Building a 1/32nd Scale Slot Car: Group 44 TR3

By Michael Ashton

In my younger days I owned four Triumph sports cars, including a TR3. So when a Lindberg TR3 static model kit “fell” into my possession I decided to make my first attempt at building a 1/32nd scale slot car. At first I thought that I would make a replica of the TR3 that I knew and loved. However, as with many slot car enthusiasts, I am not particularly interested in street (non-racing) versions of automobiles. But if not my trusty old TR3, I wanted it to be something worthwhile historically.

After a fair amount of Internet research on who has raced the Triumph TR3 it became obvious to me that one of the Group 44 racing team’s cars would be a great example. Most notably the TR3 built and driven by Brian Fuerstenau. Along with the more famous Bob Tullius, Brian was a cofounder of Group 44 Racing. He was a self-taught automotive genius who could make Triumphs, Jaguars and many other sports cars of the era perform uncannily well. And he was a champion driver at the national level long before Group 44 came to be. Sadly, he died in 1993 when the T-6 aircraft he was piloting (his other passion) crashed.

One thing is certain: no matter what form of motor sport Brian Fuerstenau would have been involved in — whether at Le Mans or a dirt track in the Ozarks — he would have competed at the top level. I hope that my humble attempt at recreating his rustic ride as a slot car would have met with his approval.

© Copyright Don Struke. Used with permission.

© Copyright VIR History. Used with permission.

The Model

Notes on the Process

The basis for the project was the Lindberg Triumph TR3 static plastic model kit.

The body is reasonably scale accurate, however, it has only rudimentary detail. Now my modeling skills and experience are quite limited. Therefore techniques such as cutting, filling and reshaping body details are beyond my capability — at least for now. So I have to create the illusion of detail using the primary assets that I do possess, namely tenacity and patience. Following are some of the techniques that I used.

For me, the most difficult task was the creation of the tonneau cover. The TR3 cover is unusually difficult because it has multiple surfaces (top and sides) and must conform to a number of undulations around the entire cockpit. I experimented with several methods and materials including very fine grit wet/dry sandpaper and surgical tape. I literally stumbled on the solution that I used while wandering around a craft store.

Chalkboard tape has the ideal characteristics for the TR3 tonneau cover: It has almost perfect color and texture; it is reasonably malleable but very strong and tear resistant; it is self-adhesive which is particularly useful during the fitting process.

First cut a strip long enough to cover the entire cockpit, as shown below.

Next, remove the backing exposing the adhesive side and press the tape all around cockpit edges. This will leave an impression of the cockpit’s geometry in the tape. You can also trace the required outline onto the surface of the tape with a pencil before removing the tape. Remember, this is chalkboard tape — the pencil lines erase easily.

Now it is relatively easy to perform a rough cut of the cover with sharp scissors or a hobby knife. Leave extra material around the outline to allow for test fitting and subsequent fine trimming. The fact that this is adhesive tape that can be easily removed and repositioned helps immeasurably here.

Once the tonneau cover shape is correct and conformed to the cockpit edges, the tape adhesive around the edges is removed using solvent and a Q-Tip. The cover is then glued in position with a permanent adhesive. I used two-part plastic epoxy. Be careful to keep the glue away from the outer most edges of the cover to avoid marring the car’s painted surfaces.

I found it almost impossible to create the tonneau cover snaps using paint. I just could not create tiny uniform circles by any method. So, I used tiny pins that I found in the sewing and jewelry sections of the local craft/hobby store. The pins on the left were used to simulate the tonneau fasteners while those on the right were used for the windscreen snaps and the roll bar opening covers.

The heads of both pins were too large to my eye so I reduced their diameter with a Dremel sanding disk. Correct spacing was achieved by creating a template from a narrow strip of masking tape with the fastener positions marked equally spaced on a guide line. The tape was then positioned around the edges of the cover and marked with a sharp scribing tool. I used a pin vise with the smallest available bit to drill tiny holes through the template, cover and cockpit edges.

The pins were then cut to a few millimeters in length and pushed all the way into the holes.

Enough of the pin protrudes through the inside of the cockpit (not visible externally) to allow CA glue to be applied from the inside, avoiding any glue residue showing on the cover itself.

Another area that required a little ingenuity was the kick panel behind each door. The Lindberg body has only the faintest relief detail of this feature (see the following photo) and it was not symmetrical on both sides.

I probably made a mistake by not addressing this prior to painting the body. I tried several types of matte silver paint, but even after allowing up to week of curing time, the silver paint never dried properly and tended to rub off — even under the clear coat! Then I remembered that I had bought some silvered copper tape to apply to the rails of my track.

The tape had the perfect, durable finish that I was looking for and a very effective adhesive. I was able to cut the exact shapes that were needed and position it precisely on the body. To make sure that the bond would be permanent and could withstand rough handling I applied some two-part plastic epoxy cement along the inside of the lower and trailing edges. Finally, two coats of clear coat were added locally for protection.

Decals were home made, printed on Testors clear decal paper using a medium quality inkjet printer. I was able to zero in on the appropriate type sizes by test printing on plain paper, cutting out samples and tacking them in position on the body. The dashboard gauges are drastically reduced images similar to TR3 gauges available on the Internet. The finished decal sheet received a light coat of Testors clear coat and allowed to cure for at least a week prior to application.

Microscale solutions were used to optimize the decal application. Micro Set to apply and create good adhesion to the surface. Micro Sol to allow the decals to conform to surface details and minimize edge visibility by softening the decal substrate.

Ranking high under the topic of “the illusion of detail” is the highlighting of chrome plated fixtures. The Lindberg model has no chrome plated surfaces or parts at all. And I have never found a chrome paint that was able to create a realistic looking finish (although Testors comes close). Luckily there is a product called Bare-Metal Foil that makes realistic chrome detail on any model possible.

It is a very thin foil with an adhesive backing that is basically burnished onto the surface and then trimmed to the desired area. No special tools are needed beyond a sharp hobby knife, Q-Tips and tooth picks. Reasonable dexterity and patience are a plus.

The chassis used to make this model a slot car is the Slot Classic. This is a very simple plastic chassis with an adjustable wheel base, designed for the standard Mabuchi [type] FC-130 motor.

The chassis for the Group 44 TR3 is outfitted with:

• A ScaleAuto 10K RPM FC-130 motor. Very mild but appropriate, I think, for this model.
• Slot.it axles, gears and bushings.

• The guide and pickup braids are Ninco Standard Suspension and ProRace tinned, respectively.

• Aluminum setscrew wheels and resin-cast inserts are BWA.

• The inserts were first sprayed with automotive primer then finished with Krylon matte aluminum paint.
• Tires are Ninco Classic 20x7.

Other Details

The driver figure is made by MRRC. It is the same figure that is used in many MRRC models, most notably, the 427 A/C Cobra. The head was repositioned to a more natural attitude. The figure was first primed and then painted with acrylic paints.

The Lindberg TR3 body was primed with DupliColor white primer and finished with DupliColor Ford Pure White.

The clear coat is Pledge Floor Care (formerly known as Future). This provides an attractive finish and also protects decals and Bare-Metal Foil chrome accents. It is easy to apply with a 1/2” soft bristled art brush.

This article covers many of the techniques employed and issues encountered in the building of this slot car. Feel free to post any questions that you may have in the comments section and I will do my best to answer them. You may also have suggestions about better ways to do things which are, of course, welcome.

_Michael Ashton

Converting a SCX Compact Slot Car to Carrera Digital 143

By Michael Ashton

SCX Compact 1/43rd scale slot cars are among the best ready-to-run cars available in this scale. And although SCX has not released any new 1/43rd scale cars recently, they are still available in a few stores and on the Internet, if you are willing to search both diligently and persistently. I happen to have several SCX Compact NASCAR COTs that run quite well on the Carrera GO!!! track, so I would really like to add them to my growing stable of D143 cars. In order to do this they must be converted to the D143 system by installing the Carrera D143 decoder chip. This article is a brief step-by-step account of how this can be done.

Preparation

Look here to see a list of the minimum tools required for this type of conversion, tips on preparation and some cautionary advice that may help avoid mistakes. I rate this conversion as somewhere between low and moderate difficulty. Basic soldering and minimum modeling skills are recommended.

The Steps

After selecting a SCX Compact car to convert, and obtaining a Carrera D143 decoder chip/motor assembly, the first thing to do is compare a typical D143 and SCX Compact chassis side-by-side. This will allow planning to determine exactly where to create the opening for the D143 emitter and mounting post for the D143 circuit board.

The following photo shows a typical Carrera D143 chassis on the left and the SCX Compact chassis to be converted on the right. The D143 chassis does not have a decoder chip installed because the motor/chip assembly was removed and will be used in the SCX Compact conversion. There are three primary steps that must be accomplished for a successful, reliable conversion of the SCX chassis to D143:

1. An opening must be created in the chassis floor, in the correct location, that allows the emitter on the decoder chip to communicate with the sensor on the D143 lane change and lap counter track sections.
2. The decoder chip must be connected electrically to the pickup guide and motor terminals.
3. The decoder chip must be secured to the chassis floor so that no movement is possible.

Again, looking at the photo below, the yellow arrow points to the D143 chip mounting post which accepts a screw that holds the chip tightly in place. The red arrow shows the chamber which forms the opening through which the emitter communicates with the track sensor(s). In my opinion, the most secure chip installation and accurate digital performance will be achieved by duplicating these two structures in the SCX Compact chassis. So that is exactly what is going to be done here.

The Process

The first step in creating the opening for the D143 chip emitter is to determine the optimum location on the SCX chassis. The two important coordinates are: 

1. The distance from the center line of the chassis to the center of the opening. Ideally, we want the emitter to travel directly over the track sensor.
2. The distance from the leading edge of the guide flag (guide pin in the case of Carrera) to the center of the opening. The correct distance here ensures that the lane change flipper will activate prior to the arrival of the leading edge of the guide flag. Too long a distance could cause missed changes or even collisions with the lane change flipper.

In actual practice I have found these measurements to be not so critical. Just try to locate the opening as close to the position in the Carrera chassis as possible while still allowing for a secure chip installation and connection. The following two photos should provide a good depiction of where I drilled the hole in the SCX Compact chassis. Note that the leads that connected the motor to the copper strips leading to the guide pickups have been clipped.

To create the chamber for the emitter opening I used a short piece of 3/16” styrene tubing. The height of the chamber should be gauged to enable the D143 chip to sit level (i.e., no tilt) when the emitter is fully seated inside the chamber. Cut the chamber one or two mm higher than needed so that it can be adjusted by sanding the top after being glued in position.

The notch shown in the previous photo is needed because the opening in the chassis floor abuts the reinforcing rib that runs along the outer edges of the chassis. This allows the chamber to be centered on the opening without cutting the reinforcing rib and possibly compromising the structural integrity of the chassis. The chamber is glued in position using two-part plastic epoxy, mainly for that glue’s superior strength. See the photo below.

Below we see the finished chamber, sanded to the proper height and painted to match the chassis.

The mounting post is fashioned with a similar method. I used a short piece of 1/8” styrene tubing. Fist cut the tubing to the approximate height. Then use the D143 chip’s mounting screw to “self tap” into the post. Then remove and reinsert the screw several times until it is relatively easy to remove. Mount the loose post to the D143 chip through the chip’s mounting hole. Now you can test fit the position and height of the mounting post by seating the chip’s emitter into its chamber. Sand the end of the post, if necessary, to achieve the level orientation previously mentioned. Next, with the post still screwed to the chip, apply glue to the end of the post and place the post/chip assembly into position on the chassis floor with the emitter fully seated in the chamber. Apply pressure until the glue has set and then allow the glue to fully cure. Finally, gently remove the mounting screw and finish the post by applying epoxy all around the base. Painting to match the chassis is a finishing touch. The finished mounting post and emitter chamber are shown in the photo below.

Now that the D143 chip mounting structures have been created, it is a fairly straight forward process to install and connect the chip/motor assembly into the SCX Compact chassis.

Shown in the following photo is a typical D143 decoder chip/motor assembly. When converting a car to D143 my preference is always to use an existing D143 decoder chip/motor assembly when possible. The SCX Compact motor will work, but the D143 motor is known to be a good match for the decoder chip.

However, one characteristic of this assembly that presents a problem for installing in the longer SCX Compact chassis is how short the connecting leads are and, therefore, how close to the motor the chip resides. In the standard Carrera assembly, the positive output connection lead from the chip and one lead from the RF noise reduction capacitor are connected to the motor can as highlighted by the red arrow above. A common lead from the motor can, in turn, connects to the positive motor terminal. So all three wires are effectively connected to the positive motor terminal via the motor can.

Moving the chip’s positive output lead and the capacitor lead connections directly to the positive motor terminal, as shown in the following photo, allows the chip to be moved almost 1/2” farther away from the motor. This provides the additional flexibility in positioning required by the SCX Compact chassis.

Normally at this point the D143 chip’s input leads would be soldered to the copper guide pickup strips to complete the electrical connections. However, in this particular conversion I decided to install a quick connect micro plug assembly which allows the chip/motor assembly to be easily installed and removed. This allows the chip/motor assembly to be moved among different cars that have the plug assembly installed. This is a relatively simple process where the female (jack) is soldered to the chip’s input leads and the male (plug) is soldered to the copper pickup strips, as shown by the yellow arrows in the previous photo. If you don’t want to install the plug assembly, just solder the chip input leads directly to the copper guide strips.

The following photo shows the final assembly with the motor snapped into position and the D143 chip secured by the mounting screw with the emitter seated in the chamber.

This side view shows the emitter fully seated in its chamber (yellow arrow) and the chip sitting relatively level, secured by the mounting screw.

A view of the underside of the chassis shows the orientation of the emitter in the chamber.

One final recommendation: the SCX Compact cars perform very well on the Carrera GO!!!/D143 track. However, if your layout contains banked curves (as mine does), it will probably be necessary to eliminate the sharp square profile of the guide flag’s leading edge, as it tends to catch on the bottom of the slot on these track sections. The red arrow in the following photo highlights the SCX guide leading edge after being “nipped” and smoothed over with some light sanding.

So, it required a little effort, but I’m convinced that the final result was worth it. The SCX Compact cars in general look good, are quite true to scale and handle very nicely. If you are able to acquire, or already have one or more of these cars, and think that you would like to run them on a Carrera D143 track—go ahead. You won’t be disappointed.

A video of the SCX Compact Toyota COT converted in this article, running on a Carrera D143 track can be seen here.

_Michael Ashton

Carrera Digital 143 2.4 GHz Wireless Controllers

By Michael Ashton

Carrera released the DIGITAL 143 2.4 GHZ WIRELESS+ CONNECTING SECTION INCLUDING 2 HANDSETS 42013 and the individual 2.4 GHZ WIRELESS+ HANDSET 42012 toward the end of 2014. Carrera and other manufacturers have offered 2.4 GHz wireless controllers in their 1/32nd scale digital and analog systems for some time now. So why is the appearance of another digital accessory worth any special attention? Well, read on and I will tell you why.

The 2.4 GHz wireless controllers for Digital 143 are actually two distinct products. The first consists of the connecting [track] section and two hand controllers. The connecting section houses the Digital 143 system electronics and the wireless interface for the controllers.

The second product is an individual hand controller that is added to the system to complete the full compliment of three controllers.

The wireless connecting section is installed in the layout exactly the same as the Red Box. The wireless system replaces the Red Box so the two systems must never be connected in the layout at the same time. Doing so could damage one or both system components. The D143 power pack (transformer) that came with the Red Box is used to provide power to the wireless system.

The controller gets its power from a rechargeable LiPo (lithium-ion polymer) battery. The controller is shipped with the battery not installed. The following illustration from the Carrera Digital 143 Wireless+ user guide shows how to install the battery:

1. Remove the battery compartment cover from the base of the controller by loosening the screw that secures it.
2. Connect the battery plug to the socket inside the battery compartment and push the battery up into the compartment.
3. Replace the compartment cover and secure it with the screw that was previously removed.

The battery charges whenever power is on and the controller is sitting in its cradle. The LED on the top of the controller flashes while charging and is off when fully charged. Although the batteries are shipped in a charged state, Carrera specifies that they should be fully charged by the user before the first use.

The D143 14.8 volt 700 ma power pack plugs into the socket on the right hand side of the connecting section. System power is applied by sliding the on/off power switch toward the track. The system status LED illuminates when power is on.

Carrera lists the electricity modes in the user guide, however, I find the descriptions to be somewhat confusing. As far as I can tell, there are three distinct modes:

1. Operating mode: cars are being actively operated by the controllers.
2. Idle mode: After about ten seconds of controller inactivity idle mode is entered. The status LED is illuminated, however, there is a slight delay in initial car movement when the throttle plunger is first depressed. 
3. Stand-by: When the [live] power pack is first plugged in, and after about 20 minutes of complete inactivity, the status LED extinguishes. The power switch must be toggled off then on to return to idle mode.

Before starting a race, I recommend briefly depressing each controller's throttle plunger to make sure that it is not in idle mode, thereby avoiding any momentary delay that could affect the start of the race.

Controller ergonomics are at least as good as the D143 wired version. The only real physical difference is the base that holds the wireless electronics extending slightly below the finger grips.

The top of the controller houses the recessed black programming button and the red activity LED.

Programming the cars

The new wireless system has simplified the process of programming or, assigning a car to a controller (not that the previous method was really very complicated). The following illustration from the Digital 143 Wireless+ user guide shows how a controller and car are bonded, or coded, to the connecting track:

1. Place a car on the track in the slot.
2. Depress the desired address button (1, 2 or 3) on the connecting track controller cradle. The status LED on the side of the cradle will flash.
3. Press the small black button on the top of the controller located behind the throttle plunger (this must be done within one second of step 2 above).

Coding is confirmed by an audible tone and a single flash of the red LED in the controller’s top. The prior method of coding using the lane change button supported by both D143 and D132 can still be used, if desired.

Note: it is important to keep track of the bonding of controllers to addresses. It is possible to bond multiple cars to the same controller, which may or may not be intended. Only one controller may be bonded to a single address.

A Nice Surprise

Much to my surprise, the new wireless system has an autonomous (ghost) car function built in! Any active controller/car combination can be instantly set to be an autonomous car with a single button click:

1. Depress the throttle plunger to bring the car up to the desired speed.
2. Press the associated address button on the connecting section.

The car will now maintain the current speed and will change lanes randomly. Note that the autonomous function actually resides in the controller, therefore, all cars bonded to the controller will behave as autonomous cars. Because all cars bonded to the controller will have the same address (ID), if multiple cars bonded to the controller are running simultaneously, each car will increment the lap count as it crosses the detector if the D143 Lap Counter is installed.

The autonomous car will automatically stop after ten seconds if there has been no throttle activity for all cars on the track. Depressing any throttle will restart the autonomous car. Autonomous car programming remains in place until either the car is recoded or the ON/OFF switch is actuated.

Performance

I have been running with the D143 wireless system installed in my NASCAR oval for over a month now. And while not a rabid fan of the plunger-type throttle control, the D143 wireless controller felt both comfortable and natural in my hand during operation. I have not had the opportunity to observe a youngster using the controller, however, my wife, who has quite small hands, did not experience any difficulty in operation when compared to the wired controller.

While running a variety of cars, including Carrera D143 and SCX Compact, I could not detect a difference in either throttle response or power band between the wireless and wired controllers. Lane changing is extremely reliable in the D143 system and does not appear to be diminished at all by the wireless system. Carrera specifies the operating range of the 2.4 GHz system to be up to 15 meters. The limits of the room that houses my track allowed me to stand about 16 feet away from the connecting section. I did not experience any performance degradation at this distance, which is much farther away than I would ever care to stand anyway.

The unique benefits of wireless controllers become obvious almost immediately: 

• The ability to position drivers anywhere around the track.
• Drivers’ new found mobility, allowing them to move around and especially to marshal a de-slotted car while holding on to the controller.
• The elimination of the annoying tangle of wires.

A Superior Product

In conclusion, if there is a downside to the Carrera Digital 143 Wireless System, I have not found it. It certainly is not any of the following:

• Price. The D143 Wireless System costs only a little more than half of its D132 “big brother” counterpart.
• Performance. I found overall response and performance to be at least as good as the wired controllers. And the operating range is excellent
• Functionality. Not only does the D143 wireless system provide all the obvious benefits of wireless operation, it also adds the autonomous car feature to D143!

Kudos go to Carrera for adding this jewel to the Digital 143 system. It raises the level of stock D143 racing measurably for the majority of users who do not have the time, skill or resources to enhance their system by modifying it with Digital 132 components.

Thanks to Brian at BRS Hobbies whose sponsorship and support made this article possible.

_Michael Ashton

Carrera Digital: Creating a Digital 132 Ghost Car for Digital 143 Racing

By Michael Ashton

A feature of Carrera’s Digital 132 system that would really be nice to have in Digital 143 is the autonomous or ghost car. This is where a digital car can be programmed to run around the track at a constant speed while changing lanes in a random fashion. A recent article in this blog described how to implement an autonomous car in Digital 143 without any modification to the car or system and with virtually no added expense. However the method presented then has two drawbacks:

1. Each autonomous car created with this method requires a dedicated controller.
2. Lane changing follows the current state of the lane change flipper, so it is really not random.

This article will describe how to implement an actual D132 autonomous car that will run at a constant speed, change lanes in a random fashion and not use up one of the three available controller ID’s on a D143 track. This will be accomplished by installing a D132 decoder chip in a D143 car. A D143 controller can control car assignment, speed and lane changing through a D132 decoder chip. Furthermore, the D132 autonomous car feature can be programmed and works with the D143 system just like D132.

The terms “autonomous” and “ghost” are used synonymously throughout this article. 

The following photo below shows the components required to create a D132 autonomous car for the D143 system:

• A Carrera D143 motor, SCX Compact motor or a motor with similar specifications (do not use a Carrera GO!!! motor for this application).† The motor shown is an SCX Compact motor. The crown and pinion gears are identical to those used by Carrera, so the SCX motor is ideal for this conversion.
• A Carrera D132 digital decoder chip. Shown below is the #26740 chip used in Formula 1 cars. It has the smallest space requirement and is, therefore, most suitable for 1/43rd scale conversions.
• A Carrera GO!!! or D143 car chassis with motor and electronics removed. Shown below is one of the latest Carrera 1/43rd scale NASCAR’s.

Before proceeding there are a few points that should be made clear:

• Removing the motor and/or digital chip assembly from a Carrera GO!!!/D143 car and installing a D132 chip in its place may void the Carrera warranty. Test the car thoroughly in its stock condition prior to any modifications.
• It is possible that the use of a D132 chip with a motor designed for 1/43rd scale cars could affect the motor over time. This could be due to the fact that the D132 pulse width modulation (PWM) frequency is 15,625 KHz or, roughly half of the D143 frequency of 30.8KHz. This has the potential to increase the operating temperature in the 1/43rd scale motors, however, there is no conclusive evidence of this from testing.
• † There is also speculation that the motor installed in GO!!! cars is not appropriate for digital operation, with either D132 or D143. There is some empirical evidence to support this concern, therefore, only D143 or SCX Compact (which have a history of success in these implementations) motors should be used in digital conversions.
• This installation is not particularly difficult, however, basic skill and knowledge of soldering, and its attendant safety issues, are required.

Once ready to proceed, the first thing that must be done is to examine the chassis and decoder chip to determine how best to fit the chip to the chassis. Ideally, the existing sensor hole and mounting chamber of the D143 chassis can be used. This will insure that the sensor on the D132 chip will be in the correct position for the D143 track.

The Installation

The following two photos illustrate the test fit of the D132 chip.

The first photo reveals two potential problem areas when the D132 chip is test fitted with the sensor placed in the mounting chamber. First is the front edge of the chip encroaching over the front body mount receptacle.  Second is the upper motor lead terminal blocking the chip from being recessed down around the motor.

The second photo depicts in a side view how the height of the D143 chip mounting post also prevents the D132 chip (and its sensor) from being properly recessed toward the chassis floor.

After a little more tinkering with the position of the chip in the chassis, it became apparent that the major obstacle to an acceptable installation was the D143 chip mounting post. It appeared that if the mounting post could be lowered, that the chip could be “tucked” under the upper motor lead terminal and angled slightly to fit around the motor. So, the mounting post was dealt with first.

The next photo shows how the mounting post is trimmed with a sharp hobby knife to the same height as the sensor chamber.

This is the only modification to the cassis, so the piece cut from the top can be saved in case the car needs to be returned to its stock condition. However, I think that a D143 chip can still be properly mounted, in spite of the lower mounting post.

Before soldering any of the decoder chip lead wires to the motor or chassis, it is essential to “tin” the exposed wire ends by applying a small amount of solder as shown below. This makes it easier to solder the leads to terminals and copper strips by allowing the solder in the tinned wire and the terminal to flow together.

I believe that the best approach is to solder the chip leads to the motor while it is removed from the chassis. Purple is attached to the positive terminal. Note that the wire that connects the positive terminal to the motor can is left in tact. The gray wire is soldered to the negative terminal. When soldering leads from these digital chips and especially with these smaller 1/43rd scale motors it is important to use a low wattage soldering iron and to try to apply minimum heat by working quickly. Note: make sure that the slider switch (located on the underside of the chip as seen in the following photo) is set to the driver side of the chassis (i.e., toward the sensor).

Now the motor may be installed in the chassis motor mount. To install the chip, with the chip held in front of the motor, first slide the trailing edge of the chip’s main body underneath the upper motor terminal (see the yellow arrow below) and then ease the sensor all the way down into the sensor chamber. The chip will probably need to be tilted down toward the passenger side to do this. Work slowly and gently. When seated properly, the chip will reside at an angle but will fit well within the edges of the chassis, and sitting flat. The good news is that, in this configuration, the front edge of the chip does not interfere with the front body mounting post, as highlighted by the red arrow. Now go ahead and solder the input leads to the guide terminals. Black to the positive (driver side) and red to the negative (passenger side). The finished installation is shown below.

The yellow arrow in the photo below shows a small strip of electrical tape used to insulate the surface of the chip where it is tucked under the upper motor terminal. The combination of the sensor residing inside the sensor chamber and the chip fitting snug under the motor terminal provides a very secure mounting of the chip.

Finally, check the orientation of the sensor in the mounting chamber through the hole in the cassis. It should look as depicted below.

The Setup

I recommend first programming the car to one of the three controller ID’s then running the car briefly to test throttle control and lane changing. The converted NASCAR worked fine. One thing that should be noted is that the D132 chipped car now has dynamic braking. With the full D132 system (Black Box or CU) the brakes are adjustable, however, this is not the case with the D132-chipped car running on a D143 track where the braking effect is always at maximum. The combination of strong brakes and high magnetic down force may not be desirable. Regardless, when used strictly as an autonomous car this is not really an issue.

To program the D132-chipped car for autonomous operation the steps are as follows:

1. Place the car — with no other cars — on the track.
2. Depress the lane change button on the speed controller two times in rapid succession.
3. Lift the front of the car (i.e., pickup braids) out of the slot.
4. Replace the front of the car into the slot.
5. Depress the lane change button on the speed controller four times in rapid succession.
6. Depress the throttle (plunger) until the desired speed is attained.
7. While maintaing the desired speed, depress the lane change button one time.
8. The car will now run at the selected constant speed and will change lanes randomly.

The following excerpt from the Carrera Digital 143 user guide depicts these steps (click to enlarge):

Try to set the speed so that the autonomous car can handle every curve while also not hesitating on the lane changers’ dead spots.

This definitely takes ghost car racing on a Carrera D143 track to the next level. The installation of the D132 decoder chip may be more than some casual users will care to attempt because it does require a basic level of soldering skill. However, I can attest to the fact that a relatively small amount of time and effort will yield an enormous reward of racing versatility and fun. Especially for the “solo” racer.

Thanks to Brian at BRS Hobbies for providing the resources to make this article possible.

Note: Just prior to publication Carrera released the 42013 Wireless Digital 143 2.4 GHz Controllers (and power base). These controllers allow any D143 car to be programmed for autonomous operation, including random lane changing. Each autonomous car requires a controller. A future article in this blog will cover this product. — Ed.

_Michael Ashton