Casting Plate for Matthews "Silver Streak" Gas-Powered Racing Tether Car, 1939
THF157119 / Casting Plate for Matthews "Silver Streak" Gas-Powered Racing Tether Car, 1939
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Artifact Overview
Tether cars, gas-powered model race cars, were popular in the 1930s and 1940s. They were raced individually while tethered to a central pivot, or against each other on a scaled-down board track. The Matthews Foundry, owned by model racer Percy Matthews, produced the "Silver Streak," a model of an Indianapolis-style car. Matthews models were successful in sales and on race courses.
Artifact Details
Artifact
Mold (Shaping tool)
Date Made
1939
Creators
Place of Creation
Creator Notes
Manufactured by Percy Matthews and Matthews Foundry, Fresno, California.
Location
at Henry Ford Museum in Driven to Win: Racing in America
Object ID
2013.47.34.1
Credit
From the Collections of The Henry Ford. Gift of Eric Zausner and the E-Z Spindizzy Foundation.
Material
Metal
Wood (Plant material)
Color
Silver (Color)
Dimensions
Height: 5.75 in
Width: 25.25 in
Length: 16.25 in
Weight: 20.25 lb
Inscriptions
Handwritten:
12
On metal tag:
GFSCO | 660
Keywords |
|---|
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Related Content
SetTether Cars: Big Thrills in Small Scale
- 25 Artifacts
Tether cars provided big racing thrills in a smaller size. These miniature gas-powered model cars were raced individually while tethered to a central pivot, or against each other on a scaled-down track. At their peak popularity in the years surrounding World War II, some 25 major manufacturers -- and hundreds of individual builders -- produced tether cars. The artifacts in this set offer a peek into this exciting hobby.