11 replies to this topic

[Don Wedding]

I found this over the weekend at our local flea market sitting with a bunch of model cars. I asked what he wanted and was told 8 dollars. I offered 5 dollars and he took me up on it.

Looks like it would be a fun car to fix and run on our local track just for laughs because I do not think the design will allow speed or handling.

Has anyone run one of these monsters around a track, and what kind of performance did you encounter? Does anyone have a motor and chassis parts to complete this relic?

What was Monogram thinking when they added this luxury liner and the Mercedes-Benz 540K?

Maybe Dokk can add some history about these two cars.

[TSR]

Hi Don,

First, any part missing from the whole series of Monogram's 1964 slot car line can be obtained from their many-time re-issued model kits.

Second, what were they thinking is better left to the time period in which these models were issued. The Mercedes-Benz 540K was actually extremely popular due to the first "neo-classic", Brooks Stevens-designed "Excalibur", a fiberglass mock of the original pre-war Mercedes "SS" stuck on a GM chassis.

The Duesenberg had also been popularized by various stories in period magazines as the real thing was being restored and appreciated after nearly 25 years of utter neglect.

Third, the Monogram models are actually quite fun to drive as long as you remember that they will tilt when pushed, simply because their roll center is quite high. Of course the implications are that of a myriad of small bits all over the track and on the floor.

All these were sold as kits and there are variations in motors and packaging as you will read in my new book that is nearing completion.
The other 1/24 scale kits in the original series are of a 1934 and 1936 Ford coupes, as well as a 1955 Chevrolet BelAir and a 1957 Ford T-Bird, actually the hardest one to find as a mint kit, that itself had two distinct forms of packaging. All showcase what was then, some of the finest injection molding kits ever produced, to this day.

While the kits do bring a serious penny, used examples are still relatively abundant and much less expensive, but 5 bucks for any in any condition is certainly hard to beat!

NOTE: to better fill the front fender and have the right "look", you need to extend the chassis a bit more if there is any adjustment left.

The LASCM has been able to acquire the actual original painting for the kit box, a splendid work of art.

[Gary Bluestone]

The '57 T-Bird is impossible to find because Monogram never made one. They did however make a '58 T Bird (Squarebird) slot car which is tough to find. Let's not forget the beautiful 1940 Ford Pickup Truck slot car, in the same series.

What Monogram was thinking was that they already had molds made for these static kits and they are beautiful. They are great fun to race, however Monogram wisely decided to delete the bumpers on the slots since they were too fragile. On the Duesenburg the protrusions in front of the rad are the first things to bend or break, this is where the body was meant to cover the leaf springs.

Your chassis is the first issue, meant for the 16D motor but your front motor mount is butchered and the rear is missing. I have mounted a few Slot Works 16Ds in these types of chassis and they are actually too good, when compared to the originals or the 36D versions. The guide flag is meant to go behind the axle on the Duesenburg, and the original Monogram guide works best.

Race it, enjoy it, and don't worry about breaking anything off, this rarely if ever happens unless you are racing with careless slobs, and rest assured that a tube of plastic glue will last a lifetime.

[Pete L.]

Fellas,

One of many projects awaiting completion includes the Monogram '55 Chevy. I decided that the Badman body was keeping with the spirit of the original kit in that it's molded in yellow. Strangly enough, the box art shows that the rear wheel wells are reduced on the slot car box. But the actual body included in the kit is not, however the Badman body does have the wheel wells cut ? Go figure...

The clear hood scoop will be painted as close to the molded color yellow as possible.

The grille and clear glass I obtained from the black molded version of the car. The front bumper poses a slight concern in that I can't decide which of the many '55 Chevy kits out there would be the best choice. Any ideas?

[TSR]

The '57 T-Bird is impossible to find because Monogram never made one. They did however make a '58 T-Bird (Squarebird) slot car which is tough to find.

Gary, my error of course, it is a '58!

The '40 Ford Pickup is also an omission and it was of course part of the initial series. The very first series with the X100 motors (Mabuchi FT16) are tough to get, while the later 1965 X200 (Mabuchi FT36) series are much easier to find.

[Gary Bluestone]

Just don't want these errors to sneak into the new book.

I also wrote about the front half of the X100 chassis being the same part as the front half of X200 chassis only that it was chopped off and re-bent and the slots were milled out to align with the later chassis. If you need photos let me know.

[Gary Bluestone]

One of many projects awaiting completion includes the Monogram '55 Chevy. I decided that the Badman body was keeping with the spirit of the original kit in that it's molded in yellow. Strangly enough, the box art shows that the rear wheel wells are reduced on the slot car box. But the actual body included in the kit is not, however the Badman body does have the wheel wells cut? Go figure...
The clear hood scoop will be painted as close to the molded color yellow as possible.
The grille and clear glass I obtained from the Black molded version of the car. The front bumper poses a slight concern in that I can't decide which of the many '55 Chevy kits out there would be the best choice. Any ideas?

The solution is surprisingly simple and cheap. Take the rear bumper from any issue of the 1/24 scale Monogram '55 Chevy and use it on the front of the Badman. I did this at least ten years ago and nobody has ever noticed. I also stuck a blower up through the hood instead of using the scoop.

It is true that the original slot had full wheel wells yet the box shows them cut out. Artistic license!!

Here is a photo or two of the earlier static kit I sloterized or slaughterized. It still had the bumper and wheel wells though I chose the custom grill for fun.

[Gary Bluestone]

PS: no one ever noticed I used two different types of hub caps either. I did this on a real '65 Chevy too and no one ever noticed cause you can't see both sides at the same time.

[Gary Bluestone]

PS: here is a shot of the Badman with the rear bumper in front and blower.

[TSR]

Just don't want these errors to sneak into the new book.

I also wrote about the front half of the X100 chassis being the same part as the front half of X200 chassis only that it was chopped off and re-bent and the slots were milled out to align with the later chassis. If you need photos let me know.

Have no fear, this has been written in stone a long time ago.

The LASCM has just about any and all variations of the kits, the parts, plus assembled models. Even some rare factory assembled dealer displays.
But we are still missing a couple of the X100 mint kits... very hard to find now.

[Prof. Fate]

Hi

The "thinking"... you guys are a little blinded by what you know NOW. THEN, the track of choice was not a King or 220 engleman or similar. Most of the 1/24 racing in '63, when they were designing these cars, was more like a 90 or 100 foot club type track. Back then, the common slot car was a 704 under a model body. A 704 tops out in about 15 feet and that worked because most racing was on short tracks.

When the first commercial tracks opened in North Carolina, my local track turned me "pro" for the simple reason that I was a club racer. New racers didn't want a kit, wanted a car, and I got 5 bucks a car to build these things for people. Between Raleigh North Carolina and the coast, there were 20 some tracks. All but two were under 100' with a 20' straight or less. One was a 220' figure 8 with banked turns, but other wise NONE of the tracks had a bank!

There were so many of these cars around, that there were commonly races just for the monogram/revell/K&Bs.

Remember the older thread about the first RTRs? Well, it was common for these tracks to have some kid like me building up kits for customers to offer them RTR! Grin.

In 1965 my dad retired and we spent the summer driving around the country, and I saw a LOT of tracks. Even in 65, the vast majority were 100' or less and if they had a bank, it was something like the shallow bank of an orange.

The times were different.

Fate

[Gary Bluestone]

Have no fear, this has been written in stone a long time ago.

The LASCM has just about any and all variations of the kits, the parts, plus assembled models. Even some rare factory assembled dealer displays.
But we are still missing a couple of the X100 mint kits... very hard to find now.

Which X100 kits are you missing?

I have one strange variation on the Mercedes 540 K which is sealed MIB and has the smaller wheels and tires, they are either 1-1/8" or 10-1/16 " as opposed to the standard 1-1/4" that most came with. This is the X200 version, and I'm sure this substitution would help the handling, but around here we all race with the typical #SR1001/59 tires, except one guy who fitted his '58 T-Bird with Russkit wire wheels. Hard to argue with class like that.