30 replies to this topic

[TSR]

Just acquired on behalf of the LASCM already vast collection of over 3,000 separate 1/24 and 1/32 1960s vacuum formed-bodies, this "Bat" by the fairly obscure Savage model company.
 
Not seen another so far. It has similar features to the International Piranha Mk 1, itself a tough nut to crack as few ever surface from the doldrums of the slot car collapse on the late 1960s...
It was on E-Pay for a mere 20 bucks, and left wanting...
 
Enjoy: 







Here are two pics of a Piranha Mk1 painted by the late Bob Kovacs as a display model for the International company, for comparison:

[Maximo]

Dokk,

 

I have never seen or even heard of this interesting thingie body.

 

Yet another one called a bat? Bats seem popular in the slot car era.

The Bat, Bat Ray, Batcar, Bat this and Bat that, etc...

 

Any chance a reproduction will be offered to thingie slot car collectors?

 

 

Maximo

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[NY Nick]

Thanks for the History lesson, Learn something new everyday.

[TSR]

 

Any chance a reproduction will be offered to thingie slot car collectors?

 

David, I am afraid that unless a few more surface, that would be impossible as trying to mak a copy of this would almost certainly damage or destroy it. 

[MattD]

P., We copy lots of vac bodies and  always leave them in the same condition as  when we started.   We do an inside pour of soft silicone and that is the only time the original body is  used at all.    The soft sil is easily removed without harming the body at all.     

[Brian Czeiner]

David, I am afraid that unless a few more surface, that would be impossible as trying to mak a copy of this would almost certainly damage or destroy it. 

 

You could fill it with clay and pour liquid silicone around it making a negative. Then fill it with the casting resin of your choice.  I have used the high strength silicone from Alumilite several times without damage to the original. Its not cheap though.

 

https://www.alumilit...Strength-3.aspx

[Maximo]

Gene Adams could easily reproduce this body with NO possible damage to the original.

 

I know this for a fact as he has done stuff that I have sent him and got them back totally unscathed!

 

It would allow that style of thingie to live on instead of being locked away in Baders treasure chest.

 

Omixam

[blue&orange]

In the 1950's Alfa Romeo did a series of BAT concept cars (don't know what that meant). This body seems to have some BAT characteristics and thus would be more realistic than most slot thingies.  Google and compare for yourself.

[Maximo]

Reproduction of a rare 60's item is great for historical preservation as more people become aware of something cool that they didn't know of before!

 

One rare example locked away in obscurity only provides the death of that idea and the sharing of no good will!

 

 

maXimo

[Phil Hackett]

3D laser scan it... then 3d print the positive mold and it's all done except the pulling of the plastic....

[TSR]

Well, the LASCM does not have 3D printing facilities, and no resin or silicone will get near that body until at least another will surface, so I guess it will have to wait.

[slotbaker]

3D laser scan it... then 3d print the positive mold and it's all done except the pulling of the plastic....

 

I started typing the same thing, then thought about it...

 

Ideally, the internal surface of the body needs to be scanned in order to accurately replicate the positive mold.

 

How easy is that to do?

 

Plus the issues that Dok mentioned, although that part could be contracted out, which may not be ecconomical if the market is small.

[Steve Deiters]

New to me.

[Maximo]

I give up trying to possess one of every thingie that has ever been produced!

 

I try to feature a completed project car to be shared with other thingie enthusiast here, but I can't compete with those who have deep pockets and are not interested in sharing the wealth.

 

I will continue to show completed thingie projects which are hard enough to accomplish for me as I live entirely on Social Security.

 

Several are coming soon.... watch these pages!

 

maximO

[Bill from NH]

Keep up the good work Max! 

[Maximo]

Thank you Bill!

[Rotorranch]

I think I saw a couple of those on ePay in recent months. They were painted and mounted.

 

Rotor

[TSR]

By the way, that Savage body was on e-Pay, part of a mixed lot of junk bodies that had been there for over 2 weeks with no takers and acquired for a mere 20 bucks. Were were the Thingies chasers? 

[Gene/ZR1]

I will e-mail you $40.00 and you can make 100% profit, you can't beat that. 

[TSR]

Gene, sorry, not mine to sell, and the gentleman who owns the museum is rather ferocious in making sure that whatever comes in, will never come out... 

But it shows that if you are a serious collector, you need to collect seriously and be vigilant...

Regardless, he cannot take a chance in having a mold made, that is until at least another example will surface.

[Gene/ZR1]

Gene, sorry, not mine to sell, and the gentleman who owns the museum is rather ferocious in making sure that whatever comes in, will never come out... 
But it shows that if you are a serious collector, you need to collect seriously and be vigilant...
Regardless, he cannot take a chance in having a mold made, that is until at least another example will surface.

 

I agree, you can make a new mold with success and the original could be lost for ever or damaged in the mail. Best to put it in a safe place.

 

I mailed a package to Switzerland March 14 still has not arrived.

 

Maybe a whole case of these bodies will show up. 

take care; g

[MattD]

 

Body plugs pulled from NOS bodies, making it possible to do an outer mold of this plug and then using the outer mold, a buck can be made that captures all detail and these bodies are available again.   No animals were damaged in this process.

[Gene/ZR1]

 Bubble top in the 60's with the divider ridge, similar to the Savage Bat 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[Bill from NH]

That's a Darryl Starbird creation. IIRC, it's built on an early T-bird chassis.

[TSR]

Eldon,
definitely a possible part inspiration for both the Piranha and the Bat!