Auto World Vega funny Car

Looks identical to the 1/16th Revell "Jungle Jim" funny car.

Thanks for Your information on the A/W Vega. These photos are the exact same that I received from Jim Ockruky of Ohio.  Its really ashame that this Situation has occurred, As mentioned before, I stumbled upon some info on these cars at R/C groups website. I had heard that when Estes bought out Cox 1998????  or whenever, that Dan Sitter and Bernie had bought out the remaining parts and engines available. I know that the Car pistons, crankshafts and crankcases are readily available, I am Sad to hear that the inside of the Engine had problems. There really are enough parts out there to build new Engines. If I was very wealthy I would offer Tom Lowe all the funding needed to Build these Cars. Oh Well, Life goes on. I have ran the Cox Jeep 10 times in a row on 30% Cox Racing Fuel and then sent the Delrin Backplate to Dan for inspection. Wow, talk about Performance!!!!  Years back I spoke to a one Burnis Ray and remember hearing that when Cox was in Colorado that the CNC Department had issues due to not being Climate Controlled.  Thanks Guys, Bill Stek. PS If You want to get a Good laugh check on YOU TUBE and see My Jeep, Snowmobile, Purple Dune Buggy and Matadoor stocker.

Bill steklenski wrote:Thanks for Your information on the A/W Vega. These photos are the exact same that I received from Jim Ockruky of Ohio.  Its really ashame that this Situation has occurred

Yes it a shame. I think those cars would have been a big success. Not to mention other designs such as Pro Stocks or even other classics like the old 1/20 scale Steel Chassis cars like the GT Ford and Vette or even the old Dune Buggies etc.. could have been possible.

Bill steklenski wrote:I know that the Car pistons, crankshafts and crankcases are readily available

True there are plenty of Pistons available, but the crankcases and crankshafts are not readily available as the crankcase's used in the Cars had a larger diameter crank neck and the cranks were not splined as shown in the pictures.



However, I did suggest a new flywheel design that could be made to use on a standard Bee crankcase assy. but I was told that cost per engine would have been prohibitive.

Shawn

Cribbs74 wrote:Looks identical to the 1/16th Revell "Jungle Jim" funny car.

Yes it does. That's a neat car. I've always liked the vintage "Flopper's" more than the new ones we see today.
Back then, they looked like real cars, now they look like aerodynamic bubbles on wheels!

sdjjadk wrote:I've always liked the vintage "Flopper's" more than the new ones we see today.
Back then, they looked like real cars, now they look like aerodynamic bubbles on wheels!

Agreed.
  This was one of my faves from the 70's, driven by Roger Lindamood.

Bob

Thanks for the info Shawn, I have about one dozen of each or these type crankcases and crankshafts in My personal parts Stash. I would think that someone out there would have a large amount of these?? Dan Sitter from California had a Ebay store, Model Engines and parts Warehouse, I have not been able to find it on Ebay and then He went to "California Dan" for a user ID. I thought that He and Bernie Aquired all the left over parts when Estes bought out Cox.  Even if these models were mass produced I wonder if the kids would take to them, Today it seems like they are all into the Computer games.  As far as These Funny Car Photos they were the Good old Days. The Bodies were So Cool looking compared to todays Funny cars. I have a VCR Movie of Funny Car Summer with the Jim Dunn ////   Dunn/Wreath Barracuda Funny Car, Man!!  Those were Cool Cars!   I also remember building the Revell 1/16th scale cars back in the Seventies. A interesting Point, If You look carefully at the Cox Pinto Funny Car You will see that one model came with the stripe down the side that has stars in the stripe, They also had a stripe with the name "Bill Shifsky" in it on the same model. I have a large color photo dated April 1974 where the Cox Pinto is painted a bright Pearl Yellow with the Bill Shifsky stripe. I have a body for the cox pinto I am painting to match for display. I was told that Cox had one of these Bodies Decaled as the Vintage 'Wonder wagon" Funny Car but it has yet remained to be seen. Probably as rare as the Ski Doo and Halftrack prototype photos I have.  Has Anyone ever researched what happened to some of the original Cox Tooling?

dckrsn wrote:

sdjjadk wrote:I've always liked the vintage "Flopper's" more than the new ones we see today.
Back then, they looked like real cars, now they look like aerodynamic bubbles on wheels!

Agreed.
  This was one of my faves from the 70's, driven by Roger Lindamood.

Bob

That is a neat car for sure. Some of my favorite oldie's were Roland Leong's Flying Hawaiian Dodge Charger, The Chi-Town Hustler John Farkonas Blue Max Dodge Charger, Shirley "Cha Cha" Muldowney's Blue Mustang, and of course the famous Revell sponsored Snake and Mongoose Cuda's. Which incidentally, there was an excellent movie made years ago call Heart Like A Wheel The Shirley Muldowney Story and there was a movie made last year called Snake vs. Mongoose the story of Don Prudhomme and Tom Mcewen which is really good as well.

Bill steklenski wrote:Thanks for the info Shawn, I have about one dozen of each or these type crankcases and crankshafts in My personal parts Stash. I would think that someone out there would have a large amount of these?? Dan Sitter from California had a Ebay store, Model Engines and parts Warehouse, I have not been able to find it on Ebay and then He went to "California Dan" for a user ID. I thought that He and Bernie Aquired all the left over parts when Estes bought out Cox.  Even if these models were mass produced I wonder if the kids would take to them, Today it seems like they are all into the Computer games.  As far as These Funny Car Photos they were the Good old Days. The Bodies were So Cool looking compared to todays Funny cars. I have a VCR Movie of Funny Car Summer with the Jim Dunn ////   Dunn/Wreath Barracuda Funny Car, Man!!  Those were Cool Cars!   I also remember building the Revell 1/16th scale cars back in the Seventies. A interesting Point, If You look carefully at the Cox Pinto Funny Car You will see that one model came with the stripe down the side that has stars in the stripe, They also had a stripe with the name "Bill Shifsky" in it on the same model. I have a large color photo dated April 1974 where the Cox Pinto is painted a bright Pearl Yellow with the Bill Shifsky stripe. I have a body for the cox pinto I am painting to match for display. I was told that Cox had one of these Bodies Decaled as the Vintage 'Wonder wagon" Funny Car but it has yet remained to be seen. Probably as rare as the Ski Doo and Halftrack prototype photos I have.  Has Anyone ever researched what happened to some of the original Cox Tooling?

From what I have heard, and maybe Bernie can chime in here and correct me if I'm worng, but most of the tooling and molds were destroyed by either COX or Estes when COX closed up shop. And as far as the car engines and parts go, a lot of those cars were discontinued back in the 80's so I would imagine they stopped production of replacement car engines and parts not long after, making those parts hard to find. And you don't see many new old stock parts on Fee Bay and when they do pop up, they are expensive.

As for the Drag Car's, I remember the Funny Car Summer movie but I haven't had a chance to see it yet. But yeah Jim Dunn had a really cool car. Also,  here are a couple pics of Bill Schifsky's cars including the yellow version.



I also did a search for the COX Wonder Wagon with no luck. This is just a guess here, but maybe the Vega Wagon was originally going to have the Wonder Bread decals but had an issue with licensing or maybe COX couldn't sponsor both Bill Shcifsky and Don Schumacher at the same time?

Growing up, I built quite a few of the old funny car and dragster model kits. In fact, my first dragster model was the pink Shirley Muldowney Top Fuel dragster by Revell. Even the old Top Fuel "Diggers" had some cool lines.

I have the 1/16 Revell models of everyone you mentioned with the exception of Shirley Muldowney.

When I get old I plan on building them.

Ron

Cribbs74 wrote:I have the 1/16 Revell models of everyone you mentioned with the exception of Shirley Muldowney.

When I get old I plan on building them.

Ron

Please post some pics in the Off Topic Thread when you start building them. My oldest son and I drag race 1/24 scale slot cars and I have a 1/24 scale Daddy Warbucks Mustang Funny Car kit that I was going to use the body for a new slot car but I think I might just build the kit instead. I wouldn't mind building some dragsters but plastic model kits have skyrocketed in price!

Will do, may be a while though.

The 60's/70's drag/floppers were absolutely amazing works of art!

Cribbs74 wrote:Will do, may be a while though.

The 60's/70's drag/floppers were absolutely amazing works of art!

OOOH that's CoooooLLL!!!
I bet it was scary to drive those cars being directly behind the engine and sitting pretty much on top of the rear housing. I can almost imaging the oh Sh** moments when either the engine, trans or rear end detonated!

Different breed of men. In all fairness though the speeds were much tamer back then. I just can't imagine going over 100mph on bias ply tires.

Hey Guys, I am so glad that You are enjoying the Hobby. Almost 15 years ago I joined the MODEL ENGINE COLLECTORS ASSOCIATION Club and have literally spoken to people all over the Country of USA. A one Willy Shuhaibar from California told me about the Cox Wonder Wagon, perhaps a few models were made but never came in to production. The L&M Cox Manufacturing company was a incredible Toy Factory, I have heard so many different stories over the years. A one Amos Ponder who told Me that at one time some "Disgruntled Employees" mixed up the wrong plastic color pellets and made a off color P51 Mustang parts and Fuselages. I have about 8 Cox "Communique" Company newsletters that highlight Different Employees, New Products and information of the Time. I have Personally spoken to Glen Bolton from Texas who had designed many ideas of the Cox Cars and Engine Changes. He told Me that when He worked for the Cox company he was in a room with a "One Way" glass window and could watch the Children playing with the Cox Cars and see how they would act and react, Likewise, He also was in a Trailer outside the Company watching the Kids thru a "One Way" glass window. In one of the Newsletters there is a photo of him at a table with the Cox Trike which I believe He had worked on Designing. Having over 750 Employees at one time was Quite a Accomplishment for Le Roy Cox. There was a Prototype Halftrack with the Cox Jeep front end and was actually on Ebay some Years back when Glen was selling off some of his Cox toys, He said that Upper Management thought that it was to "Warlike" and did not put it into production. I Personally Had the Cox Jeep Blueprinted and sent Glen Copies for His Achievement, Respect and Recognition. The ID Numbers on the Hood of the Jeep were his Military "Dog Tag Numbers". On another front page of the the newsletter is a Photo of 2 Ladies building Cox Dune Buggies with Stacks of Bodies, Wheels and tires, Chassis' and other parts. I remember firing up My First AA/FUELER and listening to the Partridge Family music, Life was great being a Kid and even better Now. Great work Guys on the Funny Car Photos and Models, I have the Snake and Mongoose Combo kit I need to finish, Hemi under Glass, and a few built ones.

The Funny Cars of the Seventies Were Absolutely Beautiful and Full of Design, Character and Muscle. A Friend of Mine had told Me about Sox and Martin Trailering in many Cars to Englishtown New Jersey back in the Day. The Body Styles and Personality of the Cars were Truely Historic.

Great Thread as I don't own any cox cars at this time but do live and grew up here at home only a few miles from Piedmont dragway  N.C. And as a kid my cousin and I bicycled there quit often ( when we could get in for free being of that age )  and have seen a many of races at 100mph/ now the 1/8 mile track is putting out over 200 in top fuel  .....      Ihear them all the time can almost smell the Smoke and nitro burning up the country....Getback