Oldest rc boat ever?

[rickertmork]

Strait up Tesla tech!

 

[Terry Soloman]

WoW!

 

[pepperj]

What's the plan
Restoration or sell?

 

[rickertmork]

What's the plan
Restoration or sell?

I just took a picture of it , it’s 40$ and I already have enough projects, like 3 broken electric skateboards.

 

[pepperj]

I just took a picture of it , it’s 40$ and I already have enough projects, like 3 broken electric skateboards.

Personally I'd squirrel away the skate boat projects and go for the boat.
That's the antique blood in me.

 

[Nathan W]

To cool

 

[rickertmork]

Personally I'd squirrel away the skate boat projects and go for the boat.
That's the antique blood in me.

I think I’ll go back to the thrift store tomorrow and snag it

 

[pepperj]

I think I’ll go back to the thrift store tomorrow and snag it

Even if you don't get to it till next winter $40 isn't going to break you probably.

 

[rickertmork]

Even if you don't get to it till next winter $40 isn't going to break you probably.

So you really think I should get it? I could not find the exact one, is it supposed to have a remote?

 

[rickertmork]

So you really think I should get it? I could not find the exact one on good google search, is it supposed to have a remote?

 

[E-Trac-Ohio]

What a unique old piece !

 

[Red-Coat]

That's a cool item. Yes, you'll need a transmitter that operates on the Citizens Band (460 to 470 megacycles. Macnabb had an article published in January 1950 about these frequencies being opened up for license-free use (pdf below).

This ad from 1952:

 

[rickertmork]

That's a cool item. Yes, you'll need a transmitter that operates on the Citizens Band (460 to 470 megacycles. Macnabb had an article published in January 1950 about these frequencies being opened up for license-free use (pdf below).

This ad from 1952:

View attachment 2253664

So should I buy it tomorrow for 40$ ? I highly doubt I’ll be able to make it function. I’ve never seen anything remote controlled that’s this old.

 

[Red-Coat]

So should I buy it tomorrow for 40$ ? I highly doubt I’ll be able to make it function. I’ve never seen anything remote controlled that’s this old.

Personally, I wouldn’t. A skilled hobbyist who knows what they’re doing might be able to get it working, but you don’t know what the operational state of the existing receiver and associated components might be.

As well as operating on the right frequency, a replacement transmitter would also need to have the right protocol to handshake with the receiver. Tracking down an original transmitter would probably be difficult, and also require electrical refurbishment. An enthusiast might be able to build a new one. This is what the transmitter looked like, together with the circuitry schematic (on the left in both pictures):

More likely a hobbyist would buy a new matched transmitter and receiver such that the original receiver could be replaced. I would also think that, as a restored working model, a vintage plane would have far more interest than a boat.

 

[russau]

Yep if it were me I would build one useing chips and get rid of the tube type components for a smaller / lighter / more reliable controller or just buy one compatable with this electrical print BUT it may be worth more as is with the original componets . I'd buy it myself and go from there. DO YOUR RESEARCH ON IT ! Nice find !

 

[DizzyDigger]

If you're considering restoring it, I might start here:

Vintage & Old-Timer Boats - RC Groups

Discuss vintage, antique and old-timer RC model boats.

www.rcgroups.com

 

[AU Seeker]

Unless you want it for display and show and tell I would pass on buying it.

 

[Trezurehunter]

That's pretty neat.

 

[pepperj]

Unless you want it for display and show and tell I would pass on buying it.

Why is that?

 

[AU Seeker]

Why is that?

Because the OP doesn't seem to have the knowledge and skill to restore it back to original condition or update it to a more modern system to be able to use it as intended, and it would be very expensive to have someone else with the knowledge and skill to restore it.