Hiller "Comet" Gas-Powered Racing Tether Car, 1940-1942
THF160652 / Hiller "Comet" Gas-Powered Racing Tether Car, 1940-1942
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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. This is one of approximately 500 models produced by Hiller Industries of San Francisco. The company's founder, 17-year-old Stanley Hiller, Jr., went on to design and build helicopters.
Artifact Details
Artifact
Model car
Date Made
1940-1942
Creators
Place of Creation
Location
at Henry Ford Museum in Driven to Win: Racing in America
Object ID
2013.47.95
Credit
From the Collections of The Henry Ford. Gift of Eric Zausner and the E-Z Spindizzy Foundation.
Material
Steel (Alloy)
Cardboard
Paint (Coating)
Rubber (Material)
Dimensions
Height: undefined in
Width: undefined in
Length: undefined in
Weight: 10.75 lb
Inscriptions
box:
Hiller Comet
Miniature Racing Car
Another Hiller Comet
Manufactured on an Assembly Line
Completely Assembled Race Car
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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.