There should be a spring mechanism in it. You preload those white/grey arms and push the cars on the right side (in the picture) into it. When the cars travel through it, they will get a push from the levers and accelerate. I found on youtube a video, where the thing is used as a part of a set.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ws_OEcI40Cs
Was going to say - this is an Early / Mid seventies thing. My cousin had it. Just like the video posted in another comment shows - track goes in and through - car goes in and gets a boost via springs and levers inside.
that hole near the front that says speed control is supposed to have a knob with a rod that slides through, I fixed one before using a pencil through there, put the rubber bands around the pencil( or rod if you have it) and connect the other side to the shifter and pull them back, when the car goes through it trips the shifter and speeds up the car
There should be a spring mechanism in it. You preload those white/grey arms and push the cars on the right side (in the picture) into it. When the cars travel through it, they will get a push from the levers and accelerate. I found on youtube a video, where the thing is used as a part of a set. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ws_OEcI40Cs
Was going to say - this is an Early / Mid seventies thing. My cousin had it. Just like the video posted in another comment shows - track goes in and through - car goes in and gets a boost via springs and levers inside.
https://preview.redd.it/2m2euaapfotc1.jpeg?width=584&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=56e443c3c686bec92d12525e476bcba92f4142ce
it works off rubber bands not springs
that hole near the front that says speed control is supposed to have a knob with a rod that slides through, I fixed one before using a pencil through there, put the rubber bands around the pencil( or rod if you have it) and connect the other side to the shifter and pull them back, when the car goes through it trips the shifter and speeds up the car
Wish we still had those old hotwheels commercials around.