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Topic starter
01/05/2023 1:56 pm
Sometime on the mid to late '80s, I was at an antique show in Manhattan. One dealer was showing a beautiful set of vintage Art Deco furniture. A centerpiece on a very handsome desk was this golden model, about 2 1/12' long, of a preposterously shaped car. I thought it was an artistic expression of deco automobilia. I thought it was the coolest thing ever, but not on my budget. Fast focus to the next century and I find out it was a real car... the 1929 Irving-Napier Special "Golden Arrow". It was a 1000hp beast that took the land speed record at Daytona in 1927 at almost 204mph powered by a Napier Lion VllA W12 engine that displaced 1461 cid. In 1929, it set a new LSR of 231mph. What I had seen back then was John Irving's model of the car (pictured) (with a price tag to match ). Released in 1932 was a 2' long tin type windup model by the Kingsbury Co. The Schylling co replicated this tin type toy about 10 years ago and I had to have it. It's the only model I have that can varoom around the living room on little Dunlop tires. I looks great on my desk top.
01/05/2023 3:45 pm
Impressive and imposing ! Schylling did a terrific job with this reproduction.
01/05/2023 10:47 pm
I love LSR cars so this one definitely greatly appeals to me! I never knew a model of this car existed!
100Ford2003 reacted
02/05/2023 12:49 pm
Great article and images Rich.
I have this in 1/43 by Bizarre as you do, and by Western Models. The Western one is quite heavy in white metal. I think that Lledo did a small version about 4 inches long.
I wish that I had the larger tinplate version.
Christopher Moroni and Rich Sufficool reacted
Topic starter
02/05/2023 1:05 pm
@david-green Did you notice the front/rear gun sight on the Bizarre? I guess the drive sights on a distant target to maintain a straight line.
Christopher Moroni and David Green reacted
02/05/2023 4:34 pm
Hi Rich,
Yes, I did see that. Not sure it is a case of more detail but more a specific time period for this car. That gunsight is not on the car as it sits presently in the Beaulieu National Museum but is was on it for the 1929 Daytona run. I could not find it in any other images.
Christopher Moroni reacted