John Ford has been a leading
authority on slot car racing since 1965.
Wall shot - You could tweak your chassis doing
this. See tweak.
Weight - The main weight used on a slot car is a small
thin strip of lead with double stick tape on it. This allows the
racer to cut the exact amount of weight wanted and with the tape,
apply it to exactly the spot on the chassis it is needed.
Wheelie wheels - In drag slot racing, these small wheels
located far to the rear on an extended piece of steel, are for
the sole purpose of stopping the high powered slot drag car from
flipping over on its roof.
Wheel base- The distance from center between the front
and rear axles on your car. In a slot car, you could measure the
wheel base from the center of the guide hole to the center of
the rear axle.
Wheels - Commonly referring to the fronts on a slot
car. Since the modern slot car does not have "tires"
on the front, the fronts are simply called wheels.
Wheel retainer - Any object used to hold the wheels
on. Usually on the front, and soldered in place. A small spring
clip is used on the front wheels when you don't want to solder
one on.
Wheel wrench - In the '60's the wheels were held on
a threaded axle with a lock nut. The wheel wrench was used to
loosen and tighten this nut.
Whisperjet - A rental car offered by Parma International.
It uses a belt drive rather than gears, which makes the car run
very quiet, hence the name.
Wickerbill (or Gurney Flap ) - A vertical extension
to the back edge of a full-scale racecar wing invented by racing
legend Dan Gurney to generate more downforce, especially at higher
angles of attack. Wing car racers bend the trailing edge of the
rear spoiler forward to achieve the same effect.
Wind - Don't you love the english language? You could
read this as wind, that stuff that rushes over your car and is
controlled by the wings. Or you could read this wind, what is
done with the wires when they are wound around the poles on your
armature. Take your choice, I don't even know why I put it in
this dictionary in the first place.
Window mask - Parma and other companies provide you
with pre cut vinyl material that will fit inside the slot car
and cover up the window. Whether you use the pre cut version,
cut your own, or use a liquid, it is all the window mask.
Windsor - The name of a 60's version of slot car track
made by American. Yellow in side color, and only 80 ft in length,
this track was a favorite rental track due to its small footprint.
Wing car - Any car with a full compliment of wings,
including front spoiler, side dams, and rear dam. Usually the
wings are attached to a wedge body.
Wing nut - In the days when threaded axles were still
being used, a wing nut or "knock off" was used on the
outside of the wheel as a jamb nut. This added beauty and functionality
to the car.
Wings - In the classes where they are allowed, these
are thin plastic sheets attached to each side of the slot car.
They direct the air over the top of the wedge body and over the
back air dam as the car goes around the turns. At high speed,
the thin plastic blows down and outward allowing the air to spill
out the sides reducing drag in the straights.
Winner - That's the guy that is in the lead when the
power shuts off at the end of the race.
Wiper - Not that little plastic bulge moulded on scale
car winshields. The only wiper in slot racing is located on the
trigger of the controller. It is that small brass piece between
the plastic trigger and the button that wipes across the resistor.
Wire - Lots of wire in slot racing. Under the track,
in the controller, connecting the guide to the motor, and wrapped
around the arm. 12 or 10 guage is used under the track, always
stranded. D.C. current travells along the outside surface of the
wire, and because of that, all wire used in slot racing except
for that wrapped around the armature is stranded. This gives the
current many different outside surfaces to travell along, increasing
effeciency.
Wizzard - If it's spelled with two z's it is Bob Lincoln
and his Wizzard H.O. slot racing business, with complete cars
to all types of parts. They have become well known in the H.O.
circles.
Womp - The car that saved slot racing. In the early
70's there was no manufacturer of beginner slot cars, especially
in the 1/32 bracket. Ken MacDowell of Parma came out with his
little VW Bug. Out of scale, but cute with its fat tires. It became
an instant success, and is still around today with the addition
of many different bodies besides the original VW.
Working wing - In the 60's there were several slot cars
that had working wings. The most notible two was the pure scale
Cox's Chaparrall, and the Classic Stinger which was a wedge shaped
thingie body with a large flap in the back that came up when the
car slowed down for the turns.
World 12 - A small group of raceways run this class.
It is in short, a group 15 with a group 12 motor allowed. I have
seen at least three variations on what is legal in this class,
so it is recommended to check local conditions before deciding
to race World 12.
World's - Sometimes used as a short term for World Championships,
much in the same way Nats is to the Nationals.
Wrench - Could refer to a wheel wrench used on cars
from the '60's, or an allen wrench used from the '60's to today.
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