[richardtheforth]

Hi All,
While rummaging through the loft at the weekend I found all the cars I had as a kid. So time for a bit of self indulgence...
To start, these are the minis from the original set I got when I was about 9 or 10 (79-81?).
I think it would have been the 300 set (oval with crossovers & banking at one end) which would have been a few years old when I got it.
If you look closely you may notice some minor modifications:

I also got a white Martini Porsche 935. Again, those that know what to look for may spot that it's no longer mint:

As we all know, 3 cars isn't nearly enough, so I saved up my pocket money and took it to the model shop that use to be in Bank St, Sevenoaks.
I came out with this beauty:

A year or two later I added this, bought from a toy/model shop in the Arndale Centre, Luton. I recall the shop being close to the flamingo fountain, but can't be certain. I do remember vividly the disappointment I felt when I got it home and tried it on the track... it really was rubbish.
It was too light to get any traction, unless you put a car on the back, and then it was so low geared that it crawled at a snails pace, in stark contrast to the whizzy blurred trucking image on the box. The chrome cab adornments broke off just by looking at them, the rear ramp lugs snapped off at the first jackknife, and there wasn't even a slot on the ramp so that you could get a run up and jump the cars onto the load area. This might explain why it's survived better than the other cars.

I later inherited these two along with a whole load of Triang stuff from my cousin who was a few years older, and had 'grown out of' scalextric (?).
I still have the pits, start finish banner, goodwood chicane, power pack, controllers, chicane sections, and outer & hairpin bends somewhere.
This stuff extended my track collection massively, so it was a struggle to use up all of the bits in one circuit.

OK, I'm all reminisced out. Does anyone else still have the cars that got them into the hobby years ago?
Cheers,
Richard

 

[CJA]

Ey Up DickIV,

Yeah, I still have the Jag D and Porsche from our original set in 1962 (?).

Both in V Good condition, and housed in a glass fronted case with my other favoured cars.

There were three of us, and my younger brother still has his Aston Martin with working lights, as well.

I think they have survived so well because we quite quickly got into the Airfix cars and later the Riko 19/11 kits, Revell, and Monogram.

We even got Tokyo Plamo cars one year for xmas !!.

Then scratch-building and rewinding etc etc.

vbr Chris.

 

[loosesalute]

Christmas 1968.
Ford GT40 & Porsche 904GT from the Champion Playcraft GT Set.
Cheers,
Kev.

 

[Mr Modifier]

QUOTE (richardtheforth @ 12 Sep 2011, 16:41) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>OK, I'm all reminisced out. Does anyone else still have the cars that got them into the hobby years ago?
Cheers,
Richard

Sadly I don't have childhood memories - my dad bought me a hornby train set when all I wanted was racing cars :-(

Not the same racing mallards and tank engines.

Making up for it now though!!!

 

[JasonVizor]

The very first car I ever owned, inherited from my elder brother, always a non-runner, it's still in surprisingly good condition.

The first working slot car I ever owned, check the re-paint, I had a fine eye for detail even as a child.

 

[Thatcedric]

I have my child hood cars. Strangely I never felt like destroying them. They ran phenominal milages and thanks to what I call "glue" are still complete. I have the boxes to, why would you throw them away?
I'm not the oddball it's everyone else

 

[Bam]

I've still got all my old cars, still runners now, sat on my shelf.

Only mods were to paint mansells crash helmet, also did a terrible repaint on a spare mini 1275gt.

Managed to destroy one car, but it was the truly hideous Metro 6R4, and it rightly deserved to be hacked to pieces.

 

[Dopamine]

The first slot cars I owned were these four, given to me second-hand in 1968 when I was 8. The Lotus and Ferrari still work and get driven occasionally, the two Formula Juniors are as hopeless now as they were then.

The first car I owned from new was this Ferrari P4, a Christmas present in 1969.

The next year I was given this beauty. It's still all original, including its tyres, and is a lovely contrast to the high-powered missiles of today.

 

[pace1970uk]

This Mini 1275GT was my first new Scalextric car which I got for Christmas when I was about 7 or 8 and it joined my Javelin and Mirage.

 

[Coopdevil]

I love seeing all those cars that get modified and repainted in childhood - they have a patina and give the impression that they are hardened veterans of many miles of racing that you just don't get with mint examples. They've lived the proper lives of little racing cars.

Mint examples that have never been used make me cry a little inside

Coop

 

[gasowder]

I & best mate Dave Hendy from next door had the usual F1 Cooper, Lotus & Ferrari's that came with the figure of eight sets in the early 60's.
Over time we amassed enough track to make more interesting circuits & acquired DB4'S SWB250's & FJ cars. We also discovered another mate over the road had Airfix stuff

We then discovered Newport Model Car Club was just the other side of town, recently turned from rail to slot & moved on to the joys of ECRA club racing.
Unfortunately the afore mentioned Scalex cars got cut up in a futile attempt to keep up with the Newport "aces" using Kays & Pittman powered scratch builds

Thereafter the Scalex track was never used & I think Dad eventually gave it to a work colleague.
Eddie