Found a SECOND playmate for the Ambulance Bronco (see post 170, pg. 12)

[Broncitis]

I think FoMoCo sponsors/owns a balloon or two, maybe they can get involved and use it?

Here are a scans from couple original press release pics I just got of Karl Thomas during the coast to coast record flight.

One at launch in CA (notice the team jackets) and one at the end in FL.

 

[FRANKO289]

Here are a scans from couple original press release pics I just got of Karl Thomas during the coast to coast record flight..

cool ... thanks for sharing !!!

you gonna built a K-175 enduro chaser replica ??

 

[Broncitis]

cool ... thanks for sharing !!!

you gonna built a K-175 enduro chaser replica ??

I'm looking for a good deal on a nice one (or two) now. I've seen some that have sold very reasonably that were nice and clean, but have not found one for sale right now.

I will wait till a deal comes on good one I do not have to do anything (or very little) to. Too many unfinished projects even before I got the F-100!

If anyone runs across a really nice 1977 Kawasaki KD175 A-2, let me know! I'd prefer not to ship it, so east coast would be better. However, for the right bike at the right price, shipping is also an option. These vintage dirt bikes typically do not sell for all that much, so shipping from the west coast could easily cost near the purchase price.

 

[FRANKO289]

One at launch in CA (notice the team jackets) and one at the end in FL.

the team shirts are bit fragile ...... but sweet !!!

 

[BajaBronco]

Oh man, that's a great shirt. My friend Eddie who owns the former kbars balloon chaser would definitely sport one of those!

 

[FRANKO289]

Oh man, that's a great shirt. My friend Eddie who owns the former kbars balloon chaser would definitely sport one of those!

you friend "Eddie" owns the record setting balloon used in the 18 day trip ???

 

[FRANKO289]

bc .....

there where 2 balloons made ...

one made and owned by Karl and used only for all publicity events stops and pics during the trip !!!

and a 2nd he flew for the record !!

now he told me that the original goal was to land in Daytona ( for the Daytona 500 ) but that was impossible so after he landed in Jaxsonville FL he was rushed via helicopter to Daytona !! when he got ( days later ) back to MI / ford and ask to purchase the record setting balloon Ford told him it was gone and that it was given away to someone !!!

 

[FRANKO289]

this is for Drew !!!!

 

[FRANKO289]

Hey Drew,

I'm 98% sure that cover was on the Ambulance when we got it. (Oops didn't keep reading thread and see Andrew's response) AND Gary, I don't know who you would find that would be crazy enough to take up a 39 year old balloon if it even still exists?! The road trip idea would be epic!

Suzy

the light bulb balloon exists , its in ( like new condition ) , has bin flown the last time a lil less then 10 years ago and I would be delighted
( the min we get it down to FL) to fly w. Karl in it !!!

now .... also the Van chase driver ( today 81 years old ) lives just lil north of fort myers ( you guessed it ) FLORIDA !!!

and YES there was also an chase airplane but that was Karls privet plane ( not a part of the Ford fleet !!!)

 

[BajaBronco]

you friend "Eddie" owns the record setting balloon used in the 18 day trip ???

No, no he doesn't. I don't know where the balloon is either. I was talking about the shirt and a Balloon chase Bronco that a friend of mine owns.

 

[Broncitis]

the team shirts are bit fragile ...... but sweet !!!

Very cool pics and info Franko!

I have some orange fleece jackets (like the blue OBR ones he made that we sold in TN) that Nick is going to make some modern "team jackets" for us.

I had thought about having some shirts printed when I saw a glimpse of someone on the crew in one of the vintage pics I have. They are printed front and back correct? What is on the back? What does the text say?

 

[FRANKO289]

after talking to Karl during the week he ask me if i had time Sat to have brunch w. him .
At that time i had a scheduled work weekend in the Bahamas and a bunch of personal appointments and runnings therefor i told him that it didnt look good but if thinks changed by Fry evening i would let him know !!!

lucky for me Bahamas got postponed to next weekend and after i heard a rumor about my character and truthfulness in this matter, i rearranged some of my personal stuff to accommodate the only free time we both shared for the next 4-5 weeks !!

so on Sat we where delighted to drive to karls house and spend the afternoon w. his Fam. !!! GREAT TIME !

he showed me a bunch memorabilia from the chase, including that shirt and bunch of other stuff he gave to me !!!

some of the thing ( like the shirt ) i proud to have and own now , but other things like the Karls original flight map and notes + all the pic slides are currently in my possession but i told karl i would make copies and return them to him bc i think it should all stay together and eventually one day be donated to the Ford library.
The true and full story about the 18 days should be made public and the Ford archive should agian have some footage & data of that event !!

I need to find a place where i can flat scan that old 24x36 map !??
i have an big scanner/plotter ( kip 7100 , roller scaner type ) but i would not dare to run that old map true it !!

anyway


Drew ... if you like PM me you address and i send you a copie of the map and some of the pics !!
regading the shirt :
I think it would be very selfish to keep it for my self ! sooo

Drew If you like to have it just let me know &.... ITS YOURS !!!
Just keep me in mind when you make some replicas of it ( size Large and small ) Thanks !!!


Note the last pic see the wheels on both trucks !!!

 

[tasker]

UNREAL stuff Franko....you da man!

 

[1975stroppebaja]

regading the shirt :
I think it would be very selfish to keep it for my self ! sooo

Drew If you like to have it just let me know &.... ITS YOURS !!!

That's awesome Franko! What a great gesture!

 

[Broncitis]

Franko,

That is just awesome that Karl was so willing to meet and share all this with you! Hopefully we can make it down to the show at the Ford-Edison estate with the ambulance and one our other Broncos and maybe you can talk him into attending?

That is super cool of you to offer me the shirt! I will send you a PM after I post this. We will get a batch or reproductions printed that we can not be afraid to wear (not to mention that I am sure I would not currently fit into the original that you modeled for us)! I think that would make a great piece to have framed like a sports jersey and have some of the other related pics or items encased with it.

It looks like Karl had sleeves of slides, I'd love to see all the pics if you get them scanned! I'm also looking for any pics of my F-100 to verify some details for the restoration. I think it is the one behind Karl in the lower right of post 112. Cylone/turbine wheels, and regular mirrors like a Bronco. The F-150 that Karl is standing next to with the balloon loaded in it also had cyclone wheels, but sits higher due to being a 4x4 and has the larger folding mirrors. The F-150 also does not have the dual sunroofs or air horn and has a different roll bar with lots of lights facing rearward for illuminating the balloon on the ground at night.

I'd also love to see any other pics of the air boat and other support vehicles.

So what cool stories did Karl share about the flight?

Did he do any other record attempts after the sail boat record attempt in 1978?

What a small world! Thanks for following up on this and sharing it with us and thanks for the shirt!

Drew

 

[FRANKO289]

yes he shared some facts and info about the trip !!
budget for the record attempting trip was $ 250.000.- ( thats alot of vehicles "I think" )

about the F100 .... the one w. the slots ( we think yours )

the forgot the truck in montana !!! you ask how .... lol funny story !!

after the 2 day prison stint in Chihuahua Mexico ( a funny story by it self ) the team went for a all Ford sponsored , all inclusive 2-3 day XXX entertained stay in Las Vegas !!!
( details of that i cant share ) but WOW and it was the 70s !!! . .... anyway Karl insisted to change the original flight plan and go north to catch some easterly wind !!!

so the went to Missdula Montana where feb 8th the inflated the balloon and once about 90% it took of like a rocket ship !
So fast so and completely unexpected that the chase team had to mad scramble to load up all the balloon gear get all the stuff from night stay before and "chase" the balloon !!
doing so somehow the forgot the F100 in the parking lot !!!

during that day the received even further Bad news but this time from Ford insisting to pull the plug on the trip !!!
after a long headed argument, Karl told the suits from Ford to .... and he would finish the race dosnet matter what !!!!

the fact is .... its took them 11 days to get from Hollywood CA to Las Vegas NV and only 7 days from Missdula Montana to Jacksonville FL !!!

Ok i share :
The Letter from Henry Ford II that shows his displeasure in the trip but also that he had a scene of humor !!!

 

[FRANKO289]

see pic .... note the functional stacks !!!
and the 2 Kawasaki 150s are bone stock !!! ( inc paint )

 

[FRANKO289]

about the ambulance Bronco .... you lucky to have it !!!

when the balloon was blown across the border into Mexico 3 vehicles of the chase team followed. The bronco, F250 and F150 !!
Doing so violated a bunch of international laws , include to that, that no one had a passport with them and yeah , everyone ended up in jail !!!
finaly on day two the where able to get hold of someone at Ford US . He called the head of Ford Mexico ( at 4am ) and explained the situation.

The Mexican Ford Guy ( sorry dont have all there names in my notes ) called the Mayor of Chihuahua Mexico in the early Am hours and ask for the release of the Americans.
After a few phone calls back and fort ,the Mayor agreed under the condition that the ambulance Bronco would be turn over to him at the border !!
Of Course everyone agreed to that deal !!!
Everyone got into there trucks and startet driving with Mexican police escort north !
The bronco being the last in line of all the chase vehicles only followed by 2 mex. station wagons .
Once with the border in sight ( about 3-4 miles ) and to everyones surprise the driver of the Bronco but it in 4 wheel and floored it ,bee-ling the desert torts the us fence line !
Off-roading it w. the 2 station wagons in hot pursuit !!!
The first station wagon rolled it about a mile in to it and the 2nd after flying at high speed over a bunch of sand dunes cought one wrong and crashed nose first !!
At the fence line the driver got out cut the wire fence and drove across the border line .
The other vehicles had papers issued to safely cross it via the border patrol station !!!
This all became quite a international debacle and didnt amuse H. Ford II at all .

 

[allenfahey]

Very nice find Drew! Before you do anything to the body make sure you measure where all the stripes go. If the stripes are anything like the ambulance with tape lines you could get some 36" paper and do a rub to show where the stripes go. That would help me or whoever does the paint work. Let me know if you need a hand with the stripe reproduction when we do my cage.
That would be sweet to find the van or at least do a reproduction of the van and find a couple of the motorcyles. The whole set would look great on your wedge trailer and the motorcycles on the saddle carrier's you have already have.

 

[Broncitis]

Very nice find Drew! Before you do anything to the body make sure you measure where all the stripes go. If the stripes are anything like the ambulance with tape lines you could get some 36" paper and do a rub to show where the stripes go. That would help me or whoever does the paint work. Let me know if you need a hand with the stripe reproduction when we do my cage.
That would be sweet to find the van or at least do a reproduction of the van and find a couple of the motorcyles. The whole set would look great on your wedge trailer and the motorcycles on the saddle carrier's you have already have.

Allen,

Trust me, when it comes time to pattern and paint the stripes, you will know! ;^)

Yes, being that we already have a truck & trailer that can fit all three plus the pair of bikes, it seemed like a natural fit to try to collect them all.

Now if I happen to run across the F-150, F-250 or airboat, I might have a problem!