David Mincica vintage slotcars collection - DMI/Elmodan info

[slotcar7]

Hi, guys, i knew you're great..

Actually, you're absolutely right, Ravajack..it's a 1/32 Faller..with the same Atlas' chassis..in fact, here's the Atlas

http://cgi.ebay.com/VINTAGE-ATLAS-FERRA ... 43a6127bbc

and here's the (Brabham) Faller

http://www.slotcarillustrated.com/porta ... hp?t=31750

About a close up of the track, i'll do it soon, i promise..the point is that many times i don't have the time to make the pictures by myself and i use instead the sellers' photos..

And sorry for my sometimes poor knowledge..i started this hobby less than 2 years ago, and i understand i've got still a long, long way in front of me..but luckly there are people like you who can teach..

Cheers, david

[slotcar7]

Hi guys, as promised, overall to you Ravajack , i give you more news on the layout i bought, now that finally i had the time to check it better and to place it in my apartment (it hasn't been so easy, anyway.. !)

So, the track is a 1/40 Egger Silberpfeil, the transformer is a Titan and the controllers are Kitty..so, the two slots, the Marklin Ferrari and the Faller (Atlas) Ferrari were in some how in the wrong place, even if i should admit that the Marklin still runs very fast, even too fast, judging by how many times i went off the track

For this reason, i replaced them with two Jouef for Playcraft slots (a Ferrari and a BRM) that use the same scale..i think i should have somewhere also some Egger, but those one were the easiest to find..

And there's a quiz for you all..name the two slots i show later..

So, here's one of the controllers..

[slotcar7]

And here's a panoramic view of the track..as you can see, i placed it in front of one of my windows' apartment to give it a very particular background: the Big Ben and the House of Parliament..i think it's quite difficult to find a more real and famous background for any model layout.. and i also think it's the first time that a Formula one race is held in Central London



some pictures more with the two cars in action..





As someone can notice, there's in the last picture also something not really a slot car in fact, i also collect vintage toys in general, and that one is a Japanese Masudaya Capsule 6 from the early 60s, a really scarce tin toy with mistery action that, after have been manufactured in Japan, i bought from a seller based in Peru and now it relaxes in the UK..maybe this capsule hasn't gone into the space but..almost

[slotcar7]

And now the two mistery cars..




Any guess? I know it's not that difficult for you, but they've got a particularity..

[slotcar7]

And finally, a really rare set..





Joma Miniakart 1/32 set MIB, France, 60s..that's a really rare set still untouched (in fact the second kart is still wrapped in the paper) with a drive belt mechanism..since i'm in this hobby i've never seen a set like this still in this condition..

[slotcar7]

Last picture..

[Fallerfreak]

Marusan or Polycar (Italy)?

[slotcar7]

Hi, fast and right..

They're two Policar Mini, roughly in HO scale..

To tell a bit the whole story, Policar, the Italian leading brand for slotting, in 1964 decided to enter the HO scale, in some how imitating what Minic was doing in England..they produced a set (two cars, track, fences and controllers), some accessories, a dedicated transformer and a range of 4 slot cars: a Ferrari, a Porsche (the two shown), a Jaguar E-type and a wonderful Alfa Romeo Giulietta. At the moment, besides these two slots, i also have two complete sets, one with a Ferrari and a Porsche, and the second one with a Porsche and an Alfa

Sadly, this scale wasn't successful at all, and by 1965 Policar dropped it from its catalogue.

The main reason for this lack of success was, by the experts, that the cars were poorly performing, thought more for a rail/road layout rather than for a simple, fast race..and Italians were more "speed" oriented than the British or the Germans, who also liked the "slow" models' layouts..just imagine that the controllers had a button you could use to let the cars run alone with a fixed speed..no "race" pleasure at all..and no commercial success

So, these cars and these sets are very rare nowdays, but what these two slots have in particular, that makes them almost unique, is the fact they come in their original boxes..in fact, the cars you can find for sale (when you can find them!) are always unboxed, because taken from the sets..these two, instead, were sold as accessories, and to be sure of their rarity, i contacted the biggest Italian collectors of Policars who were really amazed by this discovery ..just another box is known to exist so far, and it doesn't have its original car..

Just one last remark..look at the way these boxes were made, like small garages (similar in my opinion at what Lego did in the static models) with a nice attention to the details, like the small bricks' wall on the base..

How did i find them? An antiques seller in Milan had found them while clearing a client's home..he was specialised in antique furnitures and lamps, and not really keeen in old slot cars..

And now, stop to words and start the pics..

[slotcar7]

Look at the number plate..a Milan temporary plate

[slotcar7]

And here's a close-up of one of the boxes..

[Fallerfreak]

Thanks for the interesting text about Policar! Nice pictures too!

[Ravajack]

OK, maybe it's time to shed a bit more light on the elusive Atlas-Faller connection.

It is well documented that the two companies had a cooperation in the body parts department, also sharing a common source in Japan for the chassis/motor, general mechanics and other metal parts.

To clear things up a bit, here's roughly how it happened back in the day (the 1960's):

Marusan was founded in 1947 and is one of the oldest japanese maker of toys and plastic models. In 1965 they produced their first line of slot cars, some copied from American kits, some original designs.

Steve Schaffan Jr., president of Atlas, meets with Minoru Ishida, president of Marusan, in a trade show in Tokyo at the beginning of 1965, and they make a business arrangement to trade services:

As a principal H0 train maker (Atlas Model Railroad), Atlas licenses the rights to produce parts of the successful Atlas H0 line of cars to Marusan, mostly civilian street cars like Studebaker Avanti, Pontiac Grand Prix, Oldsmobile Starfire and Ford Thunderbird, to mention a few (below).



Marusan in turn supplies Atlas with kit parts that includes motors, bodies and chassis parts for 1/32 cars except for wheels, guides and tires. Marusan also provides boxes to Atlas, printed to Atlas markings and delivered flat to New Jersey. The kits are then boxed by Atlas in New Jersey.

This means that the Ford GT, Porsche 904, Brabham and Ferrari F1 1/32 kits are all Marusan, except for wheels and tires and guide flag.


Porsche 904 licence evolution timeline: Marusan —> Atlas —> Faller.


Ferrari 158 F1 licence evolution timeline: Marusan —> Atlas —> Faller.

By 1967 the slot car market had eventually deteriorated to a point when Schaffan decides to stop everything. All slot car inventories are liquidated to two parties, and all orders to Marusan are cancelled, putting Marusan in great financial difficulty.

- The assembled 1/32 scale kits and all loose chassis parts and motors are sold to Oscar Koveleski of Auto World. Oscar will sell these products well into the 1970s, then will liquidate all remaining inventories in the early 1980's to "Tiger Tom" Pistone in Charlotte, North Carolina.

- The Ford, Porsche, Brabham and Ferrari bodies in the 1/32 scale are sold to Faller, which Atlas also has a relationship with because of their exchanges in model trains, Atlas main business.

Faller will use the Ford, Porsche, Brabham and Ferrari bodies using new plastic chassis and copies of Mabuchi motors made in Germany until they will run out (1969), then will make new molds for the Brabham and Ferrari F1 for which they have a demand.

In a nutshell: Marusan was the source and originator for most of the Atlas and Faller 1/32 stuff.

[slotcar7]

Hi guys, and thanks again to you, Ravajack (actually, what's your name, if it's possible to know it.. )..when i'll have just the half of your knowledge (and of your library!) i'll be a happy man
I talk with many collectors around the world, but you're the number one

Well, let's stop now the compliments..because i 'd like to show you something i've just done

I was walking in Soho (Central London) and i just went into a flowers' and plants' shop, and my eyes fell down to a basket full of musk (mysk in swedish, i checked it!)..so, i had an idea: why not to improve my vintage layout not with the usual fake decorations but with some real ones? To put some real musk to give the sensation of a real track dipped in green hills..

And that's what i did.. In this way, i think i made the layout look even more "German", because now it reminds me the old, mythical Nuerburgring race track, dipped in the Eifel's forest..i put on the track a Ferrari Superqualo and.. let your imagination go, you can still feel a 1950s Formula 1 atmosphere..what do you think? Advices welcomed

[slotcar7]

Hi guys, some pictures more from the layout, with some different atmospheres..enjoy

A Ferrari and a BRM Jouef for Playcraft..

[slotcar7]

A Vanwall and a Lotus National Toys..

And look at the 5th picture: an unbelievable attention to the detail..there's written "Pirelli Corsa" on the tyre..