23 replies to this topic

[Ted Bier]

I just got a couple of this chassis, I was thinking they are homemade, but they are alike.

 

Just who made them back in the day?

 

 

[Ramcatlarry]

Looks like the Strombecker before the Hemi can motor came out.

[blue&orange]

Strombecker 1/32. The chassis originally was held together by the tab and slot at the rear and two fold-over tabs behind the front wheels, which made for a sloppy fit of the axles, and eventually problems if you took the chassis apart too many times. The 3 round-head screws and nuts would tighten things up; the 3 flat-head screws are in the body mount positions.  Paul Gage makes tires for those wheels.

[Ted Bier]

Did they all come with the multiple drill holes ? I  can't find another one like this ! I have 2 of them .

[Rotorranch]

Did they all come with the multiple drill holes ? I  can't find another one like this ! I have 2 of them .

 

No. The holes are someone's attempt to lighten up the chassis.

 

Rotor

[Ramcatlarry]

Misgoten youth ideas,  The only thing that made that chassis handle was a slab of lead or brass under it - and better wheels and tires.

[MSwiss]

Larry,
I sent you a PM.

[Dave Crevie]

I also have one of these. No drilled holes in the front like the one in the picture. I appreciate the picture showing the motor. My

chassis is in pieces, and I couldn't remember what motor was in it. And I have that motor, so now I can re-introduce them and

restore this car. Don't know what happened to the wheels.

[Ramcatlarry]

Same motor was also used in the last generation of Strombecker one piece plastic chassis.  Hemi can in a next version.

[Pechuga_VLC]

Hello,

it's not really an adjustable chassis

 

It is a standard chassis for the Barracuda version of Strombecker. It is made to order in Japan by its parts supplier: Igarashi (sometimes named "Strombecker Japan") exclusively for Strombecker.

 

Personally I call this type of chassis as "steel sandwiches", because it consists of two steel plates that due to their shape fix the steel shafts and the engine, which incidentally is also an Igarashi standart open in its version of 1965.

 

This version of chassis was the first (it is second half of 1965) and due to its length, only valid for the Barracuda model. Later Strombecker (actually Igarashi) will make other more common ones.

 

 

 

NOTE : holes are not original of factory. Someone tried to lower the weight

[Dave Crevie]

No steel plates in mine. And I don't see any in the top picture. Mine came with a Cheetah body, which I still

have. The tab at the rear of the chassis that locates the rear axle retainer plate got bent from being rear-ended

and eventual cracked through after being repeatedly straightened. It will probably break off if I try to straighten

it again. Otherwise, I hope to have it back running again eventually.

[Pechuga_VLC]

No steel plates in mine. And I don't see any in the top picture. Mine came with a Cheetah body, which I still

have. The tab at the rear of the chassis that locates the rear axle retainer plate got bent from being rear-ended

and eventual cracked through after being repeatedly straightened. It will probably break off if I try to straighten

it again. Otherwise, I hope to have it back running again eventually.

According to its commercialization, there are multiple versions of the Strombecker Cheetah 1/32, in chronological order:

 

* competition version with a lightweight metal chassis, delrin parts and optional tilting guide etc. from TC-32 competition motorkit, although latest versions marketed in Canada (hemi-semi) hexagonal box already without the optional swingarm. Also in Canada I do not remember if they commercialized versions of hexagonal box with Hemi-300 engine, I would have to consult it in catalog. Since December 1965.

 

* standart version steel, but it is not exactly the one in this post, because it has a shorter length. It is a common chassis also for example to the Ferrari Dino. Therefore it is accompanied by an open Igarashi standart engine in its 1965 version, although there are versions that carry the TC-32 engine from a special circuit. Since 1966

 

* standart versions with a mixed steel-plastic chassis, which is also common to other "short" models.

 

* standart version with black plastic chassis made in Hong Kong (although they were also manufactured in France), usually with green Wasp engine, but can also be seen with Mabuchi 15 small can engine. Since 1969

 

I think I have quoted them all, but it is possible that there are more, the Strombecker universe is very complex.

[Dave Crevie]

Thanks to Ted's photos I now have the proper motor back in this car. My fix for the sloppy axles was to use

brass tubing as bushings, and copper "clamps" to hold the top and bottom halves of the chassis together.

Somewhere along the line the rear tab and slot went away. Can't remember why, but most likely it broke

off from being bent back and forth once too often.

 

 

 

 

[NHBandit]

Which version would this one be ? It's a fast little hotrod for being as old as it is. Missing the rear valance. 

Attached Images

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[old & gray]

My guess is Monogram generation 1 (Endbell drive) with a hemi swapped in.

[MattD]

That's the Strom kit chassis under the blue body.

[Dave Crevie]

Yes. Strombecker, chassis and body. Not sure if it was ever offered with the blue endbell hemi.

[MattD]

Dave, maybe the blue endbell came in the Competition Kits?    Maybe the 124 cars had  that version of the big motor with the red endbells?    Seems I remember that was the  motor in those kits.    Not those kits  in the white boxes with the plastic frames and stuff.   The competition kits came in  a different kit box and I think as an rtr in the 6 sided box with a loose body  and assembled chassis..    Rack your brain a little and see if you remember those kits.    I could be mistaken.,

[Dave Crevie]

I honestly don't know. The one I have I bought used as a roller, no motor or body. The track I raced at had several

different versions of Strombecker cars, but I don't remember for sure what came with what. I know they all had

Igarashis, but I remember only red endbells.   

[don.siegel]

The blue endbell TC32 Hemi style motor was the standard in these kits; the red endbell Hemi 300 may have been in some later kits or semi-RTRs, but they were mostly high-performance aftermarket options.

 

Most of the sandwich style chassis had either the open frame motor shown here or a much cheaper Hemi style motor with a green endbell - not sure what the part number on that was.

 

Don

[Ramcatlarry]

I have a project 1/32 Cheetah to finish.  I have the back half of that brass frame and need a FRONT half.  Got the rest.

[Dave Crevie]

Don; Makes sense that a commercial raceway would be selling those cars with a hotter motor. I will eventually

restore the chassis I have, and it is nice to know what motor is supposed to be in it. The bodies to fit that chassis

are plentiful at the toy and plastic model swap meet I regularly attend. I suspect they are re-pops.

[don.siegel]

Not repops Dave - Strombecker made huge quantities of their bodies, and lots were left over when the bottom dropped out of the market - they're still turning up here in France, since they must have shipped a bunch to their subsidiary in France when the US market tanked. Not all the bodies unfortunately, but a bunch of 1/24 kits and RTRs popped up about 10 years ago (EJ's got some of those even earlier to create their own kits), and another antique toy dealer has a bunch of Ford GT, Indy and Cooper bodies, but mostly without their accessories.

 

The 1/24 bodies were also used by a toy manufacturer called Mont Blanc for friction toys!

 

The TC32 does pretty well on our smaller 1/32 tracks, but probably lacks a bit of oomph on a bigger track.

 

Don

[Pechuga_VLC]

The blue endbell TC32 Hemi style motor was the standard in these kits; the red endbell Hemi 300 may have been in some later kits or semi-RTRs, but they were mostly high-performance aftermarket options.

 

blue endbell TC32 is a can Igarashi motor commercialized in TC-32 competition kit ( ref 8502 ) AND in European Rallye circuit ( ref 9896 ).

red endbell Hemi 300 is a can Igarashi motor first commercialized as replacement, but later as aftermarket options in hemi-semi-RTR hexagonal boxes ( ref 8632 ). I´m still not sure if only in canadian market..

 

Most of the sandwich style chassis had either the open frame motor shown here or a much cheaper Hemi style motor with a green endbell - not sure what the part number on that was.

 

sandwich chassis ( square hole version ) in RTR (ref  5990) or custom kit ( ref 9530 ) units with open standart Igarashi.

or metal-plastic chassis in RTR ( ref 5990 or 9590, I´m not sure ) with can closed bluebell ( no competition ) motor.

 

-------------since here we´re speaking about blue Cheetah body in Hong Kong injected.

 

after 1968 about orange Cheetah body in Hong Kong injected ( ref 9590 ), and white, yellow, orange, red and blue in Rumilly Injected ( ref 162-211 ), with black delrin chassis and green wasp motor 

or orange Cheetah body in Hong Kong injected too in mabuchi 15 little can.