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Vintage Slot Car Magazines: The Big Three

Car Model began first, in July 1962, with Oscar A. M. Koveleski (of Auto World) and Robert N. (Bob) MacLeod publishing CM's first seven issues bimonthly before switching to the monthly format in September, 1963. The magazine's original focus on building plastic model cars was quickly overtaken by racing them. Car Model magazine covered all scales, ages and skill levels in an unbroken string of monthly issues, until May 1973. In late 1973 and through 1974, another 10 issues sputtered out, and then it was over. The number one slot car magazine, survivor of industry upheavals, changing publishers and stiff competition, folded. CM was the first on the scene, and the last one left standing.

Today, Car Model magazine remains the number one source for research about the American slot car craze of the sixties and early seventies. Single issues sell on ebay for between $5 and $20, depending on their rarity and cover appeal.

Model Car Science and Model Car & Track both started in 1963, and immediately began reporting, supporting and selling the slot car craze that was sweeping the country. Both published monthly through several boom years, until the first of a series of industry busts occurred. In 1967, Model Car Science evolved into Model Car & Science, and then in 1968, joined subscription lists with Model Car & Track to form a hybrid called Model Car & Science with Model Car & Track. Finally, after some overlap of all these titles, Model Car Science alone re-emerged, and was published monthly for four more years, until dying out sometime in 1972.

Today, Model Car Science and Model Car & Track are respected adjuncts to Car Model for researching different niche aspects of the 1960's American slot car craze. Single issues sell between $5 and $15 on ebay.


Vintage Slot Car Magazines Checklist

KEY
No issue CM = Car Model
MCS = Model Car Science
MC&S = Model Car & Science
MC&T = Model Car & Track
MC&S+ = MC&S with MC&T
Issue exists.
Unclear whether issue exists.

mo
Magazine
Contents / Comments
CM MCS MC
&S
MC
&S+
MC
&T
1962
J
F
M
A
M
J
J Car Model begins, July 1962, bimonthly
A
S
O
N
D
CM MCS MC
&S
MC
&S+
MC
&T
1963
J
F
M
A Model Car & Track begins as a bimonthly
M
J
J
A MC&T begins monthly publication
S CM shifts to monthly publication
O
N Model Car Science begins as a bimonthly
D
CM MCS MC
&S
MC
&S+
MC
&T
1964
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S MCS begins monthly publication
O
N
D
CM MCS MC
&S
MC
&S+
MC
&T
1965
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
CM MCS MC
&S
MC
&S+
MC
&T
1966
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
CM MCS MC
&S
MC
&S+
MC
&T
1967
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S MCS becomes MC&S
O
N
D
CM MCS MC
&S
MC
&S+
MC
&T
1968
J MC&S and MC&T marry their subscription lists.
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S MCS restarts publication, as the marriage consolidates.
O
N
D
CM MCS MC
&S
MC
&S+
MC
&T
1969
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
CM MCS MC
&S
MC
&S+
MC
&T
1970
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
CM MCS MC
&S
MC
&S+
MC
&T
1971
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
CM MCS MC
&S
MC
&S+
MC
&T
1972
J
F
M
A
M
J
J MCS last issue? 7-72 has been seen on ebay
A ?
S
O
N
D
CM MCS MC
&S
MC
&S+
MC
&T
1973
J
F
M
A CM temporarily ends publication
M
J
J
A
S CM begins again with a new publisher
O
N CM double issue Nov/Dec
D
CM MCS MC
&S
MC
&S+
MC
&T
1974
J
F
M
A
M
J
J CM - last issue (?)  7-74 has been seen on ebay
A
S
O
N
D


Some people still use the old checklist. It prints much smaller.

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