# Marchon Stunner



## Grandcheapskate (Jan 5, 2006)

eBay is unpredictable - we all know that. But this set of auctions has completely amazed me beyond just about anything I have encountered.

I casually collect Marchon cars. That means when I see a car I don't have, I will buy it, assuming the price isn't crazy. Marchon isn't the world's most popular slot car, so most times they are fairly cheap - an expensive one in like-new condition MIGHT be about $20-$25.

Granted, you don't often see them in a package. But there were a set of auctions with packaged Marchon cars. I bid on a lot of them and lost - big time. But what amazed me was not that I lost, but the prices these cars pulled in. The lowest was $28 with the highest at $99 (for what I think is a very common car). For a Marchon!

Here's the seller id you want to take a look - creditacarsales.

Joe


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## Grandcheapskate (Jan 5, 2006)

Then take a look at the Micro Scalextric bids he got. $76 for the Aston Martin? That car only sells for about $20.

These prices almost put Aurora T-Jets to shame. I must own some really expensive cars.

Joe


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## 22tall (Jul 28, 2002)

Hi Joe. I've only seen a couple of Marchon's in the package so that's quite a group. I have 78 of the cars in the guide. 

Do you know alot about Marchon's? I have a tough time distinguishing the thick and thin wing supports and large and small head lights on the Mercedes. I also can't tell wide and narrow subumper supports on the jeeps. The angle they used in the pics doesn't help me.


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## Grandcheapskate (Jan 5, 2006)

22tall said:


> Hi Joe. I've only seen a couple of Marchon's in the package so that's quite a group. I have 78 of the cars in the guide.
> 
> Do you know alot about Marchon's? I have a tough time distinguishing the thick and thin wing supports and large and small head lights on the Mercedes. I also can't tell wide and narrow subumper supports on the jeeps. The angle they used in the pics doesn't help me.


I know a little about Marchon and I am in fairly frequent contact with the author of the Marchon guide; so any questions I have go right to the expert.

You have to have one of each to be able to tell. It's impossible to know thick from thin and light from dark without having one of each. On The Mercedes, there is a mold difference between the thick and thin wing support versions. In the middle of what would be the rear bumper, one version has something that looks like an arrow pointing up and the other version is blank.

I don't have the Marchon cars here so I can't take them out and look. The guide is great for showing all the variations, but the photos can't show you everything. I actually found another version of a Ferrari that Chris did not know about after the book was released. He also includes an addendum listing cars that have been found since the book was published.

The Marchon list is mostly garnered through collectors collaborating on what they have found. One of the cars in the book (either a yellow Canyon Raider Jeep or an Aero Hopper) is a car I traded to Chris. I don't think there's any official record of what was actually made.

Joe


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## 22tall (Jul 28, 2002)

Grandcheapskate said:


> You have to have one of each to be able to tell.
> 
> Joe


I know how that goes. When I go to slotcar shows I usually take some cars with me so I can do the side by side comparison. All of mine are one or the other. No arrows on the Mercs.

How about a track question? Why isn't a 90 degree curve ninety degrees? Everyone notices the gaps when doing 4, 6 and 8 lane tracks. It is caused by the track being slightly less than 90 degrees. I set up circles of AFX, Tomy, Tyco and Life Like as a test. If the joints of the first three pieces are nice and tight the last piece comes up short. I have enough of your track to do two circles of 18" Tomy and one circle each of the Tyco 6 and 15" curves. They are consistant with with other makers. Just a touch short.

This summer I hope to finish the interior of the 26X48 garage I have in the back yard. It used to be my basketball court then I hurt my back so I garaged it. Planning a scenic track on a 22X8 table with all but two of the curves being 12-15 18. I may need more 18s so if you still have them I will buy direct. You made a high quality product. I am very happy with them. Thank you. 

Is it some kind of industry conspiracy?


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## Grandcheapskate (Jan 5, 2006)

22tall said:


> How about a track question? Why isn't a 90 degree curve ninety degrees? Everyone notices the gaps when doing 4, 6 and 8 lane tracks. It is caused by the track being slightly less than 90 degrees. I set up circles of AFX, Tomy, Tyco and Life Like as a test. If the joints of the first three pieces are nice and tight the last piece comes up short. I have enough of your track to do two circles of 18" Tomy and one circle each of the Tyco 6 and 15" curves. They are consistant with with other makers. Just a touch short.


I've relayed this story a couple times. I wasn't involved in the creation of the 18" curve, but did get involved when it came time to produce it.

On the Tyco 6" and 15" curves, those were my idea. When it came time to get just the right size, I used the circle test. I created a circle with 6", 9", 12" and 15" curves. In order to be the right size, the 6" had to fit inside the 9" and the 15" outside the 12". What I discovered was a size difference between Tyco and Mattel on the the 9" and 12" curves. If I remember correctly, the Mattel track makes a slightly larger circle than Tyco. You cannot (comfortably) fit a 9" Mattel circle inside a 12" Tyco circle. And a 9" Tyco circle fits loosly inside a Mattel 12" circle.

So what size to make the 6" and 15" curves? I tinkered with the size until I got a compromise. They work with both Tyco and Mattel but are just a little off from both. I never noticed that they "come up short".

The bigger problem with the Tyco compatible track was getting the slot flare done right. That was another compromise. Since none of the Tyco/Mattel track have a consistant flare, you take your best shot. 



> This summer I hope to finish the interior of the 26X48 garage I have in the back yard. It used to be my basketball court then I hurt my back so I garaged it. Planning a scenic track on a 22X8 table with all but two of the curves being 12-15 18. I may need more 18s so if you still have them I will buy direct. You made a high quality product. I am very happy with them. Thank you. ?


Thanks for the kind words. Yeah, I still have a couple hundred.



> Is it some kind of industry conspiracy?


Sorry, it's a secret.

Thanks...Joe


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