Sounds like a pretty good idea. If I want to try it, I'll have to source the heat shrink tubing from elsewhere. We used to be able to get Radio Shack stuff in the UK from a chain of Tandy stores, but they all ceased to exist several years ago.
My Computacar had the same problem, the rubber wheel was old, somewhat shrunken and hard. So I went to Radio Shack and got some black heat-shrink tubing- a 12-pack of assorted sizes, item# 278-1627. The size appears to be 9Ø. I unscrewed the metal chassis and pried off the toothed metal ring that holds the wire that goes into the metal part near the axle. Then I pried one end of the rubber wheel's axle out and slid a short piece of tubing and shrank it with a blow dryer. Now it works!
wedge a piece of plastic or cardboard into where the spike comes out and just keep the spike in a downward position. Next, the biggest problem as you likely noticed was with the rollers. I have devised a method using a rubber roller that works fantastic. I have done it on three of my cars and it works really well. You can google amaze a matics and Preston Marketing for a small web page. I will be doing a video showing repairs soon!
I enjoyed your video. I am a collector of these as well and have many comments for you. I take it you are from the UK and using the Mettoy versions of this. In the US, Hasbro marketed it as an Amaze a Matic, and I really believe they were all made by Bandai in Japan, although there is a debate on who designed it first! Anyways, here are my thoughts--
On the steering "spike", you can replace the return spring with a stronger one. Also, instead of removing the spike guide, you can wedge
I found my dads Computacar a couple of days ago, even though it is over 40 years old, it still runs pretty good! We had some problems with it, for example, the steering didn`t work right, but we took a small cardboard peece (spelling?) and placed it so that it blocks off the white "pointy" thing in the steering mechanism, so now it works superb:)The tension spring was damaged on our car too by the way. We too had some problems with the card roller, but we solved it with some tape I think.
@rcdrifter95 Amazing that the serrated plastic notches and spring pointer seem to cause problems on the steering of most of them! I got my 'newer' Ford GT40 running recently. The main problem with that one was the plastic gear on the electric motor came loose, so it wouldn't drive. Some epoxy adhesive has cured it but the rubber roller will not drive cards through very well. I cut some rubber using a wad punch for my older GT40 but it didn't come out too well and I haven't fitted it yet.
@rx6180 I think that this toy was before its age actually, and because of that, there is alot of probems with.
It is very innovating, but I think they maybe should have made a few changes to it. As I wrote earlier, we solved the card roller problem with some tape, it works, but there should be another sort of tape.
@rcdrifter95 I've got a workmate who is really into modern computers and he loved my Computacar when I showed it to him. I think all the little mechanical levers and the pre-cut cards really worked for him, as that really was how early computers did their thing, I think. I'm wondering whether it is possible to paint some rubber solution, of the type found in bicycle inner tube repair kits, onto the rubber roller to help it drive cards through. I might try it on one of mine.
@rx6180 Yes, I think thats how the computers worked from the beginning, it`s amazing when you think about it actually! Your idea of putting rubber solution is possible, but there might be some problems getting it circular, that was our problem. You know, you could take something circular, like a straw, and put it over the roller and then put some rubber solution in between the straw and the roller, that maybe work...
@rcdrifter95 I can see where you are coming from by increasing the diameter of the drive roller with a drinking straw. My worry is though that it would be too shiny and slippery. I would have thought it needed a grippier surface to pull the card through.
@rcdrifter95 Yes I suppose so. I've got three or four little rubber plugs I made at work, in varying degrees of accuracy, to try ot turn into rubber rollers when I get the time. I'm not sure whether to use them or not. The most recent Computacars I bought tend to sit around in their boxes in the spare room till I have time to look at them! The oldest one that sits on my DVD player in the living room is the one that currently doesn't work at all and has no roller on it.
@rx6180 in theory, it would work I think,but there might be some problems putting it on? I can' t fix the remaining problems with our computacar, because I don't have it where I live now, but when I can get to my grandpa, I'm gonna fix it! Does the electric motor work on your cars? Amazingly after not running for probably 10- 15, all that took was an adjustment of the batteries to make it run!
Yes, the motors on all three run, though the one I got from Germany didn't when I got it. I took the motor out and connected it to a 3V transformer and it was okay, cleaned all the contacts (which looked clean anyway) put the motor back and it ran in the chassis, though the gear on the end spun off and had to be glued back on. Think that was a manufacturing fault. The oldest one didn't run either but did after the same treatment. The old one is still not properly assembled though, lacks roller.
@rx6180 That sounds like a good treatment! Our gears haven't come loose, but it may be because we haven't taken it apart, or maybe it's just a matter of time before they come loose. I really hope you can fix the old one( and the rest too), because these are great fun when they work right!
@YesLorenzo Yes, I suppose it was about 1970 that I had my original one too. They work, but they don't work as well as the manufacturer made out, and it was impossible to get mine to negotiate any course in the confines of our hallway back then. My dad had a go at programming it too and I think it defeated him.
Very interesting! Now you know why I don't collect mechanical cars..just scale models! LOL! But it is rewarding to get them going again...Interesting cars they sought to memorialize! :) Jack
@raconter1 The irony is that not long ago I was having a clearout of stuff I'd had hanging around for years unused. I made a b it of space, then I started buying other people's cast-offs again to fill the space! *Will I never learn?* Probably not!
Sounds like a pretty good idea. If I want to try it, I'll have to source the heat shrink tubing from elsewhere. We used to be able to get Radio Shack stuff in the UK from a chain of Tandy stores, but they all ceased to exist several years ago.
rx6180 2 months ago
My Computacar had the same problem, the rubber wheel was old, somewhat shrunken and hard. So I went to Radio Shack and got some black heat-shrink tubing- a 12-pack of assorted sizes, item# 278-1627. The size appears to be 9Ø. I unscrewed the metal chassis and pried off the toothed metal ring that holds the wire that goes into the metal part near the axle. Then I pried one end of the rubber wheel's axle out and slid a short piece of tubing and shrank it with a blow dryer. Now it works!
lislesinger 2 months ago
Thanks for the upload. I had the white one of these back in the late 70s. :)
capricious71 9 months ago
wedge a piece of plastic or cardboard into where the spike comes out and just keep the spike in a downward position. Next, the biggest problem as you likely noticed was with the rollers. I have devised a method using a rubber roller that works fantastic. I have done it on three of my cars and it works really well. You can google amaze a matics and Preston Marketing for a small web page. I will be doing a video showing repairs soon!
ToyKingWonder 10 months ago
I enjoyed your video. I am a collector of these as well and have many comments for you. I take it you are from the UK and using the Mettoy versions of this. In the US, Hasbro marketed it as an Amaze a Matic, and I really believe they were all made by Bandai in Japan, although there is a debate on who designed it first! Anyways, here are my thoughts--
On the steering "spike", you can replace the return spring with a stronger one. Also, instead of removing the spike guide, you can wedge
ToyKingWonder 10 months ago
I found my dads Computacar a couple of days ago, even though it is over 40 years old, it still runs pretty good! We had some problems with it, for example, the steering didn`t work right, but we took a small cardboard peece (spelling?) and placed it so that it blocks off the white "pointy" thing in the steering mechanism, so now it works superb:)The tension spring was damaged on our car too by the way. We too had some problems with the card roller, but we solved it with some tape I think.
rcdrifter95 1 year ago
@rcdrifter95 Amazing that the serrated plastic notches and spring pointer seem to cause problems on the steering of most of them! I got my 'newer' Ford GT40 running recently. The main problem with that one was the plastic gear on the electric motor came loose, so it wouldn't drive. Some epoxy adhesive has cured it but the rubber roller will not drive cards through very well. I cut some rubber using a wad punch for my older GT40 but it didn't come out too well and I haven't fitted it yet.
rx6180 1 year ago
@rx6180 I think that this toy was before its age actually, and because of that, there is alot of probems with.
It is very innovating, but I think they maybe should have made a few changes to it. As I wrote earlier, we solved the card roller problem with some tape, it works, but there should be another sort of tape.
rcdrifter95 1 year ago
@rcdrifter95 I've got a workmate who is really into modern computers and he loved my Computacar when I showed it to him. I think all the little mechanical levers and the pre-cut cards really worked for him, as that really was how early computers did their thing, I think. I'm wondering whether it is possible to paint some rubber solution, of the type found in bicycle inner tube repair kits, onto the rubber roller to help it drive cards through. I might try it on one of mine.
rx6180 1 year ago
@rx6180 Yes, I think thats how the computers worked from the beginning, it`s amazing when you think about it actually! Your idea of putting rubber solution is possible, but there might be some problems getting it circular, that was our problem. You know, you could take something circular, like a straw, and put it over the roller and then put some rubber solution in between the straw and the roller, that maybe work...
rcdrifter95 1 year ago
@rcdrifter95 I can see where you are coming from by increasing the diameter of the drive roller with a drinking straw. My worry is though that it would be too shiny and slippery. I would have thought it needed a grippier surface to pull the card through.
rx6180 1 year ago
@rx6180 oh, heah, that's right, but maybe you could somehow like rug it up so it's more grippy, if you know what I mean?
rcdrifter95 1 year ago
@rcdrifter95 Yes I suppose so. I've got three or four little rubber plugs I made at work, in varying degrees of accuracy, to try ot turn into rubber rollers when I get the time. I'm not sure whether to use them or not. The most recent Computacars I bought tend to sit around in their boxes in the spare room till I have time to look at them! The oldest one that sits on my DVD player in the living room is the one that currently doesn't work at all and has no roller on it.
rx6180 1 year ago
@rx6180 in theory, it would work I think,but there might be some problems putting it on? I can' t fix the remaining problems with our computacar, because I don't have it where I live now, but when I can get to my grandpa, I'm gonna fix it! Does the electric motor work on your cars? Amazingly after not running for probably 10- 15, all that took was an adjustment of the batteries to make it run!
rcdrifter95 1 year ago
Yes, the motors on all three run, though the one I got from Germany didn't when I got it. I took the motor out and connected it to a 3V transformer and it was okay, cleaned all the contacts (which looked clean anyway) put the motor back and it ran in the chassis, though the gear on the end spun off and had to be glued back on. Think that was a manufacturing fault. The oldest one didn't run either but did after the same treatment. The old one is still not properly assembled though, lacks roller.
rx6180 1 year ago
@rx6180 That sounds like a good treatment! Our gears haven't come loose, but it may be because we haven't taken it apart, or maybe it's just a matter of time before they come loose. I really hope you can fix the old one( and the rest too), because these are great fun when they work right!
rcdrifter95 1 year ago
I got one of those (the white one) for Xmas 1970. It never worked.
YesLorenzo 1 year ago
@YesLorenzo Yes, I suppose it was about 1970 that I had my original one too. They work, but they don't work as well as the manufacturer made out, and it was impossible to get mine to negotiate any course in the confines of our hallway back then. My dad had a go at programming it too and I think it defeated him.
rx6180 1 year ago
Very interesting! Now you know why I don't collect mechanical cars..just scale models! LOL! But it is rewarding to get them going again...Interesting cars they sought to memorialize! :) Jack
raconter1 1 year ago
@raconter1 The irony is that not long ago I was having a clearout of stuff I'd had hanging around for years unused. I made a b it of space, then I started buying other people's cast-offs again to fill the space! *Will I never learn?* Probably not!
rx6180 1 year ago
@rx6180 My motto...you can never have enough! LOL!
raconter1 1 year ago
Great vid rx6180, I love the demo, all you need now is a 50 square foot room with perfect floor boards ;).
*goes off to look on a popular internet auction site for Comptacars*
Jon0sterman 1 year ago
@Jon0sterman A number of alternative internet auction sites are available :o)
rx6180 1 year ago