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Vintage Tether Cars

Discussion in 'The Antiquated' started by Ryan, Jul 22, 2008.

  1. Ryan
    Joined: Jan 2, 1995
    Posts: 21,633

    Ryan
    ADMINISTRATOR
    Staff Member

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  2. Speedy Bill in Lincoln has a kick ass collection of these also. When I think about it he has all the cool stuff. I often wondered what would happen to a run away car?>>>>.
     
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  3. Ryan
    Joined: Jan 2, 1995
    Posts: 21,633

    Ryan
    ADMINISTRATOR
    Staff Member

    Mystery solved...

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  4. wvenfield
    Joined: Nov 23, 2006
    Posts: 5,580

    wvenfield
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    Pre War German.
     

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  5. Ebbsspeed
    Joined: Nov 11, 2005
    Posts: 6,250

    Ebbsspeed
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Way back in the 60's I had a COX .049 powered one with a Corvette body on it. It could be run as a tethered car, or in a straight line with a guide string running through two loops on the chassis. I seriously think that thing could beat pretty much anything up to it's top speed, which was advertised to be around 40 MPH. The drill was to start the engine, adjust the mixture, snap the body down, then drop the rear wheels onto the pavement. It would INSTANTLY be going flat out......
     

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    Last edited: Jul 22, 2008
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  6. Searcher
    Joined: Jul 8, 2007
    Posts: 620

    Searcher
    Member

    This brought back a lost memory.... Making my own Cox 049 powered little race cars. Made the frames out of brass tubing soldered together and ran them down a straight line of string or in circles.

    Those you pictured look cool.
     
  7. Crazydaddyo
    Joined: Apr 6, 2008
    Posts: 3,343

    Crazydaddyo
    Member

    Yes, it is an exspensive hobby. But it is a real kick in the pants.
    It's like building a Bonneville car and runing it but cheaper.
    Here is some of the cars I've built and run here at the Whittier Narrows track.

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  8. casper
    Joined: Apr 27, 2005
    Posts: 976

    casper
    Member

    Great post! There are a few different levels that a person can collect at. The "big" cars from the mid 30's to the late 40's (pre war cars are super rare and pricey!) and then in the 50's they made smaller cars (mite size) these were more like a toy that a kid could run in his driveway or a vacant lot and not get hurt or make a lot of noise. These cars are just as cool and much cheaper to collect. Names like Rodzy roadster, Ohlson and Rice, The real McCoy, Fuji and many others. And finally there are quite a few reproduction cars available in both big car and mite sizes and most of these are really inexpensive. If I were going to find one to actually run and have fun with, I would definatly build a reproduction with a new "glow" motor and have a great time with it. It's also a great way to teach kids about engine size, gear ratios, and speed!
     

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  9. <FANG>
    Joined: Feb 7, 2008
    Posts: 531

    <FANG>
    Member
    from W.L.A.

    I'll chime in
    I only have one and I use it as a paper weight




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  10. long island vic
    Joined: Feb 26, 2002
    Posts: 2,193

    long island vic
    Member

    i have three of the blue and yellow cars,,,any idea if the value
     
  11. Coupe-De-CAB
    Joined: Sep 30, 2004
    Posts: 2,098

    Coupe-De-CAB
    Member
    from Nor Cal

    Those are too cool:)

    looks like a lotta fun!
    thanks for posting,
    CAB
     
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  12. casper
    Joined: Apr 27, 2005
    Posts: 976

    casper
    Member

    Something that has been bugging me for the last few weeks.... I would like to try and build a 1950's front engine dragster in approx. 1/8 scale with a 60c.i. model airplane engine, gear box & rear axle and flywheel from Gary Barnes, rear wheels and tires from something like "the big deuce", wire front wheels from Chris Garcia (awesome stuff) all assembled and ready to run in a frame like this....[​IMG]
    With a homemade Moon tank and all. I'm not sure I would ever run it, but it sure would look cool in the display case! Has anyone ever built something like I am dreaming about? If so, please post a picture of it for inspiration to fire me up. Thanks.
     
    Last edited: Jul 22, 2008
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  13. Shasta McNasty
    Joined: Jul 22, 2008
    Posts: 1

    Shasta McNasty
    Member

    There was a great article in MAKE magazine a while back on tether cars, including some history of these cars. This link might even take you to that history:

    http://www.make-digital.com/make/vol11/?pg=97

    If not just do a Google search on "make tether cars".
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jul 22, 2008
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  14. Waay cool thread ... brings back childhood memories of many summer afternoons spent playing with my father's old tether car ... without his permission ... I never got "caught" ... but I never got it to run quite correctly either ... nonetheless, it was great fun and provided countless hours of entertainment!

    It was an orange-red Roy Cox Thimble Drome car just like this one:

    CoxThimbleDrome.JPG

    Sure wish I still had it today ... but pop's gave it to Gary "Goodguy" Meadors for his collection of tether cars.
     
    Last edited: Jun 11, 2020
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  15. scarylarry
    Joined: Apr 24, 2001
    Posts: 2,547

    scarylarry
    Member

    I bought a collection of maybe 80 or 90 photos at Hershey a few years back that were from 1938-39 from a club that raced tether cars. I was going to do a book with them. Hmmmm, it's on the list of things to do! :) I WILL get to it one day.
     
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  16. narducci
    Joined: Jan 3, 2008
    Posts: 194

    narducci
    Member

    If you want to see some fantastic old tether cars, go to the radio control show every year in Toledo. Its held in early April .
    They have a great swap meet with plenty of old timers present. There is a group of old guys who hand build their own engines.
    About 10 years ago, I saw a guy sell a 1920's world record car for over 10 grand. It was a beauty, all hand built with a .60 cu in engine.
    They also now make replica cars for less than $ 1000 !
     
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  17. the-rodster
    Joined: Jul 2, 2003
    Posts: 6,945

    the-rodster
    Member

    What about late sixties control line cars?

    This was my favorite toy as a kid. Cox powered indy racer.

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    This was a promotional item from Sprite, turn in 500 bottlecaps, you got the car for free.

    I asked every business with a coke machine, if I could have all of there used bottle caps, and just sorted out the sprite :)

    Rich
     
  18. 48fordnut
    Joined: Nov 4, 2005
    Posts: 4,215

    48fordnut
    Member Emeritus

    these are some great pics. i have a cyclone powered dooling f car a couple of roodzy,and a couple of the cox cars.
     
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  19. Crazydaddyo
    Joined: Apr 6, 2008
    Posts: 3,343

    Crazydaddyo
    Member

    I,ve got about 100 - 150 original 8x10 photos from the Rail & Cable archives that were used in publishing the magazine back in the 40's.

    There is a lot of neat stuff in those old magazines!!!!!!
     
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  20. oilslinger53
    Joined: Apr 17, 2007
    Posts: 2,500

    oilslinger53
    Member
    from covina CA

    never seen those, thats pretty cool. especially since theres a track in whittier... i may have to sell my u line control airplanes and get into this!
     
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  21. Crazydaddyo
    Joined: Apr 6, 2008
    Posts: 3,343

    Crazydaddyo
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  22. 50Fraud
    Joined: May 6, 2001
    Posts: 10,101

    50Fraud
    Member

    Here's a small collection of mite-sized cars (I've never had the cojones to spring for an 1/8-scale car):

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    Left to right: .19 Rodzy, .29 McCoy, non-powered Cox TD, handmade wooden Offy sprinter, .049 Ohlsson & Rice, non-powered "Hyde Park Model & Supply".

    I have some plastic ones, too: a Cox Mercedes W196, 2 Cox Indy eagles, and a Wen-Mac "Johnny Parsons Special". Don't know where those are, so no pix. All are '049s.
     
    Last edited: Sep 13, 2008
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  23. 50Fraud
    Joined: May 6, 2001
    Posts: 10,101

    50Fraud
    Member

    Robert Ames self-published a really nice book in 1992 called "Vintage Miniature Racing Cars". It was an edition of only 1500 copies, and was quite expensive -- I think about $100.
    You might find one on eBay, and it's really a worthwhile book.

    Larry, it sounds like you bought a killer collection. Would you be willing to show us a few of them?
     
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  24. breeder
    Joined: Jul 13, 2005
    Posts: 10,948

    breeder
    Member Emeritus

    i had a cox sedan a few yrs ago! had to sell it on the ebay to buy some car parts...wished i kept it now!! kool thead!
     
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  25. Jive-Bomber
    Joined: Aug 21, 2001
    Posts: 3,754

    Jive-Bomber
    MODERATOR

    There is an amazing book on tether cars called "Spindizzies" by Eric Zausner (http://ezspindizzies.com/), who I have become friends with over the years... His massive and ultra-rare collection of vintage tether cars puts anything the world has ever known to shame:


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  26. @Jive-Bomber Jay,

    Thanks for sharing those pics and the link to Eric's "Spin Dizzies" website ... I think Zausner is my new hero! ... first the (Moal Coachbuilders) "Torpedo" ... now this! :)

    ... but I will have to ding Mr. Z on one thing ... there's a "major typo" in his book/website ... everyone knows it was the "Dick Flint roadster" ... not the "Flyn roadster" ... :D

    hotrd02.jpg
     
    Last edited: Oct 3, 2018
  27. They used to set up a track at the P-Town GG show and run them... man, what a KICK!

    I would love to have one... even a re-pop one...

    Thanks for sharing!

    Sam
     
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  28. mcload
    Joined: Apr 20, 2007
    Posts: 539

    mcload
    Member

    Wow...I never knew about these. A whole lot safer than a spinning propeller, for sure. I guess I'm gonna have to look into getting some plans or drawings to build my own, that is after I finish the project car. Great, just what I need, another habit to feed! Great thread by the way. :)
     
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  29. McFly
    Joined: Oct 10, 2001
    Posts: 1,169

    McFly
    Member

    There is a guy at Whittier narrows who builds hot rod versions just like these out of old Buddy L & Nylint roadster bodies. You can pick these up for about $5-15 bucks on ebay. I've got a few waiting for the treatment. Cheap way to get a body.
     

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  30. Last edited: Oct 3, 2018
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