25 replies to this topic

[TSR]

Always having my nose to the ground like a good hound in search of truffles in the south of France, I recently dug this little nugget, that 99% of learned collectors ignored probably because... they did not notice a small but important detail.

While the regular Cox 1/32 scale Ford GT kit, one of the three original issues in 1965, is quite a common sight, this one using the TTX150 motor is quite scarce. In fact, until I found this example, I was not so sure that it had ever been issued and had to modify (horror!) the Cox chapter in my new book to correct my error.

Issued in 1966, it must not have generated much interest as I had never seen a "live" one.

Of course it is easy to make up a car from parts, but the actual kit is a true rarity.

Check this out:













Please note that the display tray was never modified and still claims to be equipped with the endbell-side drive TTX100 motor...

Now you gentlemen better check your inventory to dig up another, that you may have ignored for years. This is one of the rarest Cox kits, akin to those "Team Modified" kits...

[gascarnut]

So is that the same main chassis used for the Cheetah? Are there Coxalloy bushings for the rear axle or does it still run directly in the magnesium?

I have seen photos of built-up cars on eBay now and then, and always just assumed someone had put a Cheetah frame with a Ford droparm under the Ford body.

[TSR]

The Cheetah's main chassis is the same. The Cheetah's drop arm is of course is much shorter as you point out. The Cheetah was never issued with the TTX100 endbell-side drive motor/chassis combinations, while I believed for a long time that the Ford was never issued with the TTX150 can-side drive motor.

Now we know that the Ford was indeed issued that way, but there are so many cars built from parts that there was no real proof. Now we have proof!

All the TTX150 inline chassis (1/32 and 1/24 scale) have the Nylatron bushings at the back, while the TTX100 chassis did not.

[gascarnut]

Thanks - interesting detective work!

I believed pretty much the same as you did and viewed those TTX150 Fords with suspicion. But now I guess it makes for a relevant addition to a collection.

[gascarnut]

One question, though:

Always having my nose to the ground like a good hound in search of truffles in the south of France,

I thought they used trained pigs to find truffles?

[Rich McMahon]

He was in training!

[ShootinSparks]

Perhaps we should now refer to this piece of history as The Truffle Nugget Cox 1/32 scale Ford GT Kit.

Great find, Philippe. One question; what happens if the day after the new book comes out, another find like this occurs?

[Allan Feldman]

Snowpake!!!!

Regards,

Allan

[Allan Feldman]

I have a 1/32 box with the sticker on TTX-150; I never thought they were rare. I just thought that that it was an updated motor?

Regards,

Allan

[RichKraft]

Digging for truffles. As a man who raises his own chickens and pigs, I find that a cute.
Never seen a dog dig for truffles, only pigs. Dokk's too thin to be a pig, and too handsome to be a dog.

I'm loving this find, it is a sweet 1/32 MIB Ford. I am envious and would love to own it.

Affording it, another story.

I'm just struggling to see Dokk, nose to the dirt, plowing up truffles like a wild boar, or a dog!

Excellent find, Philippe! Excellent!

[olskoolslotz]

The VSRN box art gallery shows a Cox 1/32 Ford GT kit box with the X-150 sticker.

I knew that I had a kit with that X-150 motor sticker, turns out it's the 1/24 F1 Ferrari kit I've had since I was just a young boy.

[Lone Wolf]

Showoff! What do think, you are some kind of historian or something! if you're so smart why don't you write a book?

Anyway, great piece.

My question (seems I never run out of them) is this. A can-drive 16D does not drop into the early 1/32 EBD chassis. The can-drive motor is a little longer overall and the slots for the bell and bearing seem too be slightly too small. Do you think a specific chassis was made for this application? If it was, I am sure it was quite rare. I tried about ten standard chassis and none would let the can-drive motor drop in unaltered.

I've got to stop thinking so much...

[Gary Bluestone]

If you are asking if there is a special chassis? Then yes there is a can drive chassis in the kit shown, and can be seen to be different if you look at the horseshoe shaped mounting at the rear. This mount allows the gimballed bearing and retainer to fit facing the rear. The endbell drive chassis has two rectangle bosses cast on to it to center the endbell mount at the rear. It seems the can drive chassis was supplied with the Cheetah kits and the Ford had first the end bell chassis first and then the can drive. I built a can drive Ford up from used parts but it had the long tongue already installed so it probably started life like that.

[TSR]

Truffle hunting not only for pigs... check this out: http://herbarium.usu...ts/truffind.htm

[Bruce Neasmith]

PDL ,
No doubt you will be pleased to hear that I too have a mint boxed
unmade updated 1/32 Cox Ford GT Kit . It has the two red update motor
stickers on the box lid and one on the inner box display flap . Mine
also has two tiny stickers on the boxlid where Cox updated the Model
number to 9900.798 . It all makes for a great display item as I'm sure
you will agree . I've owned this kit for about fifteen years , buying
it from a guy who was in to 1:1 scale Ford Mustangs . Glad I kept it !

BRUCE NEASMITH

[TSR]

Bruce,
It is obviously a rather rare kit compared to the "standard" issue. I did not mention the added price stickers but all the "series 2" kits have them.
Definitely keeper kits for sure, as their collectible value is greater than that of the common "series 1".

[Gary Bluestone]

Are there any original Cheetah's with the bell drive TT-X100 motor and chassis?

[Rob G]

Just curious TSR, when does the book "come out" and what's the best way to get one sent way up north?

[gascarnut]

Are there any original Cheetah's with the bell drive TT-X100 motor and chassis?

I don't think so.

[TSR]

Dennis is correct, there were no TTX100 Cheetahs from the factory, but it is possible for anyone to "assemble" one from the parts available separately. However it would not be a genuine Cox item.

Just curious TSR, when does the book "come out" and what's the best way to get one sent way up north?

Lots of issues have pushed and pushed the work well beyond expectations, and at this time we are trying to get the photos together. Text is over 98% complete but we have to hack quite a bit at it because there is too much of it.
Not an easy job, but no book on such a big subject can ever be truly "complete" and we have to eliminate some information to give room to pictures.
The book will be available from Amazon and plenty of other book distributors.

[ravajack]

Truffle hunting not only for pigs... check this out: http://herbarium.usu...ts/truffind.htm

Another link to check out:
http://www.youtube.c...v=JUVcxa-wGcE#!

[Robert Hubany]

I'm new to this blog and joined to share some finds from yesteryear…Rescued from my parents attic a few years ago and just getting looked at closely…still in the original boxes, assembled and played with by me and my older Bro…one Cox Ford GT w/ X-150 motor, one Bill Thomas Cheetah w/ X-150 motor, one Scalextric ("made England") green Lotus (not in box) all in good condition…twenty feet or so of two lane racing track, transformers, pistol grip controllers, misc. track supports, guard rails, etc. etc.

 

Nice memories from the early analog days…it is amazing it survived the garage sales over the years.

Any expert opinions out there as to value beyond sentimental? 

 

[hiline2]

So we will be seeing photos???
 
Also who says PdL wasnt "training" the pigs?

[TSR]

Thing is, it is easy to build a car from parts, since just about every part ever made by Cox was also available separately. While I suspected that the Ford GT could have briefly been issued with the later chassis and motor (TTX150), I doubted it because Cox had built quite a stockpile of it. By 1966, they must have run out of them and still hade demand, so must have issued the TTX150 version (briefly) at that time. But I had yet not seen an intact kit, and until I did, I was a bit skeptical.
The Cheetah was never issued with the TTX100 motor, but it is easy to make one up: use an earlier Ford GT chassis and motor, and fit the shorter drop arm of the Cheetah and the older guide on it and voila.
But show me a kit, sealed in its original box, and that's another story!

Interestingly the last production of the Cheetah used the same chassis but cast in aluminum instead of magnesium, and I have seen some truly rare ones, sealed,  with a Mabuchi FT16D with the oval can hole in lieu of the Cox NASCAR motor made in Hong Kong.

The same mystery surrounds the 1/24-scale version of the Ford GT: it appears that early issues were fitted with the TTX100 motor, just like the Ferrari and BRM F1 cars, but no kit has yet surfaced to prove it. Circumstantial evidence however, exists: the "second" issue clearly points out to an update, now with a new chassis and the larger TTX200 motor, a Mabuchi FT36, endbell-side driven. The "third" and most common issue is of course the TTX250, yet with another new chassis and a can-side driven Mabuchi FT36D. Do you still follow?
Below is the "second" issue, with a sticker claiming "now with a TTX200 motor". If we take "now" as an update, the only possible earlier issue is fitted as the other cars issued at the same time, with a TTX100 (Mabuchi FT16) motor.

Little mysteries of collecting...

[Big Durl]

Not an easy job, but no book on such a big subject can ever be truly "complete" and we have to eliminate some information to give room to pictures.
 

 

 

Well, there can always be an Old Testament and then a New Testament, should subsequent information arise.

 

Always nice to read your posts, Philippe, and I'm looking forward to your scripture.