# Sneak: Target Exclusives - X-Traction and T-Jet Ornaments



## MGroothuis (Jan 7, 2003)

Just want to pass the word along that we are releasing a Target exclusive of 1:64 Musclecar Christmas Ornaments. I figured the slot car guys would like to know since these are new variations of 6 X-Traction and 6 T-Jet bodies. 

Plus, they include a new lightweight die-cast chassis. One for XTs and another for TJs. Pics of the assortment are below. These are the very first preproduction samples we received a couple days ago, so a couple of the colors need to be revised a bit! Plus the '63 Grand Sport's wheels are not supposed to be all silver.

Be on the lookout for these when the seasonal stuff hits Target. I'll have to get production numbers since I just don't have that info in front of me.

Later!
Mike


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## ParkRNDL (Mar 20, 2002)

WHOA! count me IN! any idea if Target will sell these online, or do you have to go into the store to get them? please keep us posted on these, I'd hate to miss out...

very nice to see some of the old releases coming back. that Corvette from Bowties looks great in silver, and I never thought I'd see the JL Corvette GS again.

good to see you around the boards again, Mike, and thanks for the heads-up...

--rick


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## MGroothuis (Jan 7, 2003)

Hey, great to hear from you Rick. As more details become available, I'll post and keep this updated best I can. Thanks!


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## slotcarman12078 (Oct 3, 2008)

Veeeeeeeeeeeerrrrrrrrry interesting!!!! I hope this works out for you guys!!! Something to keep my JL car ornaments company!! :thumbsup::thumbsup:


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## Pomfish (Oct 25, 2003)

WOW!

Can't wait for Christmas now!
Thanks for the sneak peek.
Keith


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## BRS Hobbies (Feb 16, 2006)

Great news! Thanks for sharing the information and the pictures.

Best regards,
Brian


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## 1976Cordoba (Sep 20, 2000)

OMG WTF LOL

Nice


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## Joe65SkylarkGS (Feb 15, 2010)

pms485 said:


> Just want to pass the word along that we are releasing a Target exclusive of 1:64 Musclecar Christmas Ornaments. I figured the slot car guys would like to know since these are new variations of 6 X-Traction and 6 T-Jet bodies.
> 
> Plus, they include a new lightweight die-cast chassis. One for XTs and another for TJs. Pics of the assortment are below. These are the very first preproduction samples we received a couple days ago, so a couple of the colors need to be revised a bit! Plus the '63 Grand Sport's wheels are not supposed to be all silver.
> 
> ...




Cool. You work there Mike? How did you see these?

I can't wait to get these!!!


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## NTxSlotCars (May 27, 2008)

Thanks for the heads up!!! 
More slot car bodies are always a good thing.


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## RacerDave (Mar 28, 2006)

Great news. I will be looking forward to adding some of these to the collection. Dave.


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## ParkRNDL (Mar 20, 2002)

dumb question:

are those little hooks screwed THROUGH the roof?

--rick


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## slotcarman12078 (Oct 3, 2008)

Good point Rick. Why can't you guys use the hangers like on the JL Xmas diecast???? If they're used as ornaments, do they really need the eye bolt through the roof??? If you guys are going to make them usable as slot car bodies, the plastic hanger the diecast cars came with would be way better, and not leave a hole!!


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## kiwidave (Jul 20, 2009)

Perfect excuse for some ragtop customs!!


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## Bill Hall (Jan 6, 2007)

ParkRNDL said:


> dumb question:
> 
> are those little hooks screwed THROUGH the roof?
> 
> --rick


Whoops?


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## NTxSlotCars (May 27, 2008)

kiwidave said:


> Perfect excuse for some ragtop customs!!


... or some lighted cop cars?


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## ParkRNDL (Mar 20, 2002)

Dont get me wrong, I'll plug the hole if these things come with it... i'd just rather they didn't.

--rick


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## Joe65SkylarkGS (Feb 15, 2010)

ParkRNDL said:


> Dont get me wrong, I'll plug the hole if these things come with it... i'd just rather they didn't.
> 
> --rick



Amen:dude:


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## MGroothuis (Jan 7, 2003)

On these, the hole does go thru the roof. It was a tough one to come up with a common design the would fit all cars without major tooling during the timeframe we had. Not all of the cars have open windows, so the old JL clip wasn't an option. These really weren't _meant _to be slot cars, but they certainly are slot car bodies. This is the first crack at these too, so if they are successful, other options can be look at for hanging. :thumbsup:

PS. I like the lighted cop car customs idea...


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## scottman2007 (Oct 16, 2007)

Those look great to me, thanks for the info pms485.
iam a big fan of AW,and i live in Muncie Indiana about 2 1/2 hours away from you guys.
How is the Drag Strip coming???????????


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## Joe65SkylarkGS (Feb 15, 2010)

scottman2007 said:


> Those look great to me, thanks for the info pms485.
> iam a big fan of AW,and i live in Muncie Indiana about 2 1/2 hours away from you guys.
> How is the Drag Strip coming???????????



Excellent question!!!

Bring us the Drag Strip!!!!! Please!!


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## Pomfish (Oct 25, 2003)

When will these be in the stores??

Can't wait!

Thanks,
Keith



pms485 said:


> Just want to pass the word along that we are releasing a Target exclusive of 1:64 Musclecar Christmas Ornaments. I figured the slot car guys would like to know since these are new variations of 6 X-Traction and 6 T-Jet bodies.
> 
> Plus, they include a new lightweight die-cast chassis. One for XTs and another for TJs. Pics of the assortment are below. These are the very first preproduction samples we received a couple days ago, so a couple of the colors need to be revised a bit! Plus the '63 Grand Sport's wheels are not supposed to be all silver.
> 
> ...


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## ParkRNDL (Mar 20, 2002)

I asked a Target employee a couple weeks ago... He said the Xmas light show up in the middle of September, and the rest of the stuff starts showing up about 2 weeks later, around the beginning of October. 

--rick


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## AfxToo (Aug 29, 2003)

Why not just do another few rounds on the Thunderjets/TJet500 pull backs with these bodies? Or just bodies sans chassis! Rude and crude and right to the point - sorry.

For slotters these will be known as the "JL Roofhole" series.

I truly appreciate the initiative but defacing the body is a big OUCH. A C-shaped hanger (or even a ring) with the attachment point on the bottom of the chassis with the car floating in the middle would have been a more slot friendly design. Heck, with a standard TJet/XT mount we could put our own "classic" bodies on the fixture.

[ Box ] ----> Think


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## WesJY (Mar 4, 2004)

afxtoo - they are diecast metal bodies. 

Wes


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## A/FX Nut (May 28, 2004)

I'm way ahead of you Autoworld. I converted this car in 2003 for my wife. She wanted something of mine I like on the Christmas tree.

http://www.hobbytalk.com/bbs1/showthread.php?p=2638410#post2638410

Randy.


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## AfxToo (Aug 29, 2003)

Wes - maybe I misinterpreted this statement:

_These really weren't meant to be slot cars, but they certainly are slot car bodies._

I know the chassis are diecast, like the old Thunderjets pullbacks, but are the bodies also diecast metal or are they plastic? I'm so confused...


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## slotcarman12078 (Oct 3, 2008)

The way I read the original post is they are plastic. The chassis is die cast (like the pullbacks) and the bodies are either T jet or X traction. 

"I figured the slot car guys would like to know since these are new variations of 6 X-Traction and 6 T-Jet bodies. "


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## Dslot (Sep 2, 2007)

I also read it as plastic bodies, diecast chassis. Hey, I got a great idea, why doesn't AW package them in little fake Cigarboxes and ... [ducking behind cover].

The boxes say $6.00 each - not at all bad for a body *and* chrome *and* glass, *and* a static display chassis like people are always asking for on the forum. And if the tires are rubber and fit existing slot wheels or the wheels fit slotcar axles - KA-CHING! :hat:

And if they don't sell well (may Heaven forbid, Mike, but I'm just saying, _if_ they don't) you should be able to pick up shopping bags full for small-change at the after-Xmas (or even close-to-Xmas) X-treme markdowns.

Now, just one question - will the front chrome off the Stingray fit my Aurora Split-Window (which needs some)?

-- D


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## noddaz (Aug 6, 1999)

*Nice... But...*

But I don't remember this one on the right...









Of course I haven't really spent that much on HO in quite a while.
The Mistress 1/32 has been weaving her spell on me... :tongue:

BTW, sign me up for a set... Or two... Or.

Scott


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## ParkRNDL (Mar 20, 2002)

noddaz said:


> But I don't remember this one on the right...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


It's been a few years, but there was a red one, a blue one, and a yellow one (at least)...

see here for me performing unspeakable acts of dremelry on them

http://www.hobbytalk.com/bbs1/showthread.php?t=97957

--rick


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## Rolls (Jan 1, 2010)

It was nice to re-read that thread again, Rick. That was some really great work on some very deserving bodies. 

Also, it'll be great to get mitts on one of these AW/Target ornaments to see what they're really all about.


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## 1976Cordoba (Sep 20, 2000)

noddaz said:


> . . . Of course I haven't really spent that much on HO in quite a while . . . _The Mistress 1/32_ has been weaving her spell on me... :tongue:
> 
> Scott


Oh she is a devil woman. :devil: The size, all the extra details, all the correct liveries . . .


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## resinmonger (Mar 5, 2008)

ParkRNDL said:


> see here for me performing unspeakable acts of dremelry on them...
> 
> --rick


You gotta break a few eggs to make an omlet... :thumbsup:

Glad you brought that thread back, BTW. Nice work. :thumbsup: :thumbsup:


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## Dslot (Sep 2, 2007)

> _Rick sez: _It's been a few years, but there was a red one, a blue one, and a yellow one (at least)...
> see here for me performing unspeakable acts of dremelry on them
> http://www.hobbytalk.com/bbs1/showthread.php?t=97957


Hokey Smokes, Rick! What a beautiful, job on that Stingray body! 

Now I _really_ can't wait to get my hands on a couple of those $6 Xmas Vettes.

:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:-- D

Oh, yeah, did I mention: :thumbsup:


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## ParkRNDL (Mar 20, 2002)

thanks, guys. but seriously, you all are way too generous... the only tool i use for all that lowering jazz is a dremel. a WMD when you're working in plastic. there's guys here who work with airbrushes and body filler and jewelers files and they CREATE stuff... i just nibble away carefully at what's already been created. looking at some of the customs on the board, i feel like these guys are the Rembrandts and Michelangelos, and I'm that guy with the chainsaw carving telephone poles into bears...

--rick


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## noddaz (Aug 6, 1999)

*Oh, it's THAT Vette'*










Ok, I remember it now. BTW, nice write up Rick.


> see here for me performing unspeakable acts of dremelry on them


Hardly! You just cut out some of the pieces that didn't look like it belonged on a Corvette!

Scott


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## DesertSlot (May 8, 2009)

Just talked to my local Target. They said probably a few weeks. But I'll keep checking every week.


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## Dslot (Sep 2, 2007)

*Aww, Garsh - Twarn't Nuthin'*



> _Rick sez:_ ... i just nibble away carefully at what's already been created. looking at some of the customs on the board, i feel like these guys are the Rembrandts and Michelangelos, and I'm that guy with the chainsaw carving telephone poles into bears...


Yeah, but you made it look like a _Vette_. 

I like those low-slung '50s -'60s GTs and roadsters, and getting that look on the Tjet chassis is tough - kinda like stretching a condom over a brick. I've been dremeling away on Dash's stilt-walking Cheetah roadster and its chassis - the top of the body is now paper-thin. Light comes through it. It's better but still doesn't have the feel of the real thing. Slightly bigger wheels and tires all around would help.

So it feels good to see somebody take a stock body, and with a few minutes of work, actually make it look like what it was supposed to look like.

-- D


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## Bill Hall (Jan 6, 2007)

*Less is more*



ParkRNDL said:


> thanks, guys. but seriously, you all are way too generous... the only tool i use for all that lowering jazz is a dremel. a WMD when you're working in plastic. there's guys here who work with airbrushes and body filler and jewelers files and they CREATE stuff... i just nibble away carefully at what's already been created. looking at some of the customs on the board, i feel like these guys are the Rembrandts and Michelangelos, and I'm that guy with the chainsaw carving telephone poles into bears...
> 
> --rick



Sorry Rick, humble is good; but I'm gonna have to get crosswise with you. (Go figure...huh?)

IMHO you've sold yourself short AND in doing so perhaps overlooked part of the craft that is as often overlooked in slots as it is in many venues. 

*"Knowing what not to do!"* 

Knowing where to express yourself, and to what degree; both require the use of a the most important tool of all. 

*"Yer brain"* 

You took a classic styling that we all knew was somewhat misinterpreted. You snuck up on it tactically and chose your spots. You did no more than what was required, Your idea was successfully expressed by excercising paitience, judgement and temperence. Fer right or wrong that was your mode of expression at the time and thus your style. Early on, your tight understated "corrective builds" helped me refine the direction in my own stuff. 

It's not that you colored within the lines, it that you knew WHEN to do WHAT, did so and did no more.

So how's this tie in?

A-dubya might have been better served by taking the time to develope an alternative to the "gashing a hole in the roof mounting system".

IMHO there was a good possibility of going two for one on many sales. The idea that for every set hanging on a tree (MIB); slot-tards would purchase a second set for the track or display case does seem plausible... 

or not?


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## scottman2007 (Oct 16, 2007)

Cant wait to get these babies


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