Dragsters

 

There are nine models from the era that I specialise in which I have largely managed to avoid over the last 50 years or so. These are the 'dragsters' - weird but not exactly wonderful vehicles designed, as far as I can tell, purely for racing down a straight track for a minute or two at most. As I live a mere stone's throw from the Santa Pod Raceway, I thought I'd better have a look at these at last.

They were issued between April 1971 and February 1973, some only staying in the catalogue for a year or so, a couple lasting a bit longer. They were numbered 161-167, 169 and 170. What happened to 168 I don't know. 

At the end of 1971 Corgi Track Sets were shown in the catalogues but I have never seen any.

It seems that these tracks, with a Power Blaster and various accessories were intended for the Whizzwheels models and especially things like these Dragsters, the illustrations featuring what look like the Quartermaster Dragster and an Adams Probe 1.6 model. (Not to be confused with the 'Rockets' Track sets and accessories at a smaller scale)

April 1971 was the first one - the 162 Quartermaster Dragster.

June 1971 saw the next dragster in a similar style - the 161 Commuter Dragster. Here is one with a silver base although most appear to be all metallic deep red.

In July 1971 Corgi make massive modifications to the 163 Ford Capri, turning it into a Santa Pod Gloworm Dragster which is quite a dramatic-looking thing. Whereas the first two did little other than look like pencils with wheels, the Capri has a button at the front which makes it open up as you can see. 

October 1971 sees another Ford casting destroyed as the lovely old Mustang becomes the 166 Ford Mustang Organ Grinder. Unlike the Capri, nothing special happens with this model but then it was only 45p compared to the Capri at 65p.

December 1971 sees the issue of this strange thing. It's the 167 Ison Brothers 'Wild Honey' Dragster. I guess the Isons liked the Beach Boys. The little model is like nothing before, though, seemingly something like an ancient Austin 7 maybe, but certainly nothing from any previous Corgi production that I can recognise. I have to acquire one of these to see whether it does anything other than look odd. It has rather tedious Whizzwheels and doesn't last long, either, being removed from the catalogue in 1973.

In February 1972 this extraordinary machine appears. Apparently it is a 4-engined Adams Drag-Star Dragster, model 165. You can see how imaginative these Santa Pod people were. It shares the almost standard Dragster rear wheels and the front will be familiar too. They're the open 8-spoke type. This one's 'added feature' is an air brake that pops out at the back.

Sometime later, in October 1972 the third and last of the pencil shaped dragsters comes out, the 170 Radio Luxembourg edition, looking very similar to the first two but with slight changes to the driving section and rear. The wheels, though, look identical.

The next issue is in December 1972 and is just called a US Racing Buggy, numbered 167. Again, I don't recognise what it might have been based on, if anything. It has knobbly tyres, two people inside and, quite frankly, is not at all impressive and does nothing that I can see. I haven't yet bought one and really do hope I don't have to and maybe one will be included in a job lot one day. They didn't last long, not being listed after 1973.

The last of the series is model number 169, probably the weirdest. It's called a Silver Streak Swedish Jet Dragster so I assume it was just a jet engine attached to four wheels and not a lot else. It is quite unlike anything else and would surely have appealed to a totally different market and seems more like an 800 series model but for the 'Dragster' name. This came out in February 1973 and stayed around until 1977, along with the Radio Luxembourg Dragster. The others generally disappeared from dealers' order forms in 1973 although many will have been available on shelves in shops I expect.

It's an odd collection and somehow marks the end of Corgi as I wish to remember the brand. After this, we see a rag-bag of production throughout 1973, with a few 1:43 scale items and the larger 1:36 racing cars vying for position on shelves with a whole raft of aircraft.

Things get even worse in 1974 with only the lovely VW1200/1300 Driving School car in 1:43 to relieve the gloom amongst even bigger racing cars, tedious utility vehicles and some nameless 'Hi Speed' 700 series models. I can only suspect that Corgi management had given up trying to give any sort of direction and you have to feel sorry for the reps at this time.

By 1975 there does seem to be some effort at a recognisable brand in the shape of the larger 1:36 scale models but it is all just a little too late now.