Do you remember driving "bumper cars" when you were a kid at the amusement park?

Bumper Cars at the Good Ole State Fair of Texas! Yee Haw!!! I was that girl who looked sweet and innocent, but preyed on the older boys who thought they were bada**es
Someone had to T-bone 'em

 

the guy in Diego name was Tom he owns a powdercoating company...we did a bunch of H.O.G rides around the USA..he did the early ones with sporty motors first then went to some jap motor....fun to drive

 

Riverview in Chicago ws mine.
LOVED them things
I want one TOO!!

 

My buddies and I used to get three or four lined up bumper-to-bumper and hit somebody with them... Man, did that make a BANG!

Nearly took my girlfriend's (now wife) little brother's head off from the whiplash when we hit him head-on!

Heh.. Soft tissue injuries actually healed when you were a kid!

Shawn

 

Greetings from Long Branch,NJ,Americas first seashore resort and 7 time US summer capital....growing up at the Jersey Shore many of our boardwalk amusement areas featured neck snapping bumper cars....and boy was that great action with your friends and enemies too!....took my five year old nephew(he's a car guy and 20 now) out for his first solo bumper car ride and the atendant went around instructiing the kids how to operate the cars but he didnt go to my nephew....oh boy....bell rang cars started....off went my nephew like a pro....after the ride he told me he knew what to do from watching me drive....That ceiling arc and that lectric smell....like nitro....never forget it.
Lee

 

The Thunderpig was built by Chaz and it rocks. Five horses, 4 speed and a stereo. What more could a guy ask for? The neighborhood kids love it when we go out for a spin. I've got another 40's Dodgem in my entrance hall. Some times I set in it an make Vroom Vroom noises. The cleaning ladies think I'm crazy. I loves me some bumper cars.

Doc.

 

Were working on one at Bubba's Garage in Indy...

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=261906

 

Remember, You better belive I do. So does the lady that I hit so hard that I knocked her wig off.

That was in the late '70s and I would suppose from her reaction that shes never gotten in one since. At least with a wig on!

 

yeah i remember them, went on one last year at the royal show. they ones i've been in never looked that cool though. i want one

 

The Pike, I haven't thought about that place in years! My brother took me on the Roller Coaster when I was about 8 yrs old, scared the shit out of me... L.A. County Fair had Bumper Cars also, I would ride them for hours.

 

Oh yeah! I wasn't into the ferris wheel and roller coasters that much. The bumper cars got most of my money. The bumper car ride on the Wildwood NJ boardwalk had tires on wheels that spun when you hit them at the ends of the center divider....they were 35 Ford wires. I wonder if they are still there?

 

I had one hundred of them ,Dodgems,Lusse Auto Scooters,here at my place in the eighties. My customeres would sit in them while I pinstriped their cars. I sold them all over the world. Ten went to a Hollywood studio in California. The last few I got stupid money for. Still have three left from the Staten Island ,South Beach Amusement Park.I use to plant stuff in them for the customers to "find" while they were watching me pinstripe. Like an old baseball autographed by "Babe Ruth" ..Lotta laughs.

 

Knoebels Scooter Cars . . . nothing compares !!!

 

Where do they get parts to keep them going? Probably haven't been made since the 60's. Brings back memories of the Dodgems at San Souci Park in Wilkes-Barre. Now I have to take grandkids to Knoebel's.

 

Ahhh Hanson's amusement park at Harvey's lake, PA, mother's cousin used to run the dodgems, also Rocky Glen park in the 60's , Moosic, PA, nothin' better, can still smell the ozone.....

gaspumpchas


"ahhh, *hit, it's Holstein..............."

 

One of the reasons I drove in Demo Derbys later in life.

 

When I was a kid my parents took me on a trip to Europe. While in France we went to an amusement park and I got on the bumper car ride. Everyone was just driving around in circles - not bumping into each other (??) So I started ramming people. The ride operator was yelling over the speakers, but of course it was in french so I had no idea what he was going on about. I kept on bashing people. He shut the ride down and came and grabbed me by the hair and drug me outa there. WTF, I guess the french don't like real bumper cars? I've never felt the same about them since.

 

Geez, I was at Harvey's Lake in 1961! I recall sitting on the edge of the stage when Joey Dee and the Starliners (Starlighters?) were playing. He later opened the Peppermint Lounge near my home town on Long Island. What a great week we had down there.

First time I was in a bumper car was in Coney Island and there was Adventureland on Rte 110 in Huntington. Then of course, traveling carnivals.

A couple of buddies turned bumper cars into trailers.

 

i always picked out the one that ran crappy and got bashed into by everyone even the smallest kids laughed at me
to this day i always pick out the shopping cart with the fish head stuck in the wheel

 

Oaks Park Amusement Park in Portland Oregon. Spent a lot of time there in the mid to late 70's. This thread made me wonder if it was still open as I haven't been in that area for years now. Yep it is. They state on their web site that bumper cars are "one of the most popular attractions in the park." Plus they are antique cars. I may have to make a trip up that way.
I'm with himjively, seems like I remember having to scoot back and forth in the car to try and get it to move, more often than not.

 

Seaside, Oregon has some great one. Been there since I believe 1962. Just there a month ago with my 3 year old son and he loves it and so do I.

 

That's what I used to do, forget ramming each other - I was flat-tracking that thing around the corner sliding the back end out. Man, it was fun!

 

I have a couple for sale or trade if anyone wants them.

 

Own your own!!!

Up for sale is the complete Balboa Fun Zone Bumper Car Ride there are 11 cars misc colors and the ceiling and transformer might be willing to sell individual cars???? Call 714-401-2116


<TABLE cellSpacing=4 cellPadding=3 width="100&#37;" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=ad_display_sec_hdr bgColor=#eeeeee>Balboa Fun Zone Bumper Cars Details</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="95%"><TBODY><TR><TD class=display_ad_extra_question_label align=left width="31%">Price: </TD><TD class=display_ad_extra_question_value>$ 16,000.00 USD </TD></TR><TR><TD class=display_ad_extra_question_label align=left width="31%">Listing Began: </TD><TD class=display_ad_extra_question_value>Jul 2008 </TD></TR><TR><TD align=left colSpan=2><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><!-- THE EXTRA QUESTION BLOCK BELOW WILL DISPLAY ANY CATEGORY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE ASSIGNED TO THE CURRENT CATEGORY BEING BROWSED BY THE VISITOR --><TBODY><TR><TD class=display_ad_extra_question_label width="31%">

• This equipment is
• Type of equipment
• Number of trailers
• Equipment condition
• Warranty available

</TD><TD class=display_ad_extra_question_value>

• Used
• Park model
• 1
• Good
• No warranty

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=display_ad_label vAlign=top width="45%"></TD><TD class=display_ad_value vAlign=top colSpan=2></TD></TR><TR><TD class=display_ad_label vAlign=top></TD><TD class=display_ad_value vAlign=top colSpan=2></TD></TR><TR><TD class=display_ad_label vAlign=top></TD><TD class=display_ad_value vAlign=top colSpan=2></TD></TR><TR><TD class=display_ad_label vAlign=top></TD><TD class=display_ad_value vAlign=top colSpan=2></TD></TR><TR><TD class=display_ad_label vAlign=top></TD><TD class=display_ad_value vAlign=top colSpan=2></TD></TR><TR><TD class=display_ad_label vAlign=top></TD><TD class=display_ad_value vAlign=top colSpan=2></TD></TR><TR><TD class=display_ad_label vAlign=top></TD><TD class=display_ad_value vAlign=top colSpan=2></TD></TR><TR><TD class=display_ad_label vAlign=top></TD><TD class=display_ad_value vAlign=top colSpan=2></TD></TR><TR><TD class=display_ad_label vAlign=top width="31%"></TD><TD class=display_ad_value vAlign=top colSpan=2></TD></TR><TR><TD class=display_ad_label vAlign=top></TD><TD class=display_ad_value vAlign=top colSpan=2></TD></TR><TR><TD class=display_ad_label vAlign=top></TD><TD class=display_ad_value vAlign=top colSpan=2></TD></TR><TR><TD class=display_ad_label vAlign=top></TD><TD class=display_ad_value vAlign=top colSpan=2></TD></TR><TR><TD class=display_ad_label vAlign=top></TD><TD class=display_ad_value vAlign=top colSpan=2></TD></TR><TR><TD class=display_ad_label vAlign=top></TD><TD class=display_ad_value vAlign=top colSpan=2></TD></TR><TR><TD class=display_ad_label vAlign=top></TD><TD class=display_ad_value vAlign=top colSpan=2></TD></TR><TR><TD class=display_ad_label vAlign=top></TD><TD class=display_ad_value vAlign=top colSpan=2></TD></TR><TR><TD class=display_ad_label vAlign=top></TD><TD class=display_ad_value vAlign=top colSpan=2></TD></TR><TR><TD class=display_ad_label vAlign=top></TD><TD class=display_ad_value vAlign=top colSpan=2></TD></TR><TR><TD class=display_ad_label vAlign=top></TD><TD class=display_ad_value vAlign=top colSpan=2></TD></TR><TR><TD class=display_ad_label vAlign=top></TD><TD class=display_ad_value vAlign=top colSpan=2></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE cellSpacing=4 cellPadding=3 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=ad_display_sec_hdr bgColor=#eeeeee>Balboa Fun Zone Bumper Cars - Contact details </TD></TR><TR><TD class=ad_display_sec_hdr bgColor=#ffffff><TABLE cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=0 width="95%" bgColor=#ffffff border=0><TBODY><TR><TD width="50%"><TABLE cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=display_ad_label vAlign=top width="45%">Listing ID:</TD><TD class=display_ad_value vAlign=top colSpan=2>4667 </TD></TR><TR><TD class=display_ad_label vAlign=top>Seller:</TD><TD class=display_ad_value vAlign=top colSpan=2>reddogrelics </TD></TR><TR><TD class=display_ad_label vAlign=top>City:</TD><TD class=display_ad_value vAlign=top colSpan=2>Buena Park</TD></TR><TR><TD class=display_ad_label vAlign=top></TD><TD class=display_ad_value vAlign=top colSpan=2></TD></TR><TR><TD class=display_ad_label vAlign=top>Zip Code:</TD><TD class=display_ad_value vAlign=top colSpan=2>90620</TD></TR><TR><TD class=display_ad_label vAlign=top>Country:</TD><TD class=display_ad_value vAlign=top colSpan=2>United States</TD></TR><TR><TD class=display_ad_label vAlign=top width="31%">Phone:</TD><TD class=display_ad_value vAlign=top colSpan=2>(714) 401-2116</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

 

For some of us on here who grew up in or around Orange County, the Balboa Fun Zone of 1972 - 1985 era was the place to hang out and have fun. It was started in 1935 , but nothing is left of the original.

 

The State Fair was the only carny type operation big enough to have them and we would ridem till we had to go home. Ferris wheel ,smeris wheel, we just wanted to drive those glorious cars. It was always full and you had to wait, hoping your favorite would come up empty. That one of Doc's is so friggin cool!! The film clip showing the folks driving them in the gas station is interesting, traffic still rolling in and out of the station while these babys are zooming around, and the wheelies on the flamed spoked wheel ride was extreme!! Thanx for the fun post and bringing back some great memories.~Sololobo~

 

Used to go to Wildwwod NJ, went on them all the time, and the roller coaster!!

 

There's still an operating bumper car ride in Estes Park Colorado. I took my 4 year old boy and Wife there last summer. Neither of them had seen such a thing before....My son loves it, my wife doesn't ever want to go back............I think she said something about her neck hurting..........I'm not sure what her problem was......I couldn't hear her over my boy's laughing, and the sounds of the collisions.............

 

Its not a bumper car but a flying saucer amusement park ride,does anybody out there know anything about this ride?I've poured over the internet and havent found anything at all.I'm curious what is its value,what year is it from...if I dont sell it its gonna make a great tree swing for the kids

 

When I was 16 two of my buddies and myself took a motorcycle trip over into Indiana and worked at a friends carnival for about four days. Did you know that after the carnival was shut down for the night we all got on the bumper cars and they cranked up the amperage and then they can really move fast. Still remember that ozone smell.