[SAMPSON]

Here are 2 sets ,1 in 1/32nd scale ,and 1 in 1/24th scale. These sets came with controllers ,transformer,cars and tools etc but no track. The track could be bought in its own set that contained none of the above. The 1/24th set is not a rare set . It contains a Ferrari 156 and a Porsche 804. But the 1/32nd scale set with both a Mustang fastback and a Corvette Stingray is a very rare set. This is the only one I have ever seen. The cars are not rare but the set is.

 

[TSRF]

Bernard, great stuff!
Typical of those days, the 1/32 scale set has bodies copied from the AMT Mustang and the Revell Corvette, and the connectors pirated on the Revell sets.
The 1/24 scale set has original Nichimo bodies, first produced in kits issued in 1965.

 

[stuckinthe60s]

I like that the cover art actually matches what's inside. Not always true with these old collectibles.

 

[dgersh]

Great stuff Bernard. Wonder what they mean by "machine set"?

In any case, as you say, very unusual to have separate sets of cars and track...

Don

 

[Pechuga_VLC]

Fantastic,

I´ve never seen yet the 1/32 Nichimo set.

 

[stuckinthe60s]

looking again at those revell clone plugs: apparently only the 1:24 set is wired for brakes

 

[beardy56]

The controllers in the 1/32nd scale kit are wired to stereo jack plugs so brakes still possible if it's all wired up in the power pack.

Just love the packaging, fully recyclable.

 

[stuckinthe60s]

oops! So two separate power cords??

 

[SAMPSON]

Here are better photos of the 1/32nd scale Corvette Stingray and the Mustang.

 

[dgersh]

Hmmm, chassis looks very close to the Revell home set chassis, and now that we know their chassis were Made in Japan...

What do you think Bernard?

Don

 

[TSRF]

Don,
there are enough differences to assert that the Nichimo chassis is from different tooling than the one produced for Revell in the rising sun country. There are quite a few companies there that not only copied American slot cars... and some that produced parts for American slot cars!

As far as the Nichimo chassis, it is a far better job than the Revell example. To begin with, it is a one-piece stamping with reinforced folds (those little triangle marks) making it far stiffer. The guide flag is also Revell inspired. I would think that this was issued just about a year and a half after Revell first marketed their own chassis kits. And of course both bodies were cloned from American slot cars, Revell and AMT (or Aurora, real close...) as previously mentioned.

 

[Pechuga_VLC]

In my opinion, the bodies are not copied in mold, but the company of the rising sun did not have as an example to reproduce the cars 1: 1, but the 1:32 Chevy Corvette by Revell and Ford Mustang by Aurora .

As for the chassis and guide they are also clearly inspired by the Revell coming from the circuit.

I respect the reproduction of the Ford Mustang, for my taste the best reproduction in details is the AMT> Aurora, Nichimo.
I´ve comparative photos of AMT and Nichimo and AMT units are finer.

Regarding the others Nichimo chassis of these cars in the case of mounting motor kits, they were distributed by the english store " B.M.W." ( not 1:1 Bayern Motor Wagen ) and in England these chassis were this english brand, but in reality they were japanish chassis by Nichimo.

 

[stuckinthe60s]

beside all this, it would still take a very discerning eye to identify these. I wonder how many have been passed by at shows; "oh, another Revell set car". To the credit of Nichimo, at least the Mustang came with the proper wheel inserts which AMT bypassed with their clunky looking 5-40 nut to secure the independent rotating front wheels. The look can be overcome, but I'll bet it was rushed to market.

 

[stuckinthe60s]

driver/interiors also look much more detailed than American counterparts.

 

[Houses]

And of course both bodies were cloned from American slot cars, Revell and AMT

I would like very much the Nichimo Vette to be a clone of the Revell one, as my Nichimo has had a rear bumper missing for years, and still has. Unfortunately it is not, there are big differences, for instance the Nichimo body is much narrower (3mm. at the front, 5mm. at the rear) and has window posts. Here are pictures, with the Nichimo on the right:





Neither the Nichimo Mustang is a clone of the AMT. This time the Nichimo (on the right) is wider and has different details:



By the way, the Revell Vette shown above is in fact a nice kit sold by Auto World, composed of a Revell body, an Atlas chassis and a dedicated mounting piece. Since these are not so often seen, I add a picture of the underneath:

 

[dgersh]

Ah, thanks Eduardo, very interesting. Bodies like this look the same to an untrained eye like mine, but if you don't have the two to compare...

Also, wonderful seeing the Auto World version: they sold a bunch of these cobbled together "kits" over the years, often with the old Atlas stock, but the ones with the vac-form bodies come up much more frequently - in fact, I had never seen this particular combination. They were also selling the Atlas F1 cars in 1/24 for something like $3...

Don

 

[stuckinthe60s]

Now I remember that Nichimo cars at least these 1/32, came also as kits, and did they not have a brass chassis with a drop arm? Are these the chassis you are referring to Jose? I remember them looking a lot like a period Strombecker brass job. If so, interesting the change in material between the sets and kits, where Revell, at least, stuck with aluminum for both (in the early cars).

 

[GeraldL]

Looking to improve a Nichimo BRM owned by Joel of the Neuvic club. Is the motor an FT16D or something larger? It's a really nice classic slot car but we need some brakes in the motor, maybe a rewind with new magnets but I don't want to touch the original motor, rather open up a clone.