Art & Inspiration Tether Car TEASER PHOTOS!!! Amazing COLLECTION! Including the OLDEST TETHER CAR

Several of the ones that run at West Coast Nationals do over 100 mph. Fun to watch!

 

very cool!!!!

I have tether cars built by both of my grandfathers, and I absolutely treasure them!

 

Nice!!

 

Now that's cool!

 

Awesome thread Kirk, some of my friends think I am nerdy because I collect these "toy" cars, but to me... they are like folk art. Here are a few that I think are HAMB friendly. The dragster was built with original Monogram "Big Deuce" white wall slicks maybe 5 years ago, the T-Bucket was built (casted) from an old boy in Stockton, Ca. at least a dozen years ago. The Bremer Whirlwind (polished with blue scallops) is a Herb S. car from the 1980's. All the others are original late 30's and early 40's factory or home built. Please don't give me the Fonzie "thumbs up" on the few repro's I am admitting to owning!!

 

I had never seen them until last August when we were out there. Lots of fun to watch and some real nice guys who were running them.

 

Ooops, these pics did not post

 

Nice!

 

Thanks Kirk!

 

Nice collection. Now I want to throw rocks at mine.

 

Those are awesome pictures, I had a customer of mine trade me one and some cash for a part he needed.

 

Thought you might be interested in my current project. It's not intended to be a reproduction, but rather a representation of what I consider the Golden Age of tether cars - late 1930s and 40s - when the cars were still intended to look like real racing cars of the day, but also be competitive..

I've bashed the body out of .063, 3003 aluminum. The frame will be welded up from 6061 corrosion resistant aluminum. The engine is a Hornet 60, the gear box is a Gary Barns unit. Wheels are Dooling F model reproduction. Tires are Voit. The tires will be the limiting factor initially as they are solid rubber and come apart at about 60 MPH. This will be a running car with a projected top speed of 70 - 80 MPH.

I'm limited to a drillpress, hand tools, and an acetylene torch.

 

OK, now that's just too cool!!!

 

Wow!

 

Very fine work indeed!

 

Joined in 2008 and this is the second post? That is because you have been in the basement building cool stuff! That is going to be a beautiful racer, great workmanship so far. Hopefully you will show us the finished racer.

Nice.

 

Actually I'm working in my garage next to my Lincoln Mk VII. But I did build this steam engine with the same tool restriction. Don't ask me why. The tether car is more fun.

 

Aero, that engine is a beautiful work of art. Was this engine designed to actually power something specific? Geez now you are up to 3 posts, don't get carried away!!! LOL.

Do you have a local track you can run the tether car on? I have seen them run on YouTube etc. but never actually seen and heard them running. Speeds must be just incredible. Good luck with yours.

 

Here's a nice site in German with a video.
http://www.rc-network.de/forum/showthread.php/136485-Ein-Fesselauto-entsteht

 

Offset, The steam engine was intended to power a boat (what do I know about boats), but because of my lack of machining ability I was unable to machine pistons with rings. It ran well on compressed air, but failed due to bypass with steam. Added picture with brass manifolds after aluminum failure on steam.

I intend to find a vacant parking lot somewhere to run the car when finished. Couple of pictures included of Dooling F cars I took in 1946 and developed myself. (I'm pretty damned old) This was a school ground.

 

Nobey, Nice link. The one car in the video running at 120 KPH would be somewhere in the speed range I expect my car to be able to run. 74 MPH give or take. Maybe 80.

 

I know what the others sound like. I'd love to hear this little radial run.

Thanks for sharing.

 

Is this collection in the U.S.A ? Im wondering because of the Asian Script on all the pics?

 

It's "KIRK"s name spelled sideways. Take another look.

 

Wow! I didn't think about looking at the script sideways to see it was his name.

 

WOW....some awesome Tether Cars on here!
Here's one my Dad Fred Wise and his life long buddy Roy Richter built back in 1939. Dad hammered the aluminum cowl & hood from a race car that had crashed at Legion Ascot, then Roy cast the tail, belly pan and nose, Roy also welded the two haves together. Dad wanted it to look like the Miller-Ford race cars that ran in the 1935 Indy 500. It's a FWD car, it was never finished, still needs a fuel tank & motor mounts.

 

So whats the story with this collection coming to The Henry Ford Museam?

 

CW, That car should be finished and run. Nice work, it deserves to hit the track.

 

Wow Craig that thing is gorgeous, and what a history !!!!!

 

CW, that is a fantastic tether car that your dad built- thanks for sharing!!!