With all the quality makers of die-cast scale racers around today, it’s easy to forget that scratch-building was once popular enough to have a monthly magazine dedicated to the topic. Then again, I’m enough out of this loop that there may well be active publications today—certainly there are vibrant web communities.
Trophies, special model motoring Fords, all-expenses paid trips to N.Y., TV appearances, a chance at a fully-equipped 1967 Ford Mustang: not bad for turning laps on the slot track.
A major electronic advance in road racing.
Now you can pass, switch lanes, and block your opponent! This is real switching and blocking that you operate by remote control. You can switch from the outside to the inside lane. Or vice versa. And if you get blocked, in either lane, you can switch to the free land and escape the traps. You’ll find yourself in dozens of real racing situations that call for skill and split-second timing. But, with the Eldon Selectronic Set, you’re in command. You control the speed. You control the switching. No matter which lane your car is in. No matter how many times you change lanes. That’s the secret of Eldon’s Selectronic Road Race Set. Your toy or hobby dealer will be happy to let you in on it.
Get the best deal in road racing—the low cost Eldon way.
Eldon Selectronic Road Racing.
Eldon Industries, Inc.
2701 W. El Segundo Blvd., Hawthorne Calif
Eldon Industries of Canada, LTD.
1315 Lawrence Ave East, Don Mills, Ontario
New starting flagman. Realistic action as this flagman drops his flag and automatically starts the race. Guaranteed fair starts and equal-timed races! Adjusts to fast or slow starts!
Big, realistic layout. 2 Testa Rosa Ferrari cars—switching and blocking with two remote control switch tracks, two rheostat switches with speedometers, lap counter, starting flagman, power pack, 28 pieces of track, bridge supports, fence and decal set included.
New lap counter. Eldon’s all new lap counter counts each car’s laps—no matter which track it’s on—no matter how many times you switch. Counts up to 50 laps!
Everything you need in one package. Pre-assembled track with pre-wired power track snaps together. 10 minutes without tools or glue. Enough track for many different layouts—even a cross-over bridge.
Join the Eldon International Road Racing Club. Fill out the attached coupon and join Eldon’s fast growing International Road Racing Club. Free membership card, racing news, 1963 accessory catalog, and other surprises! Organize your own neighborhood group!
Looking at this ad for a sweepstakes to win a Strombecker Slot Car set makes me wonder if the issue of Boy’s Life that, 40 years later, ended up being scanned for the Google Books archive might have been the winning entry.
It would be like finding Wonka’s Golden Ticket decades after Willy Wonka gave Violet Beauregarde and Augustus Gloop the grand tour.
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve dreamt of having my own private racetrack. A few dozen acres in the countryside that my friends and I could spend years circling around. Sadly, it is but a pleasant fantasy. I can see now that there’s nothing standing in the way of my dream, I just have to reduce scale.
Slot Car Forum member JMSWMS has assembled a truly remarkable 1:32 scale digital slot car track that evokes the spirit of the Sicilian country roads that make up the Targa Florio. His attention to detail is absolutely incredible, everything from the texture of the cliffs that made the Targa so fantastic/dangerous, to the types of vegetation that dot the Sicilian countryside, to the stone abutments that mark the way; this is an impressive work of art.
Take for example, this representation of the Church at Campofelice. This section through town has long been a popular spot for photographers to show the immediacy of racing cars rocketing through the villages of Sicily. JMSWMS captures the spirit of the landmark perfectly. Of course, liberties have to be taken when recreating the Targa—even at the 1:32 scale that slot cars use, the 45 mile Circuit di Palermo would be nearly 1.5 miles! But this ring around the fountain square and away from the church makes the track feel like the Targa, which is even more important.
Take a moment to dig into this thread at the Slot Forum, in which JMSWMS records his inspiration, research, and build process for a bit of insight into this amazing piece of work. This really has me inspired to create my own scenic slot car track.