# Some Aurora Artifacts.



## solographix (Apr 28, 2009)

Hello Everyone,

Let me just begin by introducing myself, My name is Adam Zuidema. While I don't collect or race the old Aurora slots, I am a slot car racer (womps mainly) and I do have an interest in the nostalgia and history of what you guys do. I frequent the custom build section and enjoy the work that you put into these little cars.

Anyways, I got to talking with a customer of mine (i work at a sign shop) who is an older fellow that I do a lot of old decal reproduction for. We got to talking about slot cars, and he started telling about how his Dad's machine shop Mahwah Screw & Machine used to make all of the gears for the for gear cars. Long story short, next time he came in he dropped of a few things for me so that I could share them all with you.

He brought me the last remaining piece of brass gear stock he had from his dad's machine shop and I took some photos to share, he wouldn't leave it here. He has used it as a punch/pounding tool over the years so its a bit beat up.

He also brought me a bunch of flyers, brochures, etc that I photographed for you all as well. He brought me two old thumb controllers as well, but I guess if you have seen one you have seen them all.

So without further rambling here are the photos.


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## solographix (Apr 28, 2009)

Last 2 pics


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## old blue (May 4, 2007)

When you say you made reproduction decals for the older gentleman, are you referring to HO scale, and might you be able to make more?

Thank you for the Aurora Artifact info,
Old Blue


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## solographix (Apr 28, 2009)

old blue said:


> When you say you made reproduction decals for the older gentleman, are you referring to HO scale, and might you be able to make more?
> 
> Thank you for the Aurora Artifact info,
> Old Blue


No sorry, I have made repro decals for old boats, willy's, airtstreams, all kinds of cool old car/transportation related stuff. I can't do anything small enough for HO sized cars. Just one of those weird conversations where one thing led to another and he brought me a handful of old aurora stuff.


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## ParkRNDL (Mar 20, 2002)

I love old Aurora history/memorabilia like that. That piece of gear stock is amazing. And the paperwork is neat too. Very cool, thanks for sharing!

--rick


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## alpink (Aug 22, 2010)

yeah, cool and thanx


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## Joe65SkylarkGS (Feb 15, 2010)

ParkRNDL said:


> I love old Aurora history/memorabilia like that. That piece of gear stock is amazing. thanks for sharing!
> 
> --rick


Totally agreed here Rick!!

I love that chunk of brass!!!!:thumbsup:


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## philo426 (Mar 4, 2009)

Just how many t-jet gears could be made from that large hunk of brass?


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## Hilltop Raceway (Feb 12, 2006)

I'd say it came in so many feet, that's probably just the end piece from cut's or slices??? I would have thought they might have been die cut/stamped out??? There's got to be some Aurora engineers/machinest's left out there???
Some cool stuff ya posted, Thanks!!! RM


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## solographix (Apr 28, 2009)

Hilltop Raceway said:


> I'd say it came in so many feet, that's probably just the end piece from cut's or slices??? I would have thought they might have been die cut/stamped out??? There's got to be some Aurora engineers/machinest's left out there???
> Some cool stuff ya posted, Thanks!!! RM


The piece I had in hand was about 5 inches tall, maybe 6 before it was beaten to death. It was pre machined with the gear teeth in it, so I assume from there is was cut down and the holes drilled in the center.


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## NTxSlotCars (May 27, 2008)

Do you have any old Tyco stuff??


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## Boosted-Z71 (Nov 26, 2007)

Very cool paperwork & the gear material is amazing, I bet it was extruded stock, or possibly broached, they more than likely drilled the center hole, then sliced the gears off one by one until the stock was too short to hold onto. 

Thanks for posting all the pics, too bad you could not talk him out of that gear material, I would buy him a nice set of brass drift punches to trade for it. 

Boosted


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## alpink (Aug 22, 2010)

what boosted said


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## slotcarman12078 (Oct 3, 2008)

That chunk of brass gear is amazing!! I also envisioned the gears being stamped from sheet stock, but then I'm no mechanical engineer. Cool pix!! :thumbsup::thumbsup:


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## sidejobjon (Jun 3, 2010)

*Vibrator*

Kill me for thinking out side the box. That piece off brass when i first saw it i got the chills, love anything to do with the little buggers. Adam you have to find out what he would trade for that , or cash it needs a home were we can save slot car history plus being from NJ.
I will goggle Mahwah screw . My Father was also a tool & die worker.

Whos with me on this ITS A VIBRATOR GEAR, that i can see them slicing because there longer????????????
OR both.
Thanks for showing
SJJ


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## bobhch (Apr 22, 2007)

Thanks solo for the added images to add to our brains...it's getting crowded in here...everyone move over. lol

Bob...how do they make it (in ho)...zilla


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## Bill Hall (Jan 6, 2007)

Me too John, something seemed a bit off to me. So I'm gonna jump outside the box as well. 

The tooth geometry appears too acute. At a glance, compensating both liberally and conservatively for arguements sake, and based on the camera angle of a good macro pic: the tooth count doesnt add up.

Should be twenny foe fer a T-jet.

I come up with 48.

At that tooth count it's likely that it's axle gear stock from a big scale car... er....what the heck is the tooth count on the idler gear for a Thunderbike?


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## sidejobjon (Jun 3, 2010)

*retract*

Bill,
I want to retract what i said:drunk: , I went down & looked at vib gear. & they are plastic thats how much i don`t know about vibs They are plastic with brass bushing.
So you counted 48? I learned at one of the last shows from MR Aurora that the Bike Gear & O gauge are the same needed one for my bike.
Could be a clock gear now?
Thanks SJJ


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## Hilltop Raceway (Feb 12, 2006)

bobhch said:


> Bob...how do they make it (in ho)...zilla


Would make a great episode on "How's It's Made" jus sayn' ... RM


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## solographix (Apr 28, 2009)

My guy just stopped in again and I have some new information based on your discussion here.

As far as Brass gear stock goes, they had a rack of about 25 different sizes in stock (back in the 60's). As far as he remembers everything that was brass gear was made for Aurora in some capacity, but not necessarily for HO Slot cars. He is going to look for another piece he thinks he may have that has a much smaller diameter. If he finds it, I will post pics with measurements for you all.

Like I said, I don't know much or collect this stuff, just trying to share a knowledge bank that I have come to find. :wave:


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## bobhch (Apr 22, 2007)

solo,

Hey many Mucho Thank-o for the post-o

Bob...don't know much-o Mexico...zilla


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## solographix (Apr 28, 2009)

So I got to talk to my guy today, he found another piece of brass gear stock, it has 16 teeth. On Thursday he will be bringing me a 6" length of what he has left so that I can take measurements and photos for all of you. He says approximately 1/2" in diameter, but I will confirm once I receive it.

~Adam


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## Dslot (Sep 2, 2007)

This bar is more significant than just its Aurora connection indicates. It's clearly the piece of stock that JL reproduced in plastic to cut its first-generation T-jet idler gears from.

-- D
(Seriously, Adam, thanks so much for the opportunity to see these).


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