6 replies to this topic

[don.siegel]

Here's the first slotless set - but this is also a trick question, because when it came out there weren't even any slot car sets!

You may remember a couple months ago I posted this picture of a color page from the Dec. 1948 issue of Esquire.



I also picked up one of these cars, but it took me a couple years to realize it belonged to this set, and I still didn't know anything about it, until a few weeks ago, when I saw this article on eBay.



So it turns out it was yet another real racer with a get-rich-quick scheme that obviously didn't work - $200 in 1948??? In case you're wondering who Mr Fageol is, or the name rings a bell, here's his masterpiece: the Twin Coach Special, driven by Paul Russo in the 1946 Indy 500; twin Offy 91s, each with its own Rootes blower - crashed out on lap 17. I'm sure there's more to the Lou Fageol story, but for now it's pretty good:



Don

[Cheater]

Lou Fageol was very active in boat racing, too.

Here's a decent, short bio.

[don.siegel]

Since I reshuffled Photobucket since then and the pix disappeared, here's an update

Don 

 

Here's the first slotless set - but this is also a trick question, because when it came out there weren't even any slot car sets! 

 

Many years ago I found this picture in the Dec. 1948 issue of Esquire. But I could never found out anything else. 

 

 

Since ebay, I picked up one of these cars, shown here: 

 

But it took me a couple years to realize it belonged to this set, and I still didn't know anything about it, until a few weeks ago, when I saw this article on ebay. 

 

And I even found the real set, miraculously, now on it's way to join Bernard's Slot Car Museum: 

 

 

 

 

 

So it turns out it was yet another real racer (like Mr. Birkin) with a get-rich-quick scheme that obviously didn't work - $200 in 1948??? In case you're wondering who Mr Fageol is, or the name rings a bell, his masterpiece was the Twin Coach Special, driven by Paul Russo in the 1946 Indy 500; twin Offy 91s, each with its own Rootes blower - crashed out on lap 17. I'm sure there's more to the Lou Fageol story, but for now it's pretty good: 

 

 

Don

 

PS: the drawing from a Czech magazine reproduced here: 

[MattD]

Thanks Don. I had heard vague references to this system, but this is the first real info I have seen.

Funny how complicated this is compared to what the rail systems were to become. It would seem obvious the mechanized part would be better in the actual car, but we have 60 years of hindsight!

[don.siegel]

You're welcome Matt - was very happy to find all this! 

 

I found that Esquire photo many years ago, probably from looking through "The Reader's Guide to Periodical Literature" - a godsend for collectors before the Net. 

 

Then I just happened to buy the car off ebay because I liked the way it looked, without having any idea at all of what it was. Took a few years for the penny to drop, and then it was really the mass of online information that helped me out. I had expected the car to be much bigger and more sophisticated for some reason. Finding the original instructions and then the set (not in great condition!) was then a further stroke of luck. As far as I know, this is the only one in existence, but I would still think that one or more must be in some antique toy collector's hands somewhere... 

 

Slotless was a big goal for model makers for many years, and there were a few systems like this proposed - I think Bill Sippel also came up with one in an early issue of Model Car & Track. Not sure how the technology 60 years ago would have allowed the car to do this same stuff. 

 

The one thing I'm not too clear on is if the arm that holds the magnet is controlled in any way, or is just more or less centered and drags the car along... in other words, no real passing possibilities, which would seem to be the raison d'être for a slotless system. 

 

Don 

 

PS: almost all the early model car racing systems you see in the patents or that have survived have incredibly complicated guidance systems - it was really the simplicity of rail racing and Scalextric/VIP that really allowed the hobby to take off! 

 

PPS: did you notice that the illustration in the article (from Popular Science) is the same one as in the Czech magazine that was reproduced in Model Maker? Hmmm... 

[MattD]

What I noticed were the people wearing coats and ties, bet the lady has high heeled shoes. All those old pix in Model Maker and all the MAP books always show the people dressed like they are going to church. Of course, in the 1950's all Disney Land films show the same thing!

Now everyday dress, including church, is like a bunch of people going to a hog killing. And we have digital slot cars and whatever this new system is that I don't understand!!! I guess I'm just old!

You actually have the set pictured? That is big find!

[don.siegel]

Here's the article I was referring to earlier - from the July/Aug 1964 issue of Model Car & Track, by slot pioneer George Siposs. Hard to tell if he actually built a complete set, or just a few demo "proof of concept" parts....