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Things You Don't See Anymore Part 3
- Thread starter Richland123
- Start date
They might have been old tether cars. As the name implies, they're supposed to be tethered to a center point and race around a track. They were most popular in the 1930s and are highly collectible today, as far as I know.
In the early to mid 1970's I had a Cox brand fuel powered Pinto dragster. It was about the size of a large remote controlled car but it was strictly point and shoot or tether, no control capability. Lightning fast!
Looked like this...
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After getting bored with burning gasoline, clouds of carbon monoxide exhaust and ear pericing sound I strapped a couple of large Estes rocket engines to it. Hit the igniter and watched that Pinto streak across an abandoned parking lot in a ball of flames. That was all she wrote for that toy, fun while it lasted.
@GBassNorth That's it! Cox cars. Man, those things were LOUD. And smelly...which basically meant "kid magnets".
Chris Fitzgerald - men like anything that makes noise, burns fuel, or gun powder. And we are ok with that.... young or old [c:
My dad and brother used to fly the Cox airplanes, which were a little out of my age bracket at the time.
They always started easily and we would have hours of fun with them.
My dad, not wanting me to feel left out, bought me the Cox dune buggy-
The damn thing started once!
It's not just men that like that stuff...a few women do as well
"Goes fast" would be another one. I like an engine that can respond well to my lead foot.
Don't forget, they were fast!
The tether planes were deadly, the cars were finicky but a lot safer.My dad and brother used to fly the Cox airplanes, which were a little out of my age bracket at the time.
They always started easily and we would have hours of fun with them.
My dad, not wanting me to feel left out, bought me the Cox dune buggy-
View attachment 3267753
The damn thing started once!
Yep, I had the Cox Eliminator dragster and Corsair plane. I don't think I ever used either, just never got around to it.
The Colonel looks pretty enthusiastic about this one.
Here on planet Earth, 4 string bass guitars are the preponderance of all basses being used. I'm not sure what planet you live on.
I saw that exact bass banjo in a shop in Newport News, VA, about 1972 (+/-). The owner of the shop was a collector and had a lot of interesting instruments.
I do believe Abigail Washburn has that bass banjo now (or at least, recently made a promo pic with it and hubby Bela Fleck).
Edit: yup, I even made a thread about it, and others ID'ed it as that same bass banjo! Abigail Washburn spotted with huge bass banjo!
Bry
Similar, but not the same one. Check the headstock. This one doesn't have the Gibson logo.
Yeah, this isn't the Gibson, but an even larger and earlier banjo bass, Bruce Johnson ID'ed in that other thread.
Didn't see that other thread. The Gibson was made for an all female banjo orchestra that was touring in the 1920s - 30s. IIRC, there were only two made and both were custom made for this orchestra.
I can't say this is the gospel, but this is what I remember as told to me by the shop owner. He had photos and press releases about the orchestra.
