295 replies to this topic

[Ron Hershman]

I was told it is a American but I think you are right there is a picture of it here > http://www.raceplaceinfo.com/

That's the "real deal"........

[Joe Mig]

If the Hillclimb is home made, they knocked off an American really well...................

That's the "real deal"........

That is what I thought but if you look at it closely you can see some slight differences from the pitcher on the first page of this furm. There are two pictures in the Race Place link you just have too click on the photo of the track. Look at the cross over by the bank and you will see what I'm talking about . On the photo the first page of this furm the turn after the cross over is touching the bank and it is not on the RP photo. Tell me what you think. Real or not I really enjoy running on that track and I think red is the best lane.

[JohnnySlotcar]

Looks just like the Springfield, il. track in 1968, complete with the "economy" model formica sides.Drivers panel also matches the 1968 one.

[Rick]

I think it's Genuine American. I bought one of those that had been in storage for 20+ years and the top crossover did not fit worth a damn, took a lot of tweaking to get it to fit correctly. I always thought they were fun to race too, but made the marshalls crazy with red going from normal outside to inside. LOL Drivers station looks correct , paneling sides, which look in very nice condition, look correct. I never saw a Premium Hillclimb(formica), only Paneling sides. Look on the bottom of the track, it will have stencil numbers and letters for track sections and may even still have the buss hookups for the steering wheels? I bet it says 135 under there. In one of the acess holes there may still be a Dymo stencil stapled on, giving number of the track.................

[Gator Bob]

I may stand corrected that the Farmingdale, NJ track is a real vintage Aristocrat Economy.

[Gator Bob]

In the '90s there was a short-lived slot raceway on RT-9 southbound in Howell, NJ.

[Ron Hershman]

That is what I thought but if you look at it closely you can see some slight differences from the pitcher on the first page of this furm. There are two pictures in the Race Place link you just have too click on the photo of the track. Look at the cross over by the bank and you will see what I'm talking about . On the photo the first page of this furm the turn after the cross over is touching the bank and it is not on the RP photo. Tell me what you think. Real or not I really enjoy running on that track and I think red is the best lane.

I visited The Race Place back in 1992.........then it was an ALL original "Hillclimb". Now if I remember correctly.... a few years later there was a fire at the "complex" where the track was at the flea market and the track was water damaged and some sections may have been rebuilt.

Looking at the pics...... to me it looks pretty much original and they could be really old pics.... I would have to see it in person or better pics to know. But looking at the two pics..... the computer monitors are different colors and in different locations in the infield right in front of the drivers panel. I think they are two different pics taken at different times.

Next time you are there, look underneath the track sections you think are different and see if it's "double deck" construction and if there are any "American" stampings on the bottom of the sections. If it's single deck and no stampings..... it's not original.

Yes Red lane could be the "fast" way around an American Hillclimb.

[Postal]

The old tracks with the steering wheels, how did that work? What were the steering wheels for?

[Gary Adams]

Hi Tom. Those steering wheel tracks were also equipped with foot-operated accelerator pedals. If, while running your car on the track, you did not turn the steering wheel the proper amount to negotiate the turn in the track, power was interrupted to your lane until such time as you turned the wheel enough to complete the turn.

[Champion 507]

Hi Tom,

Check this out:

[Martin]

Still looking for any pics or just someone that raced at Hounslow Raceway in England 68 to 70. I would love to see how it looked compared to my memories of that epic track. Good times.

[Rickard Five]

I Do know there was an Original NOS Purple mile in Midland / Odessa Texas, The story goes Doc Bought it on close out from American and Never set it up. I don't know what ever became of that track, But I BET John Ford does! he knew Doc and that track, I only got out there 2-3 times back years ago.

[Ron Hershman]

I Do know there was an Original NOS Purple mile in Midland / Odessa Texas, The story goes Doc Bought it on close out from American and Never set it up. I don't know what ever became of that track, But I BET John Ford does! he knew Doc and that track, I only got out there 2-3 times back years ago.

Here you go..... I believe this is the track you speak of

http://slotblog.net/...ves-in-ashland/

[Rickard Five]

Ron I've seen Pictures of a Purple Mile, I've sen Doc's in Pieces, I've even had those kind of Dreams about driving on one. Now I'm gona sell everything I own to get to Ashland, MA to actually Drive on one, I might have to move to Ashland, MA to be close to it

[Bill from NH]

Rickard, 43 years ago, I lived in that very same Ashland neighborhood. There wasn't any Purple Mile there in those days, but there was a nice golf driving range, batting cages, & a dairy herd with a huge barn. Five miles down the road in Framingham was Modelville which then owned another Purple Mile, an American Orange, & a Windsor.

[Ron Hershman]

Here is a pic of a "real" AMF track that was built after American closed their doors and production shifted to the AMF factory in England.

There was only one of these made in England and was in operation for a short time.

[Daytonaman]

When were the first American tracks built, and which model was first released?

[don.siegel]

You know, that's a very good question, and one I've been asking myself!

I had the impression they were around for a long time, and everywhere, but in fact...

The first mention I find in the model car magazines is roughly half page ad in the January 1965 issue of Rod & Custom Models: "Cash In on Commercial Model Car Racing Centers." It shows the flat Black, the Orange and a smaller one I don't remember the name of (simple 80 footer I think).

By the end of 1966, bascially no more ads, although it may have shifted to AMF in Europe... and they were still being talked about in England.

I'll have to check the trade press to see if there are earlier mentions: seems they got started in 1964, and I think Philippe has even talked about 1963...

Don

PS: just looked at my trade magazines - Toys & Novelties and Model, Craft & Hobby Industry - and the earliest ad there is also from January 1965 (although I don't have complete issues from 64). There was also an article in Feb 1965 on slot car racing sales, which said that it was a $100 million business in 1964, expected to grow to $170 million in 1965, and that there were 600 commercial raceways at the end of 1964, guesstimated to grow to 3,000 by the end of 1965! Is that where we get that off-quoted figure of 3,000?

[Gator Bob]

In the 90's there was a short lived slot raceway on RT-9 southbound in Howell, NJ.

Oops, Just remembered the name - Z&R Raceway

[Pete L.]

Bob,

A fellow named "Ziggy" and Richie Buck ran the place, I raced the Hillclimb a few times as well as the oval. I was lucky enough to win a pair of races on the oval and still have the win stickers on the inside of my box lid... I'll try to get a pic on here on day.

I also got a third and a small trophy that I still have in a truck race on the yellow track. I believe it had the "squiggels" on one of the straights. I also have one of the track sweat shirts with the logo on it. I really liked the place and the guys I raced with...

[Gator Bob]

Pete, is Richie Buck related to Ronnie Buck in Farmingdale? I went in the a couple of times with Nick when he was a kid, The owners were not very receptive to new comers.

Did those guys have the track upstairs at the Flea market on RT 9N in Howell before Z&R opened?

Glad you had some great wins and lots of good memories from there. Very cool, you might have been racing the night we came in to play.

[Pete L.]

Bob,

Let's not get the wrong idea, they weren't "great wins" by any means... it was towards the end of their operation any only a few folks would show up.

Yes, Richie is related to Ronnie Buck, I'm pretty sure they're brothers.

And yes, it was the same guys that had the Rt. 9 Flea Market place.

[Rusty Pinion]

Oh yeah... I ran many a lap on a yellow here locally with the "esses"... I love those things. Damn... to have a time machine and be a kid again... LOL.

[917-30]

We had one of those American Yellows (with the esses) for a short time in the mid-80's, in Seneca Falls, NY. It was fun getting out my cars from 1971, though only for a few times. There had been a raceway in the same town back in the mid-60's, called Ridge Runners Raceway (I had to go back to the old Car Model raceway list to remember the name). I was into HO then, so I only looked through the window once - I believe it was a figure 8, but I'm not sure. I remember hearing guys at school talking about Candies tires being the hot setup.

 

There was at least one track in Syracuse, NY back then (Miniature Grand Prix Of Westvale) in a shopping center, which lasted quite a few years. Anyone here remember it? Rochester has had numerous tracks over the years, with two as recently as (I think) 2000. I remember a Red, an Aristocrat, and a nice Blue King. Roger at Fantasy Raceways sold the King when he moved to a smaller building quite a few years ago, but he's the lone survivor in the western NY area (thank goodness!), with a very nice Hasse hillclimb. I believe there's a relatively new track in Fulton, NY (an hour or so in the opposite direction), but I don't know anything about it (yet).

 

I also remember racing at a track in Ithaca, partly owned by a Cornell professor (I think), that was located on the 2nd or 3rd floor in an old brick sail manufacturing building that's still there as you drive into the city from the north. I've often wondered what happened to the tracks, which were an Aristocrat (lots of fun - loved those crossovers) and (maybe) a Black. Back then (1969-71) I had to talk my father into giving up his sunday afternoon to drive us an hour each way to any of these places (the other boy's fathers were usually "too busy" - thanks, Dad). Again according to the Car Model list there were two raceways in Ithaca, but the 2nd was probably closed by that time. Anyone out there familiar with any of these upstate New York tracks?

 

George Foster

[Gator Bob]

Great memories and thanks for sharing them.