I worked in Plastic Injection molding and extrusion too for many years.
I was the plant manager of one shop before an auto parts supplier went bankrupt and put us under too.
I managed the molding department and we had an in-house mold shop.
1st of all , is the pat. still good for original T-jets , like an EXACT COPY?
Our tool and mold makers could have made an exact copy with no problem and we did custon insert work molds , this was in the 80's
We had state of the art injection presses and old ones too , like the T-jets were made with.
50 Grand even back in the 80's IN AMERICA was not gonna get ya real far when it came to making molds with multipal cavities and all the other stuff you need for a t-jet chassis.
Maybe this is why they don't make an exact copy? Maybe fear of a lawsuit?
How many original t-jet chassis do you really need?
As us old slotheads die off , do you really think as many kids these days are going to be into slot cars? I seriously doubt it , not with a passion and in 50 years the prices will probally plummet.
Your grandkids will stick your collection out in a yardsale " If yardsales are even allowed by then" for a little of nothing and make some person happy but not like it would today.
Heck, the way Greedbay operates these days , people will probally be scared to use it in 50 years , maybe in 10 years!
Even my friends are ebaying some old slot stuff while the getting is good.
People want to collect stuff that they had as a child and who knows , maybe an artin batteried powered slot set will be worth more in 50 years than a high dollar t-jet is now!
If I can live to be 100 I guess I can find out if I am correct. lol
Maybe I am wrong but there seems to be a lot more original aurora chassis and parts to make them like new again than their are pristine original bodies , so if that is the case , just switch bodies on your original runners and race them and slap a good chassis for the shelf cars. A reproduction is a reproduction no matter how you look at it , even if it IS an "exact match" it is still not VINTAGE.
Oh, by the way , I shaved my thinning hair about 10 years ago and when it was growing back , my oldest friend and slot car racer said I looked like the guy on that toy that has a guys face on it and you take the little wand with the magnet on it and put the metal filings on his head for hair.... you know the toy , and he called me MAGNETIC MAN , maybe that is another reason I hate magnets!
Cheers

So now, instead of magnets, you are using your head (ie: Hand/Eye co-ordination) to keep the cars on track.

Patents back then were only good for about 15 years. They would have expired a long time ago.

I thought there still had to be something different , not exact copies... ?

I thought there still had to be something different , not exact copies... ?

Once the patent expires the covered item can be exactly copied. Patents grant temporary exclusive rights to the patent holder. The length of time that a patent is in force is intended to allow the inventor time to recoup the cost of developing the invention. Once the patent expires, the details are public domain and free for use by anybody. The T-Jet patient is long expired.

Russ the closet lawyer Hutt

cool !

Utility and plant patents are granted for a term which begins with the date of the grant and usually ends 20 years from the date the applications were filed. You must make the timely payment of the appropriate maintenance fees.

Design patents last 14 years from the date you are granted the patent. No maintenance fees are required for design patents.

Two different time frames. Someone told me the patent is good for 25 years. I've never looked into though. Randy.

I must not be the only one who complained. Well, he got what he wanted. Good riddance!

What will we ever do without his input? Such an asset to the hobby....So sad............not:p

Now back to our originally scheduled program.