14 replies to this topic

[hiline2]

I didn't know that Cox made this!   Found it on eBay. Little pricey (or not). 
 
Rare Cox American Eagle Dan Gurney Tether Car 1/10 Scale

[beardogracing]

Yup, pricey. They come up on eBay frequently in various conditions. This is a little over the top price-wise, and it's not original condition.

[hiline2]

Beardog, just out of curiosity, what's not stock on it?

 

It was posted in the ITM eBay area. Like I said I'd not seen this one.

 

I knew they had done other Cox gas-powered cars though.

[Hermit #1]

I had a Cox tether car as a kid - a Buick Riviera. Without someone to race with, the fun faded fast. I think my friends and I finished it off with an impromptu demolition derby.   The neighbors were glad to see it go - they hated me running it unmuffled right next to their house. 

[beardogracing]

It's been painted, and looks like repro decals.

 

Good display piece. I wouldn't run it, as the fuel would make the paint disolve.

[hiline2]

After your post I decided to go see  how many I could find (mostly on eBay). There were ones not painted and didn't look as good and another that was red. Plus a large assortment of really old Cox gas runners and even the dragsters they made.
 
As for running I understand how the fuel would be harmful, but ! wonder how hard to convert to a 1/10 scale electric motor like being used in current R/C cars? Or even concerting to full R/C control?

[A. J. Hoyt]

My dad bought one of these when I was a kid! It's really cool to see it again. Yeah, that glow fuel really dissolved everything.
 
My brother (a certifiable pyromaniac) put some glow fuel into a plastic pool chlorine bottle and dropped a match in.
 
It taught me new lessons - about combustion "chuffing" (a flame shoots out, then it goes out to a point where it can replenish the oxygen inside the chamber, then comes back in full fury over and over - the same thing happens to solid propellant rockets, model rockets, I assume, and 1:1 solid rocket motors when they run out of fuel). If I recall correctly, it dramatically chuffed an eight-foot flame for about two minutes!
 
Sometimes it's hard to believe we survived our childhood... to live out our adult childhood.

[beardogracing]

As for running I understand how the fuel would be harmful, but! wonder how hard to convert to a 1/10 scale electric motor like being usedin current R/C cars? Or even concerting to full R/C control?

 
If you could find an inline drive system it would work great. The standard sidewinder arrangement would be too wide. Great idea though.

[hiline2]

Not knowing what the insides look like hoe does the small .049 transfer power to rears ? maybe a hybrid inline trans ?

[Ramcatlarry]

This looks like a gear drive.  The ones my dad and his friends made were direct drive - wheel was right on the engine drive where the propeller normally was...in the earlier 1950's.

[beardogracing]

Here's the answer to the question.

 

[JohnnySlotcar]

Had the Mercedes tether car. set it up on driveway with big weight in center. Watched as nut worked its way up and released the tether. End of car! LOL

[hiline2]

So , It looks like there were 2 versions, early version had the cylinder head coming out side and later version had cylinder head vertical.

[beardogracing]

Yes, I forgot there was 2 versions, lay down, and upright. This is the laydown, note the inline motor, much easier to convert to electric power. (brushless I hope)!!!

 

 

[racie35]

I had a yellow 57 chevy I believe was Wenmac....then one day a neighbor showed up with one of these badass things. I switched to the Shrike after that..air pusher!