7 replies to this topic

[ravajack]

Don't know why the updated forum software limits the showed size of the pictures...

Work around this odd limitation is to click on a picture to open it up in in a new window,
then click on the picture again to show the picture in full size for best readability. 
Maybe Cheater have a solution for this issue?

 

 

 

 

[don.siegel]

Thanks Bertil, glad to see a fellow "papivore"! 

 

I have a list of all these articles I've found in Popular Science, Pop Mechanics and all other general magazines if you're interested - although you probably have already found all the articles yourself. 

 

Don 

 

PS: just noticed your title says 1960, and the article is 1961

[Joe Mig]

Thanks for posting this.

When I was a young kid from 1969 or 70 is when my cousin gave me his H.O. setup because he was going too vietnam war.
So from one basement too another it started my slot car sickness . Lots of my friends in the early 70's had layout's in there basements
and one nice thing I liked about then was the detail that went into the layout itself with little building's light's grass and so on.

America or NYC at least was a better place back then. IMHO

[George Blaha]

Hey Bertil,

Great pictures and article.

 

In1959 I got a figure 8 set of slot cars with a white slotted 2 car road bed and four very long coil springs

 

that would press into the track on either side of the groove. It used a 1.5 volt large lantern for power.

 

The 2 red hand controllers were 2 wire on/off buttons. The cars used a 2 magnet japaneese type motor directly

 

attached to the drive wheels. Me and John Gray raced after school for hours til I hooked it up to two 1.5 volt batteries

 

and then to two 4.5 volt lantern batteries. With this we cooked the motors and the spring contacts in the track to a meltdown!  

 

Latter that year I went to Polks Model Craft in Manhattan, NY City and saw the Strombecker setup and I wanted to open up

 

my own slot car hobby store. Slot racing has been my passion and salvation. The pictures enforce my dedication to a

 

fine hobby with wonderful people.

[don.siegel]

George, 

 

That sounds like an early Ungar set (later taken over by Eldon), since they did that direct-drive via the little Kako 3V motor. 

 

Are you sure it was 1959? I had always wondered if these came out in 1959 or 60, and the earliest reference I've found, the Ungar product sheet, is dated 1960. 

 

Thanks, 

Don 

[ravajack]

Thanks Bertil, glad to see a fellow "papivore"! 

 

PS: just noticed your title says 1960, and the article is 1961

Hi Don.

 

I had to look up "papivore" but yes, I guess I'm also one...

 

As for 1960, I was in a bit too hurry and did not proof-read that part.

It was meant to be "1960's"

 

More from that era is coming up when properly prepared.

[ravajack]

Another slot car racing article from Pop Science, december 1964. 

As usual: Click on a picture to open it up in in a new window, then
click on it again to show the picture in full size for best readability. 

 

 

 

 

 

[George Blaha]

Hey Don,

 

Spring of 1959 ...I was in third grade in Catholic School and this was a cool homework reward. Subsequently,

  

 

I hijacked the motors of HO diesel and steam engines to repower and made new shoes of brass for the slotcars

 

 

and I canabilized the long train rails to fabricate new contacts for the tracks. It was a great time to grow up in car culture!

 

 

 

George