139-514: The Aurora Plastics Corporation was an American toy and hobby manufacturing company. It is known primarily for its production of plastic scale models of cars , airplanes , and TV and movie figures in the 1960s. Its principal competition in modeling were various other plastic modeling firms like Revell and Monogram . Established in 1950, the company was first sold in 1969, being then acquired by other firms until then-parent company Dunbee-Combex-Marx ceased operations in 1980. Since then,
278-783: A license from Universal Studios to create a line of kits based on the Universal monsters , which became the company's most popular offerings. Aurora's kit of Frankenstein appeared in 1961. Giant Frankenstein was an all-plastic kit that, when assembled, created a 19-inch tall model. This was followed by 12 other monster figures that were issued and reissued in various versions through the early 1970s. These included RKO Pictures ' King Kong , and characters from Toho Studios: Godzilla , Ghidrah ( Ghidorah ), and Rodan . After this, monster vehicles such as Dracula's Dragster, Frankenstein's Flivver, Godzilla's Go-Cart, King Kong's Thronester, Mummy's Chariot and Wolfman's Wagon were introduced, fortifying
417-537: A 30-degree diagonal base, allowing larger intake and exhaust valves than a standard horizontal joint with the engine block. To improve performance, the M198 replaced the W194's triple two-barrel Solex carburetors with a Bosch mechanical fuel-injection system. This raised output on the 300 SL from 175 hp (130 kW; 177 PS) SAE gross to 240 hp (179 kW; 243 PS) SAE gross at 6,100 rpm. Compression
556-512: A continuing problem for the 300 SL; Caracciola's coupé hit a tree head-on, and he did not race again. Kling, Hermann Lang and Fritz Riess finished first, second and third when the 4.1-liter Ferrari broke down at the start. Three new cars were built for the 24 Hours of Le Mans race in June. The engines were detuned for the long race to 166 bhp , and the fuel-tank filler rose above the rear window. The team brought an experimental spare car with
695-642: A doctor. Atlantis Models is based in Deer Park, New York, and though also making sci-fi figures, has equal focus on animal dioramas. In 2018 Atlantis Purchased most of the Aurora Tooling that remained at Revell Monogram in Elk Grove. Polar Lights, Monarch and Moebius all use an oval logo very similar in shape to that of the original Aurora style. The Atlantis (see Zorro re-issue) logo uses a more abstract, though nostalgic, oval broken into six sections. In
834-792: A fort with empty cereal boxes and tissue paper spools, or a toddler playing with a broken TV remote control. The term "toy" can also be used to refer to utilitarian objects purchased for enjoyment rather than need, or for expensive necessities for which a large fraction of the cost represents its ability to provide enjoyment to the owner, such as luxury cars, high-end motorcycles, gaming computers, and flagship smartphones. Playing with toys can be an enjoyable way of training young children for life experiences. Different materials like wood, clay, paper, and plastic are used to make toys. Newer forms of toys include interactive digital entertainment and smart toys . Some toys are produced primarily as collectors' items and are intended for display only. The origin of toys
973-417: A full-width and -height windscreen, a driver's seat roll bar, a custom cowl with engine air intake, and no front and rear bumpers. These and other modifications lowered vehicle weight from 1,420 kilograms (3,130 pounds) to 1,040 kilograms (2,290 pounds). Engine output was increased 20 hp (15 kW), to 235 hp (175 kW). Team driver Paul O'Shea again won the title for the company. The 300 SL has
1112-611: A highly sought-after classic car and is celebrated for its performance, design, and technological advancements. The 300 SL traces its origin to an endurance racer, the Mercedes-Benz W194 , developed by Daimler-Benz in 1951. It used the 3-liter inline-6 M186 engine, shared by the company flagship 300 "Adenauer" saloon (W186) and the two-seat 300 S grand tourer (W188). Although W194's 175 hp (130 kW) engine produced less power than competing cars by Ferrari and Jaguar , its low weight and low aerodynamic drag made
1251-527: A large and important part of human existence, the toy industry has a substantial economic impact. Sales of toys often increase around holidays where gift-giving is a tradition. Some of these holidays include Christmas, Easter, Saint Nicholas Day , and Three Kings Day . In 2005, toy sales in the United States totaled about $ 22.9 billion. Money spent on children between the ages of 8 and twelve alone totals approximately $ 221 million annually in
1390-436: A large supply of new old stock, and companies continued to make third party parts. New body designs and reproductions of original bodies and chassis were produced under the names of Johnny Lightning , Playing Mantis, Round2 , Auto World, and Hot rod . These reproductions were embraced by enthusiasts because they could modify the reproduction bodies instead of cutting vintage ones. These mods included grinding excess weight off
1529-408: A model Noah's Ark with miniature animals and objects from other Bible scenes. With growing prosperity among the middle class , children had more leisure time on their hands, which led to the application of industrial methods to the manufacture of toys. More complex mechanical and optical -based toys were also invented during the nineteenth century. Carpenter and Westley began to mass-produce
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#17327762800771668-417: A re-engineered version of the coupe’s tubular space frame, incorporating lower sill trusses to allow for conventional front-hinged doors and a revised rear structure that provided trunk space. Similar to the coupe, the roadster utilized steel bodywork, with aluminum panels used for the hood, trunk lid, door skins, sills, floors, and bulkhead. In mid-1956, sales of the 300SL Gullwing began to decline, prompting
1807-469: A re-positioned spare tire located beneath the boot floor and a smaller fuel tank to allow room for custom-fitted luggage. The lower sill design also enhanced access. A significant change to the roadster's design was the updated rear axle, which incorporated a single-joint arrangement with a pivot point 87 millimetres (3.4 in) below the differential centerline. The lead engineer, Rudolf Uhlenhaut, initially wanted to introduce this low-pivot axle design on
1946-594: A rooftop air brake which folded flat until the driver activated it. The unusual brake design unnerved the other drivers. The brake was effective; at 100 mph it could exert a deceleration of up to 0.2 g, but it also weakened the supporting pylons. The cars used more tires than expected, and Kling and Hans Klenk were forced out of the race by a generator failure. Lang and Riess won the race with an average speed of 155.574 kilometres per hour (96.669 mph), and Theo Helfrich and Helmut Niedermayr placed second. The 142-mile (229 km) Nürburgring race on August 2
2085-553: A series of child labor laws, putting an end to child labor in nations such as the U.S. (1949). This fully entrenched, through law, the Western idea that childhood is a time for leisure , not work—and with leisure time comes more space for consumer goods such as toys. During the Second World War , some new types of toys were created through accidental innovation. After trying to create a replacement for synthetic rubber ,
2224-468: A single repository. Mercedes-Benz 300 SL The Mercedes-Benz 300 SL (chassis code W 198) is a two-seat sports car that was produced by Mercedes-Benz from 1954 to 1957 as a gullwinged coupé and from 1957 to 1963 as a roadster . The 300 SL traces its origins to the company's 1952 racing car, the W194 , and was equipped with a mechanical direct fuel injection system that significantly increased
2363-478: A specific age range can even harm the development of children in that range, such as when for example toys meant for young girls contribute to the ongoing problem of girls' sexualization in Western culture. A study suggested that supplying fewer toys in the environment allows toddlers to better focus to explore and play more creatively. The provision of four rather than sixteen toys is thus suggested to promote children's development and healthy play. Age compression
2502-575: A steel tubular frame chassis, with a steel body combined with an aluminum bonnet, doors, dashboard, and boot lid to further reduce weight. An additional 80 kilograms (176 pounds) could be eliminated with an expensive all-aluminum body, but only 29 were made. Depending on the rear axle ratio, fuel consumption was 17 liters per 100 km (14 miles per US gallon; 17 miles per imperial gallon). Three checkered-pattern seat fabrics were standard: grey and green, grey and blue, and cream and red. Most customers opted for leather upholstery, which became standard on
2641-502: A stop. This extra fuel washed away the oil film critical to an engine during start-up and led to oil dilution, excessive ring wear, and scouring of the cylinder walls. Exacerbating the problem was the engine's dry-sump lubrication system, with its large oil cooler and enormous 15 L (4.0 US gal) oil capacity, which virtually guaranteed that the oil would not get hot enough on the short trips frequently taken by most car owners to flow properly. Owners might block off airflow through
2780-427: A study found that parents who demonstrated some androgynous behavior have higher scores in support, warmth, and self-worth in regards to the treatment of their children. Even as this debate is evolving and children are becoming more inclined to cross barriers in terms of gender with their toys, girls are typically more encouraged to do so than boys because of the societal value of masculinity. With toys comprising such
2919-421: A supercharged engine, which was no faster than the standard 300 SL. The team concluded that the car's relatively-crude swing-axle rear suspension was already at its limit in transmitting power to the road, and the engine was less durable. Lang won the race, with Kling and Riess finishing second and third. This was the official end of the company's efforts with the 300 SL, it felt that it had done all it could with
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#17327762800773058-518: A toy bow and arrow from their father while young girls receive a toy basket from their mother. In North African and Saharan cultural communities, gender plays a role in the creation of self-made dolls. While female dolls are used to represent brides, mothers, and wives, male dolls are used to represent horsemen and warriors. This contrast stems from the various roles of men and women within the Saharan and North African communities. There are differences in
3197-763: A wide range of other skills. One example of the dramatic ways that toys can influence child development involves clay sculpting toys such as Play-Doh and Silly Putty and their home-made counterparts. Mary Ucci, Educational Director of the Child Study Center of Wellesley College , has demonstrated how such toys positively impact the physical development , cognitive development , emotional development , and social development of children. Toys for infants often make use of distinctive sounds, bright colors, and unique textures . Through repetition of play with toys, infants begin to recognize shapes and colors. Play-Doh , Silly Putty and other hands-on materials allow
3336-767: Is prehistoric ; dolls representing infants, animals, and soldiers, as well as representations of tools used by adults, are readily found at archaeological sites. The origin of the word "toy" is unknown, but it is believed that it was first used in the 14th century. Toys are mainly made for children. The oldest known doll toy is thought to be 4,000 years old. Playing with toys is an important part of aging. Younger children use toys to discover their identity, help with cognition , learn cause and effect, explore relationships, become stronger physically, and practice skills needed in adulthood. Adults on occasion use toys to form and strengthen social bonds, teach, help in therapy, and to remember and reinforce lessons from their youth. A toymaker
3475-534: Is an abbreviation of the German term super-leicht , meaning "super-light", a reference to the car's racing-bred lightweight construction. The 300 SL was introduced to the American market at the suggestion of Max Hoffman , Maximilian Hoffman, Mercedes-Benz's United States importer at the time, who recognized the potential demand for a high-performance sports car among American buyers. The Mercedes-Benz 300 SL remains
3614-413: Is facilitated by children through the use of toys to enact scenes recognizable in their community such as hunting and herding. The value is placed in a realistic version of development in preparing a child for the future they are likely to grow up into. This allows the child to imagine and create a personal interpretation of how they view the adult world. However, in other cultures, toys are used to expand
3753-490: Is generally not as looked down upon for girls to play with toys designed "for boys", an activity which has also become more common in recent years. Fathers are also more likely to reinforce typical play and discourage atypical play than mothers are. A study done by researcher Susan Witt suggests that stereotypes are oftentimes only strengthened by the environment, which perpetuates them to linger in older life. This stereotypical attribution of sex-typical toys for girls and boys
3892-408: Is gradually changing, with toys companies creating more gender neutral toys, as the benefits associated with allowing children to play with toys that appeal to them far outweighs controlling their individual preferences. For example, many stores are beginning to change their gender labels on children's play items. Target removed all identification related to gender from their toy aisles and Disney did
4031-518: Is isolated and independent of the social constraints placed on society leaving the children free to delve into the imaginary and idealized version of what their development in life could be. In addition, children from differing communities may treat their toys in different ways based on their cultural practices. Children in more affluent communities may tend to be possessive of their toys, while children from poorer communities may be more willing to share and interact more with other children. The importance
4170-428: Is key in the toy industry and to succeed one must create a 'wow' moment for kids by designing toys that have fun, innovative features and include new technologies and engaging content." In an effort to reduce costs, many mass-producers of toys locate their factories in areas where wages are lower. China manufactures about 70 percent of the world's toys and is home to more than 8,000 toy firms, most of which are located in
4309-403: Is no gender neutral section on their website. Those which are generally deemed for both genders more closely resemble what many would label "boy toys," as they relate closer to the stereotype of masculinity within play. Traditions within various cultures promote the passing down of certain toys to their children based on the child's gender. In Indigenous South American communities, boys receive
Aurora Plastics Corporation - Misplaced Pages Continue
4448-424: Is the modern trend of children moving through play stages faster than was the case in the past. Children have a desire to progress to more complex toys at a faster pace, girls in particular. Barbie dolls, for example, were once marketed to girls around 8 years old but have been found to be more popular in recent years with girls around 3 years old, with most girls outgrowing the brand by about age 7. The packaging for
4587-470: Is the name of someone who makes toys. Toys and games have been retrieved from the sites of ancient civilizations, and have been mentioned in ancient literature. Toys excavated from the Indus valley civilization (3010–1500 BCE) include small carts, whistles shaped like birds, and toy monkeys that could slide down a string. One of the earliest examples of children's toys is a set of three stone balls found in
4726-399: Is the use of meta-analysis , which provides a way to assess patterns in a systematic way, especially relevant for a topic such as gender, which can be difficult to quantify. Nature and nurture have historically been analyzed when looking at gender in play, as well as reinforcement by peers and parents of typical gender roles and consequently, gender play. Toy companies have often promoted
4865-429: Is tracked in young infants, infant girls show a visual preference for a doll over a toy truck (d > 1.0). Boys showed no preference for the truck over the doll. However, they did fixate on the truck more than the girls (d = .78). This small study suggests that even before any self-awareness of gender identity has emerged, children already prefer sex-typical toys. These differences in toy choice are well established within
5004-609: The Convair B-58 Hustler bomber in a diminutive 1:200 scale, or about 6 inches long. By 1965, Aurora had many automobile kits in 1:32 "slot car" scale including the Triumph TR3 , MG-TD , Jaguar XK120 , Austin-Healey 3000 , Alfa Romeo GT convertible, Mercedes-Benz 300 SL convertible, 1958 Ford "Squarebird" Thunderbird , the American Cunningham , and a few Indianapolis 500 winners, like
5143-577: The Hello Kitty brand and the Disney Princess franchise. Boys have shown an interest in computer games at an ever-younger age in recent years. Certain toys, such as Barbie dolls and toy soldiers, are often perceived as being more acceptable for one gender than the other. The turning point for the addition of gender to toys came about in the 1960s and 1970s. Before 1975, only about two percent of toys were labeled by gender, whereas today on
5282-543: The Monroe Special , and the Fuel Injection Special . Aurora probably had their biggest success with their kits of figures. These included a series of popular historical knights in armor , and other still life buildings, animals, boats, and other intriguing objects. Guys and Gals of all Nations were also produced and included Dutch, Chinese, Indian, Scottish and Mexican figures. Aurora acquired
5421-611: The Pearl River Delta of Guangdong Province . 75% of all toys sold in the U.S., for example, are manufactured in China. Issues and events such as power outages, supply of raw materials, supply of labor, and raising wages that impact areas where factories are located often have an enormous impact on the toy industry in importing countries. Many traditional toy makers have been losing sales to video game makers for years. Because of this, some traditional toy makers have entered
5560-641: The Porsche 904 . Several Formula 1 cars were also offered in the series. Initially, most cars were offered in rather plain colored plastic bodies with high friction ('squeaky') wheels, though their rubber tires were more authentic than hard plastic – making them somewhat similar to Matchbox tradition. Some of the cars, such as the De Tomaso Mangusta , had working steering. Eventually, thinner, low-friction wheels (some chromed and some not) were added and chrome-like shiny paint finishes were introduced, making
5699-688: The Scalextric racing system and Frog kits for $ 11.5m. Aurora had been loss-making for a number of years but Dunbee-Combex-Marx failed to turn Aurora around and ended up failing itself in 1980. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, toy and hobby company Playing Mantis created a division called "Polar Lights" (as a reference to Aurora ) which reissued some of Aurora's most popular kits. Other companies following in Aurora's shoes have reissued earlier kits. These companies include "Moebius Models", "Atlantis Models" and "Monarch Models", which mostly have focused on
Aurora Plastics Corporation - Misplaced Pages Continue
5838-746: The Sindelfingen plant in August of that year. The price for the 300 SL coupé in Germany was DM 29,000, and $ 6,820 in the US. The roadster was DM 32,500 in Germany, and $ 10,950 in the US – 10 percent more expensive than the coupé in Europe, and over 70 percent more in the US. Mercedes-Benz did not announce what the abbreviation "SL" meant when the car was introduced; magazines and company officials have called it "Sport Leicht" and "Super Leicht" ("light"). It
5977-454: The differential (not at the wheels themselves), the swing axle could make rear end cornering treacherous at high speeds or on bad roads due to extreme changes in camber . This was remedied in the roadster by switching to a high-pivot geometry. The 300SL had the same 1,470-square-centimetre (227.9 sq in) self-cooled, turbo drum brakes as the Mercedes 300S. A brake booster
6116-498: The kaleidoscope , invented by Sir David Brewster in 1817, and had sold over 200,000 items within three months in London and Paris. The company was also able to mass-produce magic lanterns for use in phantasmagoria and galanty shows, by developing a method of mass production using a copper plate printing process. Popular imagery on the lanterns included royalty , flora and fauna , and geographical/man-made structures from around
6255-405: The "Jap Zero" on the box flaps. With the first two Hawk copies, this collection was called the "Brooklyn Eight". Aurora Plastic's first kits were aircraft and this was a backbone of sales through the 1950s and 1960s. From early on the company's Famous Fighters line was popular. Included were World War I , World War II , jet age aircraft and a variety of whirlybirds . A series of aircraft from
6394-548: The "must-have toys" of the 1940s ), Mr. Potato Head , the Barbie doll (inspired by the Bild Lilli doll from Germany), and Action Man . The Rubik's Cube became an enormous seller in the 1980s. In modern times, there are computerized dolls that can recognize and identify objects, the voice of their owner, and choose among hundreds of pre-programmed phrases with which to respond. The act of children's play with toys embodies
6533-445: The 1750s, including A Journey Through Europe . The game was very similar to modern board games; players moved along a track with the throw of a die (a teetotum was actually used) and landing on different spaces would either help or hinder the player. In the nineteenth century, Western values prioritized toys with an educational purpose, such as puzzles, books, cards and board games. Religion-themed toys were also popular, including
6672-757: The 1930s were also offered. Sailing ships, warships, tanks and other military vehicles were available as well. One World War I airplane was the DeHavilland Airco DH.4 . Many planes, like the Blue Angel F-4J , McDonnell-Douglas Phantom II and the LTV A-7D Corsair II , were offered in a larger 1/48 scale. Others were smaller scale such as the Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker in about 1:100, because it would have been over two feet long in 1/48; and even smaller, like
6811-617: The 1950s, and Alfred Neubauer was again entrusted with the task. In 1951, the company built five V8 W165 cars and engines to enter the Grand Prix . Ferrari's V12 performed well at Silverstone , however, and Neubauer knew that the W165 could not win; Mercedes began planning a V12 W195. The FIA sporting commission changed the rules for 1954 in October 1951, and the W195s could not compete;
6950-603: The 1955 European Rally Championship in a 300 SL. Stirling Moss won the overall title at the 1955 Mille Miglia in a 300 SLR racing car, and John Fitch won his class in a production 300 SL coupé. The marathon Liege-Rome-Liege rally was won in 1955 by Olivier Gendebien , and in 1956 by Willy Mairesse . A 300 SL won the Sports Car Club of America Class D championship from 1955 to 1957. Although roadsters were made for touring, Daimler-Benz marketed its roadster by racing on American tracks. Since production began,
7089-464: The 1970s, however, the slot car craze had passed and modeling in general was on the decline. One website attributes the decline to both the maturing of the baby-boom generation along with the fragile economics of the slot car industry and the closing of many slot car shops as toy companies offered smaller sets to be used at home. But that did not mean the end of the legendary pancake motor cars. They had their enthusiasts that kept them alive, along with
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#17327762800777228-629: The 1990s, the family of Joseph Giammarino announced the return of Aurora Plastics Corporation as a manufacturer of hobby kits under the name LAPCO, or Lost Aurora Plastics Corporation, with a product line to include reverse engineered reissues of long-gone kits. Nothing came of this. Again in 2007, Giammarino's family announced the return of Aurora, with their first offerings stated to include aircraft and figure kits from their original 1960s line. This website lists products to be made available in May–June 2012, but as of November 2018, none are available to order and
7367-471: The 19th century. In 1903, a year after publishing The Tale of Peter Rabbit , English author Beatrix Potter created the first Peter Rabbit soft toy and registered him at the Patent Office in London, making Peter the oldest licensed character. It was followed by other "spin-off" merchandise over the years, including painting books and board games. The Smithsonian magazine stated, "Potter
7506-458: The 300 SL has a tubular frame , designed by Mercedes head engineer Rudolf Uhlenhaut and made of chrome-molybdenum steel. Such a frame provided high rigidity with low mass. Thin straight tubes were assembled as triangles, with the finished frame weighing a remarkable 82 kilograms (181 pounds). Elements of the coupé frame fill span the entire width of the vehicle’s track from wheel to wheel, making for an unusually high and deep threshold for access to
7645-416: The 300 SL the fastest production car of its time. City drivers found the tall first gear challenging. Clutch-pedal operation was initially cumbersome, remedied by an improved clutch-arm helper spring. Unlike present-day electronic fuel-injection systems, the 300 SL's mechanical fuel pump would continue to inject gasoline into the engine during the interval between ignition shut-off and the engine's coming to
7784-469: The American Earl L. Warrick inadvertently invented "nutty putty" during World War II . Later, Peter Hodgson recognized the potential as a childhood plaything and packaged it as Silly Putty . Similarly, Play-Doh was originally created as a wallpaper cleaner. In 1943 Richard James was experimenting with springs as part of his military research when he saw one come loose and fall to the floor. He
7923-578: The Aurora sci-fi and horror TV and movie figures and scenes. For example, Moebius Models, started by a former distributor of Polar Lights models in Glenwood, Florida, has reissued the large kit of the submarine Seaview from the 1960s Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea TV show and the old Dr. Jekyll as Mr. Hyde kit. Monarch Models, now Monarch Model Company, is based in London, Ontario, Canada – started by
8062-581: The Bottom of the Sea (the larger Seaview sub and a separate kit of its flying sub ), The Invaders , Lost in Space , Land of the Giants and Star Trek appeared. These kits were often a television-related scene where heroes battled some kind of large monster, alien or animal. Aurora’s figure kits continue to be highly valued by collectors . Aurora used artist James Bama for some of their box art. In
8201-624: The Disney store's website, considered a dominating global force for toys by researcher Claire Miller, all toys are labeled by gender. The journal Sex Roles began publishing research on this topic in 1975, focusing on the effects of gender in youth. Too, many psychological textbooks began to address this new issue. Along with these publications, researchers also started to challenge the ideas of male and female as being opposites, even going as far as to claim toys which have characteristics of both genders are preferable. A milestone for research on gender
8340-456: The English lawyer Angelo John Lewis , writing under the pseudonym of Professor Hoffman, wrote a book called Puzzles Old and New . It contained, among other things, more than 40 descriptions of puzzles with secret opening mechanisms. This book grew into a reference work for puzzle games and was very popular at the time. The Tangram puzzle, originally from China, spread to Europe and America in
8479-617: The Giammarino family have tried to reintroduce the Aurora brand, but their attempts never carried out. Aurora Plastics Corporation was founded in March 1950 by engineer Joseph E. Giammarino (1916–1992) and businessman Abe Shikes (1908–1986) in Brooklyn , New York (moving to West Hempstead , Long Island in 1954), as a contract manufacturer of injection molded plastics. With the hiring in 1952 of salesman John Cuomo (1901–1971),
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#17327762800778618-420: The M198 engine to be installed in a low-profile car, it was tilted 50 degrees toward the driver's side. The result was aerodynamic efficiency and an enormous, sand-cast aluminum intake manifold as wide as the engine. The engine was coupled by a single-disc dry clutch to a four-speed transmission with gear ratios of 3.34:1, 1.97:1, 1.39:1, and 1:1, and a reverse ratio of 2.73:1. The stock rear-axle ratio at
8757-706: The Mercedes-Benz board to consider a convertible version tailored to the California market. The convertible model was showcased at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1957, and by May, the factory had been converted for roadster production. The 300 SL Roadster, now featuring conventional front-hinged doors, premiered at the Geneva Salon in May 1957. The shift to an open-top design involved redesigning
8896-471: The SLS) won the 1957 Class D Sports championship with triple the points of its nearest competitor, Carroll Shelby's Maserati . Horácio Macedo finished second in the 1960 Rali Vinho da Madeira . Former Gull Wing Group International president Bob Sirna set a Bonneville Speedway F/GT three-liter sports-car speed record of 190.759 mph (306.997 km/h) in a modified coupé in 2016. Sales quintupled in
9035-684: The Sports Car Club of America could not admit the roadster as a standard model for the 1957 season; it would have to compete in the Class D sports-racing car class with other three-liter cars such as the Maserati 300S , Ferrari Monza , and Aston Martin DB3S . The O'Shea-Tilp team used a lightened roadster with drilled front coil-spring mounts, no fan, a welded sheet-aluminum inlet manifold, and twin exhaust-pipe outlets. The roadster (sometimes known as
9174-461: The U.S. It was estimated that in 2011, 88% of toy sales was in the age group 0–11 years. Toy companies change and adapt their toys to meet the changing demands of children thereby gaining a larger share of the substantial market. In recent years many toys have become more complicated with flashing lights and sounds in an effort to appeal to children raised around television and the internet. According to Mattel 's president, Neil Friedman, "Innovation
9313-617: The W194 fast enough to be competitive in endurance races. Mercedes-Benz developed a new version for the 1953 racing season by replacing the M186's carburetors with fuel injection , and shifting to 16-inch wheels; the gearbox was installed on its rear axle. Its body was made of Elektron , a magnesium alloy, which reduced its weight by 85 kilograms (187 pounds). Mercedes-Benz decided not to race this alloy car, choosing instead to begin participating in Formula One in 1954. Later versions revised
9452-628: The Western World. At this point, name-brand toys became widespread in the U.S.–a new phenomenon that helped market mass-produce toys to audiences of children growing up with ample leisure time and during a period of relative prosperity. Among the more well-known products of the 1950s there was the Danish company Lego 's line of colourful interlocking plastic brick construction sets (based on Hilary Page 's Kiddicraft Self-Locking Bricks, described by London's V&A Museum of Childhood as among
9591-465: The archaeological record. Small figurines and models found in tombs are usually interpreted as ritual objects; those from settlement sites are more easily labelled as toys. These include spinning tops, balls of spring, and wooden models of animals with movable parts. In ancient Greece and ancient Rome , children played with dolls made of wax or terracotta : sticks, bows and arrows , and yo-yos . When Greek children, especially girls, came of age, it
9730-408: The beginning of production was 1:3.42; at the 41st vehicle, it was changed to 1:3.64 for better acceleration. It allows a top speed of 235 km/h (146 mph) and acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 9.3 seconds. Faster acceleration was provided with ratios of 1:3.89 and 1:4.11. The lowest final-gear ratio, 1:3.25, delivered a top speed of up to 263 km/h (163 mph) and made
9869-497: The body to lower air resistance, and did not continue the transmission arrangement. The idea of Mercedes producing a toned-down Grand Prix car targeted to affluent performance enthusiasts in the booming post-war American market was suggested by the company's U.S. importer, Max Hoffman , at a 1953 directors' meeting in Stuttgart . Mercedes' new general director, Fritz Konecke, agreed to Hoffman's order for 1,000 cars to guarantee
10008-469: The building of working models and mechanical devices. Dinky Toys pioneered the manufacture of die-cast toys with the production of toy cars, trains and ships and model train sets became popular in the 1920s. The Britains company revolutionized the production of toy soldiers with the invention of the process of hollow casting in lead in 1893 – the company's products remained the industry standard for many years. Puzzles became popular as well. In 1893,
10147-470: The cars flashy, but competition was keen and financial troubles loomed. These improved versions were sold under the Speed Line name, and also as slot car bodies and in kit form, but the line was discontinued by 1970. Aurora's founders retired in the late 1960s and the company was sold to outside investors in 1969. After expanding into the toys and games market with limited success, the new owners sold
10286-418: The chassis down which gave the tires better traction, resulting in higher speed and harder cornering. Many enthusiasts liked the higher speed, while others preferred the non-magnatraction cars. The non-magnatraction cars, although slower, allowed the rear end of the car to slide, or "drift" through the corners, creating a danger zone that allowed drivers to drive the car hard into the danger zone before reaching
10425-427: The child by the age of three. Another study done by Jeffrey Trawick-Smith took 60 different children ages three to four and observed them playing with nine different toys deemed best for development. They were allowed to play with the toys in a typical environment, a preschool classroom, which allowed for the results to be more authentic compared to research done in a lab. The researchers then quantified play quality of
10564-595: The child places on possession is dictated by the values in place within the community that the children observe on a daily basis. Toys, like play itself, serve multiple purposes in both humans and animals. They provide entertainment while fulfilling an educational role. Toys enhance cognitive behavior and stimulate creativity. They aid in the development of physical and mental skills which are necessary in later life. Wooden blocks , though simple, are regarded by early childhood education experts such as Sally Cartwright (1974) as an excellent toy for young children; she praised
10703-478: The child to make toys of their own. Educational toys for school age children of often contain a puzzle , problem-solving technique, or mathematical proposition. Often toys designed for older audiences, such as teenagers or adults, demonstrate advanced concepts. Newton's cradle , a desk toy designed by Simon Prebble , demonstrates the conservation of momentum and energy . Not all toys are appropriate for all ages of children. Even some toys which are marketed for
10842-431: The children with each toy based on factors such as learning, problem solving, curiosity, creativity, imagination, and peer interaction. The results revealed that boys generally received higher scores for overall play quality than girls, and the toys with the best play quality were those identified as the most gender neutral, such as building blocks and bricks along with pieces modeling people. Trawick-Smith then concluded that
10981-449: The cockpit, with lower sills to facilitate easier entry and exit. Additionally, the rear suspension was enhanced with low-pivot swing axles, resulting in notable improvements in handling and ride comfort. Weighing 1,420-kilogram (3,131-pound), the roadster was 125 kilograms (276 pounds) heavier than the coupe but produced slightly more power at 240 hp (179 kW). The tubular frame was modified to create additional boot space, with
11120-610: The coil, and also drove a reed up and down that engaged a toothed drum on the rear axle, causing it to turn. When these early cars ran down the track they produced a loud "buzz," which many users found irritating. The vibrator car was produced until 1963 when the Thunderjet pancake motor , or T-jet, replaced it. Following improvements in the chassis with the Thunderjet and A/FX series and the adoption of popular racing car body styles , Aurora's Model Motoring race sets became top sellers, with over 25,000,000 cars sold by 1965. Part of
11259-450: The company began the manufacture of its own line of plastic model kits, efficiently marketed with a skeleton staff . The target market were young hobbyists , similar to the kits of the rival companies, Monogram and Revell . Aurora profitably targeted a younger demographic than their competitors, creating smaller-sized, less detailed models at a lower price . The first kits came in late 1952 and were 1:48 scale aircraft models. One
11398-428: The company began to develop a six-cylinder 300 SL for racing. Its doors originally extended onto the bottom of the side windows, and access through them required a removable steering wheel. The 300 SL's first race was the 1952 Mille Miglia . The 1,564-kilometre (972 mi) race was from Brescia to Rome and back, pitting Karl Kling 's 300 SL against Giovanni Bracco 's new 3-liter V-12 Ferrari. Bracco won, besting
11537-547: The company to Nabisco in 1971. Nabisco received unwanted publicity when Aurora introduced a line of “Monster Scenes” which included torture devices and a scantily clad female victim; newspapers reported negatively on the line, and the National Organization for Women voiced their objection. Seven years after their acquisition, Nabisco sold the company to the Anglo-US toy company Dunbee-Combex-Marx who also owned
11676-573: The company's car offerings. Licensed models based on characters from movies , TV shows and comic books were also introduced. Some of the most popular licensed products were the Batmobile and other vehicles from the 1966 TV series , launched in 1967. Batman was a regular offering as was the Hulk , so both DC and Marvel characters were represented. Model kits from Twelve O'Clock High , The Man from U.N.C.L.E. , The Mod Squad , Voyage to
11815-614: The competition. Along these lines these first two kits appear to have been Hawk kits measured and copied to Aurora's own molds. By 1953, six more dies had been made for new airplanes: the Curtiss P-40E Warhawk , Messerschmitt Bf 109 , North American F-86D , and the Lockheed P-38L Lightning , and a fictitious Russian "Yak-25" (later sold as "Mig-19"). Lastly was the Mitsubishi Zero , called
11954-402: The coupe, but the board rejected the proposal due to the remaining inventory of approximately 3,000 axle units and the vehicle's already high production costs. In September 1958, an optional hardtop became available for the roadster, enhancing its appeal as both a sporty convertible and a more practical hardtop option. Mercedes decided to return to international motorsport at the beginning of
12093-456: The coupé's. The wheels were steel bowl/aluminum rim rivet compound wheels. Rudge 5J × 15-inch rims were a valuable option. The tires were 6.50-15 inches on the coupé and 6.70–15 on the roadster. The roadster variant of the 300SL made its debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1957 and began production that May, coinciding with the final assembly of the Gullwing coupes. This roadster featured
12232-404: The crash point. Another part of the fun was the ability to slide the rear of the car and "nerf" a competitor's car off the track if the two went into a curve side by side. The magnatraction cars did not have this drift, and while cornering faster, the driver did not have this danger zone. The car would without warning crash off the track if the driver went into the corner too hard. By the end of
12371-555: The cylinder displacement was increased to 3.1 liters to provide 177 bhp. Continental did not have the time (or expertise) to make special tires for the event, so the company sent 300 tires of different types. Lang hit a dog, and Kling struck a buzzard in the early stages at a speed of 135 miles per hour (217 km/h). The 300 SLs did better later, overtaking the lead Ferrari driven by Bracco. Kling and Klenk finished first, ahead of Lang and Erwin Grupp. A 1-2-3 finish might have been
12510-627: The daily flux of making and consuming, of getting along. They had no autonomy, separate statuses, privileges, special rights or forms of social comportment that were entirely their own." As these ideas began changing during the Enlightenment Era, blowing bubbles from leftover washing up soap became a popular pastime, as shown in the painting The Soap Bubble (1739) by Jean-Baptiste-Siméon Chardin , and other popular toys included hoops , toy wagons , kites , spinning wheels and puppets . Many board games were produced by John Jefferys in
12649-465: The development of a child's cognition in an idealistic fashion. In these communities, adults place the value of play with toys to be on the aspirations they set forth for their child. In the Western culture, the Barbie and Action-Man represent lifelike figures but in an imaginative state out of reach from the society of these children and adults. These toys give way to a unique world in which children's play
12788-520: The dolls labels them appropriate for ages 3 and up. Boys, in contrast, apparently enjoy toys and games over a longer timespan, gravitating towards toys that meet their interest in assembling and disassembling mechanical toys, and toys that "move fast and things that fight". An industry executive points out that girls have entered the " tween " phase by the time they are 8 years old and want non-traditional toys, whereas boys have been maintaining an interest in traditional toys until they are 12 years old, meaning
12927-608: The fact that they are relatively easy to engage with, can be used in repeatable and predictable ways, and are versatile and open-ended, allowing for a wide variety of developmentally appropriate play. Andrew Witkin, director of marketing for Mega Brands , told Investor's Business Daily that "They help develop hand-eye coordination, math and science skills and also let kids be creative." Other toys like marbles , jackstones , and balls serve similar functions in child development, allowing children to use their minds and bodies to learn about spatial relationships , cause and effect , and
13066-488: The field of electronic games and have even been turning audio games into toys, and are enhancing the brands that they have by introducing interactive extensions or internet connectivity to their current toys. In addition, the rise of distributed manufacturing enables consumers to make their own toys from open source designs with a 3-D printer . As of 2017 consumers were already offsetting millions of dollars per year by 3D printing their own toys from MyMiniFactory ,
13205-428: The final result, but American John Fitch was disqualified for allowing a mechanic to touch his car on the next-to-last day. The race team prepared a new version of the 300 SL for the 1953 season; the 300 SLK would be lighter, with a shorter wheelbase, larger wheels, fuel injection, and better brakes. After Mercedes prioritized its efforts on a new Grand Prix car, however, the 300 SLK was canceled. Werner Engel won
13344-417: The front area. The structure was also quite high between the wheels, prohibiting the attachment of standard doors. The only option – already used on the W194 race car – which would allow passengers over its high, deep sill was a gullwing door . The car’s distinctive eyebrows are a functional feature in the front, both physically and aerodynamically deflecting road water from the windscreen, and stylistic in
13483-486: The gear ratio to achieve higher speeds. Third party hop up parts and specialty tools soon came into the market, including stronger motor magnets, wider axles, wider wheels made of precision molded plastic or machined aluminum, brass axle weights to hold the front guide pin in the guide slot at higher cornering speed, and wider soft silicone tires that had better traction. Tools included pickup shoe benders, miniature gear and wheel pullers, gear and wheel presses. Another factor
13622-587: The inside of the body, and cutting the mounting posts to lower the bodies in order to lower the center of gravity. Wheel wells would be cut to allow wider tires and lowering of the body. Reproductions were produced as recently as the year 2020, and some of them are still on hobby store shelves as of 2021. There is a vibrant community of small sellers on internet market and auction sites, and a few remaining shops with multi lane professional tracks still exist along with clubs whose members travel to other states for national sanctioned races. Some of these events are run with
13761-535: The late 18th and early 19th century, many families needed to send their children to work in factories and other sites to make ends meet—just as their predecessors had required their labor producing household goods in the medieval era. Business owners' exploitation and abuse of child laborers during this period differed from how children had been treated as workers within a family unit, though. Thanks to advocacy including photographic documentation of children's exploitation and abuse by business owners, Western nations enacted
13900-486: The late 1950s, Aurora acquired the rights to the Model Motoring slot car racing system from UK toy manufacturer Playcraft . Aurora's first HO-gauge racing sets appeared in the fall of 1960. The cars were originally driven by a unique, vibrator drive system based on a door "buzzer." This motor comprised a wire coil around a vertical iron plunger which very quickly opened and closed a contact which fed power to
14039-499: The model's second year but dropped off over the next three years. Roadster sales were initially high before leveling off to about 200 a year. Initially, the model was distributed only by Max Hoffman , later on by the Studebaker-Packard Corporation . Building on the 1954 debut of the 300 SL, a less-expensive, 1.9-liter roadster was introduced the following year as the 190 SL . The latter was succeeded by
14178-408: The name of "The Fray", and have a specific set of rules on how cars can be modified, and what parts must be in the original configuration. These races have a tech inspection afterwards for the cars that win prizes or points towards a national championship. In 1968, Aurora introduced its Cigarbox miniature cars and the timing could not have been worse. These were developed to compete with Matchbox in
14317-408: The oil cooler and stick rigidly to the appropriately low 1,600 km (1,000 mi) recommended oil-change interval. An auxiliary fuel pump provided additional fuel for extended high-speed operation (or cold starts), but overuse could also lead to oil dilution. From March 1963 to the end of production later that year, a light alloy crankcase was installed in 209 vehicles. Like modern racing cars,
14456-428: The passenger compartment. The upper tube is so high it is level with the driver's elbow, making conventional horizontally, hinged doors infeasible. The resulting design—upward opening "gullwing" doors—gave the car its iconic nickname. The suspension was a regular Mercedes-Benz W186 with a sportier tuning. Front-to-rear weight distribution is almost exactly in the center of the vehicle. The recirculating ball steering
14595-540: The pieces. In Iran , "puzzle-locks" were made as early as the 17th century (CE). Toys became more widespread with changing Western attitudes towards children and childhood brought about by the Enlightenment . Previously, children had often been thought of as small adults, who were expected to work in order to produce the goods that the family needed to survive. As children's culture scholar Stephen Kline has argued, Medieval children were "more fully integrated into
14734-463: The popularity of the Pancake motor cars was that they could easily be disassembled by the hobbyist with the simple removal of the brass gearplate clip which gave ready access to the armature, brushes and magnets, and serviced with readily available factory original replacement and upgrade parts. These upgrades included silver plated electrical parts for better electrical conductivity, and gears to raise
14873-459: The power output of its three-liter overhead camshaft straight-six engine. The 300 SL was capable of reaching speeds of up to 260 km/h (162 mph), earning it a reputation as a sports car racing champion and making it the fastest production car of its time. The car's iconic gullwing doors and innovative lightweight tubular-frame construction contributed to its status as a groundbreaking and highly influential automobile. The designation "SL"
15012-450: The primary influencer on the gender roles of their children. Parents, siblings, peers, and even teachers have been shown to react more positively to children engaging in sex-typical behavior and playing with sex-typical toys. This is often done through encouragement or discouragement, as well as suggestions and imitation. Additionally, sons are more likely to be reinforced for sex-typical play and discouraged from atypical play. However, it
15151-406: The rear, added for visual symmetry. The Mercedes-Benz M198 engine is a water-cooled 3.0 L, 182.8 cu in, 2,996 cc overhead cam straight six . Like the racing Mercedes-Benz M194 , the 300 SL borrowed the basic two-valves-per-cylinder M186 engine from the regular four-door 300 (W186 "Adenauer") luxury touring car introduced in 1951. It featured the M186's aluminum head:
15290-423: The roadster. The body consists mainly of sheet steel, with the bonnet, boot lid, dashboard, sill, and door skins made of aluminum. Silver-grey was the standard color; all others were options. The objective of the overall design was to make the vehicle as streamlined as possible. The width of the tubular frame along the cockpit allowed the cabin roofline to be inset considerably on both sides, dramatically reducing
15429-462: The roadster. With upward-opening doors, the coupé has an unusually-high sill; entering and exiting the car is problematic. The steering wheel pivots on its hub 90 degrees away from the dashboard to facilitate entry. Storage space for luggage is behind the seats in the coupé; the boot only holds a spare wheel and fuel tank. The roadster was available with two custom-fitted leather suitcases for the larger boot. The coupé's windows are fixed and roll down in
15568-427: The rules were changed to make the class more competitive by enlarging the maximum engine size from 3 to 3.5 liters. Rather than radically modifying its engine size (on the cusp of releasing the company's new 300 SL roadster, replacing the coupé), Mercedes-Benz created two roadsters to campaign on the D Modified class SCAA circuit. They featured a solid cover over the passenger seat, a low-profile racing screen in place of
15707-519: The same for their costumes. The Disney store is an especially prevalent example of gender in play because they are a global identity in the toy world. A study done regarding their website found that though they have removed gender labels from their costumes, the toys online reflect more stereotypical gender identities. For example, toys depicting males were associated with physicality and females were associated with beauty, housing, and caring. Though Disney promotes their toys as being for both genders, there
15846-522: The second place Mercedes by four minutes and 32 seconds. Driving a car with a less-powerful engine, Rudolf Caracciola placed fourth. Two weeks after the Mille Miglia, the original four cars raced at Bern before the Grand Prix. Concerned that Le Mans officials would not accept the gullwing-door design, Daimler-Benz revised the door down into the side of the body. Rear-brake locking was
15985-410: The segregation by gender in toys because it enables them to customize the same toy for each gender, which ultimately doubles their revenue. For example, Legos added more colors to certain sets of toys in the 1990s, including colors commonly attributed to girls such as lavender. It has been noted by researchers that, "Children as young as 18 months display sex-stereotyped toy choices". When eye movement
16124-594: The site appears to have not been updated. Toy A toy or plaything is an object that is used primarily to provide entertainment . Simple examples include toy blocks , board games , and dolls . Toys are often designed for use by children, although many are designed specifically for adults and pets. Toys can provide utilitarian benefits, including physical exercise, cultural awareness, or academic education. Additionally, utilitarian objects, especially those which are no longer needed for their original purpose, can be used as toys. Examples include children building
16263-523: The six-cylinder racers and would focus on the Grand Prix. For a final outing, the company (pressured by the Daimler-Benz representative in Mexico City) sent Mexico two 3 + 1 ⁄ 2 -ton trucks and 35 people to compete in the third Carrera Panamericana . Two 300 SL coupés and two roadsters were updated with right-side exhaust and new window molding. Since there was no three-liter class,
16402-425: The study encourages a focus on toys which are beneficial to both genders in order to create a better balance. While some parents promote gender neutral play, many parents encourage their children to participate in sex-typed activities, including doll-playing and engaging in housekeeping activities for girls and playing with trucks and engaging in sports activities for boys. Researcher Susan Witt said that parents are
16541-699: The success of the production run; the 300 SL was introduced at the February 1954 New York International Auto Show instead of the Frankfurt or Geneva shows, where company models usually debuted. In addition, the production of a smaller roadster, the Mercedes-Benz 190 SL , was announced after Hoffman placed an initial order for 1,000 to support their production. Mercedes received a positive visitor response to both cars in New York, and production began at
16680-401: The supply to meet this rising demand. Intellectual emphasis was also increasingly being placed on the importance of a wholesome and happy childhood for the future development of children. Franz Kolb , a German pharmacist, invented plasticine in 1880, and in 1900 commercial production of the material as a children's toy began. Frank Hornby was a visionary in toy development and manufacture and
16819-650: The then only SL in the Mercedes line, the 230 SL , in 1963, produced in increasing displacement and cost up to a 280 SL through 1971. Subsequent SL generations include the R107 (variously produced in models and displacements from 280 SL to 560 SL from 1971 to 1989) and the R129 (likewise, in 280 SL through 600 SL from 1989 to 2001). The two generations of the SL that have followed are grand tourers available as coupe convertibles . The gullwing-door V8 SLS AMG debuted in 2009 as
16958-400: The tomb of a four-year-old girl at Xi'an Banpo Neolithic site. The earliest toys were made from natural materials, such as rocks, sticks, and clay . Thousands of years ago, Egyptian children played with dolls that had wigs and movable limbs, which were made from stone, pottery, and wood. However, evidence of toys in ancient Egypt is exceptionally difficult to identify with certainty in
17097-536: The toys that are intended for girls and boys within various cultures, which is reflective of the differing roles of men and women within a specific cultural community. Research on the repercussions of gender in toys suggests that desegregation of the genders can be achieved by encouraging more gender-neutral play. Researchers Carol Auster and Claire Mansbach have argued that allowing children to play with toys which more closely fit their talents would help them to better develop their skills. In terms of parental influence,
17236-575: The traditional toy industry holds onto their boy customers for 50% longer than their girl customers. Girls gravitate towards "music, clothes, make-up, television talent shows and celebrities". As young children are more exposed to and drawn to music intended for older children and teens, companies are having to rethink how they develop and market their products. Girls also demonstrate a longer loyalty to characters in toys and games marketed towards them. A variety of global toy companies have marketed themselves to this aspect of girls' development, for example,
17375-418: The values set forth by the adults of their specific community, but through the lens of the child's perspective. Within cultural societies, toys are a medium to enhance a child's cognitive, social, and linguistic learning. In some cultures, toys are used as a way to enhance a child's skillset within the traditional boundaries of their future roles in the community. In Saharan and North African cultures, play
17514-637: The world. The modern zoetrope was invented in 1833 by British mathematician William George Horner and was popularized in the 1860s. Wood and porcelain dolls in miniature doll houses were popular with middle-class girls, while boys played with marbles and toy trains. The golden age of toy development occurred during the Industrial Era . Real wages were rising steadily in the Western world, allowing even working-class families to afford toys for their children, and industrial techniques of precision engineering and mass production were able to provide
17653-603: The year that Mattel 's Hot Wheels were introduced. The Cigarbox car line was a combination of rather bland plastic slot car bodies with metal chassis. Models were claimed to be HO scale, but the cars were larger than HO – yet a bit smaller than Hot Wheels. Cigarbox cars were packaged in small yellow cigar-like boxes which had fancy red serif lettering and gold trim. The boxes were slightly larger, flatter and more rectangular than those of Matchbox, measuring 4" x 2.75" x just over 1" deep. If Lesney could have "Match" boxes, Aurora figured it could have "Cigar" boxes. The popular rumor
17792-416: Was a F9F Panther jet and the other an F90 Lockheed . The Aurora logo at this time appeared in narrow white letters and in a semi-circular form across the top of the script; the more recognized Aurora oval did not appear until 1957. Boxes were a simply illustrated orange color. The slogan under the Aurora logo was "U – Ma – Kit" (You Make It). Aurora's market approach was to make kits simple, thus undercutting
17931-462: Was also an entrepreneur and a pioneer in licensing and merchandising literary characters. Potter built a retail empire out of her "bunny book" that is worth $ 500 million today. In the process, she created a system that continues to benefit all licensed characters, from Mickey Mouse to Harry Potter ." In tandem with the development of mass-produced toys, Enlightenment ideals about children's rights to education and leisure time came to fruition. During
18070-517: Was called "Sport Leicht" on the company website until 2017, when "SL" was changed to "Super Leicht" after a chance finding in the corporate archives. A special 300 SLS (Super Light Special) version of the 300 SL roadster was created for the Mercedes-Benz US racing team to compete on the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) national circuit in 1957. After the 300 SL coupé dominated the D Production class en route to titles in 1955 and 1956,
18209-421: Was customary for them to sacrifice the toys of their childhood to the gods . On the eve of their wedding, young girls around fourteen would offer their dolls in a temple as a rite of passage into adulthood. The oldest known mechanical puzzle also comes from ancient Greece and appeared in the 3rd century BCE. The game consisted of a square divided into 14 parts, and the aim was to create different shapes from
18348-401: Was held on a challenging track. The competition shifted to Jaguar and Alfa Romeo . Nürburgring required a light, powerful car; aerodynamics were less critical, so the top of the coupé was removed (creating a 300 SL roadster with the rear deck and the passenger's side covered by an aluminum cover). All four cars raced at Nürburgring in unsupercharged form after trials indicated no benefit with
18487-489: Was intrigued by the way it flopped around on the floor. He spent two years fine-tuning the design to find the best gauge of steel and coil; the result was the Slinky , which went on to sell in stores throughout the United States. After the Second World War , as society became ever more affluent and new technology and materials (plastics) for toy manufacture became available, toys became cheap and ubiquitous in households across
18626-412: Was relatively precise for its time, and the four-wheel independent suspension allowed for a reasonably-comfortable ride and markedly-better overall handling. The front suspension consisted of unequal-length double wishbones , coil springs , hydraulic telescopic shock absorbers, and a torsion anti-roll bar . The rear has a low-pivot swing axle , radius arms, and coil springs. Being jointed only at
18765-402: Was responsible for the invention and production of three of the most popular lines of toys based on engineering principles in the twentieth century: Meccano , Hornby Model Railways and Dinky Toys . Meccano was a model construction system that consisted of re-usable metal strips, plates, angle girders , wheels, axles and gears , with nuts and bolts to connect the pieces and enabled
18904-421: Was set at 8.55:1. Another performance feature was dry sump lubrication, which ensured proper oil distribution in high-speed cornering and reduced engine height by eliminating a traditional oil pan. A more-powerful version of the M198, with a radical sports camshaft and 9.5:1 compression ratio, could be ordered free of additional charge for the coupé. The roadster had this engine only in its 1957 debut year. For
19043-537: Was that Aurora produced updates to the Pancake motor cars like the Thunderjet Tuff Ones, including hotter armatures, wider stance, wider tires, and later, magnatraction added to the A/FX chassis. Magnatraction was accomplished by equipping the A/FX chassis with thicker motor magnets which extended lower into openings of the chassis, using magnetic attraction to the electrical rails in the track and pulling
19182-520: Was that Matchbox took Aurora to court for copyright infringement over the similar marketing approach. Today the idea skirts the boundaries of the culturally acceptable. Was smoking being promoted? In any event, the Cigarbox marque soon disappeared. Some of the cars offered, however, were unique and not often seen in miniature, such as the 1967 Ford Galaxie 500, 1963 Buick Riviera , Mako Shark Corvette concept , Cheetah Chevy , Lola GT racing coupe, and
19321-519: Was used to decrease pedal force by using negative pressure from the intake manifold . Brake shoes were 90 millimetres (4 in) wide. The front drum brakes were two-wheel brake cylinders/wheels, and the rear drum brakes were one-wheel brake cylinders/wheels. The handbrake was a mechanical parking brake that acted on the rear wheels. The roadster had the same drum brakes until March 1961, when Ø 290-millimetre (11.4 in) front and rear disc brakes were introduced. The roadster's wheels were larger than
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