30 replies to this topic

[Alchemist]

Just wanted to share this very rare find!

 

As I was reminiscing about a few of my of first slot cars,  I decided to search for the K&B Shelby Daytona Coupe Slot Car with the front swing arm,  I found this today on Etsy - 6/27/2019.

 

I had one of these!

 

If only I had known better, not to get rid of my slot cars!

 

https://www.etsy.com...bra-gt-slot-car

 

Shelby 1/25 scale K&B Cobra GT slot car kit 1965 issue

4,562.92 SEK

VAT included (where applicable), plus shipping

Rare find — there's only 1 of these in stock.

Item details

Vintage from the 1960s

 

1965 Slot Car Model Kit, Super racing Collectable and very hard to find...price is way below market.

Ready to assemble or super display item for the fussy collector. 

Original box, minor tear on top corner of side paper, instruction sheet, sidewinder motor technical data sheet, decals, one piece body, built in windows and windshield, chassis, wheels, tires, complete hardware asst.

Missing open end small wrench ( I may find it)

From my Dad's collection.

Box has mild discoloration spots from being packed up all these years.

SUPER Collectable!

 

Out of US, pls convo for shipping and if you want insurance.

In US, additional insurance pls advise.

Shipping & returns

Ready to ship in 1–3 business days

From United States

239.67 SEK shipping to Sweden

See shipping and return policy

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[MattD]

Ernie, the series 2 car with the spoiler seems to be the most collectible.  It is a bit harder to find and has a nicer looking box and kit package.    The K&B kits are not all that high on the collectors list, but the second series are more desirable.    While I have never been impressed with the K&B stuff, I will say they are smooth runners.   Just my opinion.   

 

 

 

 

[Alchemist]

HI Matt,

 

Thanks for that info.

 

I remember running my K&B Cobra Coupe slot car on the San Francisco "Playland Model Car Raceway" drag strip, just to see it pop a wheelie! 

 

I don't recall ever running it on any of the road courses there - only the drag strip.

 

What I thought was very KOOL, was the fact they employed a "real parachute", hanging upside down from above, with all the material bunched up at the end of the drag strip, to stop the cars and to prevent damage to them.

 

 

 

 

Here is a website that has some vintage photos of the tracks inside the San Francisco Ocean Beach "Model Car Raceway".

 

https://mksgrist.wix...del-car-raceway

 

Oh the memories - sigh!

 

Ernie

[Martin]

I would save your money and look for a series 2 version. 

Better looking car with its side pipes, rivet detail, rear spoiler and super challenger motor.

 

I do have a series 2 body, I should move it closer to the front of this build list.

[MattD]

Martin that list is about a mile long isn't it!!!    I just  decide to work on the flavor of the week!!   Or I just work on what's in my way, so I can see the desk top!!!

[Martin]

Its only a mile long if I put the cars end to end, Less than half a mile if I put them side by side.

 

Thanks to Ernie and Matt, for shedding some light on this car.

[Alchemist]

Your welcome Martin!

 

I was so excited to share this find - LOL!

 

Ernie

[Martin]

You are lucky to have those memories Ernie. Thanks for sharing that Playland website. Some pics I had never seen before.

What an epic place that must of been.

[Alchemist]

Martin,

 

It was phenomenal place to be!

 

I had mentioned in another thread, that I was there almost everyday (even when I wasn't suppose to - LOL!) from the opening to the final closure.

 

My favorite track to race on was the "Orange Track" - they did NOT post the "official names" on the tracks back then.

 

The Model Car Raceway tracks were listed only by color.

 

Which is why, after all these years, I never knew slot car tracks had "official" names - until I discovered Slotblog!

 

Here is the race day track schedule:

 

http://slotblog.net/...el-car-raceway/

 

 

It was my favorite track because it was my very first race that I had entered.

 

My relative was the one who had me enter the race, paid for my entry fee and  lent me his Russkit powered Porsche 906 bodied slot car.

 

It was one and only time that I raced but was able to finish in Third Place and got a trophy.

 

I'm saddened, that I had let that trophy go some years ago, along with other Model Car Raceway paraphernalia, but as you said Martin, I am fortunate to have those wonderful memories!

 

I was so emotional on the last day the doors were open,  and had to leave earlier than I had anticipated.

 

Thank you.

 

Ernie

[MattD]

That is a great website about Playland.   There is also a book in  the "Images of America" series that has lots of Playland pictures and Cliff House, the swimming pool and gardens above the beach.   I can't add a pic as the book is on loan to my daughter in SF right now!    I don't think there are any pix of the slottrack that we have not seen online.  It tells a good part of the history of the area, though.   

 

 I guess to a lot of us it is one of those mythical slot tracks that us small towners never saw in the 60's.

[Jesse Gonzales]

I never owned a kit car rather I fixed a broken 1/32 Revell car my oldest brother fished out a trash can at a track in Tokyo, he gave it to me while home on leave and said when I fix it he'll take me to a track and try it out. The American Orange was the track I learned on and honed my driving on, I can still feel the rhythm of driving an Orange all these years later, my first trip to Ron Granlee's was the first time I ever saw a blue king. There are many of us Orange guys out there, it must be hard not having Orange tracks to race on for them.

 

Jesse Gonzales

[Alchemist]

Hi Jesse,

 

Good story!

 

How popular was slot car racing in Tokyo at the time please?

 

Speaking of the Orange track  . . . after Model Car Raceway closed down, some years later, perhaps the late 70's, I had heard that the Mare Island Navel Station in Vallejo, CA - had a slot car track installed in the base Hobby Shop.

 

I made a trip from San Francisco to Vallejo to pay a visit.

 

To my excitement as I walked in the door, there was an Orange Track! ! !

 

I made an inquiry to the person running the hobby shop, and he informed me that it was from the "San Francisco Playland at Ocean Beach slot car track".

 

It was a thrill to run my cars on it that day;   sadly, that was the one and only time because the next opportunity I had the hobby shop closed.

 

Ahhhh - the memories!

 

Ernie

[Alchemist]

I came across this article about the San Francisco Playland ModelCar Raceway from my archives and wanted to share.

 

There is an article written regarding this particular Sovereign track at Model Car Raceway, calling it the "Purple Mile", but If you look closely, you will see the track is "Blue".

It IS/was Blue - I was there - LOL!

The photo in that article looked to be a faded picture.

 

 

 

 

I don't remember where I acquired these photos of the Orange Track, but I hope the owner of the facility won't mind that I share them!

 

 

 

 

Thank you.

 

Ernie

[don.siegel]

If I'm not mistaken, this is the Orange track that we raced on in Nieuport, Belgium for a couple of years. They have a going club there, with both 1/24 and 1/32 racing (the latter on a small wooden track), but they lost their premises a few years ago, and I think the track is in storage for now - we're hoping they get going again and we can start racing on the track! 

 

Like the track, but the esses are tough, and their power supply seems to cook motors, altho it's a regulated, solid-state item... 

 

 

Don 

[bradblohm]

I liked that club!  Only raced there once, but it's the only Orange I ever raced on, and yeah, a well sorted Russkit chassis and Cox Nascar motor flew!  I also liked their small cafe which was walled from the track.  Civilized!!!

[Jesse Gonzales]

As to the state of racing in Japan my brother said that it was really popular, the Pro racers were actually paid by the factories they raced for. He picked up a case of 16D's for me that I used as the basis of my motor building for many years direct from Mabuchi at something like a dollar apiece. 

 

Jesse Gonzales

[Alchemist]

Hi Jesse,

 

How awesome!

 

 

 

He picked up a case of 16D's for me that I used as the basis of my motor building for many years direct from Mabuchi at something like a dollar apiece. 

 

Do you have any of those 16D Mabuchi motors remaining?

 

I find it challenging to locate vintage commercial slot car racing photos/videos in Japan - but still searching.

 

Thank Jesse!

 

Ernie

[Jesse Gonzales]

None, I used them up on motors for opens when you could still get by with Mabuchi as the basis of the build. After the D fold-up can came out things got crazy with cutting them down etc. When my friend Bob Green Sr. came out with the green can Mabuchi was toast. Before Bob went up to work for the Mura's he was in LA, his old racing and work buddy Bill Ussery moved to AZ then I was kind of the news passer for some years. Green and Ussery were top notch winders that I learned even more from.

 

Jesse

[Alchemist]

Thanks for sharing that info Jesse!

 

How fortunate you were to have acquired that rewinding knowledge/experience from top notch guys! ! !

 

Ernie

[Vay Jonynas]

Ernie, the series 2 car with the spoiler seems to be the most collectible.  It is a bit harder to find and has a nicer looking box and kit package.    The K&B kits are not all that high on the collectors list, but the second series are more desirable. 

 

 

Beautiful car and the kit is on my Most Wanted List! And I don't believe any company other than K&B released a Cobra GT slot car kit.

 

[Bill from NH]

Ernie, your photos of the Orange track in post #13 are of a Texas raceway owned by a body shop owner. He removed these tracks 12 or 15 years ago so he could expand the body shop. I thought the King went to OH & the Orange to NC, but that might not be true.

 

Actually, I think that Orange came from NC in trade for a TX Hillclimb. It was never gotten into running shape while at TX.

[don.siegel]

Vay, in 1/24 Lindberg and Otaki also offered Cobra GT kits. There were a few more in 1/32, mainly Auto Hobbies and Aurora/K&B, along with Strombecker. 

 

Don 

 

 

[Vay Jonynas]

Vay, in 1/24 Lindberg and Otaki also offered Cobra GT kits. There were a few more in 1/32, mainly Auto Hobbies and Aurora/K&B, along with Strombecker. 

 

 

Nice! Is that your own build of a 1/32 scale K&B Aurora Cobra GT?

 

[don.siegel]

Nope, that's the 1/24 Lindberg Cobra... 

 

 

I have the parts for the 1/32 K&B Cobra, but it's still a work in process, so no photos... ditto for the Auto Hobbies. 

 

Don 

 

 

 

[milmilhas]

Ernie, the series 2 car with the spoiler seems to be the most collectible.  It is a bit harder to find and has a nicer looking box and kit package.    The K&B kits are not all that high on the collectors list, but the second series are more desirable.    While I have never been impressed with the K&B stuff, I will say they are smooth runners.   Just my opinion.   

 

cobra.jpg

 

 

I`m an inconditional fan of COX but for me K&B had really beautiful cars such the Ferrari 250 GTO.