I have an old Aurora Model Motoring set from 1960. It's not complete and the cars are pretty beat. There are two cars that came with the track (Corvette and Jag XK120) and also two accessory cars (Thunderbird and Mercedes 180SL roadster), all 1960 models. This set predates them even being called ThunderJets. I have no idea what to do with it, since I can't seem to find restoration parts for the early cars. I think it's the first mass-produced slot car set available in the U.S. I'm missing the boxes and most of the track, but this is what it looked like when it was new.
I still have a Vacu-Form. No box or accessories, but the thing still works. I also have a box of vibrator cars and parts and a couple of the later motors and cars.
Go on ebay! There's some good folks selling the old style Aurora track pieces and tune up kits for those cars... Those kits also include a new set of tires....
Eight days and 130 posts? Yeh, I think you started a good thread! There are clubs around again, a never-ending supply of old parts on Ebay, and loads of repo-part producers. New cars and track too. Anything you want. The internet has allowed it to be fun again.
Yep! I got started again back in 2003.. It's one great way to have a blast during the cold winter months..
I just looked on ebay and noticed over 13,000 items up for sale on HO slot cars... Yeah, it's makin' a comeback!
Built a 4X8 table , and tracks all setup ! now gotta get some of that red oil , forgot how neat that stuff smells ! spent an hour tonight doing laps ... better then shovling snow ...
Yup, I've got a couple. But these are only the ones my wife knows about. I've probably got double that in other places. The next few posts are a sampling of what I do laps with. This is still my favorite thing from my youth. I can tinker with these damn things until my eyes are burning out of my head. Tough to find others with the same interest however. That is unless I get them really drunk. Then it usually goes on until 2,3 in the morning.
I finally sold off the last of my HO stuff this past fall so I could concentrate on my AD and other 1:1 toys. I had gotten my first HO car in 1969 and a set followed shortly. Got into racing at the local hobby shop in a big way, 70's & 80's at Slot & Wing Hobbies in Rantoul Illinois. If any of you were stationed at Chanute and raced on the ol' tubbie, we probably raced together. My wife and I ran the races during the early 80's. I collected the darn things up till the late 80's. I had over 750 cars in my collection before I began selling them off. Got back into racing in the late 90's till about a year ago. Here is a pic of one of several raceways I built to race on. 5' x 14' 4 lane using Tyco track, power supply and computerized timing system. It was as smooth as the custom painted surface it was built upon. This pic is a heat of NITRO T-Jets . . .
^^^That's an incredible collection, two posts above and a great, great track just above. Wow. You guys do it right. Remember the little thin tires they had? We'd get rims and silicon AJ's, cut out the fenderwells with exacto knives and go racin. Loved the Monza curve track sections. Nice. Life got better when they replaced those old pot-metal center clips with the white nylon ones. We had an early pair of steel loop-the-loops. The little pusbutton controllers always came apart with all those discs. The steering wheel controllers were better. What great memories. The blue Willy's was my all-time favorite and mine was quick. Great thread, thanks
Love this thread! I had one of the first sets back in the 60's messed with them till I was in High school, then girls became more important About 10 years ago I started collecting track and cars and stuff. Keep trying to find time to get it started and never find the time I have 10-15 boxes in the attic full of Tyco and Aurora stuff! Maybe I will get time someday. Keep this going mits giving me the bug again!
The Train crossing was produced for a short period of time. Tycoo threatened to sue- didn`t get permission to reproduce the train track and use the Sante Fe train on the box, so I was told.
Just learned to post - can you tell. Crooked Avatar. I saw a huge 6 lane track layout at a Army surplus store about 7 years back. they wanted $1200- to rich for my blood. He said it came from Offut Air Force Base.
I probably have close to 200' of track and close to 50 cars, some from my dad from the 60's. I set it up a few times a year for the kids (yea right). Dont have room to keep it up or enough room for all the track. Goodwill and yard/garage sales are a great place to buy cheap sets. Many times the cars are missing but the track and controllers are there. I have sold quite a few sets I picked up at Goodwill on Egay for a nice profit.
The 2nd Tomy "Giant" track set I got for a pretty good price at a Rider's Hobby in my neck of the woods that went belly up.... It was sad that they went out of business..
Still have my original track in the box from about 1969. Santa Clause brought it.Would love to put it up again. Have about 8 cars . My favorite is a 41 Willys w/ AJs slicks and those skinny O ring front wheels.Used to race till our thumb went numb from holding the controller down to long. Thanx for thr thread. GREAT MEMORIES """"
The Jalopy Journal
