132 replies to this topic

[Cheater]

Bob Rule and I had lunch again today (and plan to continue to get together for lunch each week for a while) and after chowing down, Bob led me over to his place in Duluth, GA, to show me some of the slot racing memorabilia he's collected over the years. I took a bunch of pics and it's going to take me a few days to get them all tweaked and posted, but I wanted to get few items posted today.

As I often say to PdL, I told Bob he was having too much fun in his life. He cheerfully agreed with that accusation, adding that he didn't feel like he'd ever done an honest day's work! LOL!

Here's the first item I spotted as we came into the house from his garage. Like a lot of the items Bob showed me today, I had never seen one of these before.



And he had not one, but two of these neat clocks, with the other unit still having its second hand.

Now I just need to figure out what I will have to do to pry one away from him. It would sure look fabulous on my wall...

[Cheater]

I never knew that Champion held an Arco race in Mexico, but they did and here's the physical proof, the wooden-boxed engraved salver awarded for eighth place ("8° Lugar") at the 1st Arco International Race ("1° Carrera Arco Internacional"). Bob didn't say who won it and I forgot to ask...



Edit: I've started a topic on the Mexico Arco race HERE.

[Gator Bob]

Last time I spoke to Bob he said he was selling off his goodies and spending all the inheritance money it would bring... LOL.
 
Great stuff, Greg. I do remember that clock at the slot car place. Nice!
 
Wait... maybe it was round ... B)

[Cheater]

Here's an item I'm pretty certain no one has even seen, much less owned.

How can I say this? Because this Champion slot car carrying case was a protoype that was never put into production. After spending a lot of money on the tooling, Bob indicates that Champion was never able to solve the problem of warpage once the box was molded.

[Cheater]

One last post for today...

If you were entered in the Arco 33 race at Tom Thumb Hobbies on May 18, 1968, you were given one of these self-adhesive fabric patches.

Mike McMasters, do you still have one? If so, it probably doesn't look as pristine as this unissued one.

[don.siegel]

Great stuff Greg, keep posting! 

 

Didn't know about that Arco Race in Mexico either... 

 

Don 

[MG Brown]

I never knew that Champion held an Arco race in Mexico, but they did and here's the physical proof, the wooden-boxed engraved salver awarded for eighth place ("8° Lugar") at the 1st Arco International Race ("1° Carrera Arco Internacional"). Bob didn't say who won it and I forgot to ask...

 
If memory serves me, there is mention of the Mexico race on the video for the 2005 USRA Nats held at Buena Park. Jim Swofford mentioned that he memorized the lane colors in Spanish in case one of the turn marshals did not understand English... and it apparently paid off.

[Hworth08]

It never crosses your mind that you'll ever come in indirect contact with some of the old legends of slot racing.

When word gets out yall's lunches might have to be held at a banquet hall! LOL.

[SlotStox#53]

Awesome rare slot-related parts!!!

Thanks for posting these great pictures, Greg. Here's to many more lunches and fab parts.

[Gator Bob]

If memory serves me, there is mention of the Mexico race on the video for the 2005 USRA Nats held at Buena Park. One of the racers mentioned that he memorized the lane colors in Spanish in case one of the turn marshals did not understand English... and it apparently paid off.

 
I missed that... waiting for this song to come out.

[Bob Rule]

Greg,

It's a pleasure to show you what I have collected/saved from my Champion days. I'll have more for you to see in two weeks. I have a #10 envelope full of old Arco race pictures. They're fun to go through and recall memories. 
 
Let's scan some and have a contest to see who can name the most racers in the pictures. 
 
Everyone have a nice weekend.

And happy Fathers Day to all the dads out there.
 
Bob

[Tex]

HFD to you too, BR!

[MG Brown]

Thank you to Bob for sharing these great memories with us.

[MSwiss]

I missed that... waiting for this song to come out.

My vote for best rhyme in a song.

Tijuana / BBQ iguana

[dc-65x]

Bob Rule is cool!
 
Years ago he helped me complete my collection of Model Car Journal, Model Racing Journal, and Miniature Auto Racing News newsletters. I couldn't have done any of the recreations I've done so far nor could I do any in the future without those invaluable historical documents.
 
THANK YOU, BOB!
 
PS: Bob, I have your business card you gave me in a prominent place in my display cabinet.

[Cheater]

I think Bob told me this was the original Group 20 kit. The handwritten label suggests its a trade show display item until you notice the printing mark-up notes in red and the little piece of yellowed cellophane tape on the edge.

The label reads ""Special GROUP 20 KIT - You'll have no fuss, no muss, no arguing and no one left out. Just loads of fun, lots of laughs, and the best class of racing ever. (Retail value of contents $22.50 - now an affordable $14...)

No arguing.... right! That's worth the $19.95 cost right there if it worked. LOL!

Gotta love the fact that the kit includes a square of "tuning" lead...

[Cheater]

According to the 1969 Champion catalog Bob gave me, the "Team Champion heat proof slate block - undrilled" was $2.49. If you wanted to step up to the "Team Champion frame jig - heat proof, predrilled", you to to take $5.95 out of your wallet.

And Champion used a lot of their own products in their operation. Here's a couple boxes of the scarred, marked, and drilled leftovers from Champion's shop.



Bob pulled these two blocks out to explain that these drilled slates were to hold arms that were oven-baked to cure the epoxy. The blocks with the larger holes in the boxes were used for the same purpose with R/C arms, at the later BoLINK, I assume.

[Gator Bob]

I have the pre-drilled. It is on my bench and still in use to check for flat and straight or just as a handy/sandy work surface.

Great item!
 

[macman]

Awesome!!! I remembered Champion from the old days, and always had a soft spot for them because they were Southern!!!
When I walked into my first modern raceway in fall '86, Champion was the only product name I recognized... The only car they had back then was the Magnum 12, which was out of my price range so I got a Flexi 1 and a rental controller (the one with the BIG heatsink and skinny wires). Still have a Magnum 12 chassis that hasn't been on the track since '91. Will be racing with Turbo and AstroFlexs tonight.  

Also had the great pleasure of knowing and racing with Cozine and Gardner on the Atlanta Purple Mile, ca. '89-90.      

[Steve Okeefe]

Here's an item I'm pretty certain no one has even seen, much less owned.

How can I say this? Because this Champion slot car carrying case was a protoype that was never put into production. After spending a lot of money on the tooling, Bob indicates that Champion was never able to solve the problem of warpage once the box was molded.

 

Stumbled across this today on page 40 of the 1968 Champion Catalog...

 

 

Looks the same to me...

 

Don't know if Champion ever solved their warpage problem, or if they ever actually sold any. But, it's in the catalog.

[Cheater]

I actually have a 1968 catalog here and didn't bother to check.

Perhaps Bob will chime in to clear this up for us.

[Gary Adams]

One last post for today...If you were entered in the Arco 33 race at Tom Thumb Hobbies on May 18, 1968, you were given one of these self-adhesive fabric patches.Mike McMasters, do you still have one? If so, it probably doesn't look as pristine as this unissued one.patch.jpg

Hi Greg.

The Arco race in 1968 was held at Stan McCloy's raceway, which was known as Tom Thumb East. Unless Mike raced in the Arco, it is unlikely he has one of the patches shown. It was a great race as I recall, although I smoked my motor in qualifying, aargh!

[Gator Bob]

The 'K&B' and the 'GTX Slot Car Carrier' were very popular.

[Cheater]

The Arco race in 1968 was held at Stan McCloy's raceway, which was known as Tom Thumb East. Unless Mike raced in the Arco, it is unlikely he has one of the patches shown. It was a great race as I recall, although I smoked my motor in qualifying, aargh!

Thanks, Gary.

I never knew there was a second Tom Thumb in Columbus.

Thanks for the correction.

[Gary Adams]

Not a problem, Greg. I'm really looking forward to seeing more things from Bob's collection, as what you've shown us so far has been fantastic!