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I am looking at a bunch of "vintage" ESCs, but most of them date back to the 1984/1985ish era, and I am looking for something appropriate for a 1980 rig. I guess 1st question would be, were there any mass produced, quality ESCs out at that time? Was everyone just running MSCs, with maybe some homemade ESC gems thrown out there? If there were ESCs out there, what make / models should I be looking for?

All I remember that early was MSC's...but...found this with a quick search...interesting read...hope it helps! https://www.overrc.com/vintage/documentation/archives-de-mike/Speed%20Controllers%201980%20RCMC.pdf

Delta was the first in 1981 with the Autodrive. Well, with a proper esc anyway. There were likely some toy grade before that but not for enthusiasts

Futaba MC5, 1980-84.

Calling @Dinglem , I'm not the expert but for UK based stuff Dinglem is the man to ask , I know Demon made some very early on as did Marfet and Nosram .

Thanks for the assist guys! I think for this one, I am going to come up with what I think would have been a semi-correct MSC for the period (although probably a few years off). The ESCs seem so few and far between, and for a mostly shelf queen, I feel the mechanical stuff is better looking anyway ...................... and a lot cheaper unless I find one at the bottom of a cheap box.

But please don't let that stop the conversation.............................

A Parma (wiper type) MSC should be period correct. But I suspect that any of that style will look the part.

That Auto Modeller article is interesting, didn´t saw so far.

Well, I personally made my own ESC when I started into 1/12 scale cars in 1978, as I didn´t like the MSC. But this doesn´t count for the question.

Delta Autodrive was very interesting ESC but far from being the first. Their small 1/18 scale ESC for the Pocket Rocket was their first ESC by the way.
Released in 1981. The Autodrive was later.

Electro Craft was one of the first, beginning with a more hobby style ESC. Around the same time as the Jomac.
Both well before 1980. New generation ESC released before 1980 as well. Any of them very hard to find today.

Around 1980 the British Demon ESC were some of the best you could buy. Smoothtronic was same timeframe but a couple of months released after the Demon.

The MacGregor ESC was an interesting design but quite rare again. I found one a couple of years ago.

If you guys are interested in early ESC, you should visit Classic RC museum https://classicrc.wordpress.com/
Quite a number of ESCs to find there.

This is circa 1980, one of the first commercially available in the UK. Lots of drivers were using Parma type resistors well after the introduction of esc's.

Sorry - i am a few weeks late to the party here....

Nick Adams was producing his units from 1977, and i have seen pictures of his original prototype and design drawings for the Demon 1 from that year as he still had them at the time of his unfortunate passing.

The Demon 2 was commercially available and well used in the UK in 1980 and actually looked the part, being encased in a metal box and occasionally just on a metal plate and black heatshrink to save weight. I have a few of them complete with his own personal dating sticker and unit chronology info.

Super early 1980 Demon 2 with optional Turbo bypass. It even has the original dating sticker although I haven't stripped it to detail the numbers yet.
This second one with the black heatshrink removed shows his dating info sticker with '802 330' indicating a Feb '80 build date and unit number 330.
If i was looking for a period correct 1980 speedo, the Demon 2 (plus Turbo unit) would be it.

Article from June 1979.

winner_evo wrote: ↑Fri Sep 02, 2022 6:10 pm This is circa 1980, one of the first commercially available in the UK. Lots of drivers were using Parma type resistors well after the introduction of esc's.

Ok, i'll bite. Has that Parma motor been serviced by Mick Goddard??

dinglem wrote: ↑Sat Sep 24, 2022 2:22 am
Ok, i'll bite. Has that Parma motor been serviced by Mick Goddard??

It's certainly an MG label on it but I'm guessing it is on there just because it was sold through his shop. It's a stock motor with bushings & I haven seen any signs of it being worked on.

I imagine he might have worked the arm over as they were easy to open. He only had a workshop, never a shop as it were. He did offer a rebuild service and he was well known for relabelling other motors he rebuilt. I sent him a Revolution modified once and it came back with no sticker at all!!

OK, I didn't realise he didn't have a shop, assumed he sold other manufacturers products. If not then the sticker would mean he reworked the motor.

Incindentally, I recently got a Phil Greeno modified which is a relabelled Demon.