Slot-Car game wanted (Whittaker/Cromptons)

[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!

[rippyspennyarcade]

I remember these machines very well in the 1960s!! You are spot on with the names. I remember a GRAND PRIX and ALSO a LE MANS... Pretty sure that Whittikers made them. On the Grand Prix, the RED car paid 2d, the BLUE car paid 2d, the GREEN car paid 4d, the YELLOW car paid 6d, and the WHITE car paid 12d. Very large machines though, much bigger than Roulette. As for finding one?? This will be TOUGH. I remember most of them disappearing after Decimalisation in 1971, although SOME did survive. Keep us informed of your search for one. If there is one lying about in an old garage, I am sure you've found the right website to ask. GOOD LUCK!!

[treefrog]

Not sure if this Pathe news reel of an amusement arcade has one of these machines you are talking about, called Formula 1......This was posted under the "See it operate section"

viewforum.php?f=16

[urban_paranoia]

Excellent! Cheers! I'll keep you posted!

Hopefully someone on here might know to something...

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 recently heard that there may be one stored up Skegness way, but the trail went cold.

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

[urban_paranoia]

By the way...

I'm finding it really hard to obtain a photograph of one of these machines - anyone got one?

[urban_paranoia]

I've spoken to Whittakers and Crompton's today - still no joy - they don't have images either!

The guy from Crompton's said that similar (but larger?) machines were made by Ace and Alca - anyone know anything about these?

[slotalot]

For what its worth Whittakers has been bankrupt and changed owners 3 or 4 times since the 1960s when the race machine would have been made , I had the same zero result a few years ago when I contacted them for information about some machine or other

[urban_paranoia]

The person I spoke to remembered the machines, confirmed the name of the particular model I was interested in (Grand Prix) but that was it...he also said that they didn't have any archive images or promotional literature, etc.

[lukewells]

Hello urban_paranoia, nice to see a familiar person

I can't wait till you manage to get one of these machines, so that I can come over and play on it. I have fond memories of these machines from when I was young.

[urban_paranoia]

Hello urban_paranoia, nice to see a familiar person

Ditto!

[pennymachines]

I was contacted by an operator in 2009 with a job lot of large E/M games and Bally bandits. Included were a Crompton's 20 Player Derby Racer and a Whittaker's Le Mans. Another operator of vintage games was interested at the time, but the cost/difficulty of transporting and storing prevented us from pursuing it further. I don't know whether they're still available. PM me if you want to discuss it. I think the picture shows Whittaker's Le Mans with top flash removed and inverted. Notice the upside-down WB (Whittaker Brothers) logo.

[urban_paranoia]

By the way...I'm still looking for one of these....