A visit to Bob Rule's house
#26
Posted 16 June 2013 - 06:17 AM
Only have a couple of more pics from the last visit to post, but I should have some more stuff after we get back together in two weeks.
Gregory Wells
Never forget that first place goes to the racer with the MOST laps, not the racer with the FASTEST lap
#27
Posted 16 June 2013 - 08:25 AM
Most of you will know that Bob Rule and Rick Jordan moved on from Champion to start BoLINK and enter the R/C car business, but how many know that Champion made an R/C car?
Production was quite limited, according to Bob: a single prototype kit and here it is:
- n.elmholt likes this
Gregory Wells
Never forget that first place goes to the racer with the MOST laps, not the racer with the FASTEST lap
#28
Posted 16 June 2013 - 08:54 AM
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.
Steve,
In response to my emailed question, Bob replied:
That's it but it was never released.
Gregory Wells
Never forget that first place goes to the racer with the MOST laps, not the racer with the FASTEST lap
#29
Posted 16 June 2013 - 08:58 AM
Here's a tray containing mostly chassis, most of which are Champion production items, though there are a couple of scratchbuilts as well.
One of the more interesting items on this tray is the 26D motor set-up to drive a propeller via a spur gear.
Also note the pink anodized Champion jig wheel set in the lower RH corner. Like just about everything Champion produced, these were high quality items.
Gregory Wells
Never forget that first place goes to the racer with the MOST laps, not the racer with the FASTEST lap
#30
Posted 16 June 2013 - 03:29 PM
I still have my two Champion slate blocks, one drilled, but they don't look as pristine as Gator Bob's on either side of them. Still in use 44+ years later.
And the "other Tom Thumb"... I remember stopping in there in '70 with Cukras and Zimmerman, they had a killer blue King plus a Purple Mile.
Tom Hansen
Our Gang Racing Team
Cukras Enterprises
Team Camen
Chassis By Hansen
I race and shop at Pacific Slot Car Raceway
#31
Posted 16 June 2013 - 04:09 PM
Bob told me where this track was located in Atlanta, but I can't remember what he said. (As you might imagine, my two-hour visit with Bob led to a bit of information overload; I was snapping pics and not taking notes like I probably should have been doing, too.). Bob's following this thread and hopefully he will post the info I can't remember.
Clearly this is not an American Model Raceways track, even though the thin sides seem to be Formica, as evidenced by the reflections of the stools. The shininess of the racing surface is interesting, too. Anyone recognize the builder?
Looks like a nice, compact design. I've never seen a track like this.
- MSwiss, Bob Chaney and Gator Bob like this
Gregory Wells
Never forget that first place goes to the racer with the MOST laps, not the racer with the FASTEST lap
#32
Posted 16 June 2013 - 05:44 PM
Mike Katz
Scratchbuilts forever!!
#33
Posted 16 June 2013 - 06:10 PM
Yup. With a nice application of spray-glue, geared 9/29, that thing would be punched except for the flatter 180 after that banked 180. Heck, maybe even that "flatter" 180 would be punched after that banked 180 bogs the motor some.
Remember, two wrongs don't make a right... but three lefts do! Only you're a block over and a block behind.
#34
Posted 16 June 2013 - 07:24 PM
Only a guess but the track might have been built by Mille Miglia. They were fiberglass, one-piece affairs where the walls radiused to the fiberglass mat racing surface. All molded in one peice from skirt to skirt. Some the sections might be 20 to 30 feet long also.
11/6/54-2/13/18
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#35
Posted 16 June 2013 - 07:33 PM
I am gathering up a lot of old Arco race pictures to loan Phillippe for his book. Maybe I'll find more info on the track but it was built here in Atlanta for sure.
6/12/36-10/29/24
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#36
Posted 16 June 2013 - 08:13 PM
Cool race case, brave management, they'd have to move thousands of 'em at what, $3.00 net (?) each to pay for the tooling alone. By 1968 there must have been a lot of cancelled catalog items as commercial raceways were dying like flies and the industry's retail market continued to contract.
#37
Posted 16 June 2013 - 11:36 PM
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...
Very nice!
The pans on that would make it a pre-production or very early version. First one I've ever seen.
Bob and Greg, this is wonderful. Thanks for (and keep-on) sharing the pictures and the stories!
Most of you will know that Bob Rule and Rick Jordan moved on from Champion to start BoLINK and enter the R/C car business, but how many know that Champion made an R/C car?
Production was quite limited, according to Bob: a single prototype kit and here it is:
And sponsored a 1:1 Monte Carlo SS AeroCoupe in ARCA car IIRC.
"I'm Faster Now"
====================================================================
He are some pics of the jig block - this one came to me from the collection of Mr. Robert E. Kling.
- Bob Rule likes this
Bob Israelite
#38
Posted 17 June 2013 - 12:08 AM
We later made our own rubber tires with our own taper lock system on the wheels. (All of this is from memory some 46 years ago so forgive any errors in my story.)
That track is so very nice. Kind of a cross between a Flat track, punch bowl, and Hillclimb wanna-be. Two lifts and two blips?
I got the right tires... and... I want to try it out.
Hey Bob... here is a memory jog of those tires.
CP-340 on the left.
Bob Israelite
#39
Posted 17 June 2013 - 02:39 PM
That track was built right here in Atlanta by the owner of Highland Lumber Company (Ed Taylor) and four other local businessmen.
Bob, would Highland Lumber also be associated with Highland Hardware, currently in Atlanta? I've mailordered woodworking tools a number of times from Highland Hardware.
I intend to live forever! So far, so good.
#40
Posted 17 June 2013 - 02:53 PM
That track looks like it is floating in mid-air!!! Don't see anything holding it up. Looks like the surface may be black Formica.
That track looks like it is floating in mid-air!!! Don't see anything holding it up. Looks like the surface may be black Formica.
Right on the money, Mike. It was black Formica.
6/12/36-10/29/24
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#41
Posted 17 June 2013 - 02:55 PM
Bob, would Highland Lumber also be associated with Highland Hardware, currently in Atlanta? I've mailordered woodworking tools a number of times from Highland Hardware.
Bob, would Highland Lumber also be associated with Highland Hardware, currently in Atlanta? I've mailordered woodworking tools a number of times from Highland Hardware.
Bill, I am not sure. What is the street address for them? I this Highland may be out of business (track builder Highland).
6/12/36-10/29/24
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#42
Posted 17 June 2013 - 04:44 PM
Bob, their address is: 1045 North Highland Ave NE Atlanta, Georgia 30306. I was just curious if it was the same family. They've always been great to deal with.
I intend to live forever! So far, so good.
#43
Posted 17 June 2013 - 05:47 PM
Toco Hills had black formica tracks If my memory is correct. Wonder if the same guy built them?
"Waddaya mean, it won't pass tech?"
Hugh Dudley
#44
Posted 17 June 2013 - 06:36 PM
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#45
Posted 17 June 2013 - 06:38 PM
Bob, their address is: 1045 North Highland Ave NE Atlanta, Georgia 30306. I was just curious if it was the same family. They've always been great to deal with.
I'll look into it. I'll call them. Do not think it is the same one but the track builder was on North Highland and owned by Ed Taylor.
6/12/36-10/29/24
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#46
Posted 17 June 2013 - 06:57 PM
Mike Swiss
Inventor of the Low CG guide flag 4/20/18
IRRA® Components Committee Chairman
Five-time USRA National Champion (two G7, one G27, two G7 Senior)
Two-time G7 World Champion (1988, 1990), eight G7 main appearances
Eight-time G7 King track single lap world record holder
17B West Ogden Ave., Westmont, IL 60559, (708) 203-8003, mikeswiss86@hotmail.com (also my PayPal address)
Note: Send all USPS packages and mail to: 692 Citadel Drive, Westmont, Illinois 60559
#47
Posted 19 June 2013 - 11:21 AM
Here's a another Champion prototype product that never made it to market: a controller for R/C planes, to be sold under the Champion Electronics brand, it seems.
Bob indicated that this controller (is that what the R/C flyers call them?) isn't unique. There are exactly two of them in existence: Rick Jordan has the other one.
Gregory Wells
Never forget that first place goes to the racer with the MOST laps, not the racer with the FASTEST lap
#48
Posted 19 June 2013 - 11:24 AM
And this plastic tub contains Bob's bagged controller collection. Most, but not all, are thumb controllers, including some with microswitches installed. I can't recall ever seeing a thumb controller with micros, only the later Parma gun-style controllers.
Some of the items in this collection are just handles, usually mold samples. There are also a couple of Dave Bloom painted handles...
Maybe on a future visit we can unbag these and do a thread on the more unusual ones.
Gregory Wells
Never forget that first place goes to the racer with the MOST laps, not the racer with the FASTEST lap
#49
Posted 19 June 2013 - 01:16 PM
... including some with microswitches installed. I can't recall every seeing a thumb controller with micros, only the later Parma gun-style controllers.
At least Airfix/MRRC did them, "Clubman Special" 5/7.5/10 ohms I think - the switches were pretty basic and fragile.
#50
Posted 19 June 2013 - 01:46 PM
Zipper,
I'm not certain we're speaking of the same thing.
The mircoswitches I referred to are full-power and brake micros arranged to bypass the sliding contact on the resistor, thus lowering the overall resistance in the power and brake circuits, theoretically giving better performance in both situations.
Your reference to "7/7.5/10 ohms" makes me think you are referring to a controller with "switchable" resistance values.
Can you elaborate?
Gregory Wells
Never forget that first place goes to the racer with the MOST laps, not the racer with the FASTEST lap