From the beginning... The Strombecker Story

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1966 Car Model

By Jose Rodriguez, Jr.

Here's an unusual change of pace you'll enjoy reading. It's the history of a pioneer that goes all the way back, brings you up to-date, and peers into the crystal ball to see what lies ahead. For your enjoyment-the story of the oldest and largest manufacturer of 1:32 scale cars in the business.

Let's kick this story off to a wild start. The first product made by the company that eventually becanur Strombecker was a collar button! It happened because a man with imagination and a mind alert to opportunity visited the 1893 Chicago Columbian Exposition, as that year's "World Fair" was known.

Samuel Dowst was a member of the firm of Dowst Brothers Company, which was founded in 1876 as a publishing organization, to distribute a paper called The National Laundry Journal. Soon afterward, they went into the manufacture of laundry accessories including collar buttons. While on his trip to the fair, Dowst saw the newly-designed linotype machine (a product, incidentally. that made today's rapid production of newspapers and magazines possible by making typesetting a machine, rather than a hand process) and recognized immediately that it could do other things than cast type from molten metal.

The next step was the production of miniatures of items used in the laundry trade - tiny flatirons for promotion purposes. Soon, other industries started sending in orders. A shoe polish manufacturer wanted tiny replicas of old shoes. A cooking grease maker wanted tiny frying pears.

Before long, Dowst was producing a number of such items, enough to start packaging them for the candy industry for prices in such things as boxes of Crackerjacks. This was the start of the connection with the toy business.

In 1926, Dowst merged with another company that was also supplying similar items to the candy packagers, and the combined the firm. now known as Dowst Manufacturing Company built a large new plant in Chicago, where it started manufacturing attractive die-cast models of the cars being produced in those days. They also made other toys (doll furniture, train sets and airplanes. These fine toys were amt are still called Tootsietoys, a name every youngster is familiar with today.

The Company continued to prosper. eventually outgrowing their quarters until, in 1954, they moved to a modern 85,000 square foot building. Seven years later, Dowst entered the rapidly growing hobby market by acquiring a part interest in the Strombeck-Becker Mfg. Co.

Continuing its expansion, Dowst bought Model Road and Raceways only last year and this year. 1964, the organization finally emerged from its developmental stages into full maturity. It is now known as the Strombecker Corporation. operating the Tootsietoy. Strombecker, and Model Road & Raceways Divisions.

In its most recent move, a second manufacturing plant was added so that they now have 185,000 sq. ft. of manufacturing space-truly, a giant operation.

So much for the Company's background and history. Now, let's get on to the part you fire really waiting for-the story of the models themselves.

The first white Nylon frame is still remembered by many. Strombecker's latest has many features that originated in this early model so you can bet it must have been pretty good basically, if they have survived until now. The first motor was probably a 6-volt job in the shape that later became known as "Tin-Can" style. It was a longshaft unit that snapped in directly behind the front axle. It kept the shoe in the slot but didn't do much for traction! Although the factory followed the advice of the enthusiasts, the first tires, round in crosssection, were poor performers by today's high standards.
The original 1:32 wheels that went with that chassis were, in their own way, just as remarkable. They too were nylon, with see through spokes, and were made in two sections that had to be snapped together.
The first major change in chassis design occurred just about the same time as the development of a new short-shaft motor. To take care of those who still had the original chassis, an all Nylon extension (see inset in photo) was marketed. The pinion was molded right on the shaft and it connected by a press fit over the motor pinion. Somehow, it worked! Chassis color changed from white to grey and the guide shoe from a two pin job to a solid flag. Unbraided copper wire still served as brush material.
Early contrate gears came in two ratios and, although made of nylon, wore poorly, like plastic. Everything was a snap fit-snap the wheels to the axles, the The first cars to be made by Strombecker were brought out in 1959. Made in 1:24 scale, but not yet called slot cars, these early models carried their own batteries and ran around the floor. You could set the front wheels straight ahead, or for a circle. They were fun, all right, but to the hungry eyes of the real enthusiast who was cutting his teeth on rail cars made in England, there was something peculiar about the front end that hinted at more to come. And come it did - in the form of a guide shoe.

Those early cars - Mercedes-Benz W196, Maserati 250 and the Lancia-Ferrari - are all but forgotten now along with the later, much-improved MG-A, Austin-Healy, Scarab and the beautiful Aston Martin that is still hunted by collectors for its wheels.

These big cars were soon followed by one of the nicest all-Nylon front ends ever made. Clever engineering was responsible for the fully adjustable design, complete with suspension. The original brass strip track has also undergone several changes. It went to aluminum that had a tendency to pop up (enter Strombecker Track Glue at this point!) then to one with stapled contact strips and finally to the latest, just released channel-type track that really stays flat. Without doubt, there must be more Strombecker track in use today, than all other makes combined.

The first 1:32 baby in the Strombecker family was a lovely 250 Maserati. A shiny, bright red bodyone piece even at that early date-enclosed an allNylon chassis that was a wonder in its day.

In my own personal Strombecker Museum. I count eight stages of chassis development and, at this point. I'll let the photos take over. They'll show you some of the many significant changes that Strombecker has made in the model industry.

5. The third chassis was now ready. The biggest change it incorporated was the relocation of the motor to the rear and a second guide shoe location - behind the front axle - optional to the builder.

6. The chassis shown in the preceding photo came with the first one-piece wheel. Frankly. it wasn't too successful. Simulated spoke detail suffered and there was only one raised rim on the outer edge of the wheel to retain the tires, which had a bad habit of popping off into the body after a few hard turns.

7. Next in the parade was a big step forward-extending the frame around the rear of the gear, which improved frame rigidity considerably.

8. With the advent of the next chassis, the fifth major change, there were now four locators between the motor and the front. The original spot, in front of the axle, was retained. Three others were added further back. One of these was the second shoe locator and the last two were for locating the new steering front ends and to fasten the chassis to the shells with a screw. This was Strombecker's first attempt at steering in 1:32 scale. Though all Nylon, it just wasn't strong enough. My own sample has a tendency to collapse everytime it contacts another car.

9. Again, wheels improved. Better detail, deep dishing helped but perform ante-wise, the tires still continued to pop. The photo shows a modified version of the wheel after the second rim was added. It was better. But. although wheels were troublesome, you didn't have to continue with nylon gears. Three all-metal contrates, each a different ratio, were now available and helped performance to reach new heights. Chassis # 5 became black and a new in-line power unit nestled in the spot once made to hold a Tin Can Mabuchi. The new motor looked like a second cousin of a Pittman DC-60. Despite its fierce looks, my tests showed it to be less of a threat on the track than the Mabuchi it replaced.

10. Another step forward with the wheels saw performance to be the main aim in designing. A now large center rib ended the tire-popping problem.

11. Hero's a neat package offered at that time - a set of turned aluminum wheels for front and back. 3/32 brass-bushed threaded axles, and cast contrate and pinion. There's another question I've never been able to settle in my mind. Why. with such a delightful set of wheels, were cast gears used? No, you couldn't use the metal contrates because they were drilled for a 1/8" axle!

12. The next development, though never sold as a set chassis, must be included because it was a complete factory set-up. It was an all-brass job. fully suspended. By all rights, it should have been a winner but wasn't. I have been informed it has since been recalled from the market, but some are still to be had. It's really a shame for it represented an honest effort at an advance that apparently didn't come off. All brass was - and still is - the favorite route of the enthusiast. The chassis had an adjustable front end for setting wheelbase dimensions. Nylon bearings appeared. But the front suspension that works on a leading spring arrangement wouldn't stay put and the rear suspension would actually jump up with torque under acceleration, instead of sitting high and then squatting down.

13. The seventh and next to last chassis is of the proven all-Nylon type and quite similar to the others except that it is a short wheelbase version. Designed to hold only the new in-line motor. it appears to mark the end of the trail for the Tin Can as a standard unit. It's short, simple and rugged and the best I have yet to test. Only one shoe locator and it's up where it belongs-in the front. With two screw locators, ahead of the motor and be hind the gear. this one will flex less than ever. It should be in the new small competition cars.

14. There is yet another - the sub-miniature gem found in the Midget. The way the problems were solved is a pure delight to see. A complete frame section at the rear to house axle-and gear: one side member due to the narrowness of the chosen car. a flat tongue that locates the braided wire pickup; and, for the first time, a single pin guide. plus a simple snap hook to locate the front axle. Does it work! I have four to race with my friends! It's the closest thing to duplicating real Midget performance that I've ever seen. The second cousin motor has a baby, and this is its frame. Metal axles and wheels with three different sized tires, just like on the real thing. The big one on the right front wheel gets the load.

15. How popular is the Strombecker 1:32 chassis? Enough to be one of the first for which a custom parts company made a complete rear end! Turned aluminum wheels - true too - pressed onto a steel axle with a very smooth contrate flanked on one side by spacer washers to assure a perfect fit. The name is Raceway.

16. The Scuttler, a new motor that screams for go, has just been released. It has an all-brass rear end attached, and it follows in the foot. steps of another similar unit that has made a name for itself as a world. beater in all scales. This may even be the beginning of the end of the Chassis as we know it now. In any case improvements will continue. There will be mistakes-it's normal-but all in all, it an do nothing but get better and better.

17 and 18. For purposes of comparison, all the cars shown in the photographs are here brought together in two groups. Examine them closely, and the evolutionary steps become clear. Where are we heading in the future? Quien sabe!

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