Vintage Tether Cars

Oh Ya the Red # 5 car is a bantam Midget just how it came from the drawings, this car was built by my friend Will neely out of Conn. and the other two cars I did the wheels for are built by a master model builder Keith Ward out of Chicago.These are all 1/8 scale which is what most all tether cars are.I don't know if it can be done but I can scan the bantam drawings and post them on here for all to have a copy of ? Just a thought.Chris

 

My Olson & Rice in center of pic

 

Here’s one for the whole family to enjoy
Let the kid’s participate
I saw these at Riverview Park Chicago
When I was a kid



http://cgi.ebay.com/Gas-powered-tet...ryZ19167QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

I remember back in the 70's tag'in along with my Dad and Don Edmonds to the local Orange County swap meets and Don always had one under his arm. He use to have one of the best collections of cars that I have ever seen.

Here's a picture of Dad and Don at Sabattini's a few years back:

 

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Yes this hobby was started in California. Documintation of tether cars in California goes back as far as 1936

 

Here is a jet powered car that was built by a guy durring WW2. His son told me that his dad owned a boiler building and repair company that did work for the DOD/Navy.
It's basicly a pulse jet straped to a fuel tank with wheels. If you've ever heard a pulse jet run, then you know what a wicked sound these things make. The spark plug is only used to start the jet. Once the jet is running it will run on its own untill it runs out of fuel.

Combustion created thrust and vacum almost simultaneously. The vacum created buy the thrust draws fuel and air in through a reed valve behind the head. The wire attached to the pinch valve in the fuel line would shut off the stream of fuel to shut off the jet.

 

I still have mine, since I was a kid now 59. mine was powered by a .049 on the back with a propeller and looks like and indy car. Would take some searching to find it in the garage.. Ed

 

Got my little kit from Gary Arnold at TLC Enterprise - http://www.tlctethercar.com/index.php

Pretty impressive casting. The wheels are really nice pieces & the tires are a really authentic-looking hard rubber. A neat little kit for sure.

I made some axles for it last night. I'm still not sure if they are long enough though. Part of me thinks they would look better if they were a half inch longer.

Since this won't be a runner, I need to figure a way to keep the axles mounted so they won't slide back & forth thorugh the slots and need to do the same for the wheels to keep them from sliding inward on the axles. I also need to find a tiny tap so I can mount the top of the body to the pan.

I'll probably just polish it & apply some "Dooling" decals. It'll look good sitting in the showcase.

JH

 

Harrison, That looks great! Just go to the hobby shop or hardware store and get some collars to keep the axles from moving. Also, I have seen some cool looking front grills for these cars made from the oval part of an old spoon. Draw your design on the spoon with a sharpie and then start carving away at it with a dremel and a grinder. Your imagination is the only limit on these cars!

 

Looks good.You could use one of the reproduction Thimble Drome or Real McCoy Mite car Grills. Both are easy to find on the auction site, from TLC or www.kellerkraft.com.

 

Here is a super cool tether truck that changed hands a few years back on e-bay.

 

Rainman,

You can't just hit & run like that.

Do you have any more details on that little truck? That's pretty cool.

JH

 

Didn't they have tether boats as well? I believe that 2 towns over from my hometown there is an old tether boat pool in the village/town park. It's used for littl ekids to cool off in that can't go into the big pools right next to it.

 

I do not know anything really except that I wanted to buy it and could not afford it. I believe that it went for around $5800 or so. Very cool but like I said unaffordable to me.

 

Looks like it has two .60's mounted in line. Shoulda been fast!

 

Casper,

Do you have a pic of what you're talking about here? I got a piece of 7/32" & 1/4" brass tube to slip the axles through but If something else would look better I'd be all for that.

Even though it is new, I'd like for it to look authentic.... just without an engine.

JH

 

Hi,
A pair of these on the inside of the body will keep the axle from sliding around. They come in every size you can think of. I hope this helps! Kenny.

 

Man that's slick.

I need to find some of those.

Thanks, Jim

 

This is all I have left. Little brothers sold my cars.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UdxK6naAkd0 It's not a tether car , but here's a link to me 1/4 scale front engine dragster.....

 

Ya, thats the one I have, I tried to find it quickly for a picture but it is somewhere in the garage rafters and it will show up soon and will have to get it ready for the grand child. But with that big propeller on the back they can be dangerous.
ED

 

Long time no see!!!!!

I remember you fly'n those around at Pleasenton. Those things were crazy fun!!!!

 

Greetings! I'm really enjoying all the old photos here! Are you certain this track is in Los Angeles? I have the same photo, and my dad (James Papina, bottom left in the picture) marked it "Oakland 1947"



Since I'm posting pictures, thought y'all might enjoy this one of the fabled full-scale racer that my uncle Al (Papina) built for his daugther:



Enjoy!

Anne...

 

A pulse jet in a tether airplane is a real attention getter. That 'car' must have been awesome....

 

I was told that this was the L.A. track, but judging by the racers that are in the picture (all of them are from No. Cal.) and now your info, I will stand corrected. Thanks for clearing this up.

Love the picture of the Midget racer!!! Thanks for sharing

 

My pleasure -- here are a few more! My understanding is that these first two were taken at the Lake Merced track in San Francisco:









All the papinas lined up

 

I built this car about 25 years ago. A friend of mine, the late Tony Manocchi, was an increadibly tallented tool and die maker. His specialty was making molds for lost wax casting. A teather car collector brought him a complete car, and told Tony he wanted to reproduce them. Tony made molds for the tail, cowel, belly pan, frame, radiator shell, header, steering wheel, front and rear axles. He cast the parts in aluminum. Tony made a buck for the hood, and formed hoods from aluminum sheet. Then he made a die, and punched the louvers. To me, the most amazing thing is the tires. Tony spent over a week creating molds for front, and rear tires. All the lettering is hand engraved! I machined the wheels air cleaners, and other small parts. Tony gave me the pieces to build this car, and built two for himself. He also stiched the upolstery. The gauges are model airplane accessory parts I found at a hobby shop. The springs are made from clock spring material, and work. The shackels are chain links. We made the radius rods from carb linkage rods. Tony passed away about a year after this project. I miss stopping by his shop to check out what cool stuff he was working on.

 

Dean,

You've got the greatest toys to play with. Hope you never run out of things to post !

Thanks,

Tom

 

i remember when i was a kid , my step dad had one....he told me that it would run 100 mph...i was in total awwwww i still have a later cox prop car that survived my early years.... might be time to light it off.... brandon

 

Fun stuff!