The HVA takes a close look at the Thomas Flyer, winner of the grueling New York to Paris Race.
Пікірлер: 77
@AfroMyrdal4 жыл бұрын
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.
@SiriusSRX2 жыл бұрын
I found this video because today out of boredom I wondered what the greatest race in early automotive history was. I read about the 1908 New York to Paris Race and started searching YT. I'm from Poland and I think this race was something that changed the perception of people at the time about cars.
@curtisducati6 ай бұрын
45,000 and counting son !
@chrisbradshaw48358 жыл бұрын
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.
@loritavares5974 жыл бұрын
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.
@SansCages5 жыл бұрын
George Schuster was my great uncle - the brother of my grandmother Anna Mary Schuster. ♥ Thanks for this video!
@KimberlyJ4244 жыл бұрын
Joan Carroll Kudin He must have worked with my great grandfather, who was one of the mechanics who built this car.
@stephenkrambeck65893 жыл бұрын
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.
@jbanfai Жыл бұрын
actually, they did not cross Bering Strait but took a ship to cross the Pacific due to weather... still an amazing feat, for sure!!!
@Hogger280 Жыл бұрын
Interesting to note that the cars in the race would not have completed the trip without the aid(on many occasions) of horses.
@kwiklathe19793 жыл бұрын
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 !
@mylifeisJDM3 жыл бұрын
The Dollop's podcast of this amazing race and car brought me here. Much respect. When men were men.
@herchelleonwood7463 Жыл бұрын
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..
@ningster Жыл бұрын
Saw this car at the Reno museum with my sons and what a fascinating story!
@nilesfuller9795 жыл бұрын
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.
@KimberlyJ4244 жыл бұрын
Niles Fuller thanks to your grandfather for his perseverance. I believe your grandfather worked with my great grandfather at the Flyer plant as my great grandfather helped build this car.
@richardwalker64242 жыл бұрын
@@KimberlyJ424 I’m friends with the owner of the Zust car that was in the New York to Paris race the car has been restored authenticated and it’s driveable
@MartinBettler3 жыл бұрын
A great story, wonderfully narrated! 🙌🏻
@alanreynolds45056 жыл бұрын
I remember reading a story about the race and the Thomas Flyer in 'Boys Life' Magazine!!
@russellmcdonald19643 жыл бұрын
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!
@dalewykoff70583 жыл бұрын
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
@Kawasaki750triple7 ай бұрын
A very cool story. Thanks
@kae44665 жыл бұрын
this race inspired the great race and the leslie special.
@travelingfool90962 жыл бұрын
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
@herchelleonwood7463 Жыл бұрын
it was even better when Harrah was still alive,, at one time it was the top brass era car collection in the world..
@jbanfai Жыл бұрын
Just saw Jeff Mahl's presentation at the Pierce Arrow Museum in Buffalo... AWESOME!!!
@filipponseele73463 жыл бұрын
You look just like your great-grandfather. GREAT
@ianwilliams53108 жыл бұрын
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.
@jamesturner28342 жыл бұрын
It's a pretty amazing story. I never knew about this. Thanks for sharing this amazing history
@Kawasaki750triple7 ай бұрын
The Protos and Zust photos at 3:11 are very cool. An incredible feat to say the least.
@Griffinmc7 жыл бұрын
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!
@robmiranda71204 жыл бұрын
What a wonderful story a true testament of the American Spirit
@marygarner52493 жыл бұрын
BACK when a car was amazing Machine making every one Look as it when Roaring By
@philking6444 Жыл бұрын
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.
@tandemcompound25 жыл бұрын
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,
@noviranger2392 жыл бұрын
The Thomas was a 1907 model. It just got famous in 1908.
@Dakookiejar3 жыл бұрын
One can only imagine how much that jalopy is worth now. An interesting car nonetheless.
@jmahl28024 жыл бұрын
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.
@Mercedes-Guru8 жыл бұрын
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.
@ImTHATguy...3 жыл бұрын
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.
@osagejon89723 ай бұрын
And the Thomas Flyer competed in the 1986 Great american Race driven by Ginni Whithers.
@jeffj553 жыл бұрын
Must be some awesome fuel economy. Not too many places to buy gas at that time. Especially heading to Alaska lol!
@MileyonDisney6 жыл бұрын
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?
@joansmith60925 жыл бұрын
Miley onDisney No, THIS car looks like my little plastic model car of the Thomas Flyer that I bought at a Luckys grocery store in the 1970s for $2.00 , and I don't understand in the movie why THAT Leslie Special fake has a top and my model doesn't ( but my little plastic model 1904 Oldsmobile has a top!
@PassengerInMortality Жыл бұрын
Yes, correct.
@jonathanmcginley81284 жыл бұрын
Somebody should try to do this race again
@noviranger2392 жыл бұрын
I agree. They should do it in electric cars.
@MegaSuperCritic3 жыл бұрын
5:05, dang. I like this quote
@kallelaur17623 жыл бұрын
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.
@Hudson1951 Жыл бұрын
Oh My Ford. This is nearly too good to be true.
@NatureRecycleFlorida5 жыл бұрын
awesome
@joansmith60925 жыл бұрын
And I dare ANYONE to lift its 1400 pound trophy!
@MikeLoveBuns Жыл бұрын
Amazing story
@mikehagan43203 жыл бұрын
Go George!
@UHFStation1 Жыл бұрын
The horseless carriage ironically caused horses to drown?
@sankuratri774 жыл бұрын
this car is so cool and the race is good
@wesleyvenne4239 Жыл бұрын
Great story
@Janet719904 ай бұрын
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
@frame308 жыл бұрын
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."
@georgecastiblanco297811 ай бұрын
Chitty Chitty bang bang
@HunterShows9 ай бұрын
Guess it didn't go so well for Mr. Thomas or the Germans.
@madogblue8 жыл бұрын
How did they get Petrol when automobiles weren't commonly available?
@Ryansanders808 жыл бұрын
alot of engines for long range were designed to run of ethanol as well as gas
@madogblue8 жыл бұрын
+ryan sanders (and his 4 stroke) So where did they get ethanol?
@Ryansanders808 жыл бұрын
almost any farm, ethanol comes from corn, (moonshine)
@eldoradomanchuria2 жыл бұрын
what an absolute travesty that this car was restored
@PassengerInMortality Жыл бұрын
??? Why?
@eldoradomanchuria Жыл бұрын
@@PassengerInMortality A car is only ever original, unrestored condition once and can never return
@BRASILEIRO_19822 жыл бұрын
😁👏👏👏👍🇧🇷
@joansmith60925 жыл бұрын
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.
@MonsterHobbiesModelCarGarage2 жыл бұрын
My Dad built the AMT model of this car. Check it out here : kzfaq.info/get/bejne/oq-EmpRoqqnelGg.html
@patimuse4 жыл бұрын
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?
@billspence17993 жыл бұрын
Terrible music drowns out the speakers
@Tetrathegod5 жыл бұрын
But they didn’t won lol ?! Xd
@larryhullinger41414 ай бұрын
I've seen the car in Bill Harrah,s collection Incredible automobile Even more incredible were the men who drove it