132 replies to this topic

[Gator Bob]

Well, lets see if we can figure out what Bob gave me.

Here's the font cover, with an illustration by the talent Ray Gardner (see small signature in lower RH corner).

69catalog.jpg

Bob told me this was the '69 catalog but there isn't a date anywhere on it; I've gone through it numerous times. Maybe this one was the June 2, 1969-on catalog; I just don't know.

Does this look like your green one, Bob? If so, perhaps Champion used an assortment of paper colors. BTW the orange in the pic here is actually a bit brighter than the actual color of the paper; it's almost an orange-brown.

And since we were talking about the four-color 1967 catalog, here's its front cover:

67catalog.jpg

But, as they say, you can't judge a book by its cover, because the catalog pictured is actually the 1968 Champion catalog, as evidenced by the following picture:

68catalog.jpg

Twelve yellow pages were bound into the center of the 1967 catalog to make the 1968 catalog.

FWIW, I am the "original owner" of this catalog, acquired 44 years ago when I was fourteen years old.

(And in taking these shots, I figured out why my pics from yesterday were so fuzzy... I had inadvertently triggered the 'soft' special effect on the camera... grrr...)

 

This might be a dealers version.

 

 

 

1967 revised edition with the '68 updates. The 1968 insert was the revision... I believe.

 

[Cheater]

Bob, that's probably a good guess. Maybe Bob Rule will post to let us know if it is correct. He's been following this thread.

 

Interesting that your 1968 Champion catalog has that sticker. I know for certain that my "revised" '68 never did.

[SlotStox#53]

Thanks to you and Bob for having so many lunches.   Plus thank you for taking all the pictures and posting them!

 

Just can't get enough seeing these original parts and catalogs.   Just sooo cool!

[Gator Bob]

Since the plastic box had no label, I can't be sure but perhaps these NOS gray sponge tires are the famous Tiny's grays. Bob doesn't know and neither do I. Where's that wacko PdL when you need him?

conra.tires.jpg

Bob also thought the Cobra decal was from that crazy company that paid Howie Ursaner crazy money to race for them back in the '60s. I can't argue with that opinion, but I can say I've never seen a Cobra decal like this. Howie? Anyone else?

 

Greg, I think those wheel/tire assemblies are from the "other" Champion.

 

That decal is ... well... kinda psychedelic.   

[MSwiss]

Greg,

 

Thanks for posting the blueprints, especially for the Queen.

 

I had seen that pic of the actual Queen before, and thought it wasn't very convenient to put your car on.

 

Now I see there was a gap in the middle of the panel, which isn't real obvious in the actual pic.

 

Duh.

[Tex]

I zoned in on the "Noose" drawing, specifically the air control on that slot car. In Texas, that's where we were at around 1970... apparently others were there in '68. It took time for the Pony Express to get stuff here back then.

[Noose]

Oh, that is so funny. I never saw the catalog and I'll have to get on Ray for doing it. LOL.

 

Wow. Those thumb controllers were a handful. LOL.

[Cheater]

Noose,

 

I emailed Ray a link to this thread and pointed him specifically to post #75. Perhaps he'll reply with some further info.

[Noose]

Well, you know know no one else is named Noose. We can blame that on that on Big Jim Greenaway.

[Cheater]

Joe,

 

Unless I am remembering it wrongly, I think Bob said that they called him Noose early in his slot racing years. Why that would be, I have no clue.

 

I'll confirm that when we get together next week.

[Cheater]

Headed for the rack soon, but I thought I'd post these pics to end the day.
 
This is some of the equipment that was used in running the Arco races. Evidently these boxes were used to interface with the tracks being used for the Arco races, but I do not know exactly how they worked.
 
The first pic is the actual boxes still in Bob's possession; the second is a picture of a pic showing some similar but different stuff.
 

 

[TSR]

If I recall, Noose was the nickname for Ray Gardner in his earlier Champion racing days. I am not sure that there is a correlation between "our" Noose and the little cartoon in the 1970 catalog.

 

Also, the green and reddish catalogs are for two different years, they are not the same. I can't remember this second which came first because it's bed time here in the old folks home, but I will sort that out for you.

 

Also, Bob Rule has kindly loaned his surviving pictures to me, and we are frantically scanning them before returning them to Georgia. While most are tiny (4 X3...) there are many unpublished ones. Unfortunately the ones used in some of the catalogs are very faded and the best efforts of Photoshop will not revive them.

 

You can be sure however that quite a few of the pictures are going to be found in the "pro racing history" chapter of the book, we are making space for them (more work, just what I needed...)

 

And yes, BOTH Nooses will be found in the book's pages...

[Cheater]

So you did get the pictures Bob Rule sent... great!

[Cheater]

You can be sure however that quite a few of the pictures are going to be found in the "pro racing history" chapter of the book, we are making space for them (more work, just what I needed...)

Yes, it is. You've been having waaay too much fun lately... LOL!

[Gator Bob]

Speaking of books... I highly recommend reading:
 
 "Old 'n Slo' Ray Gardner's "Fifty Year OF Fun".
 
He sent me an autographed copy dated 12/28/2002.
 
Greg or Bob R., have you kept in touch with Ray? He was living in Leesburg, FL, at that time.

[Cheater]

Bob,

Thanks for reminding me! I promised Bob Rule, who has the remaining stock of Ray's book, that I would create an ad for it in The Parts Counter and I keep forgetting.

Am doing it right now; I have just enough time before we have to leave for a wedding in North Georgia.

[Hworth08]

The gray tires could be Champion's own. Can't remember the year or the name but Champion sold doughnuts that a person slid on the rims and then heated the rim with a soldering iron for 30 seconds or so to bond the tire to the rim. IIRC there were two sizes, one with a large hole for 36D power cars and a smaller holed for 26 and 16 motored cars.

Champion also sold a blue tire called a Biting Dog, Mean Dog?...something to do with a dog, that had a very tight texture and was the best tire out for a period.

[Cheater]

Could be, Don. The hubs do look "Champion-like" to me. And it would make sense that Bob would have a box of unused Champion tires in his possession, wouldn't it?

 

I come from the era where Champion tires were always blue in color.... LOL!

 

I vaguely remember those pre-glued donuts you mention, too.

[TSR]

Since the plastic box had no label, I can't be sure but perhaps these NOS gray sponge tires are the famous Tiny's grays. Bob doesn't know and neither do I. Where's that wacko PdL when you need him?

 

He is whacking, what do you think?

 

Those tires are not Tiny's. Likely they are Dynamic's.

[Bob Rule]

 That's right, they were Dave Bloom painted handles... I was thinking of.
 
Think he did two Russkit (maybe Parma) handle sets with Bob's name on them... beautiful!
 
  One of One on the green handle ... Is that correct Bob R.?
 
IMG_0463.jpg

 
The green-colored one is a prototype, I believe. I don't think we ever sold any like that.

After all these years I can only say "I think" or "I believe".  :-)

[MSwiss]

Bob R.,

In post #75, do you know who Ray G. is referring to when he uses the name "Noose" in that cartoon/illustration?

[Bob Rule]

Here's a post for Noose...

The orange Champion catalog shown above (whatever the year) has a series of drawings by Ray Gardner sprinkled throughout. They are, in fact, the only illustrations in the catalog; no product pics or drawings are shown anywhere, though the last two pages have a series of B&W photos of the Champion staff.

One drawing caught my eye and here it is:

noose.jpg

I've spoken to Noose about this and he said he had never seen it before, so when he views this post, he will be seeing it for the first time more than forty years after the fact!

 

Unless I am remembering it wrongly, I think Bob said that they called him Noose early in his slot racing years. Why that would be, I have no clue.
 
I'll confirm that when we get together next week.

 
I was hired at Champion by a fellow named Fred Chastain who pretty much ran all of Champion's production. Fred started calling me Noose from day one. No idea why, he was the only one who ever called me that.

 

Ray called me Boob for Magazine that I was writing for. He called the article "Boobs Eye View" I have a picture of Ray's drawing. As soon as I learn how to post a picture, I'll do so.

[Bob Rule]

In post #75, do you know who Ray G. is referring to when he uses the name "Noose" in that cartoon/ illustration ?

 
It was term that was used freely around that time. (at least at Champion) Don't think it referred to anyone in particular

[TSR]

This also might help? 

 

[Noose]

I got my name Noose around 1967