Best Way to Live in the Past

Life’s too dreary now that we’re all living in the past and there hasn’t been a new video game issued in years. The survivors need something to kill the time that’s a decent analogy to sex. Even the name “slot” cars suggests a pretty good time. Slot cars made by manufacturers like Aurora, Scalextric and Tyco were a huge, old-school obsession with American boys, but they never really died out.

The thing guys love about slot cars is that these things really fly around the track, powered by real electric motors that you directly control. Even a little kid can pull it off, and the cars themselves are highly collectible. The old Batmobile and Green Hornet are among the most sought-after, though if you can buy a set of Aurora 132 trikes, buy those.

Besides eBay, where you can find about 2,800 listings each week for collectible slot cars, hot track, landscaping and other special items, there’s a well-stocked little spot in Burbank. Victory Station, owned by a laid-back bunch, offers 1/32 and HO slot cars, model trains, vintage and new die-cast automobiles and airplanes in every scale (meaning every size). You can get a great little Cobra priced at $14 and up, or some good used track at $1 and up per piece.

1309 W. Magnolia Blvd., Burbank, (818) 842-4503 .