Retro Chassis Builders - Who's Who?

[swiss]

Mike Swiss?

Based on what? Lol

I've traveled out of town racing Retro 3 times in 8 years.

I would first have to be considered a Retro racer before I could be an insecure Retro racer.

[Ron Hershman]

Paul K,
Subject for your next retro thread.
"Most insecure Retro racer".

LOL and LMAO

This was about Chassis builders. Some were "forgot"

It was pointed out the builders who chassis won "Premier" races..... again the chassis builder who probably has won the largest chunk of "Premier" races was "forgot" in the list of builders who's chassis has won a lot of them.

Nothing "insecure" in giving those credit with facts that history shows.

[Noose]

But of course we needed the complete history right Ron?

[swiss]

Rande wasn't forgotten.

He was just listed a few posts later.

Threads like this are always stupid.

It's inevitable someone will get forgotten.

[pablo]

Rick Bennardo. Not only a chassis builder, but a long time designer and The King of specialty slot car tools.
In no particular order:
Terry Schmid
Jay Guard
Philippe de Lespinay
Nesta
John Cukras
Foamy
Duffy
Tex
Jersey John

I'm sure I left somebody out

[Ron Hershman]

A few more...... Ernie Mossetti, Dale Granger, Billy Gearhart, Randy Kohr, Lou Pirro, Ken Swanson, Manta Ray, Rob Hanson, Marc Picione, Malcolm Lovelace, Mike Panko, George Kimber.

[swiss]

Rick Bennardo. Not only a chassis builder, but a long time designer and The King of specialty slot car tools.
In no particular order:
Terry Schmid
Jay Guard
Philippe de Lespinay
Nesta
John Cukras
Foamy
Duffy
Tex
Jersey John

I'm sure I left somebody out

Pablo,
Good job adding to the long list.

Especially Terry.

He has to be the guy who puts in the biggest effort/ make's the chassis most would consider a work of art.

Still, someone who owns a soldering iron will be forgotten and get their feelings hurt such as real obvious ones, like Chris Radisch, who has built a ton of winning chassis, and no one has bothered to mention.

[oldweirdherald]

Wow.... thanks for all the responses!

I had no idea this list would grow so long or so quickly.

And I had no intention of it becoming an all-inclusive list or some sort of battle of who's favorite chassis builder is "better" then your favorite chassis builder... LOL

Complete resumes are not required... but a simple endorsement or brief reason for the mention is nice.

While a list of names might be useful, someone who is looking to buy or looking to start building retro chassis for the first time might need a bit more then just a name (or a bit less then a complete resume!) to go on. LOL

Please keep in mind, that I did not really intend on getting a list that covers anyone who has been known as a chassis builder, past or present, nor anyone who has ever picked up a soldering iron.

If you reread my first post - what I was really after was a current list of who is considered as "influential" and / or "innovative" chassis builders... building RETRO chassis that win races LATELY.

To put it in perspective... think of the following two sentences, and fill in the blanks...

"I'm thinking about getting into retro racing, but I don't know how to build a chassis yet. I want to buy a chassis built by _________, _________, or _________."

or

"I'm planning to start building my own retro chassis, and I would love to build chassis that are something like the ones built by _________, _________, or _________."

and perhaps add a BRIEF reason... something like: "because _________'s chassis ______________________________________."

Thanks again, for all the responses... but I just wanted to keep this thread on point, and be sure that the info serves a useful purpose... rather then just a list of names of everyone who ever built a chassis.

Okie dokie? Thanks!!!

Paul K @ OWH

[pablo]

My list is as guilty as anyone, Paul
But I did include some who have had lots of influence, yet don't show up in the headlines much.

The only influence Ken Swanson ever had on me is being late to tech. Did he ever post a chassis build online to help newbies? (before he quit slot cars ?)

[Ron Hershman]

My list is as guilty as anyone, Paul


The only influence Ken Swanson ever had on me is being late to tech. Did he ever post a chassis build online to help newbies? (before he quit slot cars ?)

LOL..... At the first R4 Ken had me run his car with a chassis he built..... I went faster with it than I did with any car I had in my box.

Ken won the 3rd Sano Can Am race with a chassis he built.

Nuff said

Did he post a "chassis build" online. Not that I know of.

He probably didn't want to give away his secrets LOL

[Ramcatlarry]

When you start with chassis KITS from JK, RGEO, Swiss, or Samson, it is hard to build a POOR driver and all of the mentioned builders have built most of them - with and without modifications/innovations.

[pablo]

OK Ron H, I stand corrected on Swanson. He was a nice guy, I'll say that for sure.

[oldweirdherald]

I didn't see mention of our friends from Retro Tokyo.... is it Kamo San that I have seen his chassis pics?

I planned on a separate thread to get a list of the chassis component manufacturers, but I realize that may be a fairly short list.

I do actually have a plan or two in mind while gathering all this info... but this is a good start.

Paul K @ OWH

[Bill Fulmer]

Kano was mentioned in post number 5

[glueside]

Rick Stagen, Jobiwon, Jersey John, Dave Krumnow, Rich Attee, Rick Sloan, JP Milcherka, Sano Dave Fiedler, Mike "Raisin" Garrett, Ken Wehnert, Greg Fox, Russ Toy..... just to name a few more

Ron you forgot Austin Milcherka also, cause I think his chassis are just as clean as his dads.

Defiantly Rick Stagen and Dave Fiedler.