The fact that "only" 17000 people have seen this video is heartbreaking. I teared up watching this, absolutely amazing restoration and absolutely insane story! Glad I ended up here today.

I was very interested to discover very recently that a Great-Uncle of mine, Charles Mancini, who was born and raised in Japan, assisted and guided the Thomas Flyer team as a passenger on their journey from Kobe to Kyoto. He is mentioned a few times in "Across Japan in a Motor Car, A Picturesque Narrative of the Journey made by the New York to Paris Racers" by George Macadam who was the New York Times Correspondent aboard Thomas Flyer at the time. I hope, one day, to see the Thomas Flyer in Reno.

WOW! Go USA!!! That's a great story!! We are making a set of 10 1/2 inch connecting rods for the 1911 Thomas flyer and I came upon this video, to see what the car looks like. Really inspiring victory to say the least.

George Schuster was my great uncle - the brother of my grandmother Anna Mary Schuster. ♥ Thanks for this video!

This is honestly the most amazing story I’ve ever heard. If you asked me today to take a brand new stock car across the bearing straight and Siberia, in the dead of winter, I’d be very weary of success. Yet these gentleman did it with now ancient technology in an age without satellite phones or even planes. It’s absolutely incredible anyone survived that race.

Interesting to note that the cars in the race would not have completed the trip without the aid(on many occasions) of horses.

Thank you for putting this video together. I work for a museum in Belle Plaine, Iowa and the cars all passed through the town in 1908. We have photos of the German team and one of the French cars. The Thomas Flyer spent the night in Belle Plaine, but we do not have a photo of the car. (too bad). Amazing what they had to go through to get across the infamous Iowa spring mud roads back then !

The Dollop's podcast of this amazing race and car brought me here. Much respect. When men were men.

my grandfather Leonard Davis owned 1 of the 3 1907 model 35's,, he sold it off in the late 60's and often regretted it.. granddad had come across the Thomas Flyer while working at the Henry Ford Museum after the war in the late 40's..Last time i was at the museum ,they still had 2 cars granddad had restored on display..

Saw this car at the Reno museum with my sons and what a fascinating story!

Fantastic. Mr. Schuster (Grandpa Schuster) built the house I grew up in as a kid. We had the first swimming pool in Springville and a 6-car garage: 2 wide and 3-deep. No doubt the Flyer was parked there for awhile but I can’t verify that. Years later when I lived in Reno my first assignment for Bud Fischer Photography in Sparks, NV was to photograph the Harrah’s Car Collection for a brochure. I threw the museum curator for a loop when I told him my Thomas Flyer story. Small world. Thanks Matty. Good show.

A great story, wonderfully narrated! 🙌🏻

I remember reading a story about the race and the Thomas Flyer in 'Boys Life' Magazine!!

I must have watched the movie at least 10 times, and it is great to hear the real story. One of the funniest comedies Ever!

My grandfather and great grandfather had a small role to play in the race. According to the family story, the deep snow had stopped two of the race cars in front of the Wykoff farm, just west of New Carlisle, Indiana. This was probably Thursday, February 27. Edwin Wykoff, age 48, and his son, 22 year old Howard Wykoff, hitched a four horse team to each car and pulled them to Michigan City. Howard said that he pulled the German Protos car, and they spent the night at the store in Rolling Prairie, a distance of about 6-7 miles. They didn't mention the name of the car that Edwin pulled, but it was probably the French Motobloc since it and the Protos were well behind the Americans, Italians, and the other French car, the DeDoin. The next day the Wykoff men continued the 17 mile trip to Michigan City. The total trip was 20 - 21 miles. - Dale Wykoff

this race inspired the great race and the leslie special.

the museum in Reno is great. exceeded my expectation by a long shot. this car is why I came and there is so much more

Just saw Jeff Mahl's presentation at the Pierce Arrow Museum in Buffalo... AWESOME!!!

You look just like your great-grandfather. GREAT

Great micro doc on the car and the men. I saw the car run by Jay in Reno during the 2016 Great Race and heard Jeff speak at the opening of the race in San Rafael. What stuck with me most was the fact that anti-freeze had not been invented in 1907/8, the radiator had to be drained kept liquid and filled each morning.

The Protos and Zust photos at 3:11 are very cool. An incredible feat to say the least.

Wish you had included a clip from Schuster's appearance on I'VE GOT A SECRET in 1958. It was a fun and educational segment!

What a wonderful story a true testament of the American Spirit

BACK when a car was amazing Machine making every one Look as it when Roaring By

There is a movie loosely based on this race called " The Great Race ". It started Tony Curtis and Natalie Wood. The car was a good reproduction of the flyer and although it was a comedy it still touches on the hardships faced by the drivers.

very intereesting. thank you.1908 was a pivotal year for cars. Debut of the Ford Model T, the Rolls Royce Silver Ghost and this Thomas Flyer,

One can only imagine how much that jalopy is worth now. An interesting car nonetheless.

As we celebrate the 112th Anniversary of the February 12, 1908 start in Times Square, it's a good time to remember just how far the "horseless carriage" has evolved. No one, including Henry Ford or Ransom Olds thought any of the teams would even make it across the US much less victory in Paris! It was that "can do" attitude that drove most of the progress at the turn of the last century. There are a number of great questions below, and many answers can be found on the 1908 New York to Paris website: thegreatautorace.com/ With George Schuster's induction into the Automotive Hall of Fame (next to Ford and Olds), and the Thomas Flyer entered #12 into the National Historic Vehicle Register both now have their proper place in history.

Even when anti-freeze was available ppl did not use it. My Grandfather told me about winters in Chicago and driving his Model A. They could not afford anti-freeze so it was normal for them to drain/re-fill the cooling system every night. He remembers several times he came out of a bar, drunk, and forgot to refill the system. Said by the time he drove home he could see parts of the engine glowing red. Yep, Grandpa was a drunk. Said it was common back then for all the guys to get drunk on Dago Red.

To think that these days people go from New York to California in less than 24 hours. These guys back then had the REAL challenge, and then took it a step further to freakin Paris.

And the Thomas Flyer competed in the 1986 Great american Race driven by Ginni Whithers.

Must be some awesome fuel economy. Not too many places to buy gas at that time. Especially heading to Alaska lol!

When I was a kid, I saw a movie maybe called 'The Great Race', with Tony Curtis. It seems he drove a car that looks quite similar to this one. Am I right? And was it modeled after this car and race?

Somebody should try to do this race again

5:05, dang. I like this quote

Here's George Schuster on the show I've Got a Secret, aired 16th of July 1958: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/bq2XnruStJvcZmw.html They display the car as well.

Oh My Ford. This is nearly too good to be true.

awesome

And I dare ANYONE to lift its 1400 pound trophy!

Amazing story

Go George!

The horseless carriage ironically caused horses to drown?

this car is so cool and the race is good

Great story

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

Should take a peak at www.thegreatestautorace.com for the full length doc where they recreated the Thomas and Zust and Protos as working full scale "stunt doubles."

Chitty Chitty bang bang

Guess it didn't go so well for Mr. Thomas or the Germans.

How did they get Petrol when automobiles weren't commonly available?

what an absolute travesty that this car was restored

😁👏👏👏👍🇧🇷

And don't compare the Great Race movie to the REAL one. The movie shows at the beginning of the race ALL the cars are American.

My Dad built the AMT model of this car. Check it out here : kzfaq.info/get/bejne/oq-EmpRoqqnelGg.html

So it was lugged around, pulled by horses & people, rode aboard a ship....how many miles was it actually driven and what percentage would that have been from the entire route?

Terrible music drowns out the speakers

But they didn’t won lol ?! Xd

I've seen the car in Bill Harrah,s collection Incredible automobile Even more incredible were the men who drove it

Great story