36 replies to this topic

[dc-65x]

An all-around beautiful build.

[Superbird]

George Hauk was a toolmaker who made the stamped parts and tools and ran the Phaze III factory for Roy Crawley. Roy actually worked with/in the Cobra Slot Car Company and bought out the company when it went under. I think George may have also created the parts and tools for Cobra but I'm not sure.

The earliest Phaze III frames were a redesign of the Cobra chassis. It used different parts and a much sturdier design. (Cars were getting heavier by then after all. Roy also wanted a rugged chassis since he was selling a lot to kids.) I met George a couple of times and I think it was fair to say he fought with everybody at one time or another. He started selling his Ferret parts under that name because ferrets are known to kill cobras... or so the story goes. He eventually fought with Roy too and spun off his business dealings.  
 
The article is dated August '69 which makes sense. The chassis design looks like a cross between the Cobra and Phaze III designs (Cobra had spaces between longitudinal rails, Phaze III didn't). The chassis is executed using-off-the-shelf Ferret parts. It is stated to be an introduction to basic frame making and the basic GP12 hinged bat-pan chassis was pretty common by then. 

Very nice article! Thanks!

Superbird

[Jairus]

I think the front wheels are by Cobra.  

[tonyp]

I think you are right.

[Bill from NH]

That overpriced Ferret anglewinder bracket is still being listed on eBay for $27.99..  

[Superbird]

As I recall the "A" front wheel (slick hard plastic with square cross-section) is the style Phaze III supplied on their RTRs. I think the Cobra GP12 came with a front wheel that had a rounded hard rubber tire.

My sense is that Roy kept the solid front axle going on his cars after other manufacturers had gone to 1/16" drop-axles. I think he may have wanted to stick with NCC or whatever track owner convention there had been that required a 1/8" axle and tall tire. He may also have just preferred the stronger components.

[tonyp]

Standard front axle was easier to assemble on RTR cars.

[Superbird]

Good manufacturer's insight! I would not have known that. I know Roy stayed with the same front axle and there could have been a number of reasons.

I wasn't around when Phaze III closed so I don't know if any of his designs changed. My guess is that they didn't although eventually, before I left in '75, he did allow us to run chassis from other manufacturers. We experimented with a number of them and modified them as needed.

[Mbloes]

Thanks, Pete.  I really appreciate your first person history of the whole Phaze III / Cobra / Ferret relationship.

 

Here are (some of) my frames that represent the evolution of their chassis development:

 

 

 

You can see that #3 in the bottom row is marked "Cobra" and #1 in the top row is marked "Phaze III".  Otherwise, there are no other markings.

 

And I think the silver one - top right - was manufactured by one of these companies as well.

 

Note that all of the drop arms are the old style flag mount.

 

 

[Brian Cochrane]

Superbird,You are very accurate with the Ferret Cobra  phaze 3 info. I spoke with George from Ferret about this back in the early 90's.His ferret labels have a picture of a Ferret holding  a Cobra in it's mouth. George was a low keyed hard working machinist ,and a very good one at that. They also claim to be the inventers of the "Push in braid" back in the 60's. George passed away back in the late 90's.Him and his wife Carol  produced slot car supplies right up till the day they passed.I"ve never seen George as being nasty.He felt a little screwed over about some things but would never talk about it unless you asked.I personally felt he was a great guy.P.S. chassis development kinda slowed big time in the mid to late 70's because slot racing was trying to hold on for dear life.I probably met you at the Phase 3 store in Farmingdale N Y back in the 70's .It wasn't like the place was packed with a lot of people.I originally was a Hobbytrack speedway in Levittown racer.......

[Superbird]

Hey Brian! Me Too!! I remember Hobbytrack very well as well as (vaguely) EMMRA and the later Cobra small tracks in East Meadow. There were lots of tracks back then. I have said before that Roy was a character but he was also the whole package (track owner, factory owner, salesman, promoter, race announcer, distributor and mentor). Without him we, and many others, would never have had the great slot car experience we did. I didn't know George Hauk very well but I think you were right. He was quiet and to the point. Not nasty but defensive. Yes, he did invent the push-in tab style braid that became the standard ever since. I have not seen the logo you describe but it sound precious!

 

Pete

[Superbird]

Hey Mike!

 

I am in LOVE with your Cobra Phaze III collection! I especially love the chrome steel COBRA plumber chassis! I have one (non chrome) I got directly (indirectly) from Al Pappas. We found a couple in the parking lot near the dumpster of the COBRA factory which was in probate at the time. There was no legal way for us to buy any and we had never seen them before but Al admitted it was theirs. They had been run over a few times... We refurbished them and I only learned a few years ago (from Philippe) that they had been in production at all! I love mine and drive it whenever I can.

 

You can tell your Phaze III chassis from the COBRAs very easily. The Phaze IIIs all have the wrap-around Ferret motor mount. COBRAs have the lighter soldered in style.

 

Great collection!

 

Superbird