36 replies to this topic

[One_Track_Mind]

Hello Everyone,

Wondering If someone could shed some light into what is missing from this car.
Is it worth trying to re-store? or sell it As IS?
Any collector value? or merely more junk adding into my collection?

The car is about 12" long and 4" wide, with a wheelbase of about 7.5" long.

Thank you in advance for all your help.

[Joe Mig]

It looks like it is missing the Glow plug it is a Cox .049 engine and you should be able to get one.
The new Autoworld is working on a remake of the Vega Funnycar for us to play with.

[Jairus]

Brian, do you have the box too? (hope, hope, hope)

Looks like the parachute is not there along with the plastic cap that covers the 'chute. Plus the afore-mentioned head with glow-plug. Any hobby shop that sells model airplanes will be able to help you with that piece. Get the wrench too while you are at it. Parachute and cap will be nearly impossible to find.... unless you wait for the Autoworld re-pop.

To answer your question, yes it is worth something because it looks in very good shape! What it is worth, I cannot tell you for sure. A collector would will pay a many hundreds if it is rare but there will be only few buyers overall in my opinion. Once Autoworld releases the Vega... all bets are off. Or... it could generate a bunch of nostalgia for those who had the Pinto.

I would clean it up and get a head for it. Then wait to see what interest is generated over the Vega.

[TSR]

I am one of the project engineers that designed and worked on this thing, first issued in 1974 with a different color scheme. I believe that this version is from the 1977 catalog. In my opinion, it is not worth doing anything other than adding a new/used cylinder head, because it has been used (at least fired if not actually run), and for Cox gas-car collectors, anything that had that corrosive fuel in it has very low value. Without the head on top of the motor, it is likely that the cyinder/piston/ rod assembly is shot.
I would sell as-is and hope that two guys need some of the trim pieces missing on their own unused examples so that the sale price rises a bit.
A few years ago, a mint and boxed example in a mint box sold on E-pay for $1200.00. Things have changed, as prices for such items have crashed in recent years as the limited number of Cox gas-car collectors now has their shelves filled and the collectors with deep pocket are gone from the market.

[Lone Wolf]

Brian, Go to ebay advanced search, enter Cox Pinto Funny Car and click the completed auction box. This will give an idea of the current value. I would say a value between $75 and $100. I put a link in but I'm not sure it will get you there. Joe

http://completed.sho...v...g=50&_rdc=1

[idare2bdul]

If you can get an original Cox head for it and the motor has decent compression putting, "all original good, good compression," will get you more bucks. Clean, shiny and good pictures and a description that uses a thourough description will up your chances for getting the most money for your Ebay item.

Getting it signed by the designer may or may not improve it's value.

[Prof. Fate]

Hi

Again, just curiosity, P, in this period I have seen 049s with single and twin port, and heads in normal and "high compression"(crinkling on the top). Which version did Cox put in this car?

Fate

[TSR]

At that time it should have been a standard two-transfer ports, two-exhaust ports job with lower compression than model airplane engines and more low-end torque to get it off the line. Of course it has been many years and I was mostly involved in the aesthetic part of it at the time, so I can only speculate. Note that it is fitted with an adjustable "silencer" to reduce the obnoxious racket these things use to spit out as well as a good part of their unburned fuel...

[Mark Misegadis]

In the 70's (75.. if Bob Unser won Indy that year as he was there) The World of Wheels car show in Pueblo Colorado at the fairgrounds would have a track set up for these. During the carshow that ran 3-4 days there would the the constant sound of races pairing up. I had never seen these before and we spent most of the weekend up there watching along with all the other kids. Someone had handbuilt a rail that would just walk from everything. (I want to say it was welding rod with a hand formed aluminum body)

Track was plywood painted white with a guide wire that sat on the concrete floor. In the shutdown area there was a pillow and the catchers would apply pressure on the rear wheels until they stalled the motor.

Always wanted one of these as well as Tether cars. I ran into the Tether cars last year while hunting slot car stuff. Still dont have any of the drag cars yet.

I'm with everyone else here..its cool. Interesting PDL that you had a hand in on these.

What is that I read earlier that they are going to be released again? Estes the rocket Company in Penrose Colo bought out Cox years ago and then ran what was left of it into the ground.

Mark

[Jairus]

Note that it is fitted with an adjustable "silencer" to reduce the obnoxious racket these things use to spit out as well as a good part of their unburned fuel...

Actually, that is the shut off. It is activated by the string line the car drives down, which ultimately is suppose to close the exhaust port thusly shutting down the engine with back-pressure. The string would have a knot at the end which accomplishes this... otherwise it would go and go and go until the fuel ran out or it hit something.

[idare2bdul]

I'm not sure who owns Cox these days but they are marketing an inexpensive line of electric radio control airplanes that are pretty popular and still sell the control line planes. I don't think I've seen a Cox car of late.

The RC planes barely look like the plane they are supposed to represent.

Disneyland used to have a big control line area for demonstrations and a tent with their products to sell after the display. They would invite kids to fly their planes. If all went well they would sell a lot of planes. If some kid crashed if the plane didn't get damaged much they would still sell OK. If the plane really seiously crashed the crowd would kind of sigh and walk off with almost nobody buying anything. They asked me if I knew how to fly and I said yes and told them the two planes I had. I got to be a demo pilot. They obviously did not understand my sense of humor.

I bought 2 of the control line planes for my kid but about the same time I got into RC so he never flew the control line planes. I guess I will have to Ebay them.

[Prof. Fate]

Hi

Mark, the rumor in model airplane circles is that then new company isn't going to re-release / remake the motors. After Cox was sold to AMF in the late 70s, parts got really scarse. I knew someone who worked in the whareghouse where things got sotred, and aquired a stash of 15 and .010 heads.

NOW, I was recently given a contact for the nuts who bught the supplies still extent. One problem is that the follow on builds of the 90s were not up to snuff in the quality department. I only casually fly these motors, but some of my friends are obsessed with them. And whning about it!

Nothing lasts forever.

Fate

[Mark Misegadis]

http://www.70sfunnyc...m/Remember.html

Check this link halfway down the page for the Cox Funny car picture. Of course you will get stuck on the way down as I did.

[TSR]

Indeed...



Those were the days.

[One_Track_Mind]

All this talk about made me take it apart!


broken steering wheel one side.



The rear pan.


The piece of metal slides back and forth.






Would some sort of knob go on top of the brass adjustment screw? I'm guessing this is the carb.screw?


Nice wheel detail, with acorn nut.


Hand painted Pinto.

I would clean it up and get a head for it.

Would I use just plain water and some mild dish soap? maybe a soft brush and blow dry with air?

Brian, Go to ebay advanced search, enter Cox Pinto Funny Car

Thanks Joe, the link worked after I signed onto E-bay.

Without the head on top of the motor, it is likely that the cylinder/piston/rod assembly is shot.

Surprising the motor did turn over, of course after I lubricated the piston and sleeve with some marvel mystery oil. just to be somewhat safe.

Thank you All, again for the info.

[Jairus]

Brian, here is a picture of the test shot for the Vega. Looks like some parts are missing.... but, yes a thumb fitting is suppose to be on top of the carb screw.


A few more pic's here.

[Mark Misegadis]

Jairus.. Since your hooked in with these folks.. you let them know that there would be 1 sold here and another 2 houses down.

Heard of the Kenz & Leslie cars... ? Well 2 doors down is one of the Leslie relatives. Gearhead through and through. We have been flying control line in the summers recently. We have talked about these cars. Oh Yeah!


Mark

[TSR]

My Kenz and Leslie "Wynn's Special" friction toy:

[Mark Misegadis]

Talked to my neighbor Rich this morning about this model Philippe. He was loading up to run the dirt bike around the mountains on a day off. He will be coming over this evening to see this picture. Thanks for posting this.

I have a book that shows this car on stands at the flats with an inspection cover off of the bottom and a crew members head inserted through the opening.

Mark

[Prof. Fate]

Hi

It looks like the motor has a lot in common with the ready to fly motors from the early 80s. that might be a good source to check out at yard sales and swap meets.

Fate

[proptop]

Most of the car engines came with a hotter glow head...it has a W shaped element. They are difficult to find now days, but a standard (part # 325) "low compression" glow head will work fine.
The "High compression" glow heads have knurling around the stem. (and are part #1702 IIRC)

You can use fuel to clean the engine...you want "1/2A" fuel for Cox engines if you're gonna run it Brian. Cox engines have a steel rod running on a steel crank and a steel piston running in a leaded steel cylinder...so Cox engines require a fuel with a high % of CASTOR oil. Around 25% oil content and 20 to 30% nitro.

Cox itself officially went out of business in Feb. of this year...
Estes had it for a while, starting in 1996, but I guess it's over and done now.

There was a LOT of inventory that was sold to several different vendors..."xenalook", and "engine 049" are a couple (on ebay) that immediately come to mind... "vintage glow engines" and "coxmania" are a couple more.

Here's a place to check out for additional info on Cox engines, etc.
http://www.rcunivers...rumid_70/tt.htm
Right at the top is a sticky w/ lots of info on "reedies"

I recently aquired a couple of Cox Gurney Eagles...both the red and the blue versions...
Dokk...did you have anything to do with those?

[TSR]

More damage by yours truly...

[Jerry Ward]

Hi maybe you guy's can help me out here. I got my son back in 1977 when he was born a Testors plane that is called the Gallax IX .It has never been out of the box has the .049 engine and the no. one box is no.4920 lools like a star ship. Just woundered what it is worth . Never seen one like on e-bay or anywhere else. Got it at a K-mart remerber that.Pretty cool looking thing Jerry

[TSR]

Well, according to this retailer, a mint, new example is... $175.00.


To order: email Swapsale@aol.com



Galax IX, spaceship (1979 copyright), complete with working engine, never flown. Like new -- $175

[Jerry Ward]

Well, according to this retailer, a mint, new example is... $175.00.


To order: email Swapsale@aol.com



Galax IX, spaceship (1979 copyright), complete with working engine, never flown. Like new -- $175

Cool got the one on the right and it is mint in the box ...thanks Jerry