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Miyazawa and Auto World, the story


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#1 TSR

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Posted 01 July 2008 - 06:47 PM

In the middle of 1966 Oscar Koveleski, the founder and owner of Auto World, at the time possibly the largest model kit and slot car kit distributor in the USA and the world, was offered an exclusive distributorship of an intriguing new Japanese slot car kit. A gentleman by the name of Shoji Miyazawa was building in small quantities, a 1/24 scale Lotus-Ford type 29 from... brass and bronze!

Now most people would think that such a heavy model would handle poorly and show a poor turn of speed, but the model handled fine and went quite well.

The model was made of bronze investment castings for the engine details, suspension, wheels, etc., while chassis platform and body were made of formed brass sheet. A pink injected plastic driver, copied from the Cox original Ferrari/BRM driver figure, was supplied. The clear-plastic windshield was a simple stamping from flat sheet butyrate. Treaded hard rubber tires, and metric axles and crown gear completed the model, which received no decals. Altogether it was a rather charming little model, offering surprising performance for its heft.

So Oscar agreed and got from the small Japanese company some English assembly instructions and voila, the new kit was marketed at a retail price of $12.95, just about right for the market.

It is not known how many were sold but Oscar sat on piles of them well after the boom turned to bust. Eventually over the years, the stock was liquidated. Many were sold without the outer plastic box as many self-destroyed during the shipping from Japan.

Few of the original kits survive today complete and with their proper packaging. This is what you got for your $12.95:

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The outer cardboard box was rather flimsy and is somewhat scarce today.

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The kit was set inside this clear plastic box. No motor was included. Quite a few of these kits (minus the outer box) are floating around, but few were ever built.
This is where things get a bit more interesting. In 1967 as most customers were now looking for ready-to-race models, Mr. Miyazawa proposed to Auto World to do just that, and the following is POSSIBLY the only existing/remaining sample today:

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Offered in a blue tray with vacuum-formed top and corrugated board blocks, the car is fully-assembled. The proposed RTR model was well put together but this example has, for some reason, no motor.

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While Oscar was pondering on what to do with the new model, Miyazawa made at least one new sample of the same car now with an aluminum body for the purpose of lightening it. Below is what could well be the sole model ever built, certainly the sole survivor known to exist. Hopefully our Japanese friends can tell us that we are wrong...

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Unlike the previous version, the new model had a "mid-engine" configuration with a flexible drive shaft similar to early Strombecker models.

But Miyazawa was not quite done and issued the following model, a 1965 Ferrari 158 V8 F1 car:

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This extremely scarce model was never marketed in the USA but MAY have been briefly sold in Japan. Very few are known to exist.

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The model was constructed following the lines of the previous Lotus-Ford.

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The Mabuchi FT16 motor was apparently good enough to power this 4.5 ounce model without suffocating too much.

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The box was identical to that of the other RTR cars, a vacuum-formed blue tray with a vacuum-formed clear acetate top.

Last of the Miyazawas was a splendid Bugatti T35 Grand Prix car. Only two were ever made. The model was actually offered to me by Oscar many years ago but I was unfortunately too stupid to buy it then. My loss. ;)

Philippe de Lespinay





#2 bosmeck

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Posted 02 July 2008 - 10:07 AM

That was pretty interesting. :) I really like that car and will be looking for one real soon.

The aluminum body Lotus is cool and the Ferrari is amazing.

Thanks for taking the time to put this up.

Cheers :D
Chris Clark

#3 TSR

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Posted 02 July 2008 - 11:39 AM

Chris, my pleasure. This is all part of enjoying a "live" museum for the ones who simply cannot come to see the real stuff. :)

Philippe de Lespinay


#4 nostalgic

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Posted 02 July 2008 - 07:34 PM

Those are beautiful. :blink:

Is there a picture at all of the Bugatti T35?
George Hawkins

#5 Horsepower

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Posted 02 July 2008 - 09:42 PM

Phillippe, I remember when those were first advertised in my "new" Auto World catalog I received in the mail. My thought at the time ( I was about 13 years old) was "Who's gonna buy junk like that?" :blush: :laugh2: :shok:
Gary Stelter
 
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#6 TSR

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Posted 02 July 2008 - 09:45 PM

Gary,
We ALL thought that then! :laugh2:

Philippe de Lespinay


#7 Gill A

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Posted 04 July 2008 - 07:58 PM

Philippe,

That is awesome info. I really appreciate you taking the time to put it all together for all to peruse. You have filled in all the blank spaces and I now know what I have, in fact what I did not know I had.

Without a doubt we need historians like yourself. Thank you and may you continue the good work.

Gill Andrews
Hobbies Plus
New Zealand


#8 TSR

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Posted 04 July 2008 - 08:07 PM

Thanks for appreciating. I am trying... :)

Philippe de Lespinay


#9 Gill A

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Posted 04 July 2008 - 08:08 PM

Here is a closeup shot of the Ferrari's engine.

Engine_rear.jpg

I have several pics of the Ferrari and have no idea where I gleaned them from. Now I am glad I did so they can be viewed by others.

Gill Andrews
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#10 sportblazer350

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Posted 05 July 2008 - 06:20 PM

Thanks Dokk for another great article. I too was about 12-13 when i saw this in one of my Auto World catalogs, and thought the same as everyone else. I did see a kit in the blister recently, but the going prices today keep me at arms' length from this car. A few unique car in the world of slot cars, worth today's going prices for such a unique and highly detailed beauty!

Glenn Orban
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#11 TSR

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Posted 05 July 2008 - 08:17 PM

Glenn, it is my pleasure! :)

Philippe de Lespinay


#12 Jean-Michel Piot

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Posted 11 July 2008 - 04:29 AM

So, what can be added after this excellent talk from our beloved Dokktor ?

- The parts list and the assembly instructions, printed recto-verso, may be ?

OK...

AW_1.jpg

AW_2.jpg
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(Bud)light is right!

#13 TSR

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Posted 11 July 2008 - 09:36 AM

Thanks, Jean-Michel! I love when others make my job easier! :)

Philippe de Lespinay


#14 don.siegel

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Posted 11 July 2008 - 11:21 AM

But how about when they make us drool all over our computers, huh? That's not so great...
Thank you all for these pictures - that aluminum Lotus and the Ferrari are just amazing! Gotta be some of the rarer pieces around - and I'd love to see one of those Bugattis, too...

Sigh...

Don

#15 sportblazer350

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Posted 11 July 2008 - 05:58 PM

had one of these kits in my hands not too long ago...Mikey- what did you do with it????????

Glenn Orban
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#16 strummer

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Posted 13 March 2020 - 04:30 PM

I remembered a photo of the Lotus in the "Technical Journal of Model Car Racing" book...

 

AW #2.jpg

 

...and was going to ask about it; I did some checking first and here it is!

 

Looks like a super nice model; anyone here currently have one of these?

 

Mark in Oregon


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#17 don.siegel

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Posted 13 March 2020 - 04:49 PM

Yep, a couple of us have these - they're not actually hyper-rare, just rare and often very expensive. I got lucky - there's an antique diecast model car store on my street, and one day he called me in and asked, "Do you know what this is?" It was the Miyazawa Lotus, unbuilt in a dirty blister pack, but without the outer box... it's now mine and assembled, but I can't seem to find a photo... 

 

Found the photos! 

 

Auto World Lotus-1.JPG

 

Auto World Lotus-2.JPG

 

Auto World Lotus-3.JPG

 

 

Don 

 


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#18 Martin

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Posted 13 March 2020 - 08:45 PM

Some of you have seen my find as meager as it is. Still I keep my eyes peeled for a more parts, maybe one day I will be as lucky as Don.

Below before and after pics. I do love brass.

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Martin Windmill

#19 MattD

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Posted 13 March 2020 - 09:47 PM

with the original pink driver and guide

 

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Matt Bishop

 


#20 Martin

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Posted 13 March 2020 - 10:12 PM

Nice, is that yours Matt? :sun_bespectacled:

 

I only have about 50+ parts to find for mine to be complete :dash2:

 

I could fake it.

 

What about trying to fit my nose part to this Classic chassis? Hmmmmm You guys got me thinking.

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#21 strummer

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Posted 13 March 2020 - 10:57 PM

Wow, that is one stunning model. And yes Martin, who doesn't love brass?

 

Funny thing about brass models: to me anyway. The material is so lovely to look at in its natural state that even though that might make it look more "realistic", I would be loathe to cover it up with paint. Guess that's why the couple of HO scale brass steam locomotives I have (saved from my days in that scale) are still in their original finish...

 

Mark in Oregon


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#22 don.siegel

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Posted 14 March 2020 - 04:21 AM

That is rather nice Martin, looks like it could be a keeper. 

 

Looking at what you did with your's also makes me realize that I will have to polish mine one of these days... 

 

I also have a rather exotic model in brass: the Kemtron Thomas Flyer that runs on HO scale train track! 

 


Kemtron%20catalog%201957%20rail%20cars_z



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#23 Dave Crevie

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Posted 14 March 2020 - 08:12 AM

I have one of those little railcars. One of the few items I kept when I sold off my HO stuff. It ran like crap so I added additional pick-up wipers.



#24 MattD

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Posted 14 March 2020 - 08:24 AM

Martin that frame looks like it would work great.     You did super job of restoring that front body shell.    I've only know3-4 guys in all my car years that could straighten metal like that.

 

I do have that nice original, but quite a few years ago, maybe early 90's.    The Dolton slot car show had moved to the race track for one year.   I helped Dallas Booth unload his stuff that morning.   He had a sealed kit and when I pulled it out, I asked him how much and he said $100.    Another guy was very close and as soon as I took my hand off of it and put it in my pile he picked it up, gave Dallas $100 and walked off.    I wasn't concerned enough to do anything about it.   This was back in the days when I was careful with money and early in the show I didn't want to rush into any big purchases, so I let it go without saying anything.    Maybe one of the deals I am sorry I passed up,     


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#25 strummer

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Posted 14 March 2020 - 09:34 AM

1. Martin that frame looks like it would work great.     You did super job of restoring that front body shell.    I've only know3-4 guys in all my car years that could straighten metal like that.

 

I do have that nice original, but quite a few years ago, maybe early 90's.    The Dolton slot car show had moved to the race track for one year.   I helped Dallas Booth unload his stuff that morning.   He had a sealed kit and when I pulled it out, I asked him how much and he said $100.    Another guy was very close and as soon as I took my hand off of it and put it in my pile he picked it up, gave Dallas $100 and walked off.    I wasn't concerned enough to do anything about it.   This was back in the days when I was careful with money and early in the show I didn't want to rush into any big purchases, so I let it go without saying anything.    2. Maybe one of the deals I am sorry I passed up,     

 

 

1. I agree; you did do a "super job".   :good:

 

2. I bet...   :o

 

I would show you guys my 2 older brass steam engines, but I don't want to turn this into a "model railroading" thread...

 

Mark in Oregon


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