Vintage Tether Cars

yes i found a blueprint of this car and it is front wheel drive originally but i am thinking of swapping the front and rear axles.

 

Looks great! Really like your fancy leaf springs. Make my springs with shipping strap…cuts with tin snips, and roll eyes with propane torch and needle nose pliers. Shackles are bicycle chain links!

 

This is much more realistic, my next one will be like this.

 

Hey A Boner, Will you post the tooling that you used to create the louvers?
Tanks,
Tom

 

I sometimes help my Son-in-laws cousin with estate cleanouts and selling some items. Recently we came across this Ohlsson & Rice #541 tether car. The original box and directions show their age, but the car appears to be in excellent very limited use condition. Never had a tether car but depending on what I learn about them it might make a nice addition to my toy collection.

 

Great find Raymay!

 

Sorry, that’s way above my pay grade…had a machinist friend make me a small louver press using an arbor press. Works like a champ.

 

Updated pic from post #803. #1 Winter 2024-25

 

#2 Winter 2024-25

 

#3 Winter project 2024-25

 

I've been wanting a Speed King for a while, but have been waiting for a good one. I think I got what I wanted. This car came out of Detroit.

 

Here is a Bremmer Whirlwind that I put together with Herb Singe castings, quite a few years ago. The original Whirlwinds were manufactured in Milwaukee, and in my opinion are one of the of the more stylish tether cars from back in the day! (1940 ish)

 

the tether car collection at the Eastern Museum of Motor Sports

 

On a table at Carlisle this spring.

 

I bought the last available set of Niecamp roadster castings from JDR Paris. I will start on it when I finish the Frog. I also got 2 sets of runnable tires, one for the Frog, and one for the roadster. Now I just need to make wheels and mount the electrical parts, and the Frog will be ready.

 

Sometimes, the stars just align. Recently, a buddy alerted me to a for-sale post on Fbook. Fortunately for me, 1) the owner was in Tucson, just 3 hours away, and 2) he didn't want to ship the car. Pick up in person, or no deal. I jumped at the opportunity since this car was on my bucket list. Basically, an NOS Duesenberg. Never been drilled for a motor. No wear on the tires. Super happy to have this one!

 

^^^^^
NICE!

 

I finished machining the wheels for the useable tires, for the Frog and the Niecamp roadster. I just have to press in the rest of the bearings, and buy some screws. The second photo shows the screw holes being drilled. Next is one wheel half mounted in the lathe, ready for the final cut for the bearing hole. I'm holding my home made gage with one end turned to .624 and the other end to .6243. When the .6243 end is a slight snug fit, I know the hole is the right size for a press fit. The last photo is counterboring the screw holes.

 

My #1 recommended tether car to purchase, (new collector or not). Repro from 1999, and an outstanding reproduction, including the box and papers inside! Always some on EBay…prices vary quite a bit.

 

These can have real engines installed to run?

 

Definitely some modifications would need to be done…stuff like real steel gears, I would guess.
Here is a real one that sold on EBay!

 

1800.00 bucks!.... Damn...

 

Definitely on the high side. Usually $500.00 - $1,000.00 …and even higher.

 

I have 2 originals, 1 polished and 1 as run. Not as nice as the one shown and neither signed by Mr. McCoy, these ran in the $500 -$600 range. I can't imagine the signature adds that much more value.

Mick