Vanderbilt Cup Races

Wow,Howard,what a terrific job you did on this,as always,you let history be known about anything of importance. I’m going to send you an e-mail of something that pertains to history that you might like and enjoy looking at and knowing about it. Hope you enjoy it. I’ll send it today or tomorrow.

From YouTube of the Week: A Look at the 1948 Tucker '48

Many years ago, (‘spring ‘84) my good friend Art Brummer and I were camped next to the dumping station at Spring Carlisle.  As we were unpacking, a guy next to us was bragging about this extremely rare Tucker radio he had found and was expecting to get some major $ for it.  Art very calmly explained to the gentleman that it was mainly a decoration for someone’s shelf.  He was very dejected!!!

From VanderbiltCupRaces.com Exclusive: The Tucker 1044 at the RM Sotheby's Auction in Scottsdale

From Ron Sieber:
I remembered seeing that stunt in a Roger Moore-as-Bond movie, The Man with the Golden Gun. I was living in St Thomas at the time, and that was an interesting location in which to watch such a movie, to say the least.

The car was an AMC Hornet. I subsequently read up on this stunt in Jalopnik and found all the relevant facts which you already have seen, so I won’t pretend that I know all of the details. I related what I thought were the most important.

I agree with you that this was a most awesome stunt. Too bad it wasn’t part of the stunt sequences in a more serious film such as Bullitt. For that reason, I think that the maneuver is very under-appreciated as it was real and not CGI.

Best to you,

From Mystery Foto #3 Solved: The Greatest Car Stunt in Film History in the "Man With the Golden Gun"

Amazing instrumentation on the dash for a ‘48, the same seen today (58 years later), Bat, Oil, Fuel, and Temp, also dual exhaust to boot, onto six outlets. This one is out of my league but appears a well thought out vehicle. Something to well consider.

From Images of the Tucker 1044

It looks amazingly clean inside (interior). Is that all original?

From Images of the Tucker 1044

Howard,
Judging by the name board on the trailer it appears that H. A. Clark had a major role in getting Old 16 out to Bridgehampton.  Definitely the trailer is marked LIAM, and I bet so was the truck.  Maybe either Walter McCarthy or Walt Gosden can shed light on the event.

From Helck Family Collection: Old 16 at the Opening of the Bridgehampton Race Circuit in 1957

Big K,  Congratulations !!! Hope we get a slide show at the draft.  A wonderful addition!
______________________________________________________________________
Howard Kroplick:

Cuz, will do!

From VanderbiltCupRaces.com Exclusive: The Tucker 1044 at the RM Sotheby's Auction in Scottsdale

Great car, hope to see it in person some day.  Howard, if you restore the Tucker, I hope we get to see the whole process again!

Ron

From VanderbiltCupRaces.com Exclusive: The Tucker 1044 at the RM Sotheby's Auction in Scottsdale

From the looks of the right front tire on the Premier it’s safe to say Barney did at most a parade lap.  The rip in the sidewall doesn’t look healthy enough for on high speed ride into turn one at Indy.

From From the Barney Oldfield Collection: Four Classic Photos and One Mystery

From Art K.

Congratulations on the new purchase Can’t wait to see it.

From VanderbiltCupRaces.com Exclusive: The Tucker 1044 at the RM Sotheby's Auction in Scottsdale

Very cool….I remember seeing that in Clambake and always wondered about that car…Now I know the story….Thanks Howard…

From Helck Family Collection: Bill Mitchell's XP-700 Corvette Concept Car and XP-87 Stingray Racer

Howard, I echo all of the same sentiments expressed above…..

Enjoy it !!

From VanderbiltCupRaces.com Exclusive: The Tucker 1044 at the RM Sotheby's Auction in Scottsdale

Dean Butler:
You must know the “serial jump” story is published in Bill Milliken’s autobiography “Equations of Motion.” I think it would be cheating a bit to did out the answers from that book, but I suggest that, in your next discussion of the spiral jump, you credit Bill for doing the math and setting up the stunt — ramp, speeds, etc.

Bill told me the story of this stunt fifteen or twenty years ago. (Bill passed away a few years ago at 102.) Bill told me the stunt driver was rather terrified when he saw his task. Bill simply told him that, if he did everything exactly as told (especially getting the speed perfect at certain points on the ramp) that the stunt would work — and it did!

I think (without looking at the book) that Bill told me the stunt was done in Thailand.

From Mystery Foto #3 Solved: The Greatest Car Stunt in Film History in the "Man With the Golden Gun"

From Don Jr.:

Hello Howard,
I know that car and stunt all to well. I personally know Jay Milligan Sr. from Hamburg, NY who spent hundreds of hours figuring out this stunt and building ramps. I know a few years ago the ramps were behind his office (JM Productions). Exciting to see your post.
I will let other people figure out the year was 1974, name was “Astro-Spiral” stunt, the place was in Bangkok, Thailand for the James Bond Movie, “The Man With The Golden Gun.”

I look forward to your emails every week,
Thank you,

From Mystery Foto #3 Solved: The Greatest Car Stunt in Film History in the "Man With the Golden Gun"

From Simon Favre:

I recognized the picture immediately.

The Man With the Golden Gun (1974) starring Roger Moore, Christopher Lee, Britt Ekland,
Stunt filmed in Thailand. Car is an AMC Hornet, driven by “Bumps” Willard.
The stunt was designed and computer simulated by Cornell Aeronautics Lab.
The stunt was criticized for the goofy slide whistle sound effect.
The stunt was part of the All American Thrill Show billed as the Astro Spiral before it was picked up for the film.
Top Gear failed to reproduce it.
All info from Wikipedia and IMDB.com

From Mystery Foto #3 Solved: The Greatest Car Stunt in Film History in the "Man With the Golden Gun"

Congrats Howard. The sleek tailgate looks great with those exhaust pipes, the front end as well. Definitely ahead of their time in ‘48

From VanderbiltCupRaces.com Exclusive: The Tucker 1044 at the RM Sotheby's Auction in Scottsdale

I think I got this. 1974, “The Man with the Golden Gun,” starring Roger Moore (James Bond), filmed in Thailand. “The Astro Spiral Jump” performed in the movie was achieved on first attempt using a modified AMC Hornet X, its steering wheel relocated in the center for stunt driver Loren “Bumps” Willard. This was the only time an AMC was used in a Bond movie. The jump was conceived and performed two years earlier at the Houston Astrodome by US race driver Jay Milligan using an AMC Javelin. Another first was that computers were used to compute and simulate a movie stunt using crude vector graphics in 3D. The car had to reach the first ramp at nearly 40 MPH to begin rolling fast at about 230 degrees/second. The recorded jump had to be slowed down for the theatres. Criticism probably stemmed from Secret Agent Bond actually driving an AMC, or the comic slide whistle used when the car was airborne. 
Years later the “Joey Chitwood Thrill Show” used AMC Javelins for more jumps. In 2011 Chevrolet used a Chevy Sonic renaming the jump, “Kickflip”
https://youtu.be/esSRxB_xYCg?t=62
http://jalopnik.com/the-james-bond-corkscrew-jump-was-the-first-computer-mo-1711459704

From Mystery Foto #3 Solved: The Greatest Car Stunt in Film History in the "Man With the Golden Gun"

Congratulations Howard!!! This is absolutely amazing. I’ve always been fascinated with the “Tucker” story and his battle with the “Big Three”. Another historically significant automobile comes to Long Island. To paraphrase the famous line from “JAWS”, “You’re gonna need a bigger garage”.
____________________________________________
Howard Kroplick:
Steve, funny!!!!

From VanderbiltCupRaces.com Exclusive: The Tucker 1044 at the RM Sotheby's Auction in Scottsdale

Wow, what a surprise ending.  Congratulations on acquiring the Tucker.  Tucker has always been one of my favorite classic automobiles with all the innovative safety and other features.  This was an excellent article on the car and its history.  I look forward to seeing it at any of the Long Island car shows.  My family always loves your cars.

From VanderbiltCupRaces.com Exclusive: The Tucker 1044 at the RM Sotheby's Auction in Scottsdale

Mystery photo
1 live and let die
2 roger Moore Christopher lee 1974
3 Thailand
4 American Motors AMC HORNET X
5 Bumps Willard
6 computer aided effect
7 see 6
8 ?
9 ?
10 no

From Mystery Foto #3 Solved: The Greatest Car Stunt in Film History in the "Man With the Golden Gun"