Two Super Shells slot cars

History

Early Days

Super Shells was founded in the late 50s by G K Jarvis and was based in Harpenden, Hertfordshire. He was involved in rail racing (the precursor to the slot variety) and the initial products of the company were three very basic vacuum formed F1 bodyshells in April 1960.

They made other such bodies in ensuing years, unfortunately there is no record of what was available and there are very few surviving examples but this one turned up recently.

Injection Moulded Body Shells

January 1962 saw the first issue of plastic injection moulded bodies with the launch of a Ferrari 156 sharknose. Over the next few years ten additional models followed, in total there were six F1 cars and five Sports/GT ones. In common with many other manufacturers of the time most of the cars were also produced in various non authentic colours. There was also a car trailer kit in the range which is extremely rare and very hard to find these days.

Chassis

Two types of chassis were produced - the “Popin Sports/Saloon chassis kit” and the narrower “Slim Jim F1 chassis kit”. Both were moulded in glass fibre reinforced red nylon and shared the same nylon steering unit at the front.

Both chassis were specifically designed for the very slim Ks motors manufactured in England by N & KC Keyser Ltd. Three versions of these 5-pole motors were available: the Mk1 (1”3/8 length, ref S80), the slightly shorter Mk2 (1”1/8 length, ref S82 and the larger “Clubman” (2” length, ref S 81).

The chassis kits were initially supplied with press-fit nylon injected wire wheels and ribbed tread tyres but a wide range of machined aluminium/magnesium wheels and matching tyres were later introduced. Specific injection moulded wheel inserts were also made for each model.

Closure

At the end of 1967 Super Shells closed down and merged with S.R.M. Engineering of Harrow who inherited most of the remaining stock. Unfortunately the actual moulds were sold to a different company and they were eventually lost or destroyed.

S.R.M. also made a short lived slot car system in 1/40th scale but soon turned to other products, including novelty items for Christmas crackers and they, in turn, ceased trading around 2017. However, they never junked the Super Shells stock and it was possible to buy it direct from them right up until their closure.

Not Dead Yet!

Although production of Super Shells ceased in 1967 they must have been made in huge quantities as Pendle Slot Racing have acquired the remaining body kit stock of S.R.M. and all the F1 cars are currently still available with a choice of modern chassis kits.

Super Shells at Pendle Slot Racing

They also have stock of the Lotus Elite, Jaguar E Type, Lotus 30 and Ferrari 250P bodies and suitable chassis kits for these should be available at a future date.

Acknowledgements

The photos and some details in this account have been reproduced from an original article by the late Osvaldo Pace of Brazil in the NSCC Journal of June 2006 where the full article can be found. My thanks to the club for permission to use them.

Osvaldo was one of the world's greatest collectors of vintage slot cars, had his own museum and wrote several interesting articles for the magazine.