# The Three series of Marx T-Birds



## 1scalevolvo (Feb 5, 2004)

Marx HO in the '60's actually had made three consecutive "annual" model changes on their T-Birds unlike other HO Car Co's.

What I call Series I was the #2160 '62 T-Bird (light blue) that was poorly detailed & unpainted.It had a textured roof that cuold be representing a vinyl roof.No grill details.Excessively "Toylike" & cheap looking.

Series II #2168 was the '63 T-Bird with the more squared roof & better detail.It is represented in the pic's by its AML version on a T-Jet chassis(Red & tan top).I think this was the best looking.

Series III #2170-1 was the '66 T-Bird which had chrome bumpers & was real Ugly.It is the Grey striped #2

Any more info/input appreciated.When did Marx start & end production ?


Neal:dude:


----------



## ParkRNDL (Mar 20, 2002)

VERY interesting. Thanks Neal! I knew of series 2 and 3, but wasn't aware of 1. Detailed or not, I think I like series 1 the best because it has the best overall proportions. I saw one in a fleabay auction a couple weeks ago that had the chrome picked out and it looked GREAT. Gotta keep my eyes open for them now. Any chance you repopped that one in resin?

--rick


----------



## slotcarman12078 (Oct 3, 2008)

Thanks for the info Neal!! I agree with Rick on the series 1 proportions. The roof on the series 2 body is freakishly small. I'm not sure what the reasoning was for that proportion blunder. The series 3 might be ugly, but the 1:1 version wasn't winning any beauty contest either!! :lol: A series 1 body with series 2 bumpers would look awesome!!


----------



## 1scalevolvo (Feb 5, 2004)

ParkRNDL said:


> VERY interesting. Thanks Neal! I knew of series 2 and 3, but wasn't aware of 1. Detailed or not, I think I like series 1 the best because it has the best overall proportions. I saw one in a fleabay auction a couple weeks ago that had the chrome picked out and it looked GREAT. Gotta keep my eyes open for them now. Any chance you repopped that one in resin?
> 
> --rick


 It is one of my future projects but @ this time I have a lot of those & it is not really a priority @ this time .I did use a "beater" as a RatRod (See modeling/custom).
I did a repop of the series III using the front bumper from the Lionel T-Bird but the molds are somewhat degraded (Bad w/s & hood) but I still use it to pop out some ratrod kits & a rat raqgtop version.


Neal:dude:


----------



## 1scalevolvo (Feb 5, 2004)

slotcarman12078 said:


> Thanks for the info Neal!! I agree with Rick on the series 1 proportions. The roof on the series 2 body is freakishly small. I'm not sure what the reasoning was for that proportion blunder. The series 3 might be ugly, but the 1:1 version wasn't winning any beauty contest either!! :lol: A series 1 body with series 2 bumpers would look awesome!!


Perhaps someone can take a series I & II & "Morph"them into a castable prototype .


Neal:dude:


----------



## 1scalevolvo (Feb 5, 2004)

1scalevolvo said:


> Perhaps someone can take a series I & II & "Morph"them into a castable prototype .
> 
> 
> Neal:dude:


You could also take the F&R Bumpers off an ATLAS T-Bird & then morph them with the MARX '62 T-Bird body but you will still have that excessively wide hood scoop.BTW something would also have to be done about the ragged & exposed lower edge of the windshield.

Neal:dude:


----------



## 1scalevolvo (Feb 5, 2004)

*Any Original Tooling Series I & III ?*

I know that the original tooling for the MARX Series II '63 T-Bird has been used by AML but any whereabouts on the series I & III ?
BTW that '64 Series III MARX T-Bird does have a certain Marchon-like "Funk Factor " LOL !!:hat:

Neal:dude:


----------



## FullyLoaded (Apr 19, 2006)

1scalevolvo, You are pretty much spot on with the evolution of the Marx T-bird HO slot car over time from the more standard roof 1962 to the streamlined 1963 and then the chrome bumpered 1964. I know I was puzzled at first ages back when I was deep into collecting Marx HO and noticed the roof and detail differences on the 1962 and 1963 bodies until I saw a photo of the 1:1 '62 hardtop to figure it all out.

They also did this with the Corvette as they did a 1962, the 1963 Split Window (also done later by AML) and then a 1964 issue with the chrome bumpers.

I used to have paperwork from them which included an order sheet in which you could send away for cars from their HO sets but all of that got sold or traded away when I left the hobby for awhile.


----------



## 1scalevolvo (Feb 5, 2004)

FullyLoaded said:


> 1scalevolvo, You are pretty much spot on with the evolution of the Marx T-bird HO slot car over time from the more standard roof 1962 to the streamlined 1963 and then the chrome bumpered 1964. I know I was puzzled at first ages back when I was deep into collecting Marx HO and noticed the roof and detail differences on the 1962 and 1963 bodies until I saw a photo of the 1:1 '62 hardtop to figure it all out.
> 
> They also did this with the Corvette as they did a 1962, the 1963 Split Window (also done later by AML) and then a 1964 issue with the chrome bumpers.
> 
> I used to have paperwork from them which included an order sheet in which you could send away for cars from their HO sets but all of that got sold or traded away when I left the hobby for awhile.


I think I saw the ' 64 'Vette with the chrome bumper's.Very similar to the Aurora version if I remember.

Neal:dude:


----------

