a few rough edges remaining to smooth out, so please be patient as I sort out the details such as the "return to previous page" hyperlinks.
Comments, questions, suggestions, constructive criticism and especially input are welcome! If you have something to say, or if you want to submit anything from a single photo to a complete article, please feel free to email me at: steven.okeefe@ymail.com.