35 replies to this topic

[strummer]

I posted about this on another Forum, and thought I would do the same here, in case anyone might be interested. I had a similar version of this years ago; it had (2) screws holding the body halves together, and an open-frame motor. This one has (1) screw (up front) and a tab holding the back in place. It has a Mabuchi 15R grey can motor, so I dunno if this one is an older example...(?)

 

I started with this:

 

 

...and here is the (more or less) final result:

 

 

 

Still need to find an oil tank; certainly no award-winning model, but I had fun working on it.  

 

Mark in Oregon

[Pechuga_VLC]

injected mid-year 1962 in Chicago - firsts  units 

0 screws, Mabuchi short 15r motor

possibly same colors as nexts ... 

 

injected since 2nd semestre 1962 in Chicago / THIS IS THE UNIT THAT YOU SHOW IN PHOTOS

1 screw, Mabuchi short 15r motor

clear white, red, metalic burgundy, metalic green, metalic silver.

 

injected since Christmas 1963 in Chicago  / THIS WAS YOU OLD SLOT CAR

2 screw, Igarashi standart motor ( 1st version, later 2nd version )

clear white, green ( they were marketed in France too ) 

 

injected ca. 1967 in Rumilly 

2 screw, Igarashi standart motor ( 2nd version )

bone white ( they were marketed in Spain too )

 

injected since Christmas 1967 in Ibi

2 screw, Igarashi standart motor ( 2nd version )

turquese blue

 

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Note 1 : I don't run, but I think the car will go better with thinner front tires.

Note 2 : You need too the a chrome part that goes to the right side of the car related to the direction of the car.

[Alan Dodson]

That chrome part on the right side of the car would be the steering arm and drag link.

[strummer]

injected mid-year 1962 in Chicago - firsts  units 

0 screws, Mabuchi short 15r motor

possibly same colors as nexts ... 

 

injected since 2nd semestre 1962 in Chicago / THIS IS THE UNIT THAT YOU SHOW IN PHOTOS

1 screw, Mabuchi short 15r motor

clear white, red, metalic burgundy, metalic green, metalic silver.

 

injected since Christmas 1963 in Chicago  / THIS WAS YOU OLD SLOT CAR

2 screw, Igarashi standart motor ( 1st version, later 2nd version )

clear white, green ( they were marketed in France too ) 

 

injected ca. 1967 in Rumilly 

2 screw, Igarashi standart motor ( 2nd version )

bone white ( they were marketed in Spain too )

 

injected since Christmas 1967 in Ibi

2 screw, Igarashi standart motor ( 2nd version )

turquese blue

 

----------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Note 1 : I don't run, but I think the car will go better with thinner front tires.

Note 2 : You need too the a chrome part that goes to the right side of the car related to the direction of the car.

 

Thanks for all that information...I appreciate it! 

 

Mark in Oregon

[strummer]

That chrome part on the right side of the car would be the steering arm and drag link.

 

 

Thanks Alan.  

 

If I can't find an original, I might be able to "cobble" something together from brass bits...brass would be stronger as well.

 

Mark in Oregon

[Alan Dodson]

I have on from the AMT Parnelli Jones 1963 Watson Roadster and also the outboard oil tank. I'm not sure if they will fit exactly but they are yours if you want them, just PM me your mailing address. Brass would indeed be stronger, the plastic one looks pretty fragile, but it is chrome!

[MattD]

EJ's Hobbies has original chrome trees for the Strombecker Indy Roadster with all the original  trim parts.

[strummer]

Alan: thanks so much for the kind offer, but wasn't the AMT model 1/24? This is 1/32, so I'm afraid yours might be 'way too big...

 

MattD: I have been in contact with "EJ"; hopefully something there will work out, thanks!

 

Mark in Oregon

[MattD]

AMT did both scales of the Watson.

[Alan Dodson]

You are right Mark. I have the 1/24 scale version.

[ajd350]

Very nice! I am a sucker for these. The later versions that used the Igarashi motor  have the driver setting lower in the cockpit (2 screw versions). 

Attached Images

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[Pechuga_VLC]

AMT did both scales of the Watson.

affirmative

they were statics, but commercialized " ready to slot it "

[MattD]

The AMT kits are not actually "slot ready".   The bodies need to be glued together and the bottom cut out for a chassis.   They are nice models and  make great slot cars.

 

Here is the 1/32 AMT Watson kit.

 

This is the original Strombecker trim EJ's sells.

 

 

This outstanding build is by Chris Walker.   His fantastic builds are as good as any I've seen.   His chassis work is as good as his paint and body detailing.   This particular car is a kit EJ sold a few years ago and it is actually a vac formed body made by Victor Ferguson..  K&B made a 1/32 Watson vac body that is pretty nice and they are cheap when they show up on Ebay. 

 

 

 

 

[strummer]

Very nice! I am a sucker for these. The later versions that used the Igarashi motor  have the driver setting lower in the cockpit (2 screw versions). 

Wow; that looks great!  

 

What brand of wheels are those?

 

Mark in (wet and windy) Oregon

[strummer]

The AMT kits are not actually "slot ready".   The bodies need to be glued together and the bottom cut out for a chassis.   They are nice models and  make great slot cars.

 

Here is the 1/32 AMT Watson kit.

amt-32-watson.jpg

 

This is the original Strombecker trim EJ's sells.

EJ's Indy trim.jpg

 

 

This outstanding build is by Chris Walker.   His fantastic builds are as good as any I've seen.   His chassis work is as good as his paint and body detailing.   This particular car is a kit EJ sold a few years ago and it is actually a vac formed body made by Victor Ferguson..  K&B made a 1/32 Watson vac body that is pretty nice and they are cheap when they show up on Ebay. 

Chris Walker Watson.jpg

 

 

Thanks Matt.

 

And "amen" to your comments about Chris Walker; a real craftsman...

 

Mark in Oregon

 

 

 

[ajd350]

Wow; that looks great!  

 

What brand of wheels are those?

 

Mark in (wet and windy) Oregon

Thanks. The rear wheels/tires are fronts from a Marx 1/24 car. Fronts unknown. The inserts were from older 1/25 kits that I turned down on my lathe to press fit in. I think the front inserts were originally from some 60s funny car kit.

[strummer]

Al

 

It looks great.  

 

I suppose this has been discussed before; approximately what car/era/year was this Strombecker model based on? I just watched a YouTube video of the 1959 "500", and those cars look awfully close...any guesses?

 

Mark in Oregon

[Rotorranch]

Al

 

It looks great.  

 

I suppose this has been discussed before; approximately what car/era/year was this Strombecker model based on? I just watched a YouTube video of the 1959 "500", and those cars look awfully close...any guesses?

 

Mark in Oregon

 

 

It appears to be a late '50's - early '60's Watson roadster.

 

https://www.google.c...tt-us&prmd=insv

 

Rotor

[strummer]

Rotor: I think you're right.

 

Here's a photo (from "Mac's Motor City Garage") of the 1959 winner Rodger Ward roadster:

 

 

Looks to be the Strombecker car; the twin large nose intakes, the small vents up towards the cockpit, the small "bump" on the left top hood (just visible here), etc. 

 

Mark in Oregon

 

 

[MattD]

The Watson were all late 50's early 60's like Jeff said.    Several other builders built very similar copies.    The total output of actual Watsons, was in the 30's I believe.  A lot of the cars were sold  and slightly modified then raced the following year.   All the varieties we see are not all new builds, many are recycled from a previous team.   

 

May have been a handful on the race track and kind of primitive, but I don't know of any better racing pictures then a field of roadsters coming to the green flag. 

 

 

an old AMT model build up

 

and a Salih laydown

[MattD]

 

[Dave Crevie]

The Watson roadsters were a development of the Kurtis forerunner. The easiest way to tell the difference is that the Watson has a

split grill opening, the Kurtis has a larger oval grill opening. 

[strummer]

500 1.jpg

 

 

 

 

Wow; that might be a good a photo as I've ever seen...awesome!     

 

Mark in (wet) Oregon

[MattD]

The Kurtis Roadster also a bigger car and Frank Kurtis kind of held a little grudge with AJ about the Watson's being copied from his car.      One of my car buddies worked at Indy in the late 70's/early 80's for Johncock .      He spent a bit of time hanging around some of the shops in Indy..   He said a few years later he was in Indy and attended an open house at one of the shops and an old white haired guy was setting by the door and greeting everyone.   He said it was AJ just being friendly to  everyone coming and going.    Up until age finally did them in, AJ and a few of these old time Indy guys had a monthly luncheon where they all met and re-hashed the old days.   This went on till they were in their 80's.       Imagine setting in at a few of those lunch's.

 

[strummer]

Jeez Matt, you are a treasure trove of info and photos. 

 

I am so glad I started this thread on this site; so much information, thanks!!! 

 

I have decided to begin a quest to amass a small collection of these cars for my home race track; if there's any interest, I will keep updating my progress here...

 

Mark in Oregon