25 replies to this topic

[Steve Okeefe]

Lancer Bodies

 

Lancer started manufacturing bodies in 1963.  Their only product was slot car bodies, and they turned them out continuously until at least 1970, a total of about seven years.  Needless to say they made a LOT of different bodies; the listing above includes about 200 different bodies, by far more than any other manufacturer.

 

Lancer had, at least at one point, a problem with their part numbering system.  Between the 1/32 scale bodies and the 1/24 scale bodies, their success and inevitable growth (not to mention a slight failure to plan ahead) they ended up having to re-use some of their part numbers.  The result of which is that in a few cases, there are two very different Lancer bodies carrying the same part number!  In other cases when they made more different kinds of bodies than their were numbers in the series, they ended up with -A, -B and -C part numbers.

 

Most (but not all) of these anomalies involve re-using 1/32 scale body part numbers for newer 1/24 scale bodies, so there isn't too much confusion, and all of the re-used part numbers are below 200.  I have marked all cases of re-used part numbers in blue, and noted them in the "Variant" column.

 

Lancer's Numbering Scheme:

 

001-199 Scale bodies (all types) made of thicker Butyrate.

 

200-299 Open wheel scale bodies (GP and Indy) made of thicker Butyrate.

 

800-899 "Pro Series" lightweight; current (for late 1960s) race car bodies made of .015" thick Butyrate.

 

900-999 "Super Competition Series" long, low, wide and lightweight (not to scale); even the open wheel bodies in this series were 1-1/2 inches wide.

 

5100-5199 "Super Scale Series" lightweight; scale bodies made of .015" thick Butyrate.

 

There are at least three bodies in the 900 group that are of particular historical interest: #912 The Whisper, #968 "The Spoiler" and #986 "Drifter".

 

In a clear departure from Lancer's usual style, they are each an original design and do not resemble any particular prototype.  Based on the part numbers Lancer gave them, it is reasonable to presume they were first introduced between late 1968 and early 1970, although hard information is unfortunately lacking.

 

To some they are Thingie bodies, and although this is certainly an arguable point, their introduction would have been (historically) very late in the original Thingie era.

 

They are not "Aero" bodies either, not in the sense that we know them now.  It is also arguable that Lancer never made any Aero bodies, because true Aero bodies didn't appear until two or even three years later, after Lancer ceased production.

 

What they were, at the time of their introduction, was literally a glimpse of the future.  It is likely that even Lancer didn't realize this.

 

With so many bodies there are a proportionally large number of photos available, and although the total number of photos I have represent less than 20% of all the body styles Lancer made, it's enough that I have divided them up into separate logical galleries for quicker loading and easier viewing:

 

Click on the name to go to the gallery.

 

Lancer Group 1 : Older bodies up to #199

 

Lancer Group 2 : Open wheel bodies (200 series)

 

Lancer Group 3 : Later bodies (800, 900 & 5100 series)

[don.siegel]

Great work Steve - it's hard to find a definitive list of Lancer bodies. 

 

On a French forum, a buddy just posted a prototype "Wasp" in 1/32 and wasn't sure if the body was a Lancer - any ideas? 

http://slot-retro-fo...-1-32.htm#p5279

 

Don 

[Ramcatlarry]

Curious, all I recall are the first lexan shells, like the box in front of me.  Lancer crystal clear  #475 Lotus 49B F-1 1/32

[Martin]

Steve, great work, I could not find the Whisper on this list.

 

Steve wrote

"There are at least two bodies in the 900 group that are of particular historical interest: #968 "The Spoiler" and #986 "Drifter".  Although they do not resemble any particular prototype, they are not Thingie bodies.

They are not "Aero" bodies either, not in the sense that we know them now."

 

I always thought these were Thingies and Aero?

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[Bill from NH]

That's a fairly comprehensive Lancer body list Steve. The Lancer Co. also sold brass rod chassis. Both F1 & sportscar chassis with sheet brass drop arms. I don't recall if these were built on-site or if they out-sourced them locally.

 

 

Lancer F1 Chassis

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Steve Okeefe]

Martin,

 

Could you send me a three-quarter view of the Whisper so I can add it to the thread?  You appear to be the only one who can.

 

Almost all the photos I've posted (not just Lancer) came from other sources, each one collected as I find it.  I don't own all these different slot car bodies.

 

I'm perfectly willing to update the listing, and edit my article regarding whether or not these are "Thingie" and/or "Aero" bodies, but the meager information I have regarding these bodies suggests that in general, they came a bit too late for the former and a couple of years too early for the latter.

 

In this effort I am a researcher, and I do my best to deal in facts.  Do you have any photos, or published articles, or direct experience with this that you would be willing to share?

[MattD]

Nice work Steve.    I will see if I can send you any pictures that might be an addition to your pix.

[Martin]

Yes, Steve i will take a 3/4 pic for the list. Happy to add to your great work.

 

You do not have to edit on my account. I was just surprised to see that the Spoiler, for example was not a Thingy.

When I thought it to be the very definition of a Thingy. (i.e. was not a real car but an original fantasy design) I think your definition is based on a certain period? Meaning it would have to be made 67-68.(at the peak of the Thingy movement) But I do not want to put words in your mouth, just trying to understand it from your point of view.

 

I am not even sure when the Spoiler, Whisper and Drifter were made? do we know? Has to be towards the end of Lancer 69-70?

[Martin]

The Whisper # 912

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[don.siegel]

Hi guys,

 

I don't think Lancer ever did any advertising for these bodies, unless they were in some of the later newspaper-magazines that I don't have. So it's a little hard to date them, but 1968-70 seems a good guess.

 

These seem more in the Choti tradition, and I would still consider them Thingie bodies, since they're free form and don't pretend to be any real cars.

 

Seems Lancer did more than bodies and the occasional chassis too, since they did a few RTR cars - and one is winging my way!

 

Don

[Bill from NH]

I wonder if Jairus' retired Lancer employee friend could help date them? I don't recall his name, but others might know.

[Martin]

A lot to un-pack here..... I asked these questions of Dave Susan at post #51 http://slotblog.net/...maker-me/page-3

[Maximo]

Of the various Lancer Ferrari 250 bodies, were any of them the 250 Zagato?

[Isaac S.]

I doubt it, very few were produced and no one cared about them. I remember a classified in an old magazine where one was less than a $3000. Which was pretty cheap, even for back then. About what a new A-code Mustang would be. 

[Martin]

I just received this body.  I believe it to be Lancer's 68 Indy Lola #872 or 972?

It sat on e-bay for 2 weeks with no bids. Sad painted puppy it is with its chopped out engine bay. I just had to save it.

 

This is the body, I would love to find a damaged body to replace the engine detail. Anybody got one to sell?

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[don.siegel]

A French buddy just came across a Lancer body box for the "15 Sprint Body" in Lexan. No body unfortunately. He was surprised because of the number, which didn't jibe with other Lancer numbers. 

https://slot-retro-f...-Car.htm#p15424

 

I did a quick search and found the reference in the 1971 Auto World catalog, for seven new bodies in this line. 

10 - Lola T163

11 - Porsche 917

12 - McLaren 8B

13 - Ferrari 612

14 - Auto Coast

15 - Sprint Car

16 - Sportsman

 

After that it goes back to the numbers 510, 511, etc.

 

They only seem to have been in this edition of the catalog, right above Lancer's Color-Formed Bodies. 

 

 

Don 

[edscars]

Steve, I presume you don't want to count the later Lancer bodies with the light violet and black thin header cards along with these vintage Lancers, since they are probably '90s production or even later. While most of these more modern Lancer bodies I've seen from that era overlap the part numbers of the earlier originals, I have a #991 Daytona Charger body that might or might not mean there was a vintage production one of those with the same number as well. The modern Lancer producers also made a Batmobile with Lancer part #1010. I can add pics if anyone wants to see them.

[Martin]

Hey Ed, the purple card bodies are not even close to close to the quality of the original bodies. A good race body that you do not care if it gets trashed IMO.

 

I herd REH got the original forms and did the pulling, this is just my guess or memory.

 

#991 Daytona Charger is the original part number I can confirm that. The 900 P/N's  are from the Super Competition Series.

[Bill from NH]

Martin, your recollection of REH pulling Lancer bodies off original molds is correct. They also pulled, at least one Dynamic body off an original mold too. Their Harvey Aluminum Spl. with the long nose, also sold with the purple & black tag, is a Dynamic body rather than a Lancer. I don't know if they sold other Dubro bodies using the purple & black tags.   The Lancer Porsche coupe & roadster bodies were also pulled by MAC, Parma, & O/S at various times. I do not think REH pulled these two. I found the REH pulled Lancer bodies to be acceptable because I was a racer, rather than a collector. Also, they were more readily available & cheaper than the original Lancers. if you could find one.

[don.siegel]

Here's one of the REH-Lancer pulls I picked up a long time ago, back in the 90s when I got back into slots. 

 

Seems the original molds had a lot of wear by then and/or the pulls were not that good and/or the Lexan just didn't do justice to the molds. Anyway, after doing a crap job on painting the exhausts silver, and not really being inspired by the body, I put it aside, where it's sat for 25 years or so... 

 

Don 

 

 

 

 

[Mike Patterson]

Don, I have that same body hanging on my wall. I don't think the quality is that bad, except for the radiator exits on the rear fenders.

[Bill from NH]

I have a Tom Andersen repop, I'll have to dig it out for comparison.

[pn6]

Speaking of Lancer bodies......I've had so many of them when I was a kid if I only knew they were so good and so many! Every kid wanted a Ford GT and a Chaparral. I wanted them too but it seems Lola T70s were my most popular choice. Getting back into this for some old time slot car fun I've come across the bodies I wanted but never bought. $1.39 or so was a ton of money to a 12 year old kid racer. Now I have a couple of Lancer bodies I paid 20 times that price for. Yes they are yellowed a bit but I'm going to use them because I have a hard time keeping shelf queens as they are. I want to play with them!! 

 

So I have a "Lancer Lola" that I will post a few pics of soon. I got to thinking I could do it up as the Pacesetter Homes Bondurant Lola he ran at Riverside but the scale nut in me just can't bring myself to do it and as rare as the car was throwing some silver on it doesn't excite me. So I got the thought that maybe I could swap it for a regular Lola T70 Mk3 Spyder that Lancer made. I had one once and loved it! It's the later model with the narrower nose and no headlight covers. 

 

It might be that part# 153 above although they made a Lola MKIII coupe which I had also. I had pictures of it but they were on a laptop that got stolen.

[Martin]

Would love to see the pics of what you are working on Paul. Bottom pic is a Lola T70, not a Lancer. I think it may be a Riggen, not quiet sure? But a nice version with its front dia-plane rear wing and motor detail IMO.

 

Don here is a Lancer 2G I painted some time ago for detail comparison. I did put in the grill material, for some added detail.

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[pn6]

So far nothing with the Lola.......I really want to swap it with a MkIII . I do have a well used painted stretched 2G like the one you posted and a new clear 2E. Also sitting in the case waiting for me to do something with it. At the moment I have a few Dynamics I'm working on. Two inlines I'm using DuBro F1 bodies on. A BRM like my avatar and a Ferrari 3 Liter. They are a tight fit but coming along.