I scored a 1960 Aurora "Model Motoring" set at a garage sale the other day. It has most of the track, the controllers, and the two standard cars - plus the two optional cars! (Thunderbird, Corvette, Jaguar, Mercedes 300SL - all 1960 models) It's pretty well-worn, but I haven't seen another! The literature that came with the set made it sound like it was the first slot car set ever offered, not sure if that is true or not. It's pretty neat! I need to break it out and see if it works.
Here is a 1/24 Petty Valiant I built for a Vintage Race Series I was involved in: It has a K&B chassis under it. It wasn't competitive as shown, the rear tires are way too small and it is VERY heavy. With better, but not better looking tires, it was about a mid-pack car. Marty
Here is a set I got at a church rummage sale for $2.00: (Photos deleted) There were no complete cars, but that's OK. Marty
Here is a pic of my track with a few of my friends: It is an original Aurora Tub Track. These were made for commercial use at the time. It has all Aurora Model Motoring Lock & Joiner track on it. I built the shelf so racers would have a place to set down their controllers. The original did not have anything for that. Marty
A few originals have come up for sale in the past couple months. My business partner and I were the ones making the two piece tubs. Unfortunately the hand shakje agreement with the molder didn't hold up and we are now out of business. I am also the owner/moderator of a Yahoo Group for Tub Tracks: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/auroratubtrack/ We post on here when someone finds one for sale. This was posted in OCT: "Our Tubby Track is for sale. You can see pictures of it in the photo section under TSS Hobbies. It has been professionally restored. It includes Trackmate timing system,computer. It has all originally Aurora track. $4500.00. Call us at 734 487-8410" I have seen the Tub and it looks great! I don't know if it sold or not. Marty Marysville, OH
Wow, $4,500 with track and timer. How much were the reproduction ones when you made them? Did you sell them bare or complete?
We started out at $1200.00 and lost money on the first couple. We raised the price to $1400.00 and never sold another one. We sold them with the wood underneath glassed in just like the originals. You had to supply track, power supply, and legs. There were no holes drilled for wiring, we let the buyer decide where they wanted it to go. Here is a pic of the first one out of the mold with original Lock & Joiner track installed. This one is a two piece tub. I wanted to make sure the track fit before we sold any. In the background is my original Tub Track. Marty Marysville, OH
Wow, that's pretty slick Marty. I still have my GT40 slot car and controller out in the file cabinet. Had to hide it from my wife about 30 years ago so it wouldn't get thrown out. Back in the mid 60's we would pile a group of us in a car and drive 30 miles to run at a place that had a building full of tracks.
Thanks! What scale is the GT-40? My first slot cars were Aurora HO, a turquoise Jaguar and a yellow Buick Riviera. When I was finally allowed to ride my bike to the closest slot car track, it was starting to wind down. My favorite 1/24 car was a Cox Chaparral 2D. I have since replaced it. I just recently replaced my 2nd favorite car(s). Monogram had a kit with two bodies, a Cobra Daytona Coupe and a Lola, and one chassis: I got it off ebay. The seller didn't know what it was and had a low BIN price. Marty Marysville, OH
I just got an e-mail from the owner. Price reduced! "Price reduced to $3500. --- In auroratubtrack@yahoogroups.com, "Tom" <tsshobbies@...> wrote: > > > > > Our Tubby Track is for sale. You can see pictures of it in the photo section > under TSS Hobbies. It has been professionally restored. It includes Trackmate > timing system,computer. It has all originally Aurora track. $4500.00. Call us > at 734 487-8410" Marty Marysville, OH
I got my Dad a Sears Roger Penske/Mark Donahue set for Christmas. It was made in the early 70s. Don't tell, its a suprise!
Shameless plug: Please check out some vintage slot cars I have for sale: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?p=7290849#post7290849 If this is not allowed, please let me know, I'll delete it. Thanks, Marty Marysville, OH
Some of you may have never experienced racing HO slot cars on a Tub Track. Here is a video I took from a front bumper point of view. Turn down the sound! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5uRkPV45uCw&feature=g-upl&context=G27e5d5dAUAAAAAAAAAA Hot Wheels has a video car made for the kids to record their HW tracks. I modified the car by adding guide pins and using another car to push it around the track. Enjoy! Marty Marysville, OH
I have some old Eldon slot bodies and a couple old Lindbergh models that can be used as slots too. The pink GT40 and Aston Martin look like some wierd marketing ploy to get girls interested in model kits. Came in a clear purse like bag. They are VERY BRIGHT pink. I had to desaturate the pictures before posting them! The Cobras are Scalextrix
Yeah you can tell by the "sunroof". That clear panel was installed because the drivers couldn't see far enough ahead when they were in the steep banks at Daytona. Marty Marysville, OH
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