I went back to the 50s and brought back a Prop Rod

**Admin** Thu Jun 30, 2022 1:52 am

I've been meaning to post about this!

I went back to the 50s and brought back a Prop Rod 2022-p10

Every year over father's day weekend, thousands of classic cars no newer than 1964 flood the area for the Back To The Fifties car show at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds. Looking at the numbers, there were 9,919 cars registered this year. However, my favorite part of that show is the Sunday Swap Meet. Out of all the flea markets and antique shows I go to each year, that swap meet is normally my best chance to find Cox related items. I've picked up a number of engines, fuel cans, and models out there over the years. About 10-11 years ago, I even saw this for sale out there:

I went back to the 50s and brought back a Prop Rod 2010-010

I went back to the 50s and brought back a Prop Rod 2010-011

I went back to the 50s and brought back a Prop Rod Cox_fu10

I wish I had the money and room for it at the time.

Anyway, this year, I spotted this among a table of crap for $30.

I went back to the 50s and brought back a Prop Rod Img_6722

It's in pretty rough shape, missing the canopy, repaired crash damage, cracks all over, every screw hole stripped, chipped out engine mounting hole on the nacelle, broken off steering wheel (but included!)... It is an early metal bottom Prop Rod.

I initially stopped, looked at it and then factoring the poor condition, I started moving on to the next few tables before coming to my senses and thinking "what the hell's wrong with you, get your ass back there and get that". So after slowly walking back to the table and keeping a poker face (yeah right, I was wearing a Cox Engine Powered shirt...), I offered $20, he countered with $25 and I took it!

It will need some work, but the good thing with these rough condition models is you can actually play with them. I stuck the closest within reach rough condition Babe Bee on it using some pieces of paper stuffed into the screw holes in order for the screws to grab onto something. Over time, I'll have to track down a beat up blue tanked Space Bug Jr. for it.

I went back to the 50s and brought back a Prop Rod Img_6812

I went back to the 50s and brought back a Prop Rod Img_6813

I went back to the 50s and brought back a Prop Rod Img_6815

I went back to the 50s and brought back a Prop Rod Img_6816

I went back to the 50s and brought back a Prop Rod Img_6814

It gained some attention as I carried it around the car show for awhile before taking it out and putting it in the car. A few guys who had one growing up, and another guy who collects old toys like that and couldn't believe he missed out on it down at the swap meet.

GallopingGhostler Thu Jun 30, 2022 6:06 am

Wow! What a find, Jacob, and only $25! You scored big!

And thanks for posting that photo of the 1971 Cox Pinto dragster, the real McCoy! I didn't know that Leroy Cox was into advertising (or, was it under Leisure Dynamics, then?) by selling the Cox name in racing events. It would make sense. Cox was into half-A's, where the rest of the modeling world was into .40 sized R/C aircraft then, with the C/L flyers into the nominal .35 sized sized planes. So, Cox selected an American sub-compact car for its advertising basis.

I don't know if the Cox dragster ever won any events. But, it lives on, which is amazing.

rsv1cox Thu Jun 30, 2022 6:10 am

Pure gold Jacob, look at that beautiful dash panel, and three out of four mounting screw recepticals. Jackpot! Smile

A little of this, a lot of that and you have a winner.

Bob

davidll1984 Thu Jun 30, 2022 6:29 am

Ho m'y Good god pinto dragster Shocked

Ha I really want to call the number just in casse it stil avalible a complété race cars for this price m'y o my Head Bang

KariFS Thu Jun 30, 2022 7:05 am

What, for the price of 5-6 toy dragsters you could buy a real one lol!

Nice find, that Prop Rod!

getback Thu Jun 30, 2022 7:14 am

nice !! And that can bee a runner witch sometimes is better that a shelf queen > And it shows it had fun before ! Good deal with the going back after a slap up side the head lol!

The repo naticials can be got at times on the bay RSVBob1 just get one not long ago ... I Love This Forum!

**Admin** Fri Jul 01, 2022 12:09 am

GallopingGhostler wrote:

I don't know if the Cox dragster ever won any events. But, it lives on, which is amazing.

Well... I hope it still lives, but I recall some years back, it was listed for sale on the local Craigslist and he eventually updated the listing to say he was interested in parting it out with prices for the engine, transmission, wheels, ect.

Hopefully it didn't get parted out, but who knows.

GallopingGhostler Fri Jul 01, 2022 9:23 am

Yeah, it would seem a travesty that one would part out a historic relic. He was interested in a quick sale, using the wrong venue, would have been better to pay a fee IMO, and have it auctioned off at one of those historic car auction sites with greater coverage that garner the well-to-do's to bid on it.

Makes me wonder if the car was passed on to him through an estate.

But, seeing baby boomer hobby stuff being auctioned off on the Internet, obtained cheaply at estate auctions, goes to show that worth is only in the eye of the beholder. I'd be just as happy with a copy print of a famous painting hung up in the house instead of the genuine article.

And, I am just as happy with a humble Medallion than a Tee Dee. To each, their own. Old Bugger

The half-A's are here to stay, IMO. Tired w/ Coffee Read

And, congrats on the fine win, although it is a little in the rough, it can be cleaned up to look respectable to showcase, or run again. Thumbs Up

rsv1cox Fri Jul 01, 2022 9:43 am

That scar left front looks pretty evil! Reminds me of the rusted rocker panels on my long gone and ill remembered MG Midget. But I bet some caefully applied and sanded Bondo would cover it nicely. A better bet than spackling compound or liquid balsa. Even spot putty would work if you don't like mixing MEK.

But, I used simple spackling on my yellow prop rod to cover the four holes drilled in the body and it turned out fine. Long term? I don't know.

I went back to the 50s and brought back a Prop Rod P1013546

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I went back to the 50s and brought back a Prop Rod

I went back to the 50s and brought back a Prop Rod

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Re: I went back to the 50s and brought back a Prop Rod

Re: I went back to the 50s and brought back a Prop Rod

Re: I went back to the 50s and brought back a Prop Rod

Re: I went back to the 50s and brought back a Prop Rod

Re: I went back to the 50s and brought back a Prop Rod

Re: I went back to the 50s and brought back a Prop Rod

Re: I went back to the 50s and brought back a Prop Rod