Solved -PJ85- The Golden Eagle\ Thunderbowl Comet

Paul Jaray · April 09, 2009, 02:49:19 PM

Probably you think you know this...

Joao Gois · April 09, 2009, 09:29:17 PM

Ah! A streamliner! I love those! American built?

Otto Puzzell · April 10, 2009, 02:14:21 AM

Anything to do with Hertz rental car company?

Paul Jaray · April 10, 2009, 04:26:51 AM

Quote from: Joao Gois on April 09, 2009, 09:29:17 PM
Ah! A streamliner! I love those! American built?

Where else!

Quote from: Otto Puzzell on April 10, 2009, 02:14:21 AM
Anything to do with Hertz rental car company?

Nothing that I'm aware of, but if it was I would be one of the interested one, well there will be some parking issues, but....

Otto Puzzell · April 23, 2009, 05:55:34 AM

It's the Thunderbowl Comet, appx 1948

Paul Jaray · April 23, 2009, 06:18:03 AM

Quote from: Paul Jaray on April 09, 2009, 02:49:19 PM
Probably you think you know this...

This is what I meant....but I have a totally different (reliable) name and story!
One point for You (because I was sure it was easier but it was not) and another for the former name, and a brief story.

Ray B. · April 23, 2009, 10:47:05 AM

A story, but with the same name. The car belonged to the owner of a dirt track oval in Carpinteria, CA. The track was called the Carpinteria Thunderbowl.

The Carpinteria Thunderbowl was operational between 1947 and 1956. Anton Krivanek reminisced about the circuit: "I used to go there when I was about 14. The guy who owned it had a great big streamliner called the "Thunderbowl Comet". It had the name painted on the side and it had a big fin on the back end with a stylized comet with a tail of sparks and stars painted on it. He'd trundle it around the track before the races to impress the rubes (me). In my memory it was so long it could hardly make it around the corners."

And what would have happened to the "Thunderbowl Comet"? Krivanek wondered? "Years later I saw it parked alongside Highway 14 out near Acton as a draw for a sad little western roadside attraction. I told Strother MacMinn about it and he drove out there and checked it out. Turned out it was a pseudo land speed car built for a movie in the '30s and he had seen it parked on the street in Hollyweird in the late '30s or '40s. It was on a stretched L29 Cord chassis and eventually was bought and dismantled for it's Cord parts. I'd love to know what movie it was used in and/or have a photo of it."

Paul Jaray · April 23, 2009, 11:27:21 AM

That's exactly what I have too, but then I found another source, with the other picture and a different story, or just the beginning of this....

ImpishGrin · April 23, 2009, 12:46:35 PM

I don't know the name, but I know the movie. It was made for a 1936 action movie called "Speed", directed by one Edwin Marin and featuring James Stewart as the main character.

Plot summary from IMDb:
"Terry is the chief car tester for Emery Motors and Frank is an Engineer. Jane has just been hired to work in publicity. Frank and Terry both want Jane to be their girl. Terry has designed a new carburetor that should bring him fame and money, but he cannot get it to work correctly. Terry and Gadget have tested it for over a year, but it still is not perfected. Emery Motors assigns Frank to help Terry with the carburetor, but Terry is not happy because Frank is an Engineer and is also vying for Jane. They finish the carburetor, and to test it, they enter a car in the Indianapolis 500 race. Terry is not yet satisfied with the carburetor before the big race even though it has passed all the tests."

This car was in the movie an lsr car with which a 300mph record is broken at Medoc lake in rather unusual circumstances.

"Jane then secretly appeals to company owner Emery, whom no one but Mr. Dean knows is her uncle, and they agree to finance Terry's attempt to break the land-speed record. Some time later, at Medoc dry lake, everyone watches as Terry goes down the track and swerves off after completing the first half of the course. By rules of the contest he must complete the return trip within thirty minutes, which now seems impossible. Frank and the others rush to the car and find that Terry has almost been asphyxiated and urgently needs a doctor. Frank puts Terry back in the car and races back down the length of the course, not stopping until he arrives at the hospital in town. When Terry awakens, he learns that Frank's quick action not only saved his life, but earned the new land-speed record for the car. Terry also learns that Jane is really the heiress to Emery Motors and has been secretly helping him all along. Realizing that Jane and Terry are in love with each other, Frank calls the delighted Jo and suggests that they drive back to Los Angeles together."

Paul Jaray · April 23, 2009, 02:58:37 PM

That's really interesting but nothing of all that is reported in my source. I hope that these two cars are really the same!

Paul Jaray · July 15, 2009, 05:25:18 AM

C'mon...a name is needed here....

Paul Jaray · August 25, 2009, 10:43:06 AM

I think Ray B. or Arunas will find this eventually....
but if you know the source, it's easy for all!

neilshouse · August 26, 2009, 04:24:37 AM

Golden Hawk?

faksta · August 26, 2009, 04:37:04 AM

I've found something like 'Tom McHill has called his car... Maserati', but I'm not sure that it is about this streamliner.

Paul Jaray · August 30, 2009, 04:05:47 PM

Quote from: faksta on August 26, 2009, 04:37:04 AM
I've found something like 'Tom McHill has called his car... Maserati', but I'm not sure that it is about this streamliner.

Not Maserati

Quote from: neilshouse on August 26, 2009, 04:24:37 AM
Golden Hawk?

You are really close, can't be a coincidence. Locked for you till your next reply.

neilshouse · September 01, 2009, 06:15:24 AM

I've found little snippets of information on various web sites, one states that the car was called 'Golden Hawk' in the 1936 film Speed, however as with most information online it is difficult to know what is right and what is wrong so I will have a shot in the dark and guess that the car is called 'Goldhawk' (on the basis that 'Golden Hawk' is close) before relinquishing the puzzle to someone who can find the correct name (assuming my guess is incorrect).

Paul Jaray · September 01, 2009, 12:06:17 PM

The name of the car is written in capital letters on the car, and there is also the figure of the golden animal, but it's not an Hawk.
Make your guess!

neilshouse · September 06, 2009, 08:46:31 AM

Golden Eagle?

Paul Jaray · September 06, 2009, 09:03:37 AM

Well done!

This car was going to be equipped with 3 different engines in order to compete in different cubic-inch divisions to win four speed records: a straight eight, a bigger 350hp straight eight and a 24-cylinder 1200hp. Ted Ellis was meant to drive it.

Ray B. · September 08, 2009, 04:05:30 AM

This article appeared in September 1941. This makes it unlikeky to be the same car as the one in the James Stewart's movie (1936). Did anybody see it, or found pictures with the record car?

neilshouse · September 08, 2009, 05:40:20 AM

I've tried to find a copy of the film but I don't think it has ever been released on DVD, however I have found a short (and very small) trailer online at http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title.jsp?stid=2729.

The only car featured on the trailer that looks anything like the Golden Eagle is this...

Ray B. · September 08, 2009, 05:56:12 AM

Great! I knew it had been on TCM.
It does seem to have a fin, but I find it hard to say if it's the car. Is it the front or rear?

neilshouse · September 08, 2009, 05:59:12 AM

This is the front view, and yes its impossible to say whether this is the same car or not. I will keep an eye on the TV listings for this one. A search of torrent files for this film came up blank too.

neilshouse · December 19, 2009, 10:31:31 AM

An update... I have found a copy of the 1936 film and taken a few stills from it, the featured car does look very much like the puzzle car.

BTW. It's not a bad film (but not a brilliant one though).

Paul Jaray · December 19, 2009, 10:39:22 AM

Fabulous!

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Solved -PJ85- The Golden Eagle\ Thunderbowl Comet