UNITED STATES: FANTASY CARS ON DISPLAY AT NEW YORK HOT ROD SHOW.

Record ID: 337376

  • Title: UNITED STATES: FANTASY CARS ON DISPLAY AT NEW YORK HOT ROD SHOW.
  • Date: 28th November 1969
  • Summary: 1. GV EXT. NEW YORK COLISEUM 0.04 2. GTV INTERIOR .. SHOW 0.08 3. CU SIGN DEORA SPACE AGE PICK UP 0.11 4. SV SPACE CAR MAN ENTERS 0.22 5. SV SHOWING MAN SEATED IN CAR AT CONTROLS 0.30 6. SV CLOSING WINDSCREEN 0.33 7. CU SIGN 'RED BARON' 0.36 8. CU RED BARON CAR WITH GERMAN TYPE ROOF (2 SHOTS) 0.49 9. S
  • Embargoed: 13th December 1969 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: NEW YORK, USA
  • City:
  • Country: USA
  • Reuters ID: LVA2AUSP7WIKFNIHJA4ZT85EP637
  • Story Text: AN EXHIBITION IN NEW YORK THIS WEEK SHOWS THAT THE NATION WHICH PRIDES ITSELF ON BEING FURTHEST AHEAD IN THE AUTOMOBILE AGE ALSO LEADS THE FIELD IN AUTOMOBILE FANTASY. IT IS THE NATIONAL ROD AND CUSTOM CAR SHOW, AT THE NEW YORK COLISEUM.

    HOT-RIDING BEGAN AS A FORM OF MOTOR SPORT FOR THOSE UNABLE TO BUY RACING CARS. GIVEN THE RIGHT ENTHUSIASM AND SOME TECHNICAL INGENUITY, ANY AGEING CAR CAN BE MADE TO GROWL LIKE A WOLF IN SHEEP'S CLOTHING.

    BUT AS THE EXHIBITION SHOWS, HOT RODS HAVE MOVED FROM MERE SPORT TO A BRANCH OF POP ART. MORE THAN 250 CARS WHICH ONCE ROLLED UNOBTRUSIVELY OFF THE DETROIT ASSEMBLY LINES HAVE FOUND A NEW LIFE UNDER THE PAINTER'S BRUSH. MAGNIFICENT OR HIDEOUS, ACCORDING TO THE ONLOOKERS TASTES.

    SOME SHOW STRONG INFLUENCE FROM SHOW BUSINESS, ESPECIALLY THE MOST EXPENSIVE OF ALL, A 100,000-DOLLAR (GBP42,000 STERLING) CARRIAGE BUILT FOR PAUL REVERE AND HIS RAIDERS, A GROUP OF A ROCK-AND-ROLL MUSICIANS.

    THEN THERE IS THE BATMOBILE, TRANSPORT OF THE TELEVISION STRIP CARTOON HEROES BATMAN AND ROBIN. THE RED BARON CAR RECALLS NOT ONLY THE GERMAN FIRST WORLD WAR FLYING ACE, BUT ALSO THE FANTASIES OF SNOOPY, THE "PEANUTS" DOG AFTER WHOM THE APOLLO II LUNAR MODULE WAS NAMED.

    FOR FUTURIST THERE IS A SPACE-AGE PICKUP, A GILDED TRUCK COSTING ALL OF 30,000 DOLLARS (12,500 STERLING) OWNED BY AN ORDINARY, OR PERHAPS EXTRAORDINARY, CITIZEN.

    IN ALL IT'S A FAR CRY FROM THE DAYS WHEN HENRY FORD COULD PROMISE HIS CUSTOMERS A CAR OF ANY COLOUR, SO LONG AS IT WAS BLACK.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register