# Keeping vintage Tjets "vintage"? (long read)



## ParkRNDL (Mar 20, 2002)

Beware, goofy ramblings ahead...

Does anybody besides me try to leave old Tjets set up the way you find them, kinda like a nostalgia thing? I know it's common to have a bunch of unchanged vintage cars in the larger scales, especially 1/24, but I dunno about HO. I don't always do it, but certain cars just beg to be left alone and run the way they are. Here's the example I'm talking about:










I recently bought a box of L&J track and a race case full of cars. In the box were two Tyco HP7 Camaros, two MagnaTractions, two non-mag AFXs, and two Tjets. One Tjet is a blue Porsche 904, dead stock. The other one, the interesting one, is a blue Mako Shark. I wasn't really interested in it as a rare collector piece, since I could see that the front wheelwells were pretty hacked up and the window posts were in bad shape. I just figured it would be a good old solid rivet Tjet chassis to diddle with. It was only missing one pickup shoe and spring, so it was an easy fix.

Or so I thought. Once I got my pile home, I looked underneath and found the reason the shoe was missing. The hanger on that side was broken off the chassis. Oh well, another parts car, I thought, and "parked" it with a bunch of other cars that needed work.

Don't ask me why I got it in my head to fix the hanger, but I did. Late last night, I didn't feel like going to sleep, so I went downstairs to tinker, and this car was calling to me. I got the smallest drill bit I could find and drilled a hole in the front of the chassis. I cut a straight pin to the right length so that the end with the head would function as a shoe hanger. I JB Welded it into place. A salvaged shoe and a few drops of oil later, the motor turned over, but it obviously needed some TLC.

I popped off the gear plate clamp and found... a Mean Green arm. Red/white magnets. AFX brushes. A Hop-Up 12-tooth pinion gear. Some kid invested some paper route money in this car, and I want to keep it the way he set it up. I even decided I like the meatball numbers on the doors.

So instead of ripping off the Hot Rod wheels and tires, I decided to dig up a set of white silicones for the rear HR rims and run it just the way it is. Ha. Easier said than done. The first couple laps, the car spun the arm gear. After getting that back together, it spun the driven gear. Then the crown started shifting away from the pinion, and I had to change to a long rear axle, since the Hot Rod wheels wouldn't stay on the short stock one to hold the crown in place. It's running for now, but I can tell the gear mesh isn't right and I'm thinking it's a matter of time before the pinion starts taking teeth off the crown...

Anyway, I digress. This isn’t the first time. In a trade a while back, I got a white Mako Shark in remarkably similar condition: trashed window posts, cut wheelwells , Hot Rod wheels, and some cool “nostalgia” parts like an Xmas tree arm, white crown gear, solid rivet chassis. I left that one the way it was too, and now it has a mate. Here's my point: I spent a bunch of time getting this old car fixed up to 1967 standards, instead of upgrading it. Anybody else leave certain cars untouched like little time capsules, maybe wonder who drove them when they were new??  

--rick


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## jack0fall (Sep 8, 2004)

Rick,

:thumbsup: Three cheers for "Keeping it like you got it"... :thumbsup:

Most of the cars that I have gotten only get cleaned, tuned and lubed. Even if they turn out to be dogs on the track. I look at the car and think "if this car could talk".
There have been a couple cars though that I really wanted to show off/ run so I would do what ever is necessary to get them presentable.

Besides, not all cars were meant to be hopped up track burners... 

Jeff


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## ParkRNDL (Mar 20, 2002)

jack0fall said:


> I look at the car and think "if this car could talk".


I think like that all the time. I thought I was crazy. Thanks, man. :dude: 

--rick


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## AfxToo (Aug 29, 2003)

> Don't ask me why I got it in my head to fix the hanger, but I did. Late last night, I didn't feel like going to sleep, so I went downstairs to tinker, and this car was calling to me. I got the smallest drill bit I could find and drilled a hole in the front of the chassis. I cut a straight pin to the right length so that the end with the head would function as a shoe hanger. I JB Welded it into place.


Another way to fix broken hangers without drilling is to glue a piece of a flat construction staple (like a T50 or larger) to the bottom of the chassis along the same axis as the original hanger (like a splint). I use an epoxy to attach it to the chassis and it seems to hold up quite well. 



> Anybody else leave certain cars untouched like little time capsules, maybe wonder who drove them when they were new??


Sure. I still have most, but not all, of the approx. 50 cars that I accumulated as a kid. The ones I'm missing were heavily modified Tuffy Camaros with hot arms, aftermarket axles, set screw trued sponge foam tires, handling pans, vented chassis, etc. I still don't know what ever happened to those Camaros but I still remember they way they ran and the way they smelled... ozone and red oil, far sweeter than the finest perfume ever invented by man.


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## sethndaddy (Dec 4, 2004)

Funnything, today I found about 10 hotwheel redlines at a church thrift store and picked them up cuz I know sometimes their worth a few bucks, but they look kinda cool on the shelf over the sink.
I know this isn't a "diecast" board, but I got those cars for a total of 2 bucks, and she even threw in a little stuffed Winnie the pooh for Seth, sweet deal.


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## Mad Matt (Dec 16, 2004)

Nice story  
I have my dad's Tjet Charger, the rear wheels are cut, and that is how it is staying (he used to have the Big tires on it when he raced) But it was the only car he cut...Even if I have to sell all of my slot cars (which Im not planning on doing ) Im keeping those, and the L&J Golden Gate race set with Original Tjets


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## ParkRNDL (Mar 20, 2002)

AfxToo said:


> Another way to fix broken hangers without drilling is to glue a piece of a flat construction staple (like a T50 or larger) to the bottom of the chassis along the same axis as the original hanger (like a splint). I use an epoxy to attach it to the chassis and it seems to hold up quite well.


 Now ya see.... I was trying to think of something that was flat like that, and I couldn't think of anything, even though I have a big mongo stapler and a bunch of industrial-strength staples like that. I gotta try that next time...

--rick


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## hartracerman (Jan 9, 2005)

I have done the same thing, replacing only parts to get or keep them running. My friends couldn't believe me that I didn't want to cut the wheel wells for the bigger tires that was the fad at the time. They convinced me to do a couple. I ran them and traded them, now I miss them for the memories that they gave me. Now everytime I see ones like that those memories come pouring in, THANKYOU


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## tjd241 (Jan 25, 2004)

*Leave'm be... they're great as-is.*

There is nothing wrong with some of the vintage "chop shop" treasures we find at shows and garage sales. They bring back such great memories and sometimes even look better than stock examples. Sure it does nothing for the value of them, but if all we looked for was value, it'd be a pretty boring hobby. I found a white Hotrod Coupe with what looks like a vintage cartoon Frankenstein decal. If the decal wasn't there, I would have passed it right by. Now I worry the decal might rub off eventually. I love that thing.


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## T-jetjim (Sep 12, 2005)

*Vintage "Runners"*

Rick - saw your old post and went through some of my collection. I picked out 4 cars that I had left "as is". The firebird with the chopped top is painted a metallic purple and has a big driver. It reminds me of a Mad Max car. When kids come over to race they always seem to grab this ugly thing.

The other 3 cars have been left as is. One is a modified station wagon of sorts while the 22 stocker has the past owner's name in a decal on it.

Inside the 22 car was magnet shims, venting and hop up gearing so I guess the past owner was into modifying.

Fun stuff.

Jim


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## sethndaddy (Dec 4, 2004)

do my eyes decieve me or is that a Psycho model on your platform..LOL.......I just won one fleabay myself.


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## T-jetjim (Sep 12, 2005)

Yes, it is the Psycho mansion. Couldn't resist.

Jim


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## WesJY (Mar 4, 2004)

T-jetjim said:


> Yes, it is the Psycho mansion. Couldn't resist.
> 
> Jim


Jim, 

could you give us a full picture of your track? your track looks fun!

Wes


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## car guy (Nov 22, 2003)

WesJY said:


> Jim,
> 
> could you give us a full picture of your track? your track looks fun!
> 
> Wes



Wes, they're over on the "RRR Bodies" post, pretty sweet track he's got.


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## WesJY (Mar 4, 2004)

car guy said:


> Wes, they're over on the "RRR Bodies" post, pretty sweet track he's got.


thanks!

Wes


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## Kirk Stimson (May 1, 2003)

Man, that's the way to go sometimes. I also think it's fun to see what someone has done many years ago to a T-Jet to make it "faster", or "better looking". Some times it actually worked. ;-)


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

tjd241 said:


> There is nothing wrong with some of the vintage "chop shop" treasures we find at shows and garage sales.
> Vintage "chop shop" Treasures, :dude: I LOVE IT! That could be a Race Class. I know a couple of vendors at the Midwest Slot Show that may have some of these. I bought an A/FX orange/yellow Road Runner with the hubs painted black and a "GOODYEAR" decal on the front of the hood. The decal is still there. Randy.


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## hundeeracing (Nov 1, 2002)

Hey t-jetjim! I was the builder on the Firebird, Cougar and station wagon. The cougar had bad scuffs and glue on the hood, so the purple paint was somewhat justified. The Firebird was a salvaged car with a broken roof, the wagon a partsbox special. I always knew I'd see these cars again.


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## T-jetjim (Sep 12, 2005)

Hundee-

Awesome. That was a great lot of cars. Most of them are as you sold them to me. SOme new tires and all. (there were some hard plastic tires on some of them) The Lola GT, the XL 500, Chaparrel all still have the same decals. The Indy car that was turned into a modified dirt racer inspired me to do a second one that had body damage. 
Jim


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## noddaz (Aug 6, 1999)

*Still talking about vintage race cars?*

For some reason this was a "have to have"...
I am not sure why...









Yep...
It has a Playboy Bunny logo on the rear....
(You can almost see it...)


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## ParkRNDL (Mar 20, 2002)

MWAAA ha ha that's cool! What's holding the front extension on? I assume it just rides on the pickups and the fronts don't touch the track? Does that work out okay?

--rick


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## noddaz (Aug 6, 1999)

*Keeping vintage race cars vintage*

The front is pinched between the chassis and the body.
The front wheels do touch the track when the guide pin is in the slot.
On the rear it has two tires (Hard as rocks) per side on truck hubs...
one reason I bought it is because it has a solid rivet chassis.
It also has a 14 tooth pinion and a Christmas tree arm..
What I didn't know was that the chassis has been ventilated!!!!  
But whoever did this did a nice job cutting out the sides of the chassis...

Scott


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## tjd241 (Jan 25, 2004)

*Itza Keepa...*

This is one I could not have walked past at a show or swap meet. Even if the chassis wasn't solid rivets, Xmas arm, etc. What a classic example of what we are all talking about. An "As Is" masterpiece.


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## Lummox (May 26, 2007)

To restore those would be an unnatural crime against The God Aurora, our Slot Car Lord and Savior.


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## Dragula (Jun 27, 2003)

*Worst "custom" ever????*

This is an A/P Corvette I actually BOUGHT at the Dayton toy show,I had to have it because of it's Exquisitely Patheticness.I dubbed it "The Guppy" or "Finding Bondo"...enjoy and feel free to chuckle.


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## hojoe (Dec 1, 2004)

That A/P Corvette is smooove.
hojoe


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## slotcarman12078 (Oct 3, 2008)

Actually Drag, that car has some nice lines to it. What is missing are the little things like tail lights, headlights, door handles. Someone did a fine bit of sculpting and shaping there.


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## Dragula (Jun 27, 2003)

I agree wholeheartedly,but the reason I claim it to be so incredibly awful is the "gag at a nat but swallow a camel" aspect of the car.Whoever did it took great pains in symetrical sculpting of the bondo,but overlooked taillights,headlights,and hood lines.Also they totally wiped out the nice L-88 scoop.


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## AfxToo (Aug 29, 2003)

I think the intention of the Bondo Vette was to create a one off custom 'show car' body. I recall modelers doing this sort of thing quite often back in the '60s and '70s. It's an interesting show piece even though it looks like it weighs about a quarter pound and probably handles like a tank. Eye of the beholder thing going on here, but definitely far from pathetic.


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## Dragula (Jun 27, 2003)

In stock Mag class on the dragstrip,the car was a terror because of the weight.


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## ParkRNDL (Mar 20, 2002)

Dragula said:


> This is an A/P Corvette I actually BOUGHT at the Dayton toy show,I had to have it because of it's Exquisitely Patheticness.I dubbed it "The Guppy" or "Finding Bondo"...enjoy and feel free to chuckle.


Like some others here, I kinda like it too.

--rick


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## slotnewbie69 (Dec 3, 2008)

this is a nice thread.my buddy carlos,an avid collector in all scales slot keeps his cars as found,just gets me to tweak the performance where i can.we have chuckled but this post reminded me that some kid went to alot of trouble to customize our garage sale finds.and maybe,who knows?someday these preservations of the past may come into contact with that same kid at a race,whatever,and bring a nostalgic tear from their eye,and a firm handshake for preserving his work...


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