Junior Central

1963 Barry Toycraft Corvette!

click on any picture to enlarge it

Sales flyer
restored example

    Chevrolet used a Promotional Junior car in 1963 to promote the Chevy Corvette Sting Ray and just like many Juniors before it they were used to get people in the showroom by using pressure applied by the customers children. As the kids lined up to take a test drive in the little Stingray the salesman was trying to sell mom and dad a new 63 Nova or corvair or even a Corvette if he could get them to buy one. They were even promoted by the Dinah Shore program (she was a Chevrolet spokesperson). The production numbers for the Mini Vette was pegged at 1,200 and all done in red Gelcoat. Unlike the Powercar products the Vette was a single seater and had steering very similar to the vintage Go Karts. The body was made by a boat manufacturer in the ST Paul area Luger industries. like most of the Junior cars power was derived from a standard car battery running a modified starter motor the frame also had a built in battery charger.
Barry Toycraft was a division of ST. Paul Corrugating the little cars were assembled in a plant at 3rd and Water streets in ST. Paul Minnesota.

Specifications


77 inches long
29 1/8" wide
18 1/2" tall (23 3/4" with windshield)
12 Volt motor
brakes by pressure applied to rear wheels
6 miles per hour top speed
forward and reverse
Adjustable padded bucket seat
U-shaped racing type steering wheel
12" X 3" semi-Pneumatic tires
Independent suspension
$285.00 dealer cost F.O.B. ST. Paul
230 pound shipping weight


I have heard rumors of a 60 vintage electric corvette made by Yardman but I do not have any details yet if I do get information and pictures I will make another page dedicated to them. Just like all of the other cars on this site if you have more information, Pictures, literature or vintage images of the JR cars being used at dealerships I would like to buy them! or i would gladly accept scans so that I can share the information with everyone on this site.

Toycraft flyer


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Site Built:       04/17/04
Last Update:   04/19/04



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Use of images and information on this website for Magazine articles/car club newsletters

If you want to use information or images from this website for magazine articles please contact me so that I can help by providing more information addition images or Higher resolution images. So little is known about these little cars that education of the collecting public can only help find more of them and find more parts or parts sources for them. Generally I only ask for of a copy of the final issue and mention of the website in the article in return. Even though promotional cars have been around for a long time they have only recently become very collectable. Any article written about them can only help to find “Automotive archeologists” With information on these rare and unusual mini cars

Welcome to my mis-spelled word file!
These are common and sometimes uncommon ways to mis-spell the primary words on this site! I provide this as a service to the phonically challenged because they are people too! Or maybe they have a typing handicap like myself. Corvete, Crysler, Chrystler, Christler, Desota, De Sota, Desotoe, Desoda, Dasoda, Edsil, fibre, fibreglass, Gokart, Go-kart, go kart, Mo Par, Mustange, mircury, Peddel, Peddal, Peddle, pedel, Plymoth, Plimoth, Plimouth, powercar, power car, Tbird, T-bird, Thunderchicken