Incredible slot car collection being sold due to illness

[gwells]

I realize this may be considered a bit off topic here, but I also know that many AACA members are slot car enthusiasts, too. Admins, please delete if this if it is felt inappropriate for this forum.

 

Due to terminal pancreatic and liver cancer, Michigan's Tom Scott is offering at auction the fabulous slot cars of his collection to folks who will appreciate what they are in terms of craftsmanship and history. To the best of my knowledge there has never been a large collection of 1/24 slot cars of this quality brought to the market at one time. Most of them were commissioned by Tom for his personal collection. The cars range from thingies, to historical recreations, to NOS originals, many of them built and assembled by some of the finest painters and motor and chassis builders working in the hobby today. Many of the cars feature rare, original motors, chassis, and other components from the '60s, considered the 'Golden Age of Slot Racing.' All cars run and have been tested and tuned on the track; most of the motors are high-performance and/or rewound versions, though some are NOS originals.

Even if you're not interested in 1/24 slot cars, if you have an interest in craftsmanship, it will be worthwhile to spend a few moments checking out the cars being offered. The word "jewelry" will almost certain come to mind more than once.

As an aside, and to illustrate the connection between 1:1 and slot cars, many of the more outlandish 'aerodynamic' bodies seen in Tom's collection were designed and sold by the late Larry Shinoda, who is considered the primary designer of the 1963 Corvette.
 

The first of the auctions at Slotblog.net have closed and others will close tonight and over the next few days. There are more incredible cars to be offered in coming days. Here's a few sample car images of the dozens of cars being sold and a link to the auction forum. Note that you do not have to be a member of the forum to bid.

http://slotblog.net/forum/476-for-sale-tom-tjsguns-scott-collection/

 

[TerryB]

Was this collection featured on American Pickers?  I recall them visiting someone with a huge slot car collection.

Terry

[gwells]

Terry,

 

No, that was Bernard Sampson in Houston, Texas, who was married to Shelley Duval for a few years in the early '70s.

 

Here's a link to his online slot car museum:

 

http://bernardsslotcarmuseum.com

 

I would say Bernard is more interested in original slot cars and their history. Tom Scott's cars are largely modern recreations of earlier slot car genres and are of much higher quality than the originals were in the day.

 

Bernard is an interesting guy, as you will discover if you search on his name. Don't leave the "P" in his surname out, as that 'Samson' is a fictional character created by Len Deighton.

 

FWIW, there are several collections of which I am aware that are larger than Bernard's, one in LA and one in Chicago. Both are stunning is their breadth and depth.

[gwells]

Tom has continued to list more cars from his collections and these are some of his real gems, and are more 'scale' or realistic than the thingies shown earlier.

 

One fabulous STP Paxton turbine car already went for $850!

 

[gwells]

Tom Scott continues to post cars from his incredible collection that need to be sold due to his terminal illness. Here's a few more of the best recent listings. I should have indicated earlier that these cars are all 1/24 scale.

 

[gwells]

Just one more, and then I'll quit. Promise.

 

A terrific slot car replicating one of the most iconic and beloved racing cars of the Can-Am era: the Jim Hall-designed Chaparral 2D.

 

Go to slotblog.net if you wish to bid on this car.