Nitrotrout
Nitro Junkie
Supporter
After years of searching, I finally found my dad's old tether car stashed away in the attic of my grandparents house.
It had no identifying markings on it but after a couple hours of searching Bing images I was able to identify it.
Made in 1960, its a AMF Wen- Mac Go Kart tether car with a Ok Cub .024 engine.
For those unfamiliar with tether cars, they are model racing cars powered by miniature nitro engines and tethered to a central post. Unlike radio control cars, the driver has no remote control over the model's speed or steering.
Tether cars were developed beginning in the 1920s–1930s and still are built, raced and collected today. First made by hobby craftsmen, tether cars were later produced in small numbers by commercial manufacturers such as Dooling Brothers, (rhymes with Rick) McCoy, Garold Frymire (Fryco Engineering) and many others. Original examples of the early cars, made from 1930s to the 1960s, are avidly collected today and command prices in the hundreds to thousands of dollars.
My dad was about 12 years old when he got his car back in 1960. After close inspection it appears he crashed it a time or two. How you flip and crash a road car tied to a string I'll never know. Guess I shouldn't be surprised he found a way.. like father like son, haha!
My plan is to restore it to like new condition, get it running and capture my old man on video playing with his old car some 50 years later. Then i'll shelf it, pass it down to the kids, grandkids and so on.
SO THIS IS WHAT IT'S SUPPOSED TO LOOK LIKE. MADE IN 1960, THE 1961
MODEL WAS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT
AND THIS IS WHAT I'M WORKING WITH
NOTICE THE WIRE ON THE LEFT SIDE. THIS IS WHAT THE STRING (TETHER) ATTACHES TO
WITH OTHER END OF STRING TIED TO A POST OR HAND HELD.
SHE RUNS IN A COUNTER CLOCKWISE ROTATION
IF YOU CHOOSE TO DRAG RACE INSTEAD OF RACE IN CIRCLES, YOU TIE YOUR STRING TO THE FRONT LOOP, RUN IT THROUGH THE REAR LOOP AND LET 'ER RIP. THE MANUAL RECOMMENDS A PILLOW, OR PILE OF RAGS AT THE FINISH LINE TO STOP YOUR CAR
THIS ENGINE HAS TWO EXPOSED EXHAUST PORTS. ONE ON TOP,
ONE ON THE BOTTOM. THE FLYWHEEL HAS NO BEARINGS OR CLUTCH SHOES JUST A HEAVY CHUNK OF METAL.
THE SMALL ORANGE PIECE ATTACHED TO THE ENGINE IS THE FUEL TANK
NOTICE THE TWO VENT HOLES ON THE FUEL TANK. THE TANK IS FILLED THROUGH ONE VENT HOLE
UNTIL FUEL SQUIRTS OUT THE OTHER VENT HOLE, THEN THE TANK IS COMPLETELY FULL.
THE METERING NEEDLE IS ESSENTIALLY THE CARBURATOR. ITS CLOSED UNTIL THE ENGINE IS READY TO START, THEN BACKED OUT 4 TURNS, FIRED UP, AND FINE TUNED.
BOTH SIDES OF THE SEAT BACK REST ARE CRACKED AND THIS IS THE REMNANTS OF THE DRIVER. HE PROBABLY MET A HORRIFIC DEMISE IN A FLIP OVER CRASH. I THINK THIS DRIVER IS GOING TO BE A S.O.B TO REPLACE. I MAY JUST LEAVE IT OUT ALL TOGETHER.
MEASURING LESS THAN 2 INCHES FROM PINION GEAR TO FUEL TANK, ITS DEFINATELY THE SMALLEST ENGINE I'VE WORKED WITH.
TEAR DOWN WAS SIMPLE BUT SCRUBBING OFF 50 YEAR OLD NITRO FUEL IS REALLY GONNA SUCK ASS
It had no identifying markings on it but after a couple hours of searching Bing images I was able to identify it.
Made in 1960, its a AMF Wen- Mac Go Kart tether car with a Ok Cub .024 engine.
For those unfamiliar with tether cars, they are model racing cars powered by miniature nitro engines and tethered to a central post. Unlike radio control cars, the driver has no remote control over the model's speed or steering.
Tether cars were developed beginning in the 1920s–1930s and still are built, raced and collected today. First made by hobby craftsmen, tether cars were later produced in small numbers by commercial manufacturers such as Dooling Brothers, (rhymes with Rick) McCoy, Garold Frymire (Fryco Engineering) and many others. Original examples of the early cars, made from 1930s to the 1960s, are avidly collected today and command prices in the hundreds to thousands of dollars.
My dad was about 12 years old when he got his car back in 1960. After close inspection it appears he crashed it a time or two. How you flip and crash a road car tied to a string I'll never know. Guess I shouldn't be surprised he found a way.. like father like son, haha!
My plan is to restore it to like new condition, get it running and capture my old man on video playing with his old car some 50 years later. Then i'll shelf it, pass it down to the kids, grandkids and so on.
SO THIS IS WHAT IT'S SUPPOSED TO LOOK LIKE. MADE IN 1960, THE 1961
MODEL WAS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT
AND THIS IS WHAT I'M WORKING WITH
NOTICE THE WIRE ON THE LEFT SIDE. THIS IS WHAT THE STRING (TETHER) ATTACHES TO
WITH OTHER END OF STRING TIED TO A POST OR HAND HELD.
SHE RUNS IN A COUNTER CLOCKWISE ROTATION
IF YOU CHOOSE TO DRAG RACE INSTEAD OF RACE IN CIRCLES, YOU TIE YOUR STRING TO THE FRONT LOOP, RUN IT THROUGH THE REAR LOOP AND LET 'ER RIP. THE MANUAL RECOMMENDS A PILLOW, OR PILE OF RAGS AT THE FINISH LINE TO STOP YOUR CAR
THIS ENGINE HAS TWO EXPOSED EXHAUST PORTS. ONE ON TOP,
ONE ON THE BOTTOM. THE FLYWHEEL HAS NO BEARINGS OR CLUTCH SHOES JUST A HEAVY CHUNK OF METAL.
THE SMALL ORANGE PIECE ATTACHED TO THE ENGINE IS THE FUEL TANK
NOTICE THE TWO VENT HOLES ON THE FUEL TANK. THE TANK IS FILLED THROUGH ONE VENT HOLE
UNTIL FUEL SQUIRTS OUT THE OTHER VENT HOLE, THEN THE TANK IS COMPLETELY FULL.
THE METERING NEEDLE IS ESSENTIALLY THE CARBURATOR. ITS CLOSED UNTIL THE ENGINE IS READY TO START, THEN BACKED OUT 4 TURNS, FIRED UP, AND FINE TUNED.
BOTH SIDES OF THE SEAT BACK REST ARE CRACKED AND THIS IS THE REMNANTS OF THE DRIVER. HE PROBABLY MET A HORRIFIC DEMISE IN A FLIP OVER CRASH. I THINK THIS DRIVER IS GOING TO BE A S.O.B TO REPLACE. I MAY JUST LEAVE IT OUT ALL TOGETHER.
MEASURING LESS THAN 2 INCHES FROM PINION GEAR TO FUEL TANK, ITS DEFINATELY THE SMALLEST ENGINE I'VE WORKED WITH.
TEAR DOWN WAS SIMPLE BUT SCRUBBING OFF 50 YEAR OLD NITRO FUEL IS REALLY GONNA SUCK ASS
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