Slot Car Nostalgia

[Brooklands]

I thought some of my fellow former or current slot car racers would enjoy this web site. It includes information from the first Ford Aurora National Championship posted by the winner of that event in 1962. There are some great photos of the winner, Henry Harnish, with Stirling Moss, and you will enjoy the Jaguar cars in the catalog.
Henry is back racing the last few years. Video CD's of the championship races are also available. I have watched and enjoyed them, and can help anyone get one if interested. Just send me a PM.
Hope this brings back some memories...

 

[vping]

I've got this https://slotcarcollectibles2.homestead.com/files/tjet_stirling_moss_2lane_mustang_vette_set1.jpg in the attic with a MB Gullwing and a split window Vette.

 

[Twosheds]

There are some great photos of the winner, Henry Harnish, with Stirling Moss, and you will enjoy the Jaguar cars in the catalog.

I had the Jag with the hardtop. And the Mack Stake Body.

 

[Banjo]

Haha... Funny. I just had mine out last night, racing with my daughter (6). we had a hoot. She does better with the old thunderjets as they don't tend to go flying several feet of the track when they let loose.
Her favorite was having me run the AFX Mack truck while she "Chased" me in the t-jet Comet police car.
I'll take a pic and post my collection later.
Great links by the way. Thanks.
I've got most of my cars set up with silicone tires that a local shop sells. It makes a world of difference with T-jets, Tough-ones, and the old AFX.

 

[Guest]

I used to run a Banshee-bodied lightened Champion frame with a custom-rewound motor. Used to put witch hazel on the tires for traction. 1967. Those days were fun.

 

[Brooklands]

I've got most of my cars set up with silicone tires that a local shop sells. It makes a world of difference with T-jets, Tough-ones, and the old AFX.

Glad to hear that the younger generation of your household finds them to be fun. If you want any other leads to the hobby products, please get in touch. I can forward a group of great sites to you...

 

[Driven76]

Thanks for the link!

Sure wish I still had my original setup along with all my cars and trains. We used to have a blast trying to beat the trains through the railroad crossings.

We also had a local track in my old neighborhood in Chicago, "Trost Raceway" just off Archer & Harlem (just a bit northwest of Midway Airport) that had an HO race track along with a couple of larger scale tracks that was our weekend hangout.

I bought an Aurora "Nascar" HO setup about 7 years ago for my daughters (who are now 12 and 15), and just pulled it out again over the holidays. We had a great time racing, and found I still have a couple of new #24 Dupont Chevys still in the plastic that have never been opened.

Still wished I had my "Green Hornet Black Beauty"... I was amazed to see what those are going for these days.

 

[rick_ingram]

We used wintergreen oil on the foam tires to make them stick....then we upgraded to silcone covered foam tires (hard silicone tires were also available) after the local tracks banned the use of additives on the tires. (Kinda sounds like NASCAR doesn't it?!)

 

[Banjo]

One of my favorite things to do was to pop the car body off, mould it over with tinfoil, use marker to draw in the windows, lights, numbers and such, then carefully remove the tinfoil from the body ,tape it to the chassis, and smash 'em up round the corners while racing.
You just had to make sure the foil dident short out agenst the rails.
and when your car diden't look much like a car any more you could either re-mould the tin over the real body again, or make a new one.
Fun ,realistic crashing, without destroying your cars.
And you could use all your matchbox cars for and endless varity of Demo derby bodies.