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Backmarker
Posted 27 December 2022 - 01:10 PM
This is a well know Texaco formula 1 ( may be a Vanwall copy) ( In the model in the photo the traction mode has been changed, using the classic crown and pinion) 
This is another 1/24 slotacar reproducing a Ford GT with a different chassis but with the same traction method....
The last picture , in the right shows a 1/32 similar chassis
Who can help with more infos about this producer ?? Never seen on ebay or other websites....
Grand Champion Poster
Posted 27 December 2022 - 01:27 PM
Rick,
In fact, there's already a lot of info on this company in the various forums and of course in the "Slot Car Dreams" book by Philippe de Lespinay.
It's one of my favorite brands and I've shared what information I've found about it in various places.
The company is Grand Prix, Inc. of Phoenix Arizona and the slot car brand is King F/D, for friction drive.
For instance:
https://www.slotforu...3/#post-2370181
https://www.slotforu...59/#post-885390
https://www.slotforu...4/#post-2170277
http://slotblog.net/...l-slot-car-kit/
https://slot-retro-f...-GRAND-PRIX.htm
Don
Grand Champion Poster
Posted 27 December 2022 - 01:31 PM
And this is the 1/32 car I ran at Roncole Verdi this year... recognize it?
Slightly modified, but the 1/32 cars, at least, are good runners - and very smooth! What's fun is that nobody understands why they don't make any noise...
Backmarker
Posted 27 December 2022 - 01:47 PM
Right Don ! I forgot....
Posting Leader
Posted 27 December 2022 - 02:01 PM
Pretty cool car! I wasn't familiar with it.
Grand Champion Poster
Posted 27 December 2022 - 02:07 PM
AJ's had a set screw (.093" shaft ??) friction drive pinion.
Our local raceway was no glue in it's early years, so with silicone rears, I seem to remember it worked OK.
I can remember the worn strip on the inside of my Cox hard compound silicones.
Mike Swiss
Inventor of the Low CG guide flag 4/20/18
IRRA® Components Committee Chairman
Five-time USRA National Champion (two G7, one G27, two G7 Senior)
Two-time G7 World Champion (1988, 1990), eight G7 main appearances
Eight-time G7 King track single lap world record holder
17B West Ogden Ave., Westmont, IL 60559, (708) 203-8003, mikeswiss86@hotmail.com (also my PayPal address)
Note: Send all USPS packages and mail to: 692 Citadel Drive, Westmont, Illinois 60559
Grand Champion Poster
Posted 27 December 2022 - 02:49 PM
Right you are Mike, the Demon Drive from AJ's - came in both shaft sizes, maybe in all three, .078, .091 and .093 - but not sure about the latter.
I think it was Ray Gardner in his column who said it was the thing to have at his big home raceway in Indianapolis - for about 4 months!
I don't think these cars were ever widely distributed - the only reason I heard about them at the time was the big RTR article in Rod & Custom, January 66. And I never saw the Texaco Vanwall at the time, or even heard about it... wonder where that was distributed too? Maybe only in the West.
Grand Champion Poster
Posted 27 December 2022 - 03:09 PM
Mike Swiss
Inventor of the Low CG guide flag 4/20/18
IRRA® Components Committee Chairman
Five-time USRA National Champion (two G7, one G27, two G7 Senior)
Two-time G7 World Champion (1988, 1990), eight G7 main appearances
Eight-time G7 King track single lap world record holder
17B West Ogden Ave., Westmont, IL 60559, (708) 203-8003, mikeswiss86@hotmail.com (also my PayPal address)
Note: Send all USPS packages and mail to: 692 Citadel Drive, Westmont, Illinois 60559
Grand Champion Poster
Posted 27 December 2022 - 03:50 PM
.091 Mike, the American equivalent of some metric measurement, I think 2.3mm
.078 is 2mm
and .093 is 3/32, good old American shafts...
Hmm, just looked up AJ's Demon Drive ads. Very odd. Both the article on them in MCS and the ads in Car Model (Feb, Mar, April 67) say they come in three diameters for .093 shafts - but the article only shows 36D motors and the ad has an illustration of a Globe/Versitec motor/chassis, which was a 1/8" shaft.
So they might have gotten their shaft sizes slightly confused - I assume it was mostly for the 36D motors, altho these motors were on their way out by 1967... And those two shaft sizes were often confused, altho they're really different, even if just by a couple thou.
The Demon Drives were also silicone, which figures for AJ's.
The King F/D method on the smaller cars, with a couple small rubber washers on the pinion, works fine.
Don
