13 replies to this topic

[edscars]

There was an old post by Joe Lupo (Lone Wolf) in a now locked topic from about 5 years ago regarding Eldon dragsters. He mentioned some repros were made and mostly he'd seen red repro ones.  The normal production colors were blue and orange as most of us have seen.  About a year and a half ago from an online toy auction company I don't recall the name of (not ebay), I saw a red one with what looked like an original box with a clear display box canopy sell for I think close to $500.  I'd never seen another red one, but I've never seen an Eldon dragster of any color with its original window box.  The box from this auction was not like a typical Eldon cardboard box with green black markings.  At the time I thought it was original, but now I don't know.

 

I picked up this off-white molded dragster parts body several years ago in the room trading time the day before a slot car show, and don't know its history.  I was guessing it was an original test shot of some sort, but once I saw the post about repro dragsters being made, now I just don't know.  Also the swing arm is molded in the same off-white color, not the regular production regular white color.  Anyone who has some knowledge of the repros or anyone who might have an original Eldon dragster with its original display box and can post a picture, it would be great to hear from you.

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[Don Wedding]

Here is the Original Eldon Dragster That I modified to look more realistic. The display box is just a standard model Case you can buy at any hobby store and added stickers and strips  that I made from the original case it came in. I painted it candy red just because I like that color. I added a different supercharger front with complete pulley and drive belt. Removed the silly looking bug catcher that came on the car and added a vintage looking bug catcher from that era. Painted the zoomies flat white and  Modified the driver with correct fire suit mask. 

I have the original set mint in the box with the orange and blue dragsters but wanted to display the Eldon  dragster without  having to open the set. 

I found a Used Eldon Dragster and made the changes I wished Eldon had designed. 

Also the original case had a figure waving the start flag in front of the dragster. I am still looking for that figure if some one has one to part with. 

Let me know what you guys think of the modifications. 

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[Lone Wolf]

Ed, this is a puzzler. The drop arm appears to be an original nylon part that has yellowed a little over time.  If the body is a copy it's a damn good one. Older resin, especially from years ago was not as nice as the white stuff they use today which almost looks like styrene. It typically yellows over time kind of like this color but this looks too crisp to me to be a repop.

 

Is it possible someone got hold of the original molds? Who knows.

 

One thing that puzzles me is the non body parts. They appear to be original NOS Eldon parts. Not sure where someone would get those except Eldon. The only dragster parts I've seen packaged separately where tires and the 12V motor. Of course I could be wrong on that.

 

You may be able to test it to see if its resin by heating a needle and touching a spot underneath. Should have a different reaction than an original body.

 

If I had to make a guess I would say it's something that may have come home with an Eldon employee years ago. Some kind of test shot maybe.

 

Oh, and Don, SWEEEET

[MattD]

Very nice Don.   I have a resin copy.   It will be a slow project, but seeing how nice your car displays, I might get busy and see what i can do with mine.

[edscars]

Don, great job on your custom dragster.  Wish I could find some model engine parts that looked that good without having to buy an expensive model kit, since I have a couple dragsters missing engines/blowers/pipes.  Not sure what vintage or modern model kits might give suitable engine parts.

 

Joe, thanks for your reply.  Looking at the off-white plastic up close makes me think it wasn't something recently done.  It just has that old and yellowed look, and appears to be plastic not resin.  I'll have to try the hot pin test one of these days, good idea.  Eldon did sell body and chassis parts separately in their dealers parts boxes that some hobby shops used to fix up cars or resell the parts.  Those parts boxes varied as to their contents.  Some even contained a mix of slot parts and other Eldon toy items including parts from the Eldon Bowl-a-Matic game.  I know the dragster chrome pieces including the pipes and I think other chrome motor parts were on those sprues, and they were included in some of those boxes, as well as drop arms and some front wheel assemblies and possibly rear wheels as well. I still have a few drop arms from that dealers parts box and they are all still pretty white and unyellowed, compared to these body parts I pictured here.  I traded away a dragster chrome sprue piece years ago.  The boxes also contained wheel, tire, and gear sets, guide flags, and more for other types of cars as well, plus replacement body parts for the jalopy cars.

[edscars]

Finally got around to digging out one of those Eldon hobby shop parts boxes I was referring to.  They typically had 3 trays loaded with various Eldon parts.  Note the dragster chrome parts tree, as well as a front and rear wheel/tire/axle set for them in the other tray.  I had a second chrome tree years ago but traded that one away.

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[edscars]

A couple of other random Eldon parts pics from the same box, non-dragster related.

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[Don Wedding]

I had a eldon dragster body that was missing everything , chrome parts , wheels , droparm , motor , and front end axle. I decided to look thru all my parts and complete this car . I handmade the front axle, and soldered a drop arm out of some old brass tubing . I was lucky enough to find a motor that fit the body carriage . Picked out all the missing parts for engine and rollbar. Rear wheels are dynamic I think . Found some front wheels on eBay . I wanted a high performance gear ratio so I put a 15 tooth pinion gear with a 29 tooth crown gear . Motor has a lot of torque and when I bench tested it the rear tires grew up off the rims . Painted it green just to be different than the standard blue and orange they were molded in . What ya think about it ?

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[edscars]

Nice resto. The rear wheels whether they be Dynamic or something else, look great on there. Identifying what modern or vintage model kits would make decent plastic motor donors for these dragsters has been on my list of things I'd like to figure out, for quite some time.

[Don Wedding]

Just picked up these in a complete set, notice the different rear wheels . I have not seen these on the other dragsters I have purchased . They are real rubber tires and have fantastic grip on the track . Could these be the second release with modified rear wheels ?

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[edscars]

Never seen those ribbed style rear wheels Don, and I've had at least a dozen Eldon dragsters pass through my hands besides the ones in my collection. I also don't have any Eldon paperwork showing those. Anything's possible though.

[Don Wedding]

I have had at least 20 of these dragsters myself but have never seen these type of wheels . Another mystery in the slot car forum.

[Gary Bluestone]

Those grey plastic rear 5 spoke mag wheels look like they came from the Hubley Instant Torque Drag Racer. These were spring loaded wind up non electric drag racing cars which could run on a slot track.

[Don Wedding]

You nailed it , they are Hubley dragster wheels .