Road Race Replicas - I'LL BUY YOUR CARS

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Road Race Replicas is a complete service house with thousands of quality HO slot car bodies and parts in stock!
Reproduction Parts, Bodies, etc.
FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions
Tons of reproduction parts and cars
As I'm sure you are already aware, Road Race Replicas offers reproduction parts, bodies, glass, boots, booms, drivers, on nearly 110+ HO slot cars, and the list is continually growing too. Knowledge of what's available and experiencing reproduction cars 'n parts will make your hobby more affordable and more fun. Road Race Replicas is the foremost leader in supplying restoration parts for Thunderjets, Vibrator and AFX cars and wants to help you better understand what you'll be getting when you purchase these kits and parts. Check out the FAQs below to help you finding parts or kit cars for your hobby.

FAQs

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Are reproduction parts and bodies made of the same plastic as original cars?
No. Reproduction parts are made from a 2-part resin, similar in some ways to a 2-part epoxy glue you may have used in the past. The 2 chemicals A & B are mixed together and in a short time they harden and are removed from a rubber mold.
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Why are some parts pricey?
The process is far more labor intensive and much slower that injection molding so what you are paying for is the large amounts of time involved and hand labor. Also, the reject rate is something to contend with as not every part comes out perfect. You probably aren't aware, but every chrome-plated part you buy had to be first hand-mixed and molded, then the parts come out of the mold and then all of the "flash" around the part has to be hand-trimmed (Mustang front bumpers are fun) and cleaned from the edges, all the parts are then run thru a series of cleaning baths, then the parts are hand sorted and hand applied with silicon each one to a chroming frame. The frames are then checked and shipped off to a chrome plater. After weeks of waiting the parts come back, all not with perfect chrome and some missing, they are then graded removed from the chrome frame. All by hand. Is $5 too much to pay for the ability to restore a $100 Galaxie and enjoy it the way it was originally?
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How do I tell a reproduction part on a original car?
1. Look for any irregular or non-precision edge lines on the underside of the glass or parts. ALL repro molders have this if you look for it. Since all parts/bodies have to hand trim the flash from the parts, this will leave an irregular or non- precision mold line. Depending on the modeler, this level will differ from crude to pretty good.
2. Look for 'melt' marks where the bumpers were assembled to the body. The current resins available CANNOT be melted like this. Check to see if the melt marks follow from one piece to another. On chrome bumpers especially you'll notice a bright shiney post coming thru the hole and does not have the tell-tale melted "cap" that cars with original parts have.
3.Glass is somewhat more difficult in that they were usually glued into place and the super-glues of today can appear similar. On glass, I check by immersing the car into VERY HOT water (just below boiling) - - and after about 10 seconds remove the car and see if the glass is bendable or pliable as all become soft with heat.
4. Check the quality of the paint detail. Aurora used a fine mist applied through a stencil. An original factory paint job will almost always have a "fuzzy" edge or slight overspray. Most repros are either hand painted or 'taped and sprayed. A repaint usually will have a "hard-line" edge.
5. Familiarize yourself with the cars and which colors existed back then. Twenty-four colors were available (as a whole) for the cars. Be suspicious of a car in a color you never heard of or seen. As in any collector hobby, they always say "KNOW YOUR HOBBY!" and "If its too good to be true, it probably is" Check it out before you hand over the money.
6. Most repros are currently marked under the hood with some lettering. Ask to take the car apart to look for this. Some earlier cars DO NOT have any markings and newcomer molders may not mark cars, so this helps but don't count on it if isn't marked.
7. I think looking for melted bumpers and underside body mfg. marks are the first things to look at when questionning a car's authenticity. Don't forget to look for repaired or replaced wheel wells, mounting posts and window posts when inspecting a car. This can easily be done without your noticing.

I hope this helps with your Aurora reproduction questions and if you need to find parts for restoring your cars, see Road Race Replicas for all your needs.
Do you have HO slotcars For Sale? Email me, I'm always looking!

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Remember, all reproduction bodies, glass & chrome parts are

Made here in the USA

7184 Hwy A
Strafford, MO 65757
417-736-2494
Mon. thru Fri. 9am-5pm CST (closed weekends)
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The above information is believed to be accurate, true and based on the opinions and experiences of Phil Pignon. It is for public viewing and not to be used in any publications, printed or otherwise without the written consent of Phil Pignon or Road Race Replicas
(C) Copyright 2003, Road Race Replicas