1960's Tether Car Refurbish

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Nitrotrout

Nitro Junkie
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Location
San Jose Ca.
RC Driving Style
  1. Bashing
  2. Racing
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
gocub10.jpg

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
DSCN0313.jpg

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
DSCN0318.jpg

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
DSCN0314.jpg

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.
DSCN0324.jpg

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.
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MEASURING LESS THAN 2 INCHES FROM PINION GEAR TO FUEL TANK, ITS DEFINATELY THE SMALLEST ENGINE I'VE WORKED WITH.
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TEAR DOWN WAS SIMPLE BUT SCRUBBING OFF 50 YEAR OLD NITRO FUEL IS REALLY GONNA SUCK ASS
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Here's a 1961 Wen- Mac in action. This ones out of tune, they can be tuned to go much faster than this.

 
Ok that is OLD SCHOOL!!!! Very cool that you are rebuilding I hope you share the video of your dad playing with it.

You know what would be cool is to find someone with a 3d printer and make a driver that looks like your dad!!
 
Thanks for the kind words gents! I wasn't sure if there would be any interest in a project like this but I posted it anyways. :p
@Enuahs if I could get a 3d model of my pappy made (complete with beer belly) that would be hilarious.

UPDATES:
I scored some new old stock engine parts on ebay today. Gaskets, screws, shims, and a fuel metering needle.
The best news of all, the Ok Engine company is still in business and I can order replacement glow heads and such through them.
So now the waiting begins.. In the meantime..
HERES A LOOK AT THE PISTON, ITS COPPER AND CHROME PLATED WITH A SLIGHT CONE SHAPED PISTON TOP.THE CON ROD IS ATTACHED WITH A SIMPLE BALL AND SOCKET . tHE CYLINDER SLEEVE IS ALSO COPPER/CHROME PLATED
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HERE'S A LOOK INSIDE THE FUEL TANK. THE TINY TUBE FITS INSIDE THE RECESS, THE G CLIP AND FLAPPER VALVE ATTACH TO THE BACKSIDE OF THE ALUMINUM PIECE
DSCN0335.jpg


 
Very cool. Mine had an .049, but I don't remember the brand. Cox, maybe? Sounds familiar.
No clutch, direct drive, push to start.
 
This is a cool project, I would love to see you get this running!
 
Yeah the Cox .049 was really popular and probably the best engine on the market back in the day. They're still popular with the tether plane crowd and parts are still plentiful on ebay and such. I'm amazed at how simple these engines and cars are.

Thanks SMaxxin, if I can get it running I'm going to hook my GoPro up to it. I don't know if its ever been done before. Might make some viewers dizzy and sick but thats a risk I'm willing to take
 
That's neat! I've never even heard of one of those before reading this thread, it's even better than the ones we used to build in junior high, you know the wooden ones that were powered by CO2 cartridges....we used to find and open stretch of school hallway, away from the hall monitor, and it was off to the races, so to speak, just for the heck of it half the time we wouldn't use the guide line, man I destroyed every car I made doing that.

I look forward to reading your progress.
 
Home made wooden cars powered by CO2 cartridges? Now THATS cool. Any money bets on the winners/losers?:p
 
Just loonies....twoonie weren't around back then.
 
I forgot all about the CO2 cars. School lot specials, but only the rich kids had them. Short runs for each cartridge.
The coolest part was the sound they made. Almost like little jets. Lots of vapor trails and frost on the empty tank.
 
just for the heck of it half the time we wouldn't use the guide line, man I destroyed every car I made doing that.

.

Guideline...Duh! I thought it was more of an anchor line tied to the chassis Now I understand how it works. So you stake your guideline down at the starting line, thread the guideline through the front and rear car chassis loops, and stake down your finish line however many feet away. The car will follow the guideline with a pillow at the finish line to stop the car. That's genius
 
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Ahhh the CO2 powered cars. We built and raced them in wood shop once. the shop teacher had a track that had a starting point that would puncture the CO2 cans on 2 cars at the same time and the end had a laser that would light up the track of the car that won. I remember being convinced that mine was going to destroy everyone but when it came time to race the guide wire managed to slip out of the eye hook on the front of the car so it got tangled. I remember being absolutely crushed that I was not allowed to have another turn with a proper race. I was seriously crushed...I'm not 100% sure why now looking back on it, I just have that vivid memory. A memory that was loooong forgotten until those cars were mentioned :)
 
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That is SO immaculate that I don't think it's ever been started. Beautiful, but not worth that much.

Yeah you're right Rolex, I'm actually glad I didn't win. The condition it's in, I wouldn't have the heart to part it out. I'll figure something out.

Ahhh the CO2 powered cars. We built and raced them in wood shop once. the shop teacher had a track that had a starting point that would puncture the CO2 cans on 2 cars at the same time and the end had a laser that would light up the track of the car that won. I remember being convinced that mine was going to destroy everyone but when it came time to race the guide wire managed to slip out of the eye hook on the front of the car so it got tangled. I remember being absolutely crushed that I was not allowed to have another turn with a proper race. I was serious crushed...I'm not 100% sure why now looking back on it, I just have that vivid memory. A memory that was loooong forgotten until those cars were mentioned :)

Yeah I wondered how the cartridges were punctured, seems like the guy who punctures his can first wins more often than not.
It's never too late for redemption Greywolf, I think a grudge match between you, Alexander and Rolex is in order..hehe
 
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