A gentleman inquired on my PM about this model as he found one in fair condition and asked me about repair issues.
Since there was none on the LASCM website, I guess it was time I addressed the subject.
So here it is:
The Cox 1/24 scale Ferrari was their first slot car racing kit and was issued in early 1965. by 1966 it became available in RTR form, and both RTR and kit were updated to a new chassis and motor in mid-1966, that required body mold changes, meaning that the Series 1 bodies will not fit on the Series 2 chassis and vice versa.
The kit was first issued with the TTX100 motor, a standard Mabuchi FT16 with pinion on the endbell side and there were sintered bronze crown gears (two of them offering different ratios). The chassis had no separate rear-axle bearings. The magnesium chassis and wheels were coated with that pinkish varnish to slow their corrosion from exposure to oxygen in the air. The separate 3-piece driver was molded of flash color plastic. Plated parts included the exhausts, side engine and gear box details. The rubber tires were slick, a few years ahead of the full-size racing cars! Two steel wire forms mimicked the rear suspension trailing arms and fit inside cavities provided on the engine-detail moldings.
A Series 2 kit soon replaced the original issue with Nylatron (glass-filled nylon) crown gears replacing the bronze gears, but there were no other changes.
The Series 3 had the new TTX150 motor, a Mabuchi FT16D with the pinion on the can side, a new chassis and modified body, but retained the one-piece Nylatron gears.
The box wore a sticker announcing the new motor:
These stickers will no long appear in the final version, the series 4, that will have the "standard" Cox setscrew crown gear with aluminum hub. The kit will be discontinued at the end of 1966.
The contents of the Series 3 kit show the new chassis and motor, and the one-piece Nylatron gears, that quickly lost their grip on the axles. Best was to notch the axle and apply a bit of thread locker on the setscrew and all was fine...
You can see more pictures of these kits here.
The RTR version is very commonly found as it was produced in huge quantities in two versions, the Series 2 being much more difficult to find. Both came with a standard Cox crown gear with aluminum bub and a setscrew, a proof that they were issued well after the Series 4 kits were marketed.
The car has a magnesium chassis and wheels, an injected plastic body with separate, factory painted driver glued on a cross bar molded in the body. The first issues of Cox's RTR cars had "chrome" plated wheels and front suspension and are the hardest to find. Later versions have plain mag wheels and a gray plastic front suspension. The car was powered by a Mabuchi FT16 motor dubbed Cox TTX100, with the pinion on the endbell side. All were fitted with the steel rear-suspension trailing arms.
Please note the plated wheels and front suspension.
The Series 2 had a new Mabuchi FT16D motor called TTX150 with the pinion on the can side, requiring a new chassis, now fitted with Nylatron axle bearings. Below, you can see the two different body kits, the second missing the molded cross bar. One was supplied in the new kit but it needed to be glued in a different location for the new chassis to fit.
You may now see detailed pictures of this model here.
Repairs:
While most of the RTR models have escaped desecration and are generally only missing a few parts, many of the kits have been assembled by glue fanatics and often need tender loving care to get back to decent aesthetics.
To separate the plastic parts is a delicate operation and I unfortunately cannot give any good advice here other than gently cutting marks with a sharp knife to cause a clean break.
The mag chassis and wheels can be lightly blasted with walnut shells media and coated with a clear polyurethane varnish mixed with 5% of candy-apple red paint to recover the original color. Plated parts should be repaired first, then sent to model kit parts plating specialists.
Tires are likely dried up, but lots of NOS originals have survived, plus there are great repros made by Ortmann as well as great decals, and available at Electric Dreams.com
To remove the original decals, soaking in lukewarm water for 24 hours, then gently knocking the decals off with a tongue depressor of which end has been made into a scraper works great.
Everything else will require elbow grease, fine polishing compound and patience...
