[SAMPSON]

Hi,heres a 12 inch race car made by Kokomo ( also known as Electricar)in 1929( its possible the set came out as early as christmas 1928). The metal car had a spring mounted front bumper which picked up the current off a 2 rail fence.Power came from a transformer. You could have 2 racers run against each other by reversing the bumper as shown in the catalog. The cars are not that rare but the set is very rare.

The last one i saw was in 2004 & the box was in very bad shape. I have also included a real 1929 catalog. In 1930 they redesigned the chassis & introduced a new car,bus,firetruck,& some other trucks. Some can be seen on my website- bernardsslotcarmuseum.com So this is the 2nd oldest documented electric race set made after the Lionel(1912-1915).However that may not be true.

New evidence is always coming out & i hope to revise this. Thanks,Bernard

 

[CJA]

WOW.

What else can one say ?!.

1929 ??.

You have clock makers gearing in there.

I reckon I would pick the inside car to win ??.

I just love these items which you show us !!.

Thank you for that.

vbr Chris A.

 

[loosesalute]

Great stuff Bernard.
The condition is amazing!
Cheers
Kev

 

[TSRF]

QUOTE 2nd oldest race set made ?
Actually, at least the third now that we have evidence of one anterior to Lionel's, that was actually produced.

Here is the second series of the Electricar, made by the Kokomo Stamped Metal Corporation.
The set (#720) contained not only the car but extra bodies to assemble on the electrified chassis, plus contact rails to form a track. This example is in near pristine condition.

The box is like all Electricar boxes, victim of its acidic paper that slowly destroys it:

The car is in really nice condition, likely never played with, just sporting minor corrosion and missing its tin driver:

I have since found one in even better condition with zero rust and the driver, but I don't have pictures of it yet.

Lots of accessories inside smaller boxes contained in the set. From the soon to be published book:

QUOTE Additional bodies including dump and ice trucks were produced as well as a bus full of passengers using a 6th wheel chassis extension. Finally with the depression dragging on production of the Electricar was halted in 1933. At the time the set was considered pricey at $8.00.

I personally do not consider the Electricar to be a true ancestor to slot cars because it does not run ON a track but AGAINST one...

But they are really cool.

 

[SAMPSON]

Hi Phillipe,thanks for adding these photos,cant wait to see them in your book !

I thought i would add 1 more photo . Thanks,Bernard