Slot cars got their start as an accessory for model train tracks. In the mid-1960s, those miniature 1/87 scale cars got a track of their own. Over the next 40 years, companies such as Tyco, Aurora, Scalextric, SCX, Tomy and AFX have explored several sized cars—1/64, 1/43, 1/32, and 1/24.
HO Slot Cars
The term HO refers to Half-of-an-O scale (O scale being a common size of model train). HO cars are just a little bigger than a matchbox car, and are usually 1/64 or 1/87 scale. Because of this scale size, the stock track sets usually run about 45-50 feet and occupy a 4’ by 8’ space. This makes it one of the most common home slot car sets, although HO cars have a strong presence in competition as well. HO racing tracks usually use up to 100 feet of track.
Mantua Metal Products was in 1926 by John Tyler and family. In the 1930s Mantua began to manufacture HO scale model trains of die-cast metal, and became a leading hobbyist brand.
From 1942 to 1945 production of model railroad products was suspended as the company participated in manufacturing of precision measuring and mapping equipment for the U.S. Army and Navy in World War 2. After the war they converted the plant back to production of model railroading equipment.
In the 1950s Mantua pioneered "ready-to-run" HO-scale model railroad kits under the TYCO (for Tyler Company) brand.
In the 1960s, TYCO changed its focus from train kits to ready-to-run trains sold in hobby shops and also added HO-scale electric racing, or "slot car" sets. By the 1970s, TYCO shifted sales and marketing to a consumer-oriented, mass marketing focus. Eventually the name changed to TYCO Industries, under which name the company was sold in 1970 to Consolidated Foods during an era of corporate conglomerates. As a division of what became the Sara Lee Corporation, Tyco continued to grow.
By the 1980s, Tyco dominated that market in electric racing, also producing the first "slot trucks" known as US-1 Trucks, as well as the radio control category. Diversification continued with the 1989 purchase of the View-Master/Ideal Group, which brought to the company the View-Master, Magna Doodle and the Ideal Nursery line of dolls. In the 1990s, the company branched out with other toys such as airplanes, clones of Lego brand building elements and Sesame Street items. It purchased Matchbox in 1993. Tyco was purchased by Mattel on March 27, 1997, it was the third largest toy company in the United States. The brand survives as the Mattel Tyco R/C division.
