[ArJayAytch]

Phil, you said that you've "...come to the conclusion over the years that the Italians don't really know much about foreign slot cars...". Doesn't that mean that they won't know what are original parts and what aren't, so you run the risk of getting marked down in concours?

Interesting that the three 1:32 inline Riko cars fielded were Super Series and not the rather better Trophy. I wonder how the likes of Gio stopped it bending in the middle? I'm jealously guarding my last eBay-sourced Trophy and must try rebuilding the one I bought at age 11 in '68!

Richard

 

[scaleslotcars]

Yes Richard , the judging is a bit of a joke really, as very few people know what are the original parts on most cars, i guess they just guess!
Also the rarity factor is random, I got no extra points for my Strombecker Brawner Hawk, one of THE rarest slot cars! After complaining I was awarded 3 points. But I showed one of the judges the car and asked him what car it was, he said he had "no idea"! and also no idea how rare!
I don't think the Italians have discovered the Trophy chassis yet!

 

[Houses]

Strombecker did a version without the whatever you call them sticking out on the sides in front, as opposed to the Eldon 1/32 version and the Lancer clear body. So where does that come in the chronology - an earlier version?

Many years ago I was concerned about the correctness of Strombecker's version of the Ford J and found this picture on the web, which clearly is of the unusual version of the car reproduced by Strombecker:



It is of chassis J1, as J2 -the car that claimed the life of Ken Miles- had a quite different rear. According to Ronnie Spain's record of J1, the car was wind-tested after Le Mans trials, and the resulting modifications tested at Kingman, Arizona, on May 1, 1966, and Riverside, on 2-7 May 66, where different noses were tried. The most likely thus, the picture was taken at Riverside, as J1 had no further activity after that.

 

[merkit the grof]

Yes Richard , the judging is a bit of a joke really,

I was once marked down in Bordeaux because I was using Taylormade gears, they thought it was "modern", either that or because I wasn't wearing a yellow shirt.
Probably both!


Joel

 

[scaleslotcars]

I actually have one of those yellow shirts, got awarded one a few years ago as an honorary member, maybe I should start wearing it!

 

[tifosi]

I am still recovering from the traffic being referred to as 'Intenso', made my day...

 

[GT40MKII]

Many years ago I was concerned about the correctness of Strombecker's version of the Ford J and found this picture on the web, which clearly is of the unusual version of the car reproduced by Strombecker:



It is of chassis J1, as J2 -the car that claimed the life of Ken Miles- had a quite different rear. According to Ronnie Spain's record of J1, the car was wind-tested after Le Mans trials, and the resulting modifications tested at Kingman, Arizona, on May 1, 1966, and Riverside, on 2-7 May 66, where different noses were tried. The most likely thus, the picture was taken at Riverside, as J1 had no further activity after that.

I do know that J1 had removeable claws at the front. And I have seen pictures of a J car testing at Riverside with a sidewinder G7 (Group 7 Can Am) on it. The J-2 was modified for for Can Am and the rear bodywork does not correspond to this picture in Ronnies' book. I agree its J-1 being tested before being taken away and re-bodied in to the MKIV by Phil Remington and his team .
Regards Allan

 

[slotforever50]

......" Yes Richard , the judging is a bit of a joke really, as very few people know what are the original parts on most cars, i guess they just guess!
Also the rarity factor is random, I got no extra points for my Strombecker Brawner Hawk, one of THE rarest slot cars! After complaining I was awarded 3 points. But I showed one of the judges the car and asked him what car it was, he said he had "no idea"! and also no idea how rare! ..."

Phil, don't worry next year you will be elected as only and unique judge as your knowledge is so much above our poor experience about vintage cars....

 

[scaleslotcars]

Thankyou

 

[Stefano Sbravati]

Yep, the 6 laner is plastic, Carrera I assume. Not sure what you mean by "BRM base/club"... I think there is some connection to BRM.

Don, the plastic 6-laner is a ScaleAuto

 

[Stefano Sbravati]

I have come to the conclusion over the years that the Italians don't really know much about foreign slot cars, if it's Polistil or Mini Dream etc. it's ok, but anything else they really have no idea!

I think your words are not fair Phil.
I would rather say that SOME Italians do not know everything about vintage slot cats, just as SOME Americans, British, French, Spanish, Germans etc. do not know everything.

 

[dgersh]

Thanks for confirmation of the track brand Stefano.

You're right about vintage knowledge of course, just one comment: Franco had said to me that they'd call on me for technical information if needed, which they didn't. It seems that if they weren't sure about a car, they could have asked me.

It's not a question of knowing everything, but knowing when you don't know.

On the other hand, Concours is always difficult (PITA, casse-tête, etc.), no matter what system you use...

In any case, a very enjoyable event.

Don

 

[scaleslotcars]

Yes Stefano, you are of course correct I did not mean to be so harsh.
But if the judging includes a section on how original the cars are then how can you possibly judge this if you do not know which parts are original and which parts should not be on the car?
Even I struggle to identify some cars originality when judging and this is after 30 years of full time slot car trading and having bought and sold just about everything that was ever produced.
I think the 'originality' and the 'rarity' sections should be dropped. The Judging works fine otherwise.

 

[ArJayAytch]

Wise words Don.

Richard

 

[scaleslotcars]

"Even I struggle to identify some cars originality when judging and this is after 30 years of full time slot car trading and having bought and sold just about everything that was ever produced."

I thought Don's 1/24 car was a vac form scratchbuilt item, if Don had not pointed out to me that it was a Pactra Dune Buggy I would have awarded it zero points in the judging, but as it was it was a totally original car it was actually worth a full six points, which I gave it, unfortunately it was not a perfect example, so lost some points in the fidelity and looks sections.
But it goes to show that you most certainly cannot know everything even when you have had a full time career in the subject.

 

[dgersh]

That was also on me Phil, because I didn't bring the reference photos that would have shown the car (only 1 known to exist!) - of course, that would have also pointed out certain "deficiencies" in my paint job and detailing, so, difficult decision to make - and mainly, I forgot!

20 years ago, nobody knew the Dune Buggy existed!

Don