An unusual M&E Models 'Special' tether car with an enclosed cockpit, produced by M&E Models of Exmouth, circa 1948. The company specialised in commercial model manufacturing and in 1947 introduced a range of tethered racing cars with a variety of engine types and mountings.
Has original paint work that has wonderful patina! This model racing car was made with a steel chassis, wooden bodywork, leather strap to fasten the aluminium bonnet, and has the original rear mounted miniature spark ignition 6cc Stentor combustion engine diving the front axle via a centrifugal clutch. Marked M&E Models on the chassis and several other components.
A rare raced survivor that has tons of character and is genuinely cool!
Dimensions: 47 cm/18½ inches (length) x 21.75 cm/8½ inches (max. width) x 14 cm/5½ inches (height).
Tether Cars are model racing cars powered by miniature internal combustion engines. The cars are attached to a central post by a steel cable in such a manner that they are able to repeatedly run around a circular track. Tether car racing started in California in the late 1930’s. The cars race individually and the winners are determined based on average speed of several laps. Early engines (prior to the 1950s) had spark ignition systems. Later engines use glow plug ignition. A Glow Plug engine, or Glow engine, is a type of small internal combustion engine typically used in model aircraft, model cars and similar applications. Glow engine fuel generally consists of methanol with varying degrees of nitromethane content.
