[Steve-E-D]

What is the difference between the Amrac KM-1 and KM-2?

 

[Steve-E-D]

I saw that already and it only mentions the KM-2.

I have Amrac chassis with both black magnets and also with orange and white magnets. The polarity is opposite in these requiring the rear axle to be installed 180° to drive forwards.

 

[Steve-E-D]

I don't know if these are KM-1 or KM-2

The bottom one has replacement tires and pickups.

 

[Steve-E-D]

Maybe there was never a KM-1. In my article I said that Philippe de Lespinay was asked by Cox to do a clone of the Aurora Super G-Plus and all he did was add larger flux condensers. The KM-2 has even larger flux condensers than the Cox. I don't know if Philippe did any work for Leisure Concepts after the KM-2. I just found Philippe's e-mail address, maybe I could contact him.

There were cars packaged as both KM-1 and KM-2. Thanks for reaching out to Philippe. The question still remains, and now there is another one. What is the "Adjustamatic" chassis mentioned on the KM-2 package?

Here are the AMRAC chassis I have. All but one have the "Hong Kong" blanked out, only two say AMRAC, one is lighted and one has the orange magnet.

I have 4 and 3 of them have Hong Kong blanked out. I see that your orange magnet chassis is also geared opposite. I haven't done any testing yet to see if there is a performance difference between these two.

 

[Steve-E-D]

The only survivors are of the earlier mid-1070 "magnet cars" with idler-gear drive because before I worked for Riggen, I developed these cars first for a consulting company called "Innova Inc.", and we sold the project to Matchbox, and Innova was paid for the work. But Matchbox was now in big financial trouble and when the company tanked, the new owners did not want to be involved with slot cars. I kept the now-useless prototypes and still have them to this day. Not sure what I am going to do with them...

Philippe, thanks for sharing these nuggets of history with us.
My original question still remains; how to identify the KM-1 and KM-2 and what are their differences.

 

[Steve-E-D]

I've always liked the AMRAC. Light and nimble. Unlike the G-plus. They've got gobs of giddy-up. The extended flux condensers work great, for what they are. Converted from sponge to silicones they're, ferocious right to the limit, then yer gone! A flux car, you still have to put your sandwich down, and drive them.

I am quite enjoying these, too. I have one white Porsche that is a survivor from my youth. It needed tires and pickups that I have just recently acquired. They are very different animals with the silicone tires. Two of my recent additions have sponge tires that are in very good condition and I really like the way that they handle. I have never seen a slot car that recovers itself from spins the way these do quite often. I will have to catch some video clips of this. I chalk it up to flux capacitor voodoo. I don't think that this is happening with the silicone tires.

 

[Steve-E-D]

I have not seen the flux collectors for sale anywhere. A sacrificial donor chassis is probably the best bet.
For as much knowledge and info about Aurora history that is out there, I'm almost surprised how little info I am finding about Amrac, although I realize that it is a much smaller blurb in history.

 

[Steve-E-D]

Flux capacitor voodoo!!!

 

[Steve-E-D]

I think I have most of my answers now.
The KM-1 in the enhanced photo from the ebay listing has both the rectangle opening and bracket for the slip-in plastic guide and a clip for a round metal guide just like the last photo of the Cox prototype that Phillipe posted. Thank you, @TSRF
The photos from RichD's article show a KM-2 package in the background and the chassis have the rectangle hole filled in. I would assume that the earlier KM-2 had the Hong Kong marking and later versions had it blocked out.

The chassis with the orange magnets and reversed polarity are likely a later variation of the KM-2.
The only real questions left to fill in the history is what year did each of these changes occur?

 

[Steve-E-D]

I believe that you are missing the flux collectors, but that certainly is the KM-1 chassis.

@RichD I will have a NOS KM-1 sometime next week. I will be happy to provide photos and any info for your history article.

 

[Steve-E-D]

@RichD the photo of the incomplete chassis you posted looks to be different. It lacks the guide pin holder and the cutout option to install the rear axle in the opposite direction. The photo of the pre-production chassis posted by Phillipe has those features.

 

[Steve-E-D]

Another historical blip:

KM-1 packaging:

KM-2 made in Hong Kong packaging:

Made in China packaging:

And what does "KM" stand for???

 

[Steve-E-D]

@RichD I will send you a full spread of photos later.

 

[Steve-E-D]

I can definitively say that the KM-1 chassis has the rectangle opening and saddle on top as a leftover from the slip in plastic guide pin design.
It has the Made In Hong Kong markings. ~>1981
The earlier KM-2 chassis also have the Made In Hong Kong markings.
At some point, the KM-2 switched to China manufacturing and dropped the KM-2 designation.

I believe the chassis with the blanked out Amrac logo was the transition to the Rokar years ~1987.