Very unusual Strombecker chassis, anybody seen this one??? Options

[bwaminispeed]

Here is what looks to be a very unusual Strombecker stamped aluminum chassis.

I have never seen this one in real life, or, in any magazine articles or adds. It is definitely stamped, and, not just cut out and bent by some hobbyist.

Also, have never seen this gear before. Looks like a Cox, with the hub in backwards.

Any ideas.

[dgersh]

Good question Al!

I had never seen this chassis before but over the last few years have seen it pop up on ebay a couple times, without ever being able to buy one. The first time I thought it was just an aberration, but with the second time began to realize there was something going on, either an unknown Strombecker variant, or an aftermarket product made for Strommie cars.

Fraid I can't help any more, but maybe somebody else can...

Don

[CJA]

Ey Up,

Chassis, Wow, new to me !!.

Gear, mmmm, can that be done ??.

vbr Chris A.

[John Cahill]

I was holding back since I didn't have much to say...but I can support Don's comment. I've seen them popping up
on Ebay, only in the last couple years, and only occasionally. Whatever it's heritage, nice little chassis...

John

[gar]

Classic did make gears with the collar on the back, however the few I have are all marked "Classic" Have a look for the inscription on the toothy side! On the other side of the classic gear you can see a hex shape to the collar.

I've never seen that chassis before, I'm thinking some kind of aftermarket to replace the original plastic ones.

[Pechuga_VLC]

I confirm that I have also encountered the same type of chassis body in other units ( s10.evo1 ) Berlinetta Ferrari / ( s11.evo1 ) Jaguar E*.

The unit may not show us a better example to teach a unit Strombecker standart, because:

it has light painted details
tires are not reference Strombecker
wheels are not reference Strombecker
crown not reference Strombecker
reference guide is not Strombecker
decals are not reference Strombecker
reference frame is not Strombecker

In my opinion, is a fitting replacement by another small business, such as for Kal Kar, for exemple in reference 260, this is a racing chassis and in the same carton that holds the original blister packaging, says is valid for the 300 Hemi of Strombecker.

I think this is a similar case, but for us it will be very difficult to have a stroke of luck to confirm the original blister chassis (possibly together with other pieces attached).

-------------------------------------------
* s10.evo1 = 10th 1:32 Strombecker model, in state evolution 1
s11.evo1 = 11th 1:32 Strombecker model, in state evolution 1

[Houses]

Hi, yes, this is an original Strombecker chassis. These chassis do appear on eBay from time to time, but are scarce; as far as I know, they came exclusively with the E-Jag and GTO of the 9955 Mark IV 4-Lane set of 1966. I already have a couple of these cars. Here are some pictures of a 9955 set that appeared on eBay some years ago.







The bodies of these cars are of the late type, the same that come with the brass/Scuttler competition kits. The chassis is a perfect fit on these bodies, hold by a single 4-40 screw. bwaminispeed’s clear pictures show two couples of small pins at the front, over the axis: as those on the black plastic chassis, they provide a secure fit on the front support of the body.

The parts that originally came with these chassis make an unusual mix: Tyres, rims and axles are the same used in the 66’ competition kits (pan brass chassis, TC32 motor) of the Chaparral, Cheetah, etc. The two eared wheel spinners are those already used in the Scuttler kits of E-Jag and GTO and the guide is the one of the Lotus 38 and Brawner Hawk (a white version of the black guide used with the Scuttlers). The contrate is the usual pressed steel one (27 T, I guess) and the motor is the late version (flat commutator) of the open motor, as used in the set/RTR versions of Chaparral, Cheetah, etc. Thus, all parts in the sample shown seem original to me, but for the contrate (probably Classic, I agree) and probably the tyres.

The present one is probably the best looking of the many versions Strombecker made of these cars. In addition, they should have performed quite well due to the quality of the chassis and the components used; by sure far better than the Barracudas meeting them in the set.

By 1966 both the E-Jag and the GTO should have been out of production, superseded, as all the old cars, by the new line (three post fixing) of Strombecker cars. Just the remaining stock, mainly Scuttler kits, was still being offered. The reason why Strombecker decided to revive these cars in a new version was probably the need of a couple of street cars to join the Barracudas in a four lane set. They didn’t last much, however: by 1967 there was a new four lane set (Chaparral/McKee/Cheetah/Lotus 30) and neither of the cars of the 9955 set was in production.

Best, Eduardo

[Houses]

Hola Jose, I'm sorry, I added my reply without seeing yours. As it's clear we desagree. To me the car shown is a quite good and representative example of a rare version. Just putting the correct exhaust and contrate, new tyres (Monogram or Revell silicone replicas will fit), and maybe removing paint and decals (not sure what I would do, I like the car as it looks now), it will be perfect!

Best, Eduardo

[dgersh]

Thanks Eduardo, good thing you saved those pictures.

The only thing that seems strange to me is that they would have two pairs of cars with very different chassis and wheels - are you sure the set was sold like this originally?

I don't think that crown is a Classic, but can't say what it is! Maybe more modern, like the silicone tires seem to be on Al's car...

Don

[TSRF]

I do not believe that these chassis are by Strombecker. I believe that it is an aftermarket chassis of yet unknown brand, possibly Japanese as it fits the late version, open-frame Igarashi motor that was fitted on the Strombecker 2-piece aluminum chassis in 1965, just before the TC32 came out. Possibly designed for a Japanese-market RTR slot car of some kind using the Igarashi motor.

The cutaway for the gear looks a bit "off", meaning that the stamping tooling was not of the best quality, and I do not believe that Strombecker would have let that into production if it was indeed one of theirs. The gear shown on the picture looks furiously like a Classic gear but could also be a Williams unit.

Shown in the set above are two cars with that chassis and two cars with the standard 1965 issue 2-piece Strombecker aluminum chassis and it is hard to believe that they would have had two different chassis in a single set.

Of course, anything is possible, but since this does not show in any literature from Strombecker or anything else for that matters, it is very unlikely that it came from Strombecker.

Let's put it in the "Unresolved Little Unimportant Slot Car Mysteries" chapter for the time being...

[Pechuga_VLC]

What a fantastic puzzle before us!

I had previously seen this type of frame, but in those days I was not paying attention. But today I have seen up to 7 times this combination of chassis bodywork latest evolution of Jag E / Ferrari Berlinetta, so from now I will pay more attention.

Indeed this type of frame does not appear in the references Strombecker official, however there are too many cases spotted and I think we have to start thinking seriously that may have been sold by Strombecker.

Eduardoi is right,
I quietly compared individual elements, and its detailed description is absolutely true.

Sorry for the confusion in my previous answer, but the car is well camouflaged.

In my opinion these curious units are the result of wanting to leverage the latest body parts in their final state of evolution. This has been used what was at hand. The overall result is a mix of different elements of the home race line and the competition Scuttler and TC-32 line.

I believe that the creation of this rare chassis, is a solution of urgency to complete the cars and market them because then the molds were not yet in USA.

Although this is likely to be sold by Strombecker, I do not think in any case it was manufactured in Chicago, but of any subsidiary or any custom component to another company, either U.S. or Japan.

Therefore, the only thing not original on the drive that teaches bwaminispeed are the decals, the exhaust pipe and the crown.

[Houses]

I don't think so. The correct gear fits perfectly centered in both of my cars. Too many identical cars for being an aftermarket fitting (just the chassis I suppose) completed with Strombecker stuff. I have had in my hands at least three pairs of these cars, and all came in exactly the way I described them: Strombecker rims (no others have that internal lip) Lotus 38/Brawner-Hawk guide, steel contrate... And the chassis is designed for these bodies: the front pins appear only in this chassis and in the late black chassis (second/rear guide hole filled in) that is specific to these bodies.

On the other hand a set with the pair a Barracudas, one E-Jag and one GTO certainly exists, and appears in the 66' catalogue. Admittedly, the catalogue doesn't show the chassis, but it's hard to belive that the cars shown with the set (which appears close to mint) and all the other I have seen, have had all the same non original modifications.

Don is right, it may seem strange pairing two pairs of cars with different chassis, but on one hand the Barracude chassis is specific to that car (similar ones have shorter wheelbasis), so no way of getting the same chassis for all cars unless you put in the set two blue and two white cudas. On the other hand that's Strombecker at their best, with all that charm that only some sick collectors (me among them) do appreciate. Some day I have to tell you how they chopped lots and lots of Scutller rear brackets and put the resulting amputated motors in especially designed two pieces aluminium chassis with a poorly meshed plastic gear, the result being supposed to be suitable for commercial raceways...

[bwaminispeed]

Some day I have to tell you how they chopped lots and lots of Scutller rear brackets and put the resulting amputated motors in especially designed two pieces aluminium chassis with a poorly meshed plastic gear, the result being supposed to be suitable for commercial raceways...

Don't have to tell us, seen them on Ebay like that already.

[dgersh]

... .and lots of lots of these truncated Scuttler motors, still popping up on ebay!

But it's nice to know that Strombecker really did this on purpose and not just to sell them off as choo-choo motors...

I've seen a couple of those weird motor/chassis combos on ebay too, but if you could post a picture Eduardo, it would go nicely with this whole thread.

In any case, Strombecker sourced a lot of stuff from Japan, including all motors, so nothing should be too surprising!

Don

[TSRF]

Some day I have to tell you how they chopped lots and lots of Scutller rear brackets and put the resulting amputated motors in especially designed two pieces aluminium chassis with a poorly meshed plastic gear, the result being supposed to be suitable for commercial raceways...

Who chopped what?

Igarashi issued such motors, no chopping necessary, by the boxful. In fact the LASCM bought such a box with about 50 of them just a year ago...
I will get a picture.
And yes, these motors fit in the 2-piece alloy chassis and several kits (like four different ones) were issued using that combination.

However, why would Strombecker, that already had that 2-piece chassis, need another that would do exactly the same use? It makes little sense to me and no commercial sense.