14 replies to this topic

[68Caddy]

I never heard about these cars! Click here

Nesta

[TSR]

Nesta,

There were a lot of cottage-industry sports cars builders in the 1950-1960s in America. The Kellison-Astra was even produced as a 1/24 scale clear-plastic slot car body. Others that come to mind are LaDawri, Glasspar, Devin... look 'em up.

The most successful were Kellison and Devin, but there are others...

[Prof. Fate]

Hi,

MRRC is showing that they plan a Kellison some time "real soon now".

Nesta, I have a personal fondness for the '50s "specials" and can recommend that there is a lot of fun reading in the field. It grew out of the "hot rodder" culture and a lot of American road racing in the '50s were in fact Ford hot rods and the like. But the really good ones like "ole' Yeller" became legendary.

The Devin started as a knock-off fibreglass copy of an small Italian special that was morphed in various sizes and sold to all sorts of people. The bodies came in sizes small enough for a Sprite and big as a Scarab. I loved them all, but I don't remember that any were ever done as a slot car body.

Fate

[Mopar Rob]

An acquaintance of mine had one that he owned since the '60s and had been in storage forever. I tried to buy it from him for many years but was always turned down. He took a job in a different state and his wife sold it in the paper for something like 2K. It would have been nice to gotten a call. Oh well.

[TSR]

The Devin started as a knock-off fibreglass copy of an small Italian special that was morphed in various sizes and sold to all sorts of people. The bodies came in sizes small enough for a Sprite and big as a Scarab. I loved them all, but I don't remember that any were ever done as a slot car body.

Actually and as far as I know, one was never done. The DuBro Scarab can be used to make a good Devin, it is not that far off.

Both the Scarab, made into metal by Indy car craftsman Emil Deidt, and the Devin (made in fiberglass by Bill Devin) took their inspiration form the 1955 Ferrari "500" Mondial sports racer.

[chaparrAL]

The way the grill "smiles" it looks like a character from Pixar's CARS movie.

[Prof. Fate]

Hi

Alan Girdler has the body Devin copied as the "Ermini". I don't know, of course.

You may remember in the past the way I have nagged you when I thought you knew where I might find some of this stuff. Remember that near solid resin 750 monza I got freeky over and got from you? Love that era of racers.

Fate

[Mopar Rob]

Hi

Alan Girdler has the body Devin copied as the "Ermini". I don't know, of course.

You may remember in the past the way I have nagged you when I thought you knew where I might find some of this stuff. Remember that near solid resin 750 monza I got freeky over and got from you? Love that era of racers.

I don't remember any of this? Who are you talking to? I'm sure when you were typing this it made sense? You been doing a little too much 420 with Nesta ?

[68Caddy]

Sorry Rob, I understood every single word that Fate wrote.


Nesta

[idare2bdul]

Check out this one

[TSR]

Alan Girdler has the body Devin copied as the "Ermini".

Actually, Rocky, this info, found on the Internet, is simply erroneous.

American Bill Devin used a mold off the Ermini shown below (#357) as the form for his famous Devin bodies.

age 1

I was a good friend of Bill and he categorically said that he was inspired by the Monza. Also the Ermini was a TINY car compared to the standard Devin body, so taking a mold from it would have served little purpose...
The smaller Devin bodies for Alfa engine etc. do not even look close to that of the Ermini-Fiat.

[Prof. Fate]

Hi

Philippe, (yes rob I was chatting with P on an old discussion), I didn't look it up on the internet. I just have Alan's book sitting next to me here on the shelf. I corresponded with Girdler for a while after the book came out, and that wasn't the only questionable bit in his book "American Road Race Specials". As I said, I don't know.

The monza in 1/24 was done only as the modified Auto World "Car 54" as far as I know. In 1/32, besides that resin car I got from you, I cannot off hand think of any. The various 750s and larger 4 cyl and 6 cyl cars are all beautiful, but while remember reading that the motors were done by Lapmredi, I don't remember who designed the body shape.

Fate

[Pete L.]

Folks,


Here's the clear body version of the Kellison-Astra.

Attached Images

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[TSR]

Pete, actually there are now TWO different ones! I have found another company that made one. I will try to get some pictures of both together soon.

Rocky, the "Monza" that Oscar Koveleski of Auto World raced was not actually a Monza but a "625", a rare Ferrari with an inline 6-cylinder engine (the only one ever made by Ferrari) that was soon replaced by a Chevy small-block after the original owner had comprehensively blown up the Italian exotic mill.
Both the Monza and 825 bodies were really not really "designed", just "built" generally by Scaglietti.
Pactra made the body in 1/24 scale in both clear and metalllzed in gold or silver... I do not recall to see any that would have been factory painted but it is highly possible since Pactra's main biz was... model paint!
The clear body is still fortunately not too difficult to find.

[Prof. Fate]

Hi

And I have that, the point being that this is the only body I know of listed. Snif!

As for the chebby.

My first year in college I had a rich kid friend who was "forced" to drive his dads 340 mexico. And whined and moaned and all, they ended up pulling that motor and putting in a small block chevy for maintainence reasons. Now, I love the sound of a V8, but REALLY!

Fate