Strombecker Lap counter

[Dodgefarmer]

I just picked up a strombecker set off the bay with the elusive lap counter in it. The counter works just fine manually. But I have no idea how the cars are supposed to trip the lever. Is there an accessory for the cars?

Thanks
Randy

[Mitch58]

The guide hit a small tab in the slot that turns the counter. Great find, when I had my Strombecker track set up I found a LeMans Start piece but I never found a working lap counter. A plastic part that is operated by impact is destined for a rather short working like.

[4424ever]

I’ve got one of those had no idea they were hard to find

[LAMing]

Going on memory here...

Is it the brown "Lap Counting" structure, OR, the counter that has the overhead arms the cars brush as they pass under it?

IF it's this brown building lap counter...



...I recall there was a required track piece for it that has the triggering mechanism beneath it and the building attaches to it.

Andre

[Dodgefarmer]

Thanks for the response guys. This is what I've got going here.







So then there is a piece broken off or missing where the screw is?

Thanks
Randy

[Bluevista]

There is supposed to be a piece of hard wire like piano wire that has a loop that goes around the screw then out into the slot the car guide runs into and trips the counter IIRC. I saved up my allowance for months to get one of those when I was a kid.

[Dodgefarmer]

Thanks Bluevista. I found 1 on e-pay with a clear pic of the wires, and you would still have to save your allowance to buy it. LOL

[slothead]

The one with counters on each side of the track is the one I had too. I added it to a track I'd built on a big table in the cellar and the only place it fit nicely was right after the last turn before the S/F line. The turn itself wasn't hard to drive but if you slowed down too much the counter wouldn't trigger and if you didn't slow down cars would be sideways and there still might not be enough forward momentum to trigger the counter. After awhile I figured out how to get it right and the lap counter became an big part of my solo 6 hour enduro runs. I'd stop every 50 laps and keep a running subtotal of laps run in a notebook.

[LAMing]

"... my solo 6 hour enduro runs."

Hardcore!!

LOL!

[slothead]

Yeah, I'd get in trouble because mom would yell down for me to come up for dinner and I'd yell back, "I can't, I still have an hour to go!".

[Dodgefarmer]

Thanks guys for all replys and comments. Growing up I had a permanent Eldon setup in a 3' by 6' plywood box, so I never had much experience with Strombecker. When I got into Strombecker last fall I was told how elusive the lap counters were. Then I started noticing that virtually none of the sets on e-pay had lap counters and there were very few lap counters available. Now with Andre's posts I see that they were very rarely even included in the sets. Well I guess I will have to try and figure out the wire size and shape of the piece and see if I can bend a couple up.

Onwards and upwards
(1 ahead 2 back)
Randy

[4424ever]

Randy might be able to help I should at least have a wire to take a pic of

[Dodgefarmer]

Wow! Thank you very much Dave. That would be a huge help. Would it be possible to get a measurement of the wire size?

Thanks again
Randy

[4424ever]

So I looked at my lap counter and guess what
Yup it’s broken on both sides as mentioned before the wire is broken off but it doesn’t protrude into the slot it sticks up from the visible screw I assume for the guide to hit
This explains the arrow on the track and why so many are broken

[4424ever]

The wire measures .016 dia but I’m not sure how tall you would want it
p/s those barracudas are from my first slot car set in 66

[Dodgefarmer]

Thanks Dave that little piece of wire remnant is exactly what I was looking for. I found this on the bay.

https://www.ebay.ca/itm/373450944869

It shows the wires in place but I didn't know how the bend went around the screw, which is what your remnant is. Now to get a length of 0.016" (maybe 0.020") and bend them up. Seeing as how a length is 36" I'll bend up a couple for you too and send them to you. Hopefully before X-mas.

Thanks ever so much
Randy