# The Aurora Plastics Company



## mr_aurora (Oct 18, 2005)

I am primarily an Aurora slot car collector but I love and collect artifacts about the history of that storied company so much I thought I'd share some photo's never before seen on the internet. I an not sure of the date on this one but would think it was around 1960 or so. President Abe Shikes is on the left and VP John Cuomo is on the right. I was born in 1951 and played little league for West Islip, NY. I sure wish it was West Hempstead, NY and Aurora was my sponsor. How cool would that have been?


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## Zathros (Dec 21, 2000)

*We moved to Hicksville in 1970, and I didn't know where Hempstead was..I was only 10 years old at the time..I would have loved to visit the plant!..lol..what kid wouldn't have?..it was only about 25 minutes from my house then...

Z*


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## mr_aurora (Oct 18, 2005)

*Photo of an apparent groundbreaking....*

This photo is circa 1960 and shows the groundbreaking of some land. Aurora was there doing the groundbreaking with some children which leads me to believe it was a playground or park. The inactive LAPCO site has a photo taken at the same time that I also have and they say it was for a Children's Playhouse per a Mary Basile but I have no idea. I do know that is President Shikes on the right. Note the boxes of Aurora kits in the background between the two other men. Perhaps Aurorabrat or someone else close to Aurora recognizes them. -Bob


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## RossW (Jan 12, 2000)

When I was a kid and heavily into Aurora models I remember driving north from Toronto past a town called 'Aurora' and shouting at my dad that this must be where my favourite models came from. Although there was an Aurora Canada subsidiary, it wasn't based in the town called Aurora. Dashed my hopes of finding a huge warehouse filled with models.


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## ChrisW (Jan 1, 1970)

OMG Bob!

They really are great photos from our favorite model company's past. Before I clkicked on the thumbnail of the first pic I was imagining embroidered "Aurora" ovals on the LL players' shirts and already wondering if any were stuck away in an attic somewhere. even though there isn't one on the front, when I was in LL we had our sponsor's name on the back...I wonder if...!

It's nice to see they were involved in the community.

Thanks for posting!


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## pem1 (Aug 29, 2013)

AMAZING photos Bob!! Where ever did you get them??

Please keep them coming!!!


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## mr_aurora (Oct 18, 2005)

*Aurora's Chief Engineer at the helm.......*

Circa 1960 or so here is VP and Chief Engineer Joe Giammarino checking some calculations on his wooden TI-55 calculator er.... slide rule for those of you younger than me. Note the knight gift set and other gift sets in the background........ Totem Craft and other kits on the file cabinets. Those were the days my friends. Bob


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## BatToys (Feb 4, 2002)

Did he need a slide rule for model dimensions or production calculations?


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## Zathros (Dec 21, 2000)

mr_aurora said:


> This photo is circa 1960 and shows the groundbreaking of some land. Aurora was there doing the groundbreaking with some children which leads me to believe it was a playground or park. The inactive LAPCO site has a photo taken at the same time that I also have and they say it was for a Children's Playhouse per a Mary Basile but I have no idea. I do know that is President Shikes on the right. Note the boxes of Aurora kits in the background between the two other men. Perhaps Aurorabrat or someone else close to Aurora recognizes them. -Bob


*Those kits in the boxes were probably free giveaways to the kids there..oh, to have been there then!! lol*


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## Zathros (Dec 21, 2000)

mr_aurora said:


> Circa 1960 or so here is VP and Chief Engineer Joe Giammarino checking some calculations on his wooden TI-55 calculator er.... slide rule for those of you younger than me. Note the knight gift set and other gift sets in the background........ Totem Craft and other kits on the file cabinets. Those were the days my friends. Bob


*Well, in this case the apple fell very far from the tree, since Lapco is dead as a doornail, and has been for many years, but then again, it was never really born to begin with..lol

Z*


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## mr_aurora (Oct 18, 2005)

*Slot Car Racing (my main collectiong interest)*

In 1963 Ford and Aurora sponsored races and the finals were on Johnny Carson. Top row: VP John Cuomo, VP Joe Giammarino, Bill Silverstein (marketing), bottom row: Joe Hydek, Jon Klinger, Pres. Abe Shikes, Stirling Moss, Ron Colerick (winner), and behind him Phil Schultz.


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## spawndude (Nov 28, 2007)

mr_aurora said:


> In 1963 Ford and Aurora sponsored races and the finals were on Johnny Carson. Top row: VP John Cuomo, VP Joe Giammarino, Bill Silverstein (marketing), bottom row: Joe Hydek, Jon Klinger, Pres. Abe Shikes, Stirling Moss, Ron Colerick (winner), and behind him Phil Schultz.


Looks like ole Joe needed some "Right Guard"!

Those tracks could be a PIA! You would typically spend more time getting things set up than actually racing! After a few uses the track sections wouldn't fit together correctly. The fences would pop loose or break. The contacts on the bottom of the cars would wear.

No kid I knew was allowed to keep the track set up. It was either stowed under the bed or shoved in the closet.

Ditto for electric train sets.

BTW, love the photos! Keep em coming.


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## finaprint (Jan 29, 2006)

My millionaire uncle who made it big in the Houston oil fields had a huge setup in the double garage for his kids built on pingpong tables and 3 levels high IIRC. It was awesome.............where I first encountered slot cars.


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## starduster (Feb 12, 2006)

In the 60's living in Brooklyn N.Y. my friends and I would take the subway to Manhattan and to Polks's a five story hobby shop and I think in the 2nd floor they had a huge road racing setup and my friends and I brought our model slot cars to race most times the wait was long but it was worth it, the other floors had other hobbies trains model airplanes boats and ships and the first floor I do remember was full of gaming supplies including very expensive soldier models, it was a sad day for the modelers when Polk's closed I think in the mid 70's. Karl


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## Captain_April (Oct 20, 2002)

I too would make the trek from Brooklyn to Polk's, what a great store, you are correct they did close the 5 story store but they didn't go out of business, I followed them as they moved from one mid town Manhattan location to another getting smaller every move, until finally going out of business around 2005, now that was a sad day.


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## mr_aurora (Oct 18, 2005)

*An injection molded submarine kit*

John Cuomo, Abe Shikes, and Joe Giammarino inspect a submarine kit as it comes out of the Fellowes injection molding machine. Note the operator packing kits with a stack of tissue paper and the boxes and boxes of kits ready for shipment right at the machine.


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## starduster (Feb 12, 2006)

Captain_April said:


> I too would make the trek from Brooklyn to Polk's, what a great store, you are correct they did close the 5 story store but they didn't go out of business, I followed them as they moved from one mid town Manhattan location to another getting smaller every move, until finally going out of business around 2005, now that was a sad day.



LOL, well being 70 the ole memory sometimes has lapses yea 2005 they closed but I never followed them didn't know they were downsizing and leaving NYC in 69 I didn't care, but having such a grand hobby store was a blessing too bad society can't adapt to some of the old ways we had. Karl


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## mcdougall (Oct 28, 2007)

mr_aurora said:


> In 1963 Ford and Aurora sponsored races and the finals were on Johnny Carson. Top row: VP John Cuomo, VP Joe Giammarino, Bill Silverstein (marketing), bottom row: Joe Hydek, Jon Klinger, Pres. Abe Shikes, Stirling Moss, Ron Colerick (winner), and behind him Phil Schultz.


Thanks for posting all these cool pictures...Man what I wouldn't give to get my hands on one of these old shirts sponsored by Ford and Aurora.... Wonder if any still exist?
Denis


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## John Galt (Nov 23, 2001)

More please?:wave:


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## mr_aurora (Oct 18, 2005)

> Thanks for posting all these cool pictures...Man what I wouldn't give to get my hands on one of these old shirts sponsored by Ford and Aurora.... Wonder if any still exist?
> Denis


I have (2) of the original shirts, one from the 2nd place boy in 1962 and one from the winner in 1963. I own the original car won in 1963 in the Ford/Aurora races. Bob


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## scooke123 (Apr 11, 2008)

mr_aurora said:


> I have (2) of the original shirts, one from the 2nd place boy in 1962 and one from the winner in 1963. I own the original car won in 1963 in the Ford/Aurora races. Bob


Now those are some rare collectibles!!!! That's hard-core!


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## spawndude (Nov 28, 2007)

starduster said:


> In the 60's living in Brooklyn N.Y. my friends and I would take the subway to Manhattan and to Polks's a five story hobby shop and I think in the 2nd floor they had a huge road racing setup and my friends and I brought our model slot cars to race most times the wait was long but it was worth it, the other floors had other hobbies trains model airplanes boats and ships and the first floor I do remember was full of gaming supplies including very expensive soldier models, it was a sad day for the modelers when Polk's closed I think in the mid 70's. Karl


Back in the day you NY guys had it made! 

Thanksgiving Day-Ticker tape parades, Robert Bell - Howard Rogofsky, Times Square-New Years Eve, an attack by King Kong and now this!!!


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## mcdougall (Oct 28, 2007)

mr_aurora said:


> I have (2) of the original shirts, one from the 2nd place boy in 1962 and one from the winner in 1963. I own the original car won in 1963 in the Ford/Aurora races. Bob


Could you post a few pictures please?
Denis:thumbsup:


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## mr_aurora (Oct 18, 2005)

> Could you post a few pictures please?
> Denis


The photo storage here is quite limited so I have placed a photo on my website. Type the url photos.auroraslotcarsbobbeers.com and the shirts can be seen on a shelf in my display case. Thanks for asking..... Bob


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## mr_aurora (Oct 18, 2005)

*B-58 Hustler hot off the machine....*

Circa 1961 or so. Here we have Abe Shikes on the left and John Cuomo inspecting a B-58 Hustler right out of the injection molding machine. Note John is holding a finished model and the stand is on the bench. Abe is leaning on a stack of tissue to be packed with each kit as it comes off the machine.


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## mr_aurora (Oct 18, 2005)

*An Aurora assembly line worker.....*

This assembly line worker is running a SPEED-DRY Enamel paint packaging machine that is putting the printed shrink wrap on the bottle container and then they get loaded in the box for shipping. WOW!, we know the value of a sealed package of paints to be up there these days.


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## mr_aurora (Oct 18, 2005)

*President Shikes checks a Gladiator*

Pres. Shikes and possibly a buyer or mold house rep. look over a built up of the #405 Roman Gladiator circa 1959. Of note is how sparse the office was back then. No flair and ornateness to Aurora, just simple art to part sales and marketing techniques just like the way it's been described in books like Tom Graham's.


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## mr_aurora (Oct 18, 2005)

*How It's Made...Aurora Factory Buildups*

This is how they were all made back at Aurora. Ladies sitting at a bench all day doing piece by piece and assembling the models and we all know just how capable and expert they were at their craft. Imagine being one of their sons and having a mom who was capable of expert model building. You would be the envy of your neighborhood.


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## ChrisW (Jan 1, 1970)

mr_aurora said:


> This is how they were all made back at Aurora. Ladies sitting at a bench all day doing piece by piece and assembling the models and we all know just how capable and expert they were at their craft. Imagine being one of their sons and having a mom who was capable of expert model building. You would be the envy of your neighborhood.


 
...and there probably wasn't a guy among them, because, you know, it isn't _man's_ work!

Bob, do you have any pics of them using a copper painting mask...or maybe even have one in your possession? I've seen pics of doll painting masks online, but never a picture of an actual Aurora paint mask...


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## TAY666 (Jan 8, 2000)

ChrisW said:


> ...and there probably wasn't a guy among them, because, you know, it isn't _man's_ work!


Not so much that it isn't 'man's work' but just that most men are not suited to jobs like that. Women have better finger dexterity and work quicker while paying more attention to detail.
And that isn't just a stereotype. I worked in injection molding for 17 years.
While things were pretty even at the actual molding end, when it came to the assembly department it was no contest.
Sure, there were guys who were good at it, but for the most part women caught on faster, did better work, and stuck around a whole lot longer at the job.


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## Marko (Jul 11, 2002)

Thanks Bob. I have known you from the slot car trade days. Didn't know you had an extensive collection of model kits too. thanks for posting them, all great to see for us Aurora model collectors!!!


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## mr_aurora (Oct 18, 2005)

> Bob, do you have any pics of them using a copper painting mask...or maybe even have one in your possession? I've seen pics of doll painting masks online, but never a picture of an actual Aurora paint mask...


I will look for a picture of that process. I know they used them extensively on the slot car bodies and the sharpness differed over the years. On the factory built up kits I suspect they had them too. I do not own any.



> Thanks Bob. I have known you from the slot car trade days. Didn't know you had an extensive collection of model kits too. thanks for posting them, all great to see for us Aurora model collectors!!!


Thanks Marko. My passion is anything Aurora especially the company history. It is so important to retain and flow that info down to the next generation. We lose that in much of our childhood memories. Bob


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## ChrisW (Jan 1, 1970)

Thank you sir, I appreciate the effort.


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## Hunch (Apr 6, 2003)

That pic of them inspecting the B-58 Hustler model test shot blew me away! One can make many Thunderbirds miniatures with those!


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## apls (Dec 5, 2005)

Captain_April said:


> I too would make the trek from Brooklyn to Polk's, what a great store, you are correct they did close the 5 story store but they didn't go out of business, I followed them as they moved from one mid town Manhattan location to another getting smaller every move, until finally going out of business around 2005, now that was a sad day.


Isn't Polk's Hobby store featured in "The Godfather"? My memories of Aurora was how kid friendly they were. They would answer every letter I sent them. Once in 1970, the windshield was missing from my Batmobile kit, they sent a replacement with not problem.


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