2pc 1990 Tyco HO Slot Car Pontiac Grand Prix Wide Body Green Test Shot Variation

Description

This listing is for TWO (2) TYCO HO Scale Slot Car BODY-ONLY. Factory Base coat plastic is Unfinished and in LIGHTER & DARKER MINTY GREEN on this very nicely detailed PONTIAC GRAND PRIX NASCAR dressed shell. They were probably manufactured between 1990 & 1996. They will accept nearly any wide pan TYCO or Mattel HO scale SLOT CAR chassis. They are TYCO Malaysia manufactured bodies & are 100% Original Equipment Manufacturer produced. Sold as is. Descriptions are very accurate; No Returns. PLEASE ASK QUESTIONS BEFORE YOU BUY IF YOU ARE UNSURE. We ship promptly & professionally. We happily combine orders & refund any excess s/h immediately upon shipping. We can always provide tracking. I charge $1 for expert handling/packaging, & actual shipping. We ship out of the country almost daily. Please refer to our feedback, social media or time selling HO slot cars for assurances of a good honest deal. Happy motorin' & thanks S'lots from Bob at Slot Car Central in SYR. We Know H.O. And from GROK 3.0: The 1990 Pontiac Grand Prix NASCAR cars were stock cars used in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series during the 1990 season, representing Pontiac’s effort to compete in the highly competitive world of American stock car racing. These cars were based on the Pontiac Grand Prix production model but heavily modified to meet NASCAR’s strict regulations for performance, safety, and competition fairness. Below is a detailed look at the 1990 Pontiac Grand Prix NASCAR cars, covering their design, specifications, teams, drivers, and performance. Background and Context In 1990, NASCAR’s Winston Cup Series was dominated by manufacturers like Chevrolet, Ford, and Pontiac, each vying to showcase their brand’s engineering prowess. Pontiac had a strong racing heritage, with the Grand Prix serving as its primary model for NASCAR since the late 1980s, following the earlier use of models like the Pontiac LeMans. The 1990 Grand Prix NASCAR cars were built to resemble the street-legal Grand Prix, particularly the sixth-generation model introduced in 1988, but they were purpose-built race cars with little in common with their showroom counterparts beyond body shape and branding. Design and Construction Chassis : The 1990 Pontiac Grand Prix NASCAR cars used a tube-frame chassis, a standard in NASCAR at the time, designed for rigidity and safety. These chassis were hand-built by teams or specialized shops like Junior Johnson’s or Jay Hedgecock’s, with no direct relation to the production Grand Prix’s front-wheel-drive W-body platform. Body : The body was a steel shell styled to mimic the 1990 Pontiac Grand Prix coupe, featuring its distinctive sloped nose, narrow headlights, and split grille. However, NASCAR rules required standardized body templates to ensure aerodynamic parity, so differences between Pontiac, Chevrolet, and Ford bodies were minimal. The cars had polycarbonate windows, NACA ducts for cooling, and a large rear spoiler to manage downforce. Aerodynamics : Teams spent significant time in wind tunnels to optimize airflow, as the Grand Prix’s boxy design needed tweaks to reduce drag and improve stability at speeds exceeding 190 mph. Pontiac’s NASCAR cars benefited from lessons learned in earlier models, like the 1986 Grand Prix 2+2, which was homologated with a more aerodynamic “bubble” rear window for racing. Specifications Engine : Powered by a 358 cubic-inch (5.9-liter) V8 engine, typically built by specialists like Reins-Owens Engines. These pushrod V8s were carbureted (fuel injection was not allowed) and produced around 650-700 horsepower, though exact figures varied by team and track setup. The engines were unrelated to the production Grand Prix’s 2.3L inline-four, 3.1L V6, or turbocharged V6 options. Transmission : A four-speed manual gearbox, often a Jerico or Richmond unit, sent power to the rear wheels. No automatic transmissions were used, unlike the street Grand Prix. Suspension : Adjustable coil-over shocks and a solid rear axle, optimized for oval tracks. Teams fine-tuned suspension for each race, balancing handling for left-turn-heavy tracks like Daytona or short ovals like Richmond. Brakes : Four-wheel disc brakes with heavy-duty calipers (e.g., JFZ) and ventilated rotors, designed to withstand the intense heat of high-speed racing. Wheels and Tires : 15-inch steel wheels (e.g., Bassett D-Hole) fitted with Goodyear Eagle slicks, providing massive grip but requiring frequent changes during races. Weight : Approximately 3,400 pounds, per NASCAR’s minimum weight rules, including driver and fuel. Safety Features : A full roll cage with door bars, multi-point harness, window net, fire suppression system, and a fuel cell in the trunk were standard, reflecting NASCAR’s evolving safety standards in the early ‘90s. Teams and Drivers Several prominent teams and drivers campaigned Pontiac Grand Prix cars in the 1990 Winston Cup Series: Richard Petty (Petty Enterprises) : The legendary “King” drove a #43 STP-sponsored Pontiac Grand Prix (chassis #11, built by Jay Hedgecock at Junior Johnson’s shop) in select races during 1990 and 1991. Notable finishes included: 11th at the 1990 Miller Genuine Draft 400 (Michigan). 16th at the 1990 Peak Antifreeze 500 (Dover). 7th at the 1991 Winston 500 (Charlotte). 20th at the 1991 Coca-Cola 600 (Charlotte, after a crash). This car was later refurbished and sold at auction in 2023 for $81,000. Michael Waltrip (Bahari Racing) : Waltrip piloted the #30 Kool-Aid/Country Time Pontiac Grand Prix, owned by Chuck Rider. He ran all 29 races in the 1990 season, achieving a best finish of 3rd at the Mello Yello 500 (Charlotte) and finishing 16th in the championship with 10 top-10s. Other Teams : Teams like Precision Products Racing (with driver Greg Sacks) and occasionally smaller outfits also fielded Pontiacs, though Chevrolet and Ford dominated entries. Pontiac’s factory support was significant, providing engineering expertise and funding to top teams. Performance in 1990 The 1990 NASCAR Winston Cup Series consisted of 29 races, with Pontiac Grand Prix cars competing across iconic tracks like Daytona, Talladega, and Darlington. Pontiac’s performance was solid but overshadowed by Ford’s dominance (thanks to drivers like Mark Martin and Bill Elliott) and Chevrolet’s strong teams (e.g., Dale Earnhardt’s Richard Childress Racing). Wins : Pontiac secured a few victories in 1990, though specific race wins for the Grand Prix were limited compared to Ford’s Thunderbird. Michael Waltrip’s consistent top-10s helped maintain Pontiac’s visibility. Challenges : The Grand Prix faced aerodynamic disadvantages against the sleeker Ford Thunderbird, requiring teams to optimize setups meticulously. Engine reliability and tire wear were also critical, as the high-horsepower V8s pushed components to their limits. Notable Races : At the Daytona 500, Pontiacs struggled against Ford and Chevy, with no top-5 finishes. Waltrip’s 3rd-place finish at Charlotte highlighted the Grand Prix’s potential on intermediate tracks. Petty’s 11th at Michigan showed the car’s competitiveness in the hands of a veteran, despite his semi-retirement phase. Legacy and Significance The 1990 Pontiac Grand Prix NASCAR cars were part of Pontiac’s final major push in stock car racing before the brand scaled back its involvement in the mid-1990s. By 1990, NASCAR was transitioning toward safer, more standardized cars, and the Grand Prix reflected this era’s blend of raw power and emerging safety tech. Pontiac’s racing efforts helped maintain brand excitement, aligning with its “We Build Excitement” marketing for the street Grand Prix. However, Pontiac’s NASCAR presence waned as GM focused more on Chevrolet, which became the dominant GM brand in racing. The 1990 season was a high point for the Grand Prix in terms of visibility, with iconic drivers like Petty and rising stars like Waltrip behind the wheel. Today, surviving examples, like Petty’s #43 STP car, are prized by collectors, fetching high prices at auctions due to their historical significance. Collectibility and Modern Relevance Surviving Cars : Many 1990 Grand Prix NASCAR cars were crashed, rebuilt, or scrapped, as was common in the era. Restored examples, especially those with documented provenance (e.g., Petty’s car), are rare and valuable. Diecast Models : The #30 Kool-Aid Pontiac and #43 STP Pontiac are popular in 1:24 and 1:64 diecast form, with brands like Racing Champions and Monogram producing detailed replicas. Cultural Impact : The Grand Prix NASCAR cars appeared in media like the 1990 film Days of Thunder (though the movie used Chevys and Fords primarily), cementing the era’s stock car aesthetic in pop culture.