Maurice Winn, one of the founders of Twinn-K Products in the '60 who later wound up as the owner of Twinn-K, passed away this past October.
This info was emailed today to several in the slot and R/C racing industries by a niece of Maurice's.
The email claimed that at one time Twinn-K was the world's largest producer of model car racing tire, as he made tires for HO, 1/32, and 1/24 Slots along with all scales of R/C tires over the years.
Maurice Winn, 1927-2011
Started by
Ron Hershman
, Dec 30 2011 08:05 PM
7 replies to this topic
#1
Ron Hershman
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#2
MSwiss
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Posted 30 December 2011 - 09:25 PM
I met Maurice a few times back in the late '70s and early '80s when I worked for Brodsky's and he called on us in person for AJ/Twinn-K orders. Super-charming guy.
He was not a young man then. He must have lived into his late 80s or maybe 90s.
Good for him.
He was not a young man then. He must have lived into his late 80s or maybe 90s.
Good for him.
Mike Swiss
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#3
Gator Bob
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Posted 30 December 2011 - 09:33 PM
Ron,
Please thank the kids for all Mr. Winn did for our hobby.
Please thank the kids for all Mr. Winn did for our hobby.
Bob Israelite
#4
TSR
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Posted 30 December 2011 - 09:34 PM
Yes indeed, I also got this in my email. Maury was a good man and a hard worker. He certainly will not be forgotten by the people who knew him as a gentleman.
Philippe de Lespinay
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Steve Deiters
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Posted 31 December 2011 - 11:14 AM
Very sad news. I knew Maurice when I worked in the wholesale end of the slot racing hobby in the late '60s to mid-'70s.
He was a unique manufactuer in what I call the "second wave" slot racing manufacturers. The post Cox/Mongram/AMT/Revell/Russkit etc., etc., manufacturers of the early RTRs and kits that introduced so many of us into the hobby back in the mid to late-'60s. Second wave companies like Parma, Associated, Mura, Champion, etc., etc., and AJ's/Twinn-K took their place.
He manufactured tires for all scales and was the first to provide a mounted ground tire for HO use which was far superior to anything else out there at the time as I recall. All his tires were quality products and kept any variety of slot racing track racing programs going.
He also manufactured the famous "Oscar the Track Cleaner" which was virtually impossible to keep in stock it was in such demand.
The unique thing about Maurice was that he was not a hobbyist who became a manufacturer, but a businessman who came to the hobby because he saw potential on a national and international basis. He developed it to the max. It was a very well-run business that was a credit to the industry as well as his leadership.
It was my understanding in his later years he suffered from Alzheimer's Disease. He was preceded in death by his lovely wife Mary who was the mother of his children - Lauren, who also preceded him in death, and his son, Doug. A quality family that was a credit to him as a person, a husband, and a father.
You will be missed, Maurice.
He was a unique manufactuer in what I call the "second wave" slot racing manufacturers. The post Cox/Mongram/AMT/Revell/Russkit etc., etc., manufacturers of the early RTRs and kits that introduced so many of us into the hobby back in the mid to late-'60s. Second wave companies like Parma, Associated, Mura, Champion, etc., etc., and AJ's/Twinn-K took their place.
He manufactured tires for all scales and was the first to provide a mounted ground tire for HO use which was far superior to anything else out there at the time as I recall. All his tires were quality products and kept any variety of slot racing track racing programs going.
He also manufactured the famous "Oscar the Track Cleaner" which was virtually impossible to keep in stock it was in such demand.
The unique thing about Maurice was that he was not a hobbyist who became a manufacturer, but a businessman who came to the hobby because he saw potential on a national and international basis. He developed it to the max. It was a very well-run business that was a credit to the industry as well as his leadership.
It was my understanding in his later years he suffered from Alzheimer's Disease. He was preceded in death by his lovely wife Mary who was the mother of his children - Lauren, who also preceded him in death, and his son, Doug. A quality family that was a credit to him as a person, a husband, and a father.
You will be missed, Maurice.
#6
macman
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Posted 02 January 2012 - 01:26 PM
RIP, Mr Winn and the Winnenwagen.
Ben Kernan
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chaparrAL
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Posted 02 January 2012 - 01:46 PM
A fond memory of mine is a tour of the Twinn K facility by Mr Winn. RIP.
Al Thurman
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"Everything you love, everything meaningful with depth and history, all passionate authentic experiences will be appropriated, mishandled, watered down, cheapened, repackaged, marketed, and sold to people you hate." Von Dutch [Kenneth R. Howard] 1929-1992
."If there is, in fact, a Heaven and a Hell, all we know for sure is that Hell will be a viciously overcrowded version of Pheonix." Dr Hunter S Thompson 1937-2005
"Whither goest thou, America, in thy shiny car in the night?" - Jack Kerouac 1927-1969
"Hold my stones". Keith Stone
My link
#8
Buzz-A-Rama
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Posted 22 March 2012 - 11:59 AM
RIP, Maurice Winn.
I never met the man but heard many good things about him.
I purchased many of his products over the years, including gray, black, and orange tires which I bought in bulk and still have in sealed air tight containers.
What stands out in my memory is when Per Ott, an airline pilot from Sweden, invented and developed the 1/32 scale Mini Cooper sidewinder and brought it to my raceway to test drive before he brought it to Mr Winn, who was going to produce them for sale in the USA and for the European market.
The car was a bit top heavy but the concept was good and therein lies Mr Winn's introduction to make the 1/32 WinnWagon.
Maurice Winn, you were a force to be reckoned with in the slot racing industry. May you rest in peace.
I never met the man but heard many good things about him.
I purchased many of his products over the years, including gray, black, and orange tires which I bought in bulk and still have in sealed air tight containers.
What stands out in my memory is when Per Ott, an airline pilot from Sweden, invented and developed the 1/32 scale Mini Cooper sidewinder and brought it to my raceway to test drive before he brought it to Mr Winn, who was going to produce them for sale in the USA and for the European market.
The car was a bit top heavy but the concept was good and therein lies Mr Winn's introduction to make the 1/32 WinnWagon.
Maurice Winn, you were a force to be reckoned with in the slot racing industry. May you rest in peace.
Buzz Perri
11/9/35-5/12/21
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