27 replies to this topic

[edscars]

Going through my cars in the last couple of days I came up with these three vintage rail dragsters I don't know the brands of. The green anodized aluminum one has the rear axle just floating loosely the the axle tube holder. Not sure what's supposed to go in there to hold it all together, whether it be bronze type axle bearing holders, or ball bearings, or what. Also the guide flag is missing, so if a particular one is supposed to go with this one, please share what you know.

 

 

 

 

The second one is a chrome plated heavy steel bodied one:

 

 

 

The last one is a magnesium rail chassis with an unusual to me twisted style motor.  Armature has both green and copper colored windings. This one has ball bearings for all the wheels, and beveled brass gears giving a very smooth gear train.

 

 

 

 

[Bugeye]

Ed,

 

The first two are made by International. The green one has a non-stock bracket

[don.siegel]

The green one is an International - hard to find, congrats on that one! One of the big three with Russkit and K&B, but the scarcest. However, on closer inspection, the back end is not the International, but one of the brass assemblies offered by a couple different companies, such as Speedway. 

 

Not sure about the second one, but I suspect it's a more modern repro of the old-style rail dragsters. Either patterned on the International, or maybe even a different version of the International. 

 

Third one is a scratchbuilt magnesium dragster. The motor is a Tradeship MK-70 with adjustable timing and a 7-pole arm. Nice looking dragster. 

 

Don 

 

PS: our messages crossed Bugeye, thanks for the info on the second chassis, an International after all. 

[Lone Wolf]

Yes, the first two are International. 

 

They are both made of aluminum.

 

The green one has an aftermarket rear axle carrier that will take standard 1/4" O.D. bearings/oilites.

 

The silver one has the original rear axle carrier that is a little flimsy in design and is often replaced.

 

Both motors appear to be big Pittmans. 

 

Not sure of the original guide supplied, would have to dig through some stuff.

 

Third one appears to be homemade from magnesium.

 

Can't say for sure.

 

Motor is a Tradeship which was kind of a dud in my opinion but your opinion may vary.

 

These rails are very desirable.

 

Make sure you do your research if you are going to part with them.

 

Joe

[don.siegel]

Here's my own International dragster. I've left it as found, with the dual gears and the wing. 

Don 

 

 

 

[edscars]

Thanks for all the quick info Rob, Joe and Don. I don't plan on parting with them, it took half a lifetime to find them   I'll try to use some standard bronze type bearings for the green one, thanks Joe.  And you're right about the shiney chrome rail being aluminum. It felt so heavy so assumed steel, but it's non-magnetic.  Most of that heavy weight comes from the motor itself.  Yeah I'd never seen that motor before on the magnesium rail, and have never even tried running it to know if it's slow or what.  Cool to see the rear wing and driver Don.  I couldn't find any of these posted on the LASCM site, so had no idea on the brands.

[don.siegel]

The LASCM site has only posted a fraction of what they have - it's a never-ending job, and I have the feeling it's kind of on hold for now. 

 

You can also check out Philippe's book, Slot Car Dreams, the motor is in there, but, curiously enough, he doesn't mention the International dragster. 

 

Don 

[zipper]

The LASCM site has only posted a fraction of what they have - it's a never-ending job, and I have the feeling it's kind of on hold for now. 

 

You can also check out Philippe's book, Slot Car Dreams, the motor is in there, but, curiously enough, he doesn't mention the International dragster. 

 

Don 

Yes, I think the latest overhaul did leave much out which vas available earlier. Or I can't find....

[Paul Menkens]

The open frame motors look like they are Strombecker Destroyers, see page 107 of the Technical Journal

[Martin]

I'll throw my hat in the ring, this what I have in the collection.

 

Paul I think they are Pittmans DC-65 motors at least I am pretty sure mine are ?

 

Now corrected to DC-85. Thanks for the info.

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[Slot Car Rod]

My Dodge convertible.  Large Ram 857 motor with green axle bracket.

[edscars]

Nice looking blue dragster Martin, which looks like it must be the Russkit Eliminator. I think the K&B dragster was all bare metal color. I don't know of any other vintage rail dragster brands.

[edscars]

Great looking custom Rod. Never saw those lighter green front chassis parts before.

[Martin]

Ed, I think that the 3 are, Russkit, International and K&B.

I have yet to find a K&B dragster.

Here is a couple of pics of the elusive dragster.

 

Rodney, I am not well versed in padlock motors. Are Ram and Pittman related? They look similar to me.

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[Paul Menkens]

I'll throw my hat in the ring, this what I have in the collection.

 

Paul I think they are Pittmans DC-65 motors at least I am pretty sure mine are ?

l just blew up your pics and compared them, they look identical to both the Pittman DC65 and the Strombecker Destroyer, we may both be right, Pittman made motors for several companies back in the day, including PFM and other brass loco companies and Bowser, who bought the tooling when Pittman decided to get out of the model motor market, or maybe the Strombecker is a copy. 

[don.siegel]

The Strombecker is a clone made in Japan; easiest way to tell is their red epoxy! 

 

Got some extra details from a buddy: the first dragster is indeed powered by a Pittman DC65A and has a Speedway rear end, and the Second International dragster is powered by a Strombecker Destroyer, indicated by the brush insulators and swedged carbons on the brush arms. He also defended the Tradeship motor, since he's got a dragster with one that turned a 1.16 E.T.!

 

Ram copied Pittman motors, because they were the most successful at the time, but they're two distinct companies, Pittman out of Sellersville PA and Ram out of Chicago. Ram motors quickly became the favorites on dragstrips, starting with just an arm, then complete motors. They mostly featured 7-pole arms and welded coms, as opposed to 5 poles and soldered coms on the Pittmans. The Ram motors never really got any traction on road courses, and by the time they came out, the cans were coming! 

 

Here's a group portrait of the laminated pole motors: 

 

 

Don 

 

 

 

[edscars]

Great added info Don, thanks to you and your buddy.

[Flathead]

I'll throw my hat in the ring, this what I have in the collection.
 
Paul I think they are Pittmans DC-65 motors at least I am pretty sure mine are ?

They are both DC85 Martin the DC65 is smaller and narrower with a different brush pivot arrangement.

[don.siegel]

Lee, I'm pretty sure that first one on the green dragster is a DC65, as claimed above - it does have a different brush arrangement, and also doesn't fill up the whole mounting part on the front chassis, which looks like it has holes for both the DC65 and 85 size motors. 

 

Don 

[Flathead]

Lee, I'm pretty sure that first one on the green dragster is a DC65, as claimed above - it does have a different brush arrangement, and also doesn't fill up the whole mounting part on the front chassis, which looks like it has holes for both the DC65 and 85 size motors. 
 


Don 

Sorry for the confusion Don, I was replying to Martins comment & photo of HIS Russkit & International dragsters that he posted in his reply.

[edscars]

Yes, that straightens that out. My 2 International dragsters have different sized motors. Sounds like you're both saying that my green rail has a DC-65 and the chrome finish rail has a DC-85, and that Martin's are both DC-85s.

[Flathead]

Yep green rail DC65, silver rail DC85, mag frame Tradeship mk70. Don't write the Tradeship off as a dud until you've tried it as there were both 12v and 6v versions and arms were available separately.

[don.siegel]

Even the 12V version is theoretically a 20K with torque, so should be decent enough, especially on more than 12V... 

 

My buddy identifies the silver rail motor as a Strombecker Destroyer - must admit I couldn't see enough detail to make a positive ID - I always check for the red epoxy, that's easy! 

 

Don 

[edscars]

Yes Don, mine has red epoxy so it sounds like that makes it a Destroyer motor.

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[Flathead]

That was very well spotted by your pal from the original photo Don 👏👏