54 replies to this topic

[macman]

I have seen these on ePay lately, and have some questions... I can see that they are for 26D motors, so this would make them circa '67??

Are they an Iso design like they look??
What bodies were available, and would this be elligible as an original for the 2008 Thingie Proxy?

Any other info would be appreciated.

[Edo]

Hi Ben,

Sorry I noticed your thread so late.
Anyway here's the 1968 Riggen Special Jad RTR with the typical "Gator" Iso chassis:







That would be eligible for the F&S category for the Proxy Thingie Race 2008 (but not for the American Classic 36D motor).

Here's the Ferrari JAD RTR





They also made the RTR BRM JAD:





Riggen made also a Watson Ford (cannot find pics right now), a Chappie-XL, and a Ferrari custom which rarely show up on eBay.

Regards,

Edo

[macman]

Interesting chassis, but probably not competitive with the great scratchbuilds the proxy gets in F&S... I have seen the BRM and a Dunebuggy recently, but not the others... Thanks again

A clarification... What bodies would be elligible for a 36D Dynamic sidewinder, just the Renegade, or any thingie???

[Edo]

A clarification... What bodys would be elligible for a 36-d dynamic sidewinder, just the Renegade, or any thingie???

Hi Ben,

I'm afraid only the Renegade, since Dynamic made just that as a Thingie with a 36D motor.
O2R (one27ray) makes repops of this body if you need one.

Kind regards,

Edo

[macman]

A question for your Kingship...

Has anyone added brass floppy pans to one of these for weight and handling?? And do you have pictures?? I understand the chassis is steel and aluminum. Is the center section alluminum and the outriggers steel so I could solder to them??

I recently aquired a BRM off ePay...

[Edo]

Hi Ben,

The original Gator's outriggers are also in aluminium, or so it seems to me on the one that I have and so far I have not seen any chassis tuning done with brass floppy pans.

Regards,

E.

[TSR]

Hi Edo,

The outriggers are steel on the ones I just looked at. However it is possible that some might have been in aluminum, I will have to have a look with a magnet...

Here are pictures of the most desirable JAD car, the beautiful "Custom Ferrari P4". I had one when I was a much younger person and LOVED that car.



Please note that for conservation reasons, the bottle of Riggen "Tire Bite" was removed from the box to avoid possible leakage that could cause damage to the inner tray.





Please note the Cox guide, Riggen sponge tires, and Riggen gear. The early cars came with Cox gears. The later cars came as RTR in a small "body" box with the Brimhall name. So far only the Lola T70 and the Riggen Special have been seen in this box, while a Watson-Ford in a beautiful clear plastic box with extra tires is also at the LASCM.
Nice cars! They don't run too badly either with their Iso chassis once the gear mesh has been secured with machined brass spacers as for the Cucaracha...

Tomorrow I will post pictures of some of the other models.

[Edo]

Hi Dokk,

After I spent the whole night looking in my modest (and awfully messy - I should fire my assistants, don't you think so?) toy cupboards:







I was able to test the outriggers on this Chappy:





And on this Ferrari:



I applied a couple of neodymium mags to the outriggers and they instantly fell on the floor.

I deduce they are in aluminium like the rest of the chassis.

Ta ta for now.

E.

[don.siegel]

Professor Edo,

You may have found the only non-magnetic steel outriggers in history! A momentous experiment... I would check that neo magnet if I were you...

More seriously, I always thought these were steel myself, and will have to duplicate your experiment this evening (if I can talk Maguy out of wanting to go see a movie), but using Alnico 5 magnets for an authentic vintage test.

Ciao,

Don

[Edo]

Go ahead - make my day, Don!

I'm ready to bet my collection against yours!

[Bugeye]

My Ferrari has aluminum also.

[don.siegel]

Good thing I didn't bet the house! Not only the outriggers, but also the center section are all aluminum... Don't know what I was thinking of!

Don

[TSR]

Don,

The King is laughing too fast. I have a TSR magnet here stuck to a chassis...

Meanwile, as promised, more pik-turs. First, the nice box for the scarce Ferrari P4:



Then the Watson-Ford Indy car (please note that unlike the rare BZ version, this does NOT use the Lancer body but one copied from it with a shortened nose):



The contents: please note the different graphics for the bottle of tire bite... the red thingie is of course the wrench designed to fit all the Riggen wheels, a very precious tool indeed!



Recto verso:



The Chappie XL in its box:



Yet another different Tire Bite bottle!



The "series 2" box is a clear-plastic job with a printed card:



The "series 3" JAD box with the Riggen Special (picture courtesy someone out there, can't remember...)



More soon...

[Edo]

The King is laughing too fast. I have a TSR magnet here stuck to a chassis...

Must be attached with glue or something or else you have the only steel Gator in the whole world, you lucky Dokk!

Anyway beautiful stuff you got there (lucky Scott)!

E.

[TSR]

Your Kingeeness, not so fast. It appears that some of the chassis have steel chassis side rails.

[Cheater]

I can't be the only one to note that Riggen called it a "Gater" chassis, not "Gator"

Wonder why they did that?

[TSR]

Southern accent. They can't pronounce the "O"s.

Its "allegater" to you!

[macman]

So, I guess I am going to have to drill & tap this thing to attach pans to it???

Did anyone ever Race this thing??? was it competitive with the Cuc?? What will it do if I put a more powerful motor in it???

I have not taken a magnet to the outrigger, but it looks like the whold thing is a little wobbly. I notice that the fronts are ind. rotating, is this normal? Also, my gear seems to have a space in it that goes all the way to the hub, was this normal, or is it just cracked with age??

[TSR]

was it competitive with the Cuc??

My P4 killed them' roaches...

[One27ray]

Wow

I could look at all these cars, all day long they never get old to me

i-noda

[don.siegel]

I notice that the fronts are ind. rotating, is this normal? Also, my gear seems to have a space in it that goes all the way to the hub, was this normal, or is it just cracked with age??

Ben, in the period reviews the wheels are described as not independent, but on my Riggen Special they are... (it's not MIB tho). Riggen made both types of wheels, so there could have been lots of possibilities.

The first mentions are in August-September 1967, so I assume that's about when they were released.

And if that's a Riggen gear it's cracked - they all seem to crack, whether from age, poor material choice or whatever. The Riggen cars originally used Cox gears, which hold up very well, but there's something about those Riggen gears.... (ditto for the Revell sidewinder gears - just about every pinion I have is cracked).

Don

[Gator Bob]

Southern accent. They can't pronounce the "O"s.

Its "allegater" to you!

This far south it's Alli-gad-der..

 

By the way ... Very Nice cars, I never seen those before.

[Joe Mig]

Although not the same I think the ganja god sent us Gator Bob for Nestas replacement .

[HarV Wallbanger III]

I will have to check my 2 cars and see what they are out of.....

[TSR]

To confuse His Lordship the Kingee and everyone else, here is one in... brass! 

 

 

That thing has magnetic personality!