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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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 !
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..
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.
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.
@@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
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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?
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!
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?
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."
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 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.
45,000 and counting son !
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.
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.
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.
actually, they did not cross Bering Strait but took a ship to cross the Pacific due to weather... still an amazing feat, for sure!!!
George Schuster was my great uncle - the brother of my grandmother Anna Mary Schuster. ♥ Thanks for this video!
Joan Carroll Kudin He must have worked with my great grandfather, who was one of the mechanics who built this car.
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 !
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..
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.
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.
@@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
The Dollop's podcast of this amazing race and car brought me here. Much respect. When men were men.
Saw this car at the Reno museum with my sons and what a fascinating story!
Interesting to note that the cars in the race would not have completed the trip without the aid(on many occasions) of horses.
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
A very cool story. Thanks
I remember reading a story about the race and the Thomas Flyer in 'Boys Life' Magazine!!
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.
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
it was even better when Harrah was still alive,, at one time it was the top brass era car collection in the world..
A great story, wonderfully narrated! 🙌🏻
this race inspired the great race and the leslie special.
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.
It's a pretty amazing story. I never knew about this. Thanks for sharing this amazing 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.
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.
You look just like your great-grandfather. GREAT
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,
The Thomas was a 1907 model. It just got famous in 1908.
Just saw Jeff Mahl's presentation at the Pierce Arrow Museum in Buffalo... AWESOME!!!
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!
BACK when a car was amazing Machine making every one Look as it when Roaring By
The Protos and Zust photos at 3:11 are very cool. An incredible feat to say the least.
What a wonderful story a true testament of the American Spirit
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.
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?
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!
Yes, correct.
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!
Somebody should try to do this race again
I agree. They should do it in electric cars.
One can only imagine how much that jalopy is worth now. An interesting car nonetheless.
And I dare ANYONE to lift its 1400 pound trophy!
5:05, dang. I like this quote
Here's George Schuster on the show I've Got a Secret, aired 16th of July 1958: th-cam.com/video/8GgkXaO5x68/w-d-xo.html
They display the car as well.
Oh My Ford. This is nearly too good to be true.
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?
The horseless carriage ironically caused horses to drown?
Amazing story
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."
How did they get Petrol when automobiles weren't commonly available?
alot of engines for long range were designed to run of ethanol as well as gas
+ryan sanders (and his 4 stroke) So where did they get ethanol?
almost any farm, ethanol comes from corn, (moonshine)
this car is so cool and the race is good
Go George!
awesome
Guess it didn't go so well for Mr. Thomas or the Germans.
what an absolute travesty that this car was restored
??? Why?
@@PassengerInMortality A car is only ever original, unrestored condition once and can never return
Great story
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.
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
Chitty Chitty bang bang
My Dad built the AMT model of this car. Check it out here : th-cam.com/video/lITg17ECzd4/w-d-xo.html
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