View Full Version : Old Eldon 1/32 madness!!!


ParkRNDL
08-01-2007, 06:24 PM
Yeah, I know, there's a whole separate board for 1/32 stuff, but these guys are in an entirely different class from the Fly/Ninco/Carrera/Scaley cars that most people think of when you say 1/32. Besides, they remind me of gigundous Tjets. So here's what's going on:

I found some 1/32 Eldon stuff a while back. Mostly random junky battery operated stuff, but I was intrigued. Tinkered with it enough to get a few cars running, all old toy-looking Indy cars. Then, at spring Carlisle, I found an Eldon 1/32 Daytona stock car set, and I got REALLY excited... early '60s Impala, Catalina, Fury, and Thunderbird, all bodies in good shape, but only 2 chassis (I have since learned that the set came with only 2 chassis, two of the bodies were considered extras). I asked around a little here on the boards, never did much else. Fast forward to a few weeks ago... Bobzilla mentions on the boards that he's dismantling his Eldon 1/32 stuff in favor of HO, and I, of course, miss it because I'm crazy nutso summertime busy (teaching Driver's Ed, taking kids to travel team tournaments, yada yada). Remembering my interest in Eldon, Bill Hall is kind enough to suggest to Bob that I might be interested. Bob emailed me, a deal was struck, and last week I got a killer huge box of very nice runner-type Eldon 1/32 stuff to play with. (Some of it actually seems too nice to run!) The other night, after everyone went to bed, I dragged it all out along with the stuff I already had and set it up on the kitchen floor. Check it out:

this thing is HUGE!
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/rwurtz/images/eld32track01.JPG

These all run, but the Corvette needs tires and the Pontiac needs the guide flag modified to work with the smaller tires I put on it:
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/rwurtz/images/eld32cars01.JPG

Another group shot. The red Charger in the foreground is my absolute favoritest runner... it's incredibly smooth. Dig the red Dodge pickup in the back. It doesn't have a chassis yet. (And there's a cool custom trailer for it too... :D )
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/rwurtz/images/eld32cars03.JPG

More shots of the Charger:
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/rwurtz/images/eld32charg01.JPG
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/rwurtz/images/eld32charg02.JPG

To be continued...

--rick

ParkRNDL
08-01-2007, 06:34 PM
continued...

Bob warned me that the original Eldon power pack and controller were junk when they were new. Not to worry, when I did my initial tinkering, I adapted a power pack and controllers from a new Artin 1/43 set and it works great:
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/rwurtz/images/eld32elec01.JPG
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/rwurtz/images/eld32elec03.JPG

This wallwart is 7.5v at 800 milliamps. Since I took these pictures and diddled with this stuff, I actually found another old Artin wallwart that's 6v at 1.2 amps... this might work even better, since I think the old Eldons ran on 3v or 6v depending on the set and the higher amp rating will lessen the surging effect of 2 cars running off the same power supply.

Big thanks to Bobzilla for helping me double my Eldon collection! These things are SO MUCH FUN... they slide around like Tjets but they're HUGE in comparison. I'm seriously considering doing some major cleaning in the basement to make room for another 4x16 table...

--rick

twolff
08-01-2007, 07:46 PM
My brother and I ran the Eldon stuff in our youth. We got an Aurora HO set for Christmas, but we were having a hellva time keeping the cars running with the track setup on a deeply sculptured carpet. Dad talked us in packing it all up and taking it back to the store where we exchanged it for an Eldon 1/32 setup. We ran the snot out of 'em. I still have a box of the track in the basement. It has moved with me no less than 3 times and is so rusty it would take quite a bit of work to be useable.

Thanks for the memories.

Bill Hall
08-01-2007, 08:28 PM
Ya just might get it. ;)

OMG. That worked out good.
Thats some neat, clean, timecapsule stuff fer sure. Thinking about my long gone old handme down Eldon figure eight set. I can still almost picture the box art.

They were pretty tough cars. Had to be! LOL.

That new super oval you built was but a childhood dream, add to that the juicy cars Bob also collected and it's a gol' darn mega Christmas at Ricks house!

micyou03
08-01-2007, 08:55 PM
Cool to see that stuff. Thanks for posting the pic Rick.

I worked with a guy who was totally into Eldon slots. I tried getting him into HO. He bought a couple Tyco sets and he didn't like the magnet cars. I gave him a tuned Xtraction and T-jet and he tried them and he still just wanted to get back to his Eldon stuff. He ended giving me all his HO stuff and a bunch of Marx stuff. I ended up tossing the Marx track and I'm not sure where the cars are.

I should try and get over his house and try his Eldon track.

SplitPoster
08-01-2007, 09:22 PM
Thanks for posting that Rick. I love the look of those cars..... better not look again myself, one weak moment and I could be bidding on ebay for a box of 'em myself! Can't imagine getting a nicer lot to play around with than that!

roadrner
08-03-2007, 08:39 AM
Great looking set of cars. My first set in the mid 60's was an over and under Eldon. Came with a red Alfa Romero (I believe) and 65ish Plymouth Fury/Belvedere in a near Petty blue color. Should have held onto that. Still think about getting a 1/32 set every now and then. :cool: rr

Slott V
08-03-2007, 02:37 PM
Man those bring back some cool memories! My cousin had 1/32 Eldon stuff and loved racing on his track as a kid. :)

I picked up a 1966 Revell 1/32 set at a swap a few years ago and got the same thrills. It is the Nassau Hi Banks set with huge banked turns. I set it up on 2 large tables in my garage for a few months during the summer and it was a blast power sliding around turns.

Slott V
08-03-2007, 02:39 PM
I like that '62 Catalina. Or is it a GP? :cool:

bobhch
08-24-2007, 10:59 PM
Rick,

It looks like you are having a lot of fun! Sweet! I have not checked my E-Mail for a while and BAM! Thanks for linking this thread to my E-Mail you sent me.

Eldon cars are a blast. Still have bunches of them but, have sold off a lot also. Eventually it will all be gone. Ho for me but, You never know....someday the Eldon Bug may bite me again.

Talking about the Eldon Bug....rick you got any VW Eldon cars yet? Those really are fun to run. Glad you like the Charger and every thing else. It is all about having fun!

Have you tried out the banked curves yet? Those curves you see are the Eldon wide turns that can be used for a 4 lane set up by using the smaller curves inside....ooooh yeah! 1/32 is fun to run. I used t-jet power packs (one for each lane) and Parma controllers on my layout. Rick looks like he has everything going on with his own power ideas....old 60s and 70s stuff rules.

Will have to post some pics here later, Bob...zilla