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Slot-Car game wanted (Whittaker/Cromptons)

PostPosted: 31 Jul 2010, 21:31
by urban_paranoia
Hiya

I'm looking for a '60's full size slot-car machine - can't remember a specific name (Grand Prix? Le Mans?), but I know they were made by Whittakers and/or Cromptons.

Very large, perspex-domed Scalextric-type beast (similar to the Roulette games still in production, but bigger) where you bet (2p, as I recall when I were a lad) on the colour of the car which would win.

Anyone know to anything stashed away anywhere?

Coin-op video games are my forte, but I've been looking for one of these machines for years. Just came across this forum and thought it worth an ask!

Thanks in advance

:)

PostPosted: 05 Aug 2010, 23:53
by Chief Engineer
Wow your going to need a big room with a strong floor to put one of those in. I remember one very well, I used to think there was a method of working out which car was going to win, but of course its was all down to random luck back in the electro/mechanical days.

It was one old penny when I used to play it down at my local Pier. Six cars to chose from, the red car being the most likely to win, but you only doubled your money, the white car had the higher odds of winning more money, but only rarely did it ever win.

When I grew up and ended up working for the same Pier, this was one of many arcade games that grew to old to compete with the video game rush. Its days ended being smashed apart, but I do recall it was a monster of dexion steel, sprockets, chains and grease, over the years of constant summer use the inside was black with grease. Nothing got saved apart from a few relays and some of the round coloured indicator lamps. The cars, track complete with Scalextric scenery with trees, people and stands all got thrown.

It would be nice to think one of these did survive, another machine from the same manufacture and era although slightly smaller, that I have never seen since, had six top hats that raised, you had to guess which one had a large steel ball bearing underneath, same colour combinations of lamps as before, all done by electro magnets and another one I thought I could become rich by working out which hat would be hiding the ball.

CE

PostPosted: 06 Aug 2010, 05:02
by urban_paranoia
Thanks for the response - sadly, I think this must have been the fate of many of these machines.

I've seen a few still in action in recent years and I've also been on a few wild goose chases to resorts where someone allegedly had something stashed away.

I've also seen two on eBay in the past ten years - both of which I missed unfortunately - and they both sold for peanuts.

PostPosted: 06 Aug 2010, 19:14
by Paul281
I remember this game, as well as the one on Clacton Pier. Did the perspex sign for it end up over the road at the Pavillion, as they had it on the wall where their bumper cars were?

PostPosted: 08 Aug 2010, 12:42
by urban_paranoia
I'm finding it really hard to obtain a photograph of one of these machines - anyone got one?

Re: Slot-Car game wanted (Whittaker/Cromptons)

PostPosted: 15 Nov 2013, 11:28
by urban_paranoia
Hiya

I have still not found one of these - does anyone have a lead on one?

Cheers! :)

Re: Slot-Car game wanted (Whittaker/Cromptons)

PostPosted: 11 Mar 2016, 18:07
by urban_paranoia
Still not found one... :(

Re: Slot-Car game wanted (Whittaker/Cromptons)

PostPosted: 25 Aug 2017, 12:29
by Chief Engineer
Hi All,

I spotted a quick working shot of one on a Pathe News reel :-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-SB35a_xoE

25 seconds into the clip.

Enjoy
Chief Engineer

Re: Slot-Car game wanted (Whittaker/Cromptons)

PostPosted: 14 Oct 2017, 22:42
by woody
mans.jpg
mans.jpg (83.9 KiB) Viewed 86765 times


gprix.jpg
gprix.jpg (76.37 KiB) Viewed 86765 times

Re: Slot-Car game wanted (Whittaker/Cromptons)

PostPosted: 15 Oct 2017, 08:22
by urban_paranoia
Fantastic pics! :)

I’m still looking for one, by the way...