David Mincica vintage slotcars collection - DMI/Elmodan info

[slotcar7]

A really rare..



Merzbach set, USA, 60s..that's the same set sold in Canada by FINA (see before), but this time sold in the US under this pretty unknown brand which, basically, was just an importer from Japan.

[slotcar7]

Policar 1/32 Osi MIB, Italy, 60s


Policar 1/32 Lamborghini, Italy, 60s


Policar 1/32 Chaparral, Italy, 60s

[slotcar7]

Revell 1/32 set, USA, 60s


Wrenn 1/52 Ferrari, UK, 60s

[Crewe Alex]

Hi David,

What you have shown us the last month is abolutely stunning. Wonderful, fun and rare pieces there. I really would like to see your collection some time. I hope you succeed in your mission. And while you are working on it I will try to share some of my knowledge. It's not much but some might be helpful for you.

NPC (Japan) set..any news on this brand..?

No haven't got a clue. First time I've heard of.

Maiko (Germany) set..any news on this brand, please..?

Well I would guess Maiko is the importer or the reseller. It's actually a Speedking 4" set. I have a similar as you can see here:


It differs a little bit as you can see. Other cars, no separate battery pack. By the way, this set is never used as you might see.
And for those of you who doesn't understand German; you might have learned what "Steilkurve" means.

Troby (France) 1/32 set

Regarding Troby did you know they were sold in Germany under the brand "Silverstone"?


By the way the Hema brand from Netherlands I have never heard of before.

This is it for this time. I'll be back.

[Ravajack]

Hello David.
Agree with Alex: Absolutely stunning pieces you've got there. Where do you ever find them?

BTW: Found this odd set on German ebay.
Something for you?

[slotcar7]

Hi, Crewe Alex, thanks for the compliments and for the help you give me..it's always appreciated

Of course i'll be pleased to show my collection to you and everyone else is interested in..by the way, as i said before, i'll pay a trip to London to the person who will help me to find an Elmodan set..you can bet..!

Actually, i think i've already got the Speedking set you showed me..now they start to become so many that i don't really remember all of them! In fact, as i said, at the moment i should have more than 450 sets and some hundreds of cars, so the pictures i'm showing just represent about a quarter of the entire collection, which is still growing..and space is running out..

And thanks to you Ravajack as well for the appreciation..some friends of mine told me usually collectors don't really want to show what they've got, they're too jealous of their "little" treasures, but i don't think so..Slot car racing can be a form of culture as well, and it's right that it should be shared with everyone.

You also asked me where i find all this stuff..well, as i said before, mainly on ebay: ebay UK, France, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Belgium, Netherland, Spain, Usa, Canada, etc.. something also on Tradera (!) and on some other collectors' websites around Europe..and i'm also registered on a website which allows me to bid in Japan..under my reseaches there's never sunset ! Furthermore, i became a friend of some sellers around Europe that keep for me everything rare they can come across.

And thanks also for indicating me those two sets, even if i've already got them in a much better condition..but as i said, any help is always welcomed!

Cheers, david

[Crewe Alex]

Other rarity..


Marusan (Japan) HO ..? It cost more than $1,000, but i still don't know which model is..any help

Let's go on...

While watching this car it came to my mind the following set containing another version of the Swedish ikon Volvo P1800 made by PMC in Hong Kong. This is the battery powered version but it also exists a 12 V version. I suppose you recognize the Mercedes and the Jaguar from other sets but the Mazda and P1800 are rare. Have you got these?

Now, another rarity..

A really rare..

Well I have a 3'rd version:



The difference is that this track is grey and the only brand visible is "Ratti". Whatever that is . Looks like rats.
The cars in these sets are fun. All metal except for the tires. And for those who wants to see how the cars are configured and built in the chassis here is a close-up.


By the way David. I'll send you an E-mail this week. I have got news regarding Elmodan. I recently talked to a dane who actually had owned the VW-set until some years ago. He might be able to help you.

I'll be back.

[slotcar7]

Hi Crewe Alex, i'm starting to think you too you've got an impressive collection, well done

About the PMC set, sadly i still don't have it..on ebay us there's an incomplete set from a long time, but what i'm looking for is something like yours..

About the Ratti set, i've already got it ..i also tried to make some researches about this brand, and actually there was a long time ago an Italian toy brand called Ratti and later Ceppi Ratti..it could be a set made in Japan for the Italian market or sold worldwide by this Italian company..and let's not forget that "ratti" in Italian means "mice", so that could explain the image ..anyway, in my experience, it doesn't look a set made for an European market, so..the research carries on..

Finally, i'm waiting for your email ..i'm starting to smell the elmodan set..or at least i hope so

Cheers, david

[Crewe Alex]

Hi Crewe Alex, i'm starting to think you too you've got an impressive collection, well done

so..the research carries on..

Well my collection is nothing in comparison but I enjoy it and it would be fun to learn som more of the slot car history. Especially the mor toy-like slot-car history. And to save what can be saved of our childhood memories.

What a nice set of the Paramount Horse Racing you found David I'm a bit jealous.

Speedking (Hong Kong) 1/43 set

This set leads me to think of how the same box graphics are used for different sets. Here is a version of the same but used for a Banked set just like the previous Steilkurvenbahn set from Germany.



And seriously! How fun can it be to drive around just on a banked track???? Around, around and around....

A rare..


Uniropa (Germany) 1/64 set

I think that Uniropa is mentioned as a Swiss brand and a bit rare. But seriously it really looks like a PMC H0 set made in Hong Kong:

Interesting to notice the choice of the 4 flags in these sets.

I'll be back.

[slotcar7]

Hi Crewe Alex, i renew my compliments for what i see of your collection in my experience, it's a lot harder to find some vintage "cheap" sets, that for exactly this reason weren't kept by children and collectors, rather than more famous and iconic sets..

For instance, i've never seen a Speedking banked set like yours or a PMC slot racer but, at the same time, i stopped counting how many times i've seen a Tippco Reichsautobahn or a Scalextric Super 124 that in theory should be a lot rarer but that appear, at the end, at least 2/3 times per year on ebay..it's just matter of price, higher or lower, but they're quite easy to get..

In fact, i think, many times rarity and collectors' value don't go together..me, i appreciate a lot more a so-called "cheap" set but that appears once every 10 years rather than a "celebrated" one but that you can find in many collectors' homes!

And, thanks to your pictures, i'm also understanding that, basically, the sets are always the same, just the packaging changes..so it would be fun to collect all these variations

Thanks for the compliments about the Paramount set..a "cheap" set that, in this case, cost me almost like a famous one: in fact, the US seller wanted $350 to let it go to my address..quite overpriced, i know, but it's almost impossible to find another one and, even more, still unused after 45/50 years..so i had to accept..

Finally, about Uniropa, maybe you're right..but for what i know it was sold by QUELLE, a German chain store in the 60s, together with another set with f1 cars in 1/40 made by Jouef, but if your sources are better than mine i'm always happy to learn..

Cheers, david

[Fallerfreak]

Hi
Interesting topic!

If you like to know more about the different gift boxes from Faller we have a descent list with pictures of details here:

http://www.faller-ams.se/indexeng.html

Chose English version and then Look under: Starter Sets

Best Wishes
Fallerfreak

[Crewe Alex]

... in my experience, it's a lot harder to find some vintage "cheap" sets, that for exactly this reason weren't kept by children and collectors, rather than more famous and iconic sets..

...

In fact, i think, many times rarity and collectors' value don't go together..me, i appreciate a lot more a so-called "cheap" set but that appears once every 10 years rather than a "celebrated" one but that you can find in many collectors' homes!

I totally agree. The toyish sets were more badly handled and ofcourse they were of lesser quality. Therfore rarer to find today.

And, thanks to your pictures, i'm also understanding that, basically, the sets are always the same, just the packaging changes..so it would be fun to collect all these variations

There must have been a couple of manufacturers of track and cars in Hong Kong. But I do not know who they were but I think that Artin was already then a main player.

Finally, about Uniropa, maybe you're right..but for what i know it was sold by QUELLE, a German chain store in the 60s, together with another set with f1 cars in 1/40 made by Jouef, but if your sources are better than mine i'm always happy to learn..

It's true all the reference I find on Internet says Germany and that it was sold through QUELLE. And it can very well be true but one guy on a toy fair I met who had one set for sale told me it was a Swiss brand. Well the Germans should know. But on the other hand there are lot's of Germans who believes Switzerland is a part of Germany. Not to mention my relatives who believes Denmark belongs to Germany...

That's a true jewel..


Tri Ang HO set MIB, UK, 60s..this set was made just for one year, and was a Rail/Road set, combining the Tri Ang Railway with the Minic Motorway..very few produced, very few left and this one is still MIB..

I've never seen that one Looks fun. Would like to see in action but since it's MIB I understand. I have a similar setup from Speeder. Of course cheap Hong Kong and maybe not so old. But I use to put it up and extend the track and have it under our Christmas tree.

I'll be back.

[slotcar7]

Hi, thanks for indicating me the Faller website ..i already knew it and, actually, i used it many times before buying something..it's always useful to have a check on how a set should look..!

About the Tri Ang Rail/Road set, Crewe Alex, you can be sure that when i open it i'll post some detailed pictures..promised

[slotcar7]

But now, something else from the latest additions to my collection..

Really, really rare..


Troby HO Prototypes Mercedes, France, 60s..these are the only three known non-motorized HO Mercedes Prototypes that this small French brand produced in the mid 60s with the initial intention to use them in their "Troby Road" set. But, at the end, just the Peugeot 404 was used for the set and these prototypes, which could be also used as static models, remained in the factory warehouse and later in some old employee's hands before coming to London..at the moment, just 5 mercedes are known in existence, 2 motorized and 3 non-motorized, and i've got 4 of them..

[slotcar7]

Jouef 1/40 Ferrari, France, 60s



Policar 1/32 set, Italy, 60s