Being an HO enthusiast from the 60's, I am seeking to collect race flyers and rules from pre-traction magnet days. Originals are not necessary as copies will do just fine.

Check out the Slotcar Thrillart (http://www.slotcarthrillart.com/) pages. Those are the folks who do the crazy 'Rat-Fink'-esque tjet posters. You may find a lead there.

There's some great online stuff here: http://www.supervipersystems.com/VargoSpeedway/HO_History/ho_history.html

You could probably print these out to 8.5" x 11" and still look decent.

Thanks for the links. My quest continues on. Pictures of races, race reports, and pictures of the race cars themselves are now being sought.

Do a search for 'Fray in Ferndale'......I can't recall that link. Also, can someone list links for VHORS, and the Kansas City race guys? And take a peek at http://vintagehoracing.mr-bigstuff.com (http://vintagehoracing.mr-bigstuff.com/) . They should have some links to race pics.

Oops, forgot about the pre 70's part. Although the link above does have people racing those cars :tongue: . Anyway, here's a pic of what appears to be one of the Ford/Aurora pins:

http://www.homestead.com/slotcarcollectibles2/files/TJet_Ford_Aurora_pin.JPG

I remember someone posting a pic or two from that event, but can't recall. Hopefully someone can pick up fom here.

Check out the Slotcar Thrillart (http://www.slotcarthrillart.com/) pages. Those are the folks who do the crazy 'Rat-Fink'-esque tjet posters. You may find a lead there.

Bob Hardin's Slot Car Thrillustrations are PHENOMENAL. He really captures what goes through a kid's mind while he plays with slot cars. I always imagined my cars doing stuff like that, though I dunno if I should be ashamed to admit that I still do it... :rolleyes:

--rick

Check this out too: http://www.henryharnish.com/high/index.htm

Yeah those cartoons are kind of cool. I do take umbrage with the portrayal of hard core slot car guys as slobbering oafs. After all, slot cars do have major chick magnet appeal ... don't they?

Bob Hardin's Slot Car Thrillustrations are PHENOMENAL. He really captures what goes through a kid's mind while he plays with slot cars. I always imagined my cars doing stuff like that, though I dunno if I should be ashamed to admit that I still do it... :rolleyes:

--rick

I bought one of those prints (the batmobile one) and mounted it in a glass top black lacquer serving tray. Looked awesome. It was an xmas gift for a friend. He LOVED it and he's not even a slot car guy. tjd

Bob Hardin's Slot Car Thrillustrations are PHENOMENAL. He really captures what goes through a kid's mind while he plays with slot cars. I always imagined my cars doing stuff like that, though I dunno if I should be ashamed to admit that I still do it... :rolleyes:

--rick
Rick don't be ashamed. If that was my case, Bob Hardin would have to do a painting of my cars jumping through flaming hoops and piles of baby powder and driving on fire or fish tailing all over the oil we put on the track.

I was such a destructive kid... :o

There's some great online stuff here: http://www.supervipersystems.com/VargoSpeedway/HO_History/ho_history.html

You could probably print these out to 8.5" x 11" and still look decent.
BTW- that's from my site. Anyone is welcome to use that stuff for their slot car needs. :thumbsup:

AFX Too - Thanks for posting that Henry Harnish website. What a great story! I felt bad for what happened to him after his big win, but glad to see that he has picked the hobby up again.
Jim

Henry was at the Richfield show. He's still actively involved in the hobby.

Make sure you access the Index/Next links at the bottom of the page to see all the fantastic pictures.

AFX Too-
I spent 2 hours going through all the stuff on there. What an experience he had. Did you notice on the track that they raced on that one outside lane didn't have a guardrail. It must have been challenging racing vibes on skinny tires with steering wheel controllers!
Jim

Hey Co Zee-
Our website has a couple pics of a flyer and state award announcement from the Ford-Aurora Grand National days, and numerous pictures from that time. It definitely was one of the greatest times in HO slotting those 5 years it was held, altho it was just before my time getting into it--bummer! Its an article from our local newspaper that the journalist, Jim Holland is also one of the most dedicated slotheads you will ever meet.
To quote from his writing--
"Rapid Citians made the finals in three,winning two of the five Ford Aurora Grand
National Model Motoring Championships run from 1962 through 1966"
Our little HO club here in Rapid City, SD is very proud of Jim's article and of the three "boys" that made the grade.
I think anyone interested in that era would like Jim's article, even tho it is a local point of view. The first picture in it is the boys wearing their Ford-Aurora shirts in front of the hobby shop where it all began here.
The awards didnt end there as Jim won a "best article of 2004" award in South Dakota for that literary masterpiece. The plaque he was awarded hangs in Warren Pfenning's
race shop,the location of three of the four tracks we race at with a display put together by Warren.
Didnt know how to explain the significance of this any more brief, but enjoy reading it if y'all are interested.

www.slotcars.org/hosers

scroll down to the bottom of the homepage and click on "Rapid City HO Racers Tribute Page"

Afxtoo- Did Henry race at the Fray this year? Seems I remember hearing that.

Later----Circle Track DAC

It would be cool if Round2 can revive this thing. Get Ford involved, call Marty Ruiz to make some repro tubbies, and have Ford/AutoWorld contests. Except use the X-Traction cars, since they're easy to control with the 45 ohm controllers.

It would be cool if Round2 can revive this thing

Why does it always seem like everyone is always looking for Round 2, or JL, or RC2, or any other Tom Lowe backed venture to save the slot car world? Is Tom seen as a big hunk wad of money who's looking to finance all the pet causes of the hobby?

I just want to point out that a lot of GREAT things happen in this hobby, from the national and regional racing organization racing series, to the regional slot car shows and swap meets, to the big yearly events like the Fray and all the magnet car series nationals, to the local track owners who host fun events for the locals, to the guys like Coach and Claus who set up a track at a community or club event. These things happen because a person or group of people take up the initiative and do something about it. Little things can grow into much bigger things, with the Fray being a great case in point.

Tom has nothing to do with any of these things. We don't need Tom Lowe for great things to happen in this hobby. Having Tome Lowe supporting the hobby by bringing new products to market helps immensely. The same can be said for all current slot car product manufacturers. It's an extremely satisfying and mutually beneficial relationship for them and us. They build 'em - we buy 'em. As long as Tom Lowe is getting what he needs out of his side of the relationship and we are getting what we need out of ours, life is good. But he's the one that's calling the shots about how he spends his money.

The Aurora/Ford promotions took place at a time when the slot car market was much larger than it is today. It was a whole different time and a whole different world. If we want "big things" to happen in this hobby today we're going to have to build them ourselves, usually by starting with "small things" and trying to make them grow. We can't keep looking to Tom and hope he takes the lead. It's our problem to solve, not his.

Well Said afxtoo!

Coach

How about a different perspective AfxToo

Whay are we all here today in this Hobby? Because a large Plastics Company from NY produced and marketed some very well engineered slot cars. It was the big buck marketing camapigns that sucked us in and then FUN factor took over. To bring inthe younger generation in large enough numbers for this hobby to lat another 50 years will require some big bucks and a decent marketing campaign. Since we no longer have a big plastics company or for that matter a toy company activley marketing and growing the market it just might take a Tom Lowe to do it.. Give us old farts something to drool over and give the youn un something to dream about and it just might work.

So what would you do if you had the big bucks :)

Roger Corrie