![]() ![]() You don’t feel a lot of the bumps or herky-jerky movement making for a smooth ride all the way through.” “…hey guys! The air ride system makes you feel like gliding through the air. It lowers about 6 inches-and gives the ride a super, smooth feel. They also put an air ride suspension system on the car. They had to retrofit each chassis to fit the ride car and give them both a good amount of engine power. YV: It took a lot of work to get these rides on the road. They opened in May and had it paid off by July 4th at five cents/ticket.” JOHN FRATO: “Reportedly ride cost them $90,000 to build in 1923. It was built in the early 1920’s…and did very well for the Humphreys-who then owned the amusement park. YV: They also acquired the thriller-which was a wooden rollercoaster ride. And when I asked the gentleman, I said, ‘How did you get this?’, and he said, ‘it was here when we bought the warehouse.’” JT: “…We found it 10-11 years ago in a warehouse, out in the East side of Cleveland. YV: When the park closed in 1969-the rides were scattered about until Joe and John discovered one of the three remaining rocket ships. KARIN LEWIN: “…so as we rode the rocket ships, they went around and around on cables. Karen Lewin remembers flying around in the air - when she was a child. YV: The rocket ship car is a motorized version of the amusement park ride-seen here at Euclid Beach Park back in its heyday. They just make people smile whether riding, or seeing it.” JT: “We call them the happiest rides on earth. YV: For the past few years, Joe Tomaro and John Frato-better known as the Euclid Beach Boys-have been bringing a bit of amusement park nostalgia to the streets of Cleveland, Ohio in the form of the rocket ship and thriller car. JOE TOMARO: “…and the major major rule is that we gotta have fun. ![]() PASSENGER: “It’s a lot of memory for people like me, who used to ride these cars…” It’s the kind of ride-that no matter who you are…or how old you are… YOLANDA VAZQUEZ: “Alright Joe, I’m ready to blast off into the rocket ship…” Well, our FYI reporter Yolanda Vazquez is about to launch her latest adventure…and while she may not be setting any land speed records, she’s certainly enjoying this blast from the past. But there are times when it’s less about speed, and more about history. Now, as you can probably tell, many of the vehicles we drive here at MotorWeek are all about going rapidly. ![]()
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