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Super Shells Sharknose body

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Rob J

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#2 ·
I wish you luck, CG. I've had the same shell for about 20 years and haven't done anything with it.
I was doing other things in the early 60s, "seeing the world", so people active in slot-cars then may correct me, but I believe the Super Shells bodies were mostly used on scratchbuilt chassis, often with a K's Mk I motor, a slim open-frame.
The shells were apparently sold with wheels, axles and a plastic chassis purely for static use.
Super Shells did produce an F1 chassis kit in nylon for slot-cars, called Slim Jim, but I'd be pleasantly surprised if many survive.
I have a few Super Shells leaflets and the image below should show (1) the blurb for that chassis kit and (2) a section of an earlier general leaflet on the various shells showing how a chassis-motor unit could be built.
Another chassis built for Super Shells bodies and K's Mk I motors was called Power+Plus. I have the leaflet but it doesn't say who produced it.
You may produce a quite authentic build if you put together something with a K's and an early Airfix front axle unit, or another old open-frame motor low enough to fit. The slightly later Airfix Slimline motor would work too.
Rob J
 

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· Tony Condon
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#4 ·
Hi Guys
It is just possible that the corrct chassis to fit this car ,would still be available from SRM who bought up all the supershells stuff in about 1967
they did two ,the slim jim which would require a Ks or mrrc slimline to make it work or there was another on called the" pop in" i think and that used a 13uo sized motor
both chassis were injection moulded and had steering units ,and I have to say that neither of them worked terribly well although they would perform OK on a home plastic track

Cheers tony
 
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D

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#5 ·
Thanks Tony, that was more or less what I remembered too...

I don't think Super Shells ever did the Sharknose as a slot kit, but correct me if I'm wrong. They mostly did bodies and parts, but had a couple of complete slot kits I believe.

Don
 
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· Tony Condon
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3,014 Posts
#8 ·
Hi Don
The ferrari body came woth a crude plastic moulded perimetre frame with moulded stub axles that you could fit wheels to and turn the quite attractive body into a static
I am not sure they ever did complete kits until later in the 60s but you could buy all the bits separately including the k s motors to make a complete slot car

alexis on line ordering LOL they have barely got telephones up there on the hill
however if you are really keem I can give you a telephone no and adress

Cheers tony
 
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TSRF

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#9 ·
According to what I have been able to gather, the only three that came as complete kits minus motor were the Porsche 906, Ferrari 275P and Lotus 30, sold bagged inside a small mailer box.
The F1 chassis and steering were all over the place about 10 years ago but have become difficult now.
However I am told that whoever has the parts has tons of them, so....
 
Rob J

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#10 ·
Yes; a Triang Mk IV motor would be quite authentic, CG. Super Shells listed it for the F1 Ferrari and saloons and GT cars in one of these leaflets, though it probably wouldn't fit the Super Shells chassis. The Scalextric version of the Triang motor, unfortunately, doesn't fit the Ferrari, because of its wide rear mounting bracket.
The "Popin" chassis was for the sports and saloon cars, as we see in Don's photo. It's shown in one Super Shells leaflet with the same K's Mk I motor and described as "glass fibre nylon chassis"!
To fit a proprietary steering front end on the Super Shells F1s, the wheel arches would probably have to be enlarged, which is perhaps why the Slim Jim is pictured with the "alternative" non-steering configuration.
Rob J

The Popin chassis:


The Slim Jim chassis:


Super Shells chassis instructions:


Super Shells steering unit kit:
 
tomwysom

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#11 ·
I remember buying a Lotus Elite on card in the early nineties which was complete with popin chassis, wheels, tyres, axles and eldi gear.
I was at SRM last summer and managed to get a few popin chassis but couldn't find any of the Slim Jim ones, however anything is possible.
There may well be one lurking around up there.
Cheers,
Tom.
 
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· Jim Moyes
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6,560 Posts
#16 ·
That's a Scalextric "Powersledge" from the late 60's/early70's. There were five cars in the range - 3 real (Ferrari, Lotus and Matra) and 2 fantasy (Europa Vee and Panther).
 
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Rob J

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#17 ·
Yes, CG. As Mr.M says, it's a Scalextric Powersledge, where the motor is a descendant of the Triang Mk IV via the Scalextric RX motor.
You could use it in the Super Shells Ferrari, at least temporarily, if a Slim Jim chassis and K's motor are hard to find, and if you didn't find a Triang Mk IV among your bits and pieces. That nicely narrow axle bracket fits the rear of the SS Ferrari and the height is probably OK too -- just unscrew the front part and try it. You'd have to build a new front end (or modify this) but you would with a Triang anyway.
Anyway, you can think of it as a development of one of the motors recommended by Super Shells.
Unless you're more keen on stability than scale, shorten the rear axle.
I may do this on one of my own SS Ferraris, as I have a few spare Powersledges in the "fantasy" cars.
For authenticity, use wire wheels or inserts. Original SS wheels would be ideal, of course. They even supplied lugs or spinners in left and right-side shape.
The Powersledge cars still seem reasonably common. The Ferrari is an over-sized model of the 1965 1.5-litre (four years later than the Sharknose).

A couple of notes on other posts: Super Shells described their sports-racing Ferrari as a 250P. I know the 275P body was virtually the same and a couple of real 275Ps were apparently re-engined 250Ps. Just being pedantic (again).
Second, it seems from the SS leaflet that the Popin chassis was sold in one version with advice on modifying for wider cars like the Lotus 30. See section 8 of the "general instructions" in my earlier post.
Rob J
 
M

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1,156 Posts
#18 ·
my super shells lotus has the pop in chassis - i don't recall widening it, but as per direction in the leaflet that came with, i think i had to shorten the side rails so they would fit under the smaller body ... will have to go take a look

here is a link to my blog entry with some more super shells paperwork

super shells paperwork

another post with a variety of super shells kits and packaging

more super shells kits

and one more

super shells brm

off to take a pic of the pop in chassis under the elite

cheers, Ron
 
C

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186 Posts
Discussion Starter · #20 ·
Mornin
Thanks everyone for the info and help, i considered one of my Pittman 196 with hand done front end and decided
because i do race Strombeckers on occasion i would try the Porsche RS chassis by Strombecker making the body
legal to race. Ron i will be reading your blog as i'm interested in the body kits. I need to remove the body mounts
from the side of the chassis and minor reshape of the rear of the chassis and the body will drop down on the chassis
and some body posts for mounting. Thanks again for all your help. CG
 
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