Author Topic: Speedway Mfg Co  (Read 23941 times)

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Offline ron darner

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Re: Speedway Mfg Co
« Reply #15 on: April 05, 2014, 03:16:37 AM »
Hi, Hannah!
That SOUNDS like it might be from an entirely separate company, but . . . that's purely guesswork.  Any chance that you can add a photo?  Are there any musical instrument forums that might have similar areas for unidentified instruments?
Arrogance and Ignorance have more in common than their last four letters!

Hannah

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Re: Speedway Mfg Co
« Reply #16 on: April 22, 2014, 11:23:25 AM »
Here are the pictures of the Mini Bass.  My dad tried on the talkbass forums and the mini bass created quite a stir, however, nobody had ever seen or heard of such an instrument.  https://plus.google.com/101501955160136703348/posts/AmLfStB3tms

Sharon Pikul

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Re: Speedway Mfg Co
« Reply #17 on: June 19, 2014, 08:12:27 PM »
Guys
What is amazing is that I grew up in LaGrange Park and my husband in Cicero.  We have a Speedway Blue Line Speed Circular Saw from his grandfather.  Until I found your site, we could not find out anything about it or the company.  The only thing we knew is that it was manufactured in Cicero, because the label said so.

In LaGrange Park, they were not to far from where I lived.  In fact we drove by there a great deal.  Their address was THOR POWER TOOL COMPANY 1421 Barnsdale Road LaGrange Park, IL  60525.

I have searched and searched everywhere and cannot find another one like it.  The side mount vertical motor is something that I have never seen before.  I have pictures that I would enjoy posting so that others could see it.  However, I don't seem to be able to attach them to this reply.

Best always,
Sharon Pikul

Offline ron darner

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Re: Speedway Mfg Co
« Reply #18 on: June 19, 2014, 10:33:30 PM »
Not certain, but very often, it is necessary to be a member of a forum in order to post photos (and sometimes, even to post hyperlinks).  You (and your husband) have a tool that fits into this section of Tool Talk - and there's even a suitable thread to start from! - so, why not sign in?  We hardly ever bite: this is probably the best-behaved forum I've ever been on, anywhere, in fact.  And we LOVE pictures.  You can even tell us a little bit about yourself / yourselves on the Welcome Board, if you'd like.

Another possibility would be to place copies on one of the photo-sharing services, and provide a link to that place.

I don't recognize the Barnsdale Rd. address, but most of their nameplates just listed either Cicero or LaGrange Park.  Some early ads listed numbers on S. 52nd, but that was long before the connection with Thor. Likely, official headquarters got changed several times, especially during the time around the purchase of Speedway.
« Last Edit: June 19, 2014, 10:43:10 PM by ron darner »
Arrogance and Ignorance have more in common than their last four letters!

Offline rusty

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Re: Speedway Mfg Co
« Reply #19 on: June 20, 2014, 05:30:46 PM »
> 1421 Barnsdale Road
Shows up in the 60's, 70's in newspapers...


Sharon, by all means, sign up and post pictures, we love pictures :)
Just a weathered light rust/WD40 mix patina.

Offline SPikul

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Re: Speedway Mfg Co
« Reply #20 on: October 30, 2014, 12:42:56 PM »
Here are 3 of the pictures of the saw.  Thought that I uploaded them to the picture section of the board, but could not find them.  I will be cleaning shining it up and cleaning it this winter and then post some better ones.

Enjoy,
Sharon Pikul

Offline Papaw

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Re: Speedway Mfg Co
« Reply #21 on: October 30, 2014, 02:44:29 PM »
Cool saw! I like the look of it, but question its comfort in use. Looks awkward.
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Offline oldgoaly

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Re: Speedway Mfg Co
« Reply #22 on: October 30, 2014, 03:05:37 PM »
That's cute little bugger of a saw!!!
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Offline OilyRascal

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Re: Speedway Mfg Co
« Reply #23 on: October 30, 2014, 05:30:21 PM »
It gets a 10 from me for the cool factor.  I'm with papaw on the comfort factor.
"FORGED IN THE USA" myself.  Be good to your tools!

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Offline turnnut

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Re: Speedway Mfg Co
« Reply #24 on: October 30, 2014, 08:20:41 PM »
Sharon, thanks for posting the pictures, I have never seen one like that.

the good part is the family histoty behind it. 

it also reminds me of a sign that was given to me long ago;

                           PRIMITIVES
         FOR THEM, THEY WERE NECESSITIES,
             TO US, THEY ARE HERITAGE.

Colin

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Re: Speedway Mfg Co
« Reply #25 on: March 16, 2016, 10:07:56 PM »
Hello all,

I've recently had a Speedway Bench Grinder model 119 come into my possession.  Looks just like a 117, but I can't find any info about it.  Says Cicero. Illinois on it, Serial 529.  Any idea what year this might have been made or anything else?

Offline Bill Houghton

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Re: Speedway Mfg Co
« Reply #26 on: March 17, 2016, 08:31:52 PM »
Thanks, Sharon!  That's pretty cool.  And it demonstrates, again, that there aren't many new ideas.  DeWalt adopted a very similar motor orientation on its worm-drive saws for a little while:


I'm willing to bet the DeWalt marketing people were claiming (and may even have believed) that theirs was a radical new design.

It got good reviews, but the design didn't last (I had to go back to a 2005 tool review to find a picture); not sure why.  Could have been conservatism in the trade, or it could have turned out to be a badly balanced design; just don't know.

And welcome.  We hope you'll find this place enough fun to come back and visit.

Offline Old Slivers

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Re: Speedway Mfg Co
« Reply #27 on: April 07, 2016, 10:17:32 PM »
Hi guys,  I just bought a SpeedWay Speed Drill.  type 79 3/8 at an auction.  This thing still works.  Puts out lots of ozone.  I love the slanted pistol grip.  I've never seen one before.   Does anyone here have any info on this drill? 

kelmeister

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Re: Speedway Mfg Co
« Reply #28 on: May 23, 2016, 09:47:02 AM »
I have the very same drill. Still works too. Don't remember where I got it.

Offline Twilight Fenrir

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Re: Speedway Mfg Co
« Reply #29 on: June 17, 2016, 01:42:18 PM »
I didn't realize Thor and Speedway were connected.... I've started grabbing every Thor power tool I come across, as I just love them. But my Grandfather had an old Speedway drill, presumably from the mines, which I inherited. It's really neat looking, I thought about restoring it and hanging it on a wall or something, though I don't normally do that. My old tools get used, like they were supposed to :P