How to Identify HO Slot Cars

How to Identify HO Slot Cars thumbnail
HO slot cars are sometimes scale models of real cars.

HO slot cars have been around for decades, but still provide the same entertainment years later. Slot cars are small scale model cars that race on a plastic track with interchangeable track pieces. HO scale slot cars slightly vary in length, but there are many distinct components that make up the car. Identifying the pickup shoes and length will determine if the slot car is HO scale.

Things You'll Need

  • Flathead screwdriver
  • Straight ruler
Show More

Instructions

    • 1

      Examine the underbody of the slot car for small copper rectangle contacts near the front tires. These are called "pickup shoes." These are found only on slot cars, and are usually the most identifiable part of the slot car exterior.

    • 2

      Pry the plastic body gently off the chassis using a flathead screwdriver, and measure the small electric motor inside that is wrapped in copper wire. HO motors measure about an inch long.

    • 3

      Examine the underside of the slot car. There should be a pin between the front tires about the size of the tip of a ball point pen. This size pin is particular to HO scale.

    • 4

      Measure the length of the car in millimeters. Most HO slot cars are approximately 2 to 3 inches in length. 3.5 millimeters equals 1 foot on the HO scale.

Related Searches:

References

  • Photo Credit yellow car, a honda japanese sport car model image by alma_sacra from Fotolia.com

Comments

You May Also Like

  • Ho Slot Car Tweaking Tips

    An unmodified HO slot car does well against other unmodified cars, but a bit of tweaking applied to your car can give...

  • How to Identify a Strombecker Slot Car

    Strombecker slot cars are a great memory for many people. The slot cars were popular during the late 1950s and into the...

  • Definition of an HO Scale

    At its simplest, HO scale is defined as a scale of 3.5mm to one foot, according to the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary. It...

  • How to Sand HO Slot Car Magnets

    People who race any kind of vehicle will try many tricks for optimal performance. Tricks for HO Slot Cars include sanding the...

  • How to Identify a 1969 Pontiac 350 HO

    Many Pontiac 350 cubic-inch engines exist, however, only a select few are the 350 high-output (HO) model. According to Car Craft Magazine,...

  • How to Modify a HO Slot Car

    HO slot car racing depends on speed and control for winning. A stock slot car straight from the package can give you...

  • How to Identify PC Slots

    Almost all motherboards built include a variety of slots that can be used to install expansion cards. Knowing which slots you have...

  • How to Soup Up Your Car

    If you're not happy with the power that you get from your car, you don't have to sell it and upgrade to...

  • How to Identify the Hot Wheels Mystery Cars

    Hot Wheels Mystery Cars are among the most exciting and suspenseful purchases a Hot Wheels collector can make. Mystery Cars were introduced...

  • How to Clean an H.O. Scale Slot Car Track

    An HO slot-car track is designed to run small cars at high speeds. The cars are attached to a small metal rod...

  • Slot Cars For Kids

    Slot cars are miniature electrically powered automobiles, usually built to scale, which are guided down a slotted track by a controller. The...

  • How to Buy Slot Car Accessories

    How to Identify a Strombecker Slot Car. Strombecker slot cars are a great memory for many people. The slot cars were popular...

  • How to Clean Exterior Car Plastic

    Cleaning a car is a necessary part of regular maintenance. Cars become dirt-covered due to pollution, pollen and dust in the air....

  • How to Keep a Slot Car Flag in the Slot

    As a kid, crashes are one of the exciting inevitabilities of slot-car racing. The factory-made cars could withstand many flights off of...

  • How do I Measure a Ho Scale Boxcar?

    The HO scale, which stands for half of the O scale, is the most common scale used throughout most of the world...

  • How to Make a HO Slot Car Track

    HO slot cars are model cars that run on an electrified track. The track has an electrified groove through it. The model...

  • How to Buy Slot Car Components

    Slot car components must be changed regularly to ensure that your car moves around the track as fast as you want it...

  • How to Choose a Slot Car Scale

    The scale you choose depends on what you want to do with the car. Common scales are 1/24, 1/32 and HO -...

  • How to Tell Aurora Slot Cars Apart

    Aurora is one of the major manufacturers of slot cars. These motorized toy cars run along a grooved plastic track and went...

Related Ads

Featured