Slot Cars: Thunderjet 500

In the 1960s and 1970s the Aurora Model Motoring ThunderJet 500 was a very popular slot car. These magnet-less 'pancake motor' slot cars are still loads of fun to drive. Unlike modern slot cars, they don't stick to the track like glue and love to fishtail in corners. Their small size (about the size of a HotWheel/MatchBox) allows them to be set up in much smaller spaces than 1:32 or 1:48 sets.

AutoWorld T-Jets

Unfortunately these great slot cars have not been made for many years. Only recently have companies such as AutoWorld started developing T-Jet replicas. These newer models accurately mimic the feel of older ThunderJets, but the parts are not within tolerances to be swappable.

An excellent resource for everything regarding HO slot cars is HOSlotCarRacing.com. With dozens of track layouts, tips, and just a wealth of information.

In my senior year of high school I reverse engineered a ThunderJet and drew it in AutoCAD. Here are some renders of it. It's extremely accurate, as digital calipers were used to grab every measurement.

T-Jet Photos