Olsen Machine Works "Interceptor" Gas-Powered Racing Tether Car, 1941
THF159704 / Olsen Machine Works "Interceptor" Gas-Powered Racing Tether Car, 1941
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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. Olsen tether cars were sold fully assembled. This model is of the enclosed "cabin car" style and doesn't have an open cockpit.
Artifact Details
Artifact
Model car
Date Made
1941
Creators
Place of Creation
Location
at Henry Ford Museum in Driven to Win: Racing in America
Object ID
2013.47.84
Credit
From the Collections of The Henry Ford. Gift of Eric Zausner and the E-Z Spindizzy Foundation.
Material
Magnesium
Paint (Coating)
Rubber (Material)
Color
Red
Yellow (Color)
Dimensions
Height: 7 in
Width: 6 in
Length: 18 in
Weight: 4.375 lb
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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.