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Swirl Candies silicone tires


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#26 MSwiss

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Posted 01 June 2020 - 12:42 PM

They were pretty widely used in 1966, but on slicker tracks, so maybe not appropriate for the American tracks. 
 
Our local track in Chicago had a formica surface, so silicones were about the only tires that really worked, until the microcell tires with glue came along. I still remember getting a Cox Lotus 40 and it would barely make it around the track until I laid out an extra 3 bucks for AJ's silicones. 
 
Reading through the Coast to Coast columns in Car Model, you do hear about a fair number of tracks using silicones. As Matt points out, the advantage is that they work on a clean track. Some tracks had banned glue, so it was the go-to tire. 
 
Don

As the pictured AJ's tires show, they weren't $3.

Possibly the Cox Sil-Sliks on the mag wheels were $2.49 pr.

I'm trying a picture if it said 1.98 or 2.49 on the little piece of cardstock, in the cool tube they came in.

Anyway, NBD

My local raceway was all silicone for the first three or four years, I want there.

Glue was expressly banned.

They finally started allowing glue when they purchased another track from a local closed raceway that probably was already full of glue.

Plus, a "serious" racer, Csaba S., had just moved to the Chicago area, from Texas, and he had a pretty strong influence on our owner, Charlie.
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#27 Dave Crevie

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Posted 01 June 2020 - 02:25 PM

Matt; If the raceway owner was practicing that type of sales game, I wouldn't have been a customer very long. There were too many tracks back then

competing for our business. But I know it went on, along with some other shady tactics. My cousin and I traveled around to a lot tracks in the LA area,

and we got to know what worked good at each one. Sillys were just getting popular when I quit, so I didn't use them much. I used mostly German open

celled foam tires with Coppertone suntan lotion as prep. Most tracks had no objection to using that. But some guys were mixing up their own concoctions

with acetone or MEK in them, which would take the paint off the plywood tracks. 


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#28 MattD

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Posted 01 June 2020 - 08:44 PM

Dave,I was 14 years old riding a bike to the track.   It was the only track in my town and it was all any of us kids knew.


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#29 don.siegel

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Posted 02 June 2020 - 03:44 AM

Mike, 

 

Just saw a pair of AJ's "Sik-i-Kone" tires - they were $2.59 - add in the sales tax, round up, and that's probably why I always remembered 3 bucks... 

 

https://www.ebay.com...f0AAOSwhfNdlhdy

 

Don 



#30 Dave Crevie

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Posted 02 June 2020 - 09:06 AM

Matt, you poor boy. As I said before, when, and where I was racing, you couldn't sling a dead cat without hitting a slot track. I was pretty lucky. 

 

Bought most of my slot car parts at International Hobbies, either the one in Pasadena or the one in Redondo Beach. I think there was one in Venice as well. But I can't for the life of me remember the prices on silicone tires, but since they came pre-mounted on wheels, $2.50 sounds

pretty reasonable for the time.   


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#31 MattD

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Posted 02 June 2020 - 09:49 AM

Dave, we enjoyed the little track we had.    Nobody knew there was a world of slot tracks out  there.    I was involved the summer of 65 and then I was retired for 15 years!   A lot of expansion hit the midwest later than 65.    Probably 66-67 in the mid-west was  the same as 65 on the west coast.


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#32 Gene/ZR1

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Posted 02 June 2020 - 11:12 AM

Best tire grip ever. One can was enough for everyone until silicone coated sponge tires came along. :)

 

494976675.jpg


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#33 don.siegel

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Posted 02 June 2020 - 11:18 AM

Ah yes, STP... 

 

I had my own secret formula involving STP, which I can't divulge... mainly because I don't remember it! But I think there was some lighter fluid in there, as a solvent. It may have involved some old frying oil and mustard from the hot dog joint across the street, but I can't swear to that. 

 

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#34 Phil Smith

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Posted 02 June 2020 - 12:12 PM

Dave, we enjoyed the little track we had.    Nobody knew there was a world of slot tracks out  there.    I was involved the summer of 65 and then I was retired for 15 years!   A lot of expansion hit the midwest later than 65.    Probably 66-67 in the mid-west was  the same as 65 on the west coast.

 

I just went to one track as well. Never thought about other tracks. Or even that there might be other tracks. For all I knew Tiger Track was the only track in the world.


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#35 Phil Smith

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Posted 02 June 2020 - 12:18 PM

Mike, 

 

Just saw a pair of AJ's "Sik-i-Kone" tires - they were $2.59 - add in the sales tax, round up, and that's probably why I always remembered 3 bucks... 

 

https://www.ebay.com...f0AAOSwhfNdlhdy

 

Don 

 

Those look like foam tires. The seller probably doesn't know.


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#36 Phil Smith

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Posted 02 June 2020 - 12:32 PM

Now that we know the best looking swirl tires are Twinkies, I may have the best pair of Candies. They're pretty well mixed. This is not even the best side. I just took a pic of the price. So until someone takes my crown, I christen myself swirl Candies King.

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#37 Don Wedding

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Posted 03 June 2020 - 10:49 AM

When I find a pair of  Twinkies on a vintage car that has a dynamic chassis, AMT motor ,Cox front wheels,and a Marlin Hand painted Body , you just don't want to change anything on it. It is a piece of history from that era . That was how it was raced and by god that is how it will stay.

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Best Regards,

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#38 Martin

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Posted 11 June 2020 - 02:25 PM

More Twinkies.

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#39 Phil Smith

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Posted 13 June 2020 - 01:19 PM

Well I hope this thread didn't create a demand for Swirl Candies. This is a nicely mixed used set. $57.75! Yikes!

 

I think I paid $20-25 shipped for mine. New in the tube.I guess those days are over.


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#40 Phil Smith

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Posted 13 June 2020 - 01:20 PM

When I find a pair of  Twinkies on a vintage car that has a dynamic chassis, AMT motor ,Cox front wheels,and a Marlin Hand painted Body , you just don't want to change anything on it. It is a piece of history from that era . That was how it was raced and by god that is how it will stay.

 

 

Don, I think those are Candies. Looks like Candies hubs.


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#41 Martin

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Posted 13 June 2020 - 04:32 PM

Twinkies have aluminum hubs and Candies have plastic hubs.

 

Phil, I think you are talking about this pink pair. Too pricey for me especially as the hubs were damaged and the chrome was scraped off.

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#42 Phil Smith

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Posted 13 June 2020 - 04:58 PM

Martin, that's the ones. I copied the auction link but forgot to paste it to my posting.

 

I knew the hubs had wear, but I didn't realize they had that much. All the more puzzling that they sold for so much.


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#43 Martin

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Posted 13 June 2020 - 08:32 PM

Someone wants to be the King of Candies at any cost.


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#44 Phil Smith

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Posted 13 June 2020 - 09:31 PM

Haha! :good: Heavy is the crown...


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#45 Martin

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Posted 13 June 2020 - 10:39 PM

I am not the buyer, Phil, I tapped out, I would have liked them though.
 
I saved the pics for us to add to this cataloging of the different variations. 
 
I did gather my silicone's in one box and I want to find a nice way to display them. Anybody got any ideas?


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#46 Phil Smith

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Posted 14 June 2020 - 11:46 PM

I don't know, Martin. I read your post earlier today and have given it some thought.  I'm drawing a blank.


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#47 Phil Smith

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Posted 30 June 2020 - 03:58 PM

Candies tire prices have gone through the roof. Much higher than I've ever seen them, and I've been following them for a couple of years. Not sure it had anything to do with it, but now I wish I hadn't started this thread. I'm priced out of the market. So you guys that are buying up all of my swirl Candies stop! You have enough. It's my turn. ;)

 

I didn't know Candies made foam tires: https://www.ebay.com/itm/224062342216


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#48 don.siegel

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Posted 30 June 2020 - 04:32 PM

Very odd, thanks for pointing those out. It says closed cell sponge, but they certainly look like silicones - maybe silicone coated? 

 

A new one on me in any case. 

 

Don 



#49 Martin

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Posted 30 June 2020 - 08:14 PM

I would be very surprised if there are not silicone. They look just like what we expect silicone's to look like IMO.

 

Whats the meaning of CASTORGLASS written in red on the container.


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#50 MSwiss

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Posted 30 June 2020 - 08:54 PM

What does it say before Spongies?                                                                                                                                           

s-l1600.jpgs-l1600.jpg


Mike Swiss
 
Inventor of the Low CG guide flag 4/20/18
IRRA® Components Committee Chairman
Five-time USRA National Champion (two G7, one G27, two G7 Senior)
Two-time G7 World Champion (1988, 1990), eight G7 main appearances
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Note: Send all USPS packages and mail to: 692 Citadel Drive, Westmont, Illinois 60559






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