2025 Editorial tethered cars and hydroplanes

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August 2025

Back on track with publication now and a bumper edition, thanks to a number of articles that have arrived during the last month. We also managed to publish the outstanding race reports towards the end of June, and in case you missed them there is the OTW Spring tour, SAM Retrofest and the JUNE BTCG meetings.

The matter in hand this month though is a question that was posed to us and has been taxing many for a while, 'are tethered cars and engines still an investment?' There is no doubt that the recent trend in engine values has been downwards, and in some cases catastrophically so. This is often reflected in the world of antiques, 'collectables', classic and prewar cars, unless it is something high end or has the magic words Cosworth or RS on the back? Like model engines, there is just too much out there for the available market, which is changing significantly. This is apparent with the desire to own campaign medals, and in particular VCs where the number available is finite and values seemingly on an exponential curve upwards. Where does that leave us though? If you are of an age where the gathering together took place before engine collecting became the rage it was, then you could have been sitting very pretty, if you had realised assets just a few years ago. The trend since then has been steadily down as auction results have illustrated, with reserves being set at half or less than what was being asked for the same motor at swapmeets. Several of our regular correspondents have remarked that they paid 'far too much' and will have to take a massive hit when selling.

There is no doubt that the possible market is contracting, but the number of engines coming in to it is growing rapidly. BMFA, Gildings and SAS auction results currently show that as a recent investment, engines have performed about as well as the Woodford Investment Fund. But then as Derek Mathewson so succinctly put it 'it is a hobby, and hobbies cost money'. One of our contacts has bought over 4,000 engines, 'as a pension'. Not sure that will have worked out too well now if he needs to cash in? By comparison, a more modest collector has about 1500 engines, because he likes them and the stories behind each and not bothered about the cost. Isn't that what collecting should be about?

If the engine market is somewhat depressed, then that for tethered and model cars seems to be headed in the opposite direction. A similar situation seems to have arisen with older tethered hydros as well. Given the amounts of money that are being spent we can only assume that there is a much wider market for these than engines, possibly because they can be displayed more attractively and appeal to those who have no connection with modelling at all? Older tinplate has also rocketed in value by up to 10X, about the same for vintage hydros and for cars with a scalish appearance headed towards 100X what they would have made. In terms of investment then it is down to whether a line on the time/value graph is now above or below for each item and in which direction the line is headed? The great unknowns are whether the engine market has bottomed out yet or that for cars and boats topped out. Certainly for one group of owners it is still a sellers market and for engine enthusiasts a buying opportunity.

The Pitbox this month is the contribution Sweden made to producing a standard design of car that would be appropriate for Juniors. Known by the initials of the Swedish federation, the SMRU made use of a freely available aero engine, as the twinshaft of yore was long gone.

The Photo is something of an antidote to those who claim that travelling to meetings is too far, too difficult or too expensive. It always was, and even more so before the days of RoRo ferries, modern roads and ultra reliable and comfortable cars, yet competitors did travel.

The new Album is another of our more self indulgent ones as it features a number of engines that have come to our attention for a variety of reasons, their rarity, success, or in some cases because we did not know they even existed, but otherwise, just because we like them.

Four articles this month, the first, another Oliver build from John Goodall, but this time the ultra rare 'Bomb'. Originally conceived to hold a twinshaft motor and other components by sandwiching them between the top and the bottom, getting a foot mounted twinshaft in has exercised John's mind and skills somewhat. Having admired the full sized car as teenager, John has also set about recreating the all British Vanwall to add to the range of twinshaft sized cars available. From Franco Colla in Italy comes a fascinating story resulting from a 5cc 'sidewinder' car in need of restoration. Not so much about the restoration but more about the person who built it, an Italian Champion speed flyer. Antonio DellaZoppa has added more information to his development of a FEMA style electric tethered car that is now headed towards the magic 300kph mark. A timely update just before publication reveals that he has achieved this, congratulations Antonio. It would be good to think that this might prompt some similar interest in electric power here in the UK?

A number of updates this month as well with the completion of the AMRO restoration, thanks to new heads from the factory, and a surprise package of original AD09 car parts. The planned exchange for an original chassis did not come to fruition so the search is on again for a 1.5cc car sans motor.

Following last month's brief announcements of several losses to the racing community, we are now able to publish more detailed appreciations of the lives, careers and involvement in model sports of Edvard Stelling and Stuart Robinson.

Difficult to believe after the previous two trips up to Buckminster that it could be even hotter, yet it was and relatively windless, swelteringly so, for the July meeting. Two people making welcome returns added to the variety of cars on the track, including the first ever run of the late Stuart Robinson's 2.1 car and the first run for 65+ years of a 5cc car, last run by Les Williamson of the British team back in 1958/9.

The success of the Market Place page continues to amaze us, with items selling all over the world within minutes of us pressing the 'publish' button. The page works, so let us have your ads and clear a little more space on the shelves (ready to fill with something else if our experience is anything to go by)?

The 74th European Championships in Lithuania concluded last Sunday with four new track records being set and some sparkling performances all round. Four of the classes went with current form although the margins of victory were small in some cases. It was good to see Andrii Yakimiv back in action and yet another Championship gold medal for Jan Erik Falk, with a new track record in Class IV. Well over twenty World an European Championships for jan Erik ovewr his long and successful career. Just 1kph in it though with Michael Schmutz tantalisingly close, with his Falk car. No one can get close to World Record holder Tonu Sepp in Class V whose first run of 339kph was never in danger, apart from the run with his reserve car at 338kph. Mats Bohlin twice achieved the incredible feat of having his either of his cars as winners and with almost identical speeds and now Tonu has matched this fifteen years on. Second step on the Class V podium was none other than Paul Otto Strobel at his third or fourth Championship since announcing his retirement. The largest cheer on the live stream was reserved for newcomer Oliver Girnth with the fastest run of his short career and so close to the longest standing competitor in the class, Ihor Safiyanyk, missing out by just 0.240kph.

Advance notice: After a fallow year Peter Hill is planning an open track day at his Gt Carlton Raceway near Louth next season. This will be for all vintage, retro and air cars to keep alive the spirit of the Retro Racing Club. There will also be a large table top sale, but before he goes ahead he does need to gauge the degree of support he might receive. If such an event appeals to you then please appraise Peter of your interest. He can be contacted by email arty.pole(at)gmail.com

June/July 25

The second of the six week editions that will run to the beginning of August. Unlike Christmas, Whitsun is a moveable feast so the associated race meetings coincided with the start of the month.

Many will have spent the winter months in the workshop building, renovating, restoring, preparing and developing models in whatever sphere of interest applies. For many years building from scratch was the order of the day and as mentioned earlier this year, the arrival of commercially built models and engines was a total anathema to many existing competitors. The builder of the model rule for aeroplanes continued for much longer, but there are still those that mourn the passing of this. It is inevitable that the availability of commercial equipment has changed the face of many of our disciplines and not always for the better. It is remarkable to see an entire box full of disposable combat models arriving from foreign parts, or the most exquisite FF model in exchange for a very large wodge of euros. Regular readers will know the high regard we hold for those who are successful with their own models and engines and admiration for those who never quite achieve that level of success, but continue to design and build these. There is of course an expectation that a commercial design or model should actually work, but that is not always the case as we have found to our cost. It is with the home built or designed models and engines where things can get more interesting though. We have often reported on the mathematical and engineering cock ups that have brought projects to an abrupt halt, but what is even more fascinating is discovering those projects where an elementary design flaw renders many hours of work little more than scrap.

These always make us wonder at which stage realisation hits or why it was not spotted earlier at the design or drawing stage. This is often where it goes wrong as many builders never resort to drawing anything out. Indeed Bert Stalham never did any drawings for his supercharged vee twin until they were needed for the ME article. A beautifully made four cylinder motor was passed around at Old Warden with the simple statement, 'can you see what is wrong with it'? In the end, it was so obvious that most missed it, there was absolutely no induction system or method of getting fuel into the engine. How, after all the hours spent building it could this have been missed? That is not the only case though as recently we came across a more complex engine where the cylinders had to be attached to the separate crankcase halves, which were then bolted together, except er, the holes for the bolts were now under the cylinders and if the crankcases were bolted together first then the cylinders could not be attached. Drawings are noted for dimensions being wrong that can catch out the unwary if not actually measuring from the job. How though does a tethered car proceed from having made a pattern, casting and then completely machining the pan, installing the motor, crankshaft support, tuned pipe and front suspension without realising that the pinion gear on the motor could never ever touch the crown wheel, let alone mesh properly. Perhaps that is why it appeared on the market?

The Pitbox this month is one of the very rarest of the British 10cc racing motors the Nordec Special series II. Yes, we have previously featured the only other two of these known to exist, but the latest, just the third to appear, is unique so far. This is the only one that has not done service in a speed plane, so is unmolested still having its exhaust stack intact and the Nordec logo in place. We can also now lay to rest the origins of what was claimed to be the first Series II discovered, and its downdraft backplate.

No wonder the British are constantly moaning about the weather as Buckminster went from a swelteringly hot 27C on Thursday and Friday through to a miserable 10 on Sunday and with a biting, north easterly wind. Use of the hangar was a godsend for keeping out of the sun for two days and staying warm for the others. The wind played havoc with the fun fly out on the field, but for the tethered car enthusiasts it was a case of putting more coats on. For a variety of reasons it was a memorable weekend for all attending the first BTCG meeting of the year, all of which are related in the report of the four day's activities.

Several comments have been made concerning the auction that featured the tethered cars last month, and in particular the speed the auctioneer was moving on, not allowing for the time delay that bidders around the world needed to get their bids on. Nearly 100 tethered cars have appeared for auction in the UK in the last two months along with the thick end of 1,000 engines, leading to the suspicion that the market might now becoming saturated with an ever declining cohort of buyers? All this is not helped by the ever upward rise of commissions. Gildings are now charging an eye watering 32.4% for buyers and 18% + £8 lotting fee for sellers. This might help explain why there are now so many multiples appearing in one lot. Just look at the sums. Four NIB engines as one lot, hammer price £80. Sold individually, four £8 lotting fees, £32, 18% sellers commission £14, buyer gets just £34 in total instead of £58. Not the worst though as a visit from the seller of a large collection to an auction house found the buyers commission to be a massive 45%, which must reduce the hammer prices even more significantly if buyers take this in to account?

A regular trip for John Goodall used to be Orebro for the 'Old Timer' meeting, the only event in Europe where diesels are still encouraged. Covid brought an end to these trips until 2023. This year, along with Ian Harper, John travelled out again to reacquaint himself with his Swedish compatriots and run his Slabang cars. John has kindly sent a very detailed article describing the trip and how some iffy fuel nearly scuppered their weekend.

Having never seen an example of the Swiss AMRO or FRIRO in the flesh until two years ago, we have been delighted that our ever helpful readers have alerted us to and even shown us numerous examples. Some of these have real provenance and history, others less so, but for such a rare engine, a pleasure to be able to add yet another update with a FRIRO that was seen lurking in a showcase.

Meetings coming thick and fast over four successive weekends and whilst the new edition of OTW will not be published until August we should be able to add a couple of event reports toward the end of June including the SAM Retrofest and associated swapmeet.

Empty Spaces: A very unfortunate few weeks since we last published as we learned of the deaths of Vladimir Kriger and Edvard Stelling, two long established competitors and suppliers of untold numbers of cars. In addition Stelling produced engines and tuned pipes for tethered cars racers, most still relying on his products. Further afield a post notifying us of the loss of Lyn Peacock, Honorary member of the Sydney Society and author of 'Circle Torqu'e that traced the history of tethered car racing in Australia. Lyn was involved with tethered cars for 44 years, accompanying her late husband Tony around the world. In the last few days the UK lost one of its longest standing tethered hydroplane and car enthusiasts with the death of Stuart Robinson who started running tethered hydros in the late 1950s and was running cars until 2023. His CV with racing and organisation is extensive, and along with those above, more detailed appreciations will follow in later editions.

We have just learned of a service that is vital to the model engine enthusiast, a company that makes piston rings, diesel conversions, reboring and restoration work on engines. Check out Gavin Carter's website gcpistionrings for the work he undertakes, including having completed a batch of very rare 1.5cc ETA diesel engines.

Updates: We have now been able to add a series of race reports starting with the annual OTW Spring tour of European tethered car events in Switzerland and Germany. An exceedingly quick turnaround took us up to Buckminster for the three day Retrofest and four days later back up the A1 for the June BTCG meeting. After numerous reports of rain affected events at Buckminster last year, it has been an entirely different story so far with record temperatures. Certainly enjoyed the delight of Air Con in the car, just a pity the hotel did not have it as both weekends were silly hot.