Nope. That's Dave Shuten's car. I'll try loading my car running video again. It dropped off YouTube. Can I post MOV files here?
I recall an article in Rod & Custom in the late eighties or early nineties about what became of this car. Back in that era it wasn't uncommon to see old famous customs stripped down and for sale in the car corral when we would attend the large swap meets at Detroit at the Michigan State Fairgrounds. I remember seeing what appeared to be an old bubble top Winfield custom and what looked like the 55 Nomad custom that had something to do with Playboy.
My apologies... It's truly interesting how some links look like a big link to virusville but it did take me to a collection...I guess his ran too...
Nope. Dave's engines are empty. The video of my car running was there when I posted the link but disappeared since. I have a copy of it but it is MOV format which I can'r post. Tried to put it on YouTube but can't get thru their account creation gauntlet.
...damn wrong again......You can try Vimeo...I have used it despite being a bit of a challenge for me with format and size but I was then able to share it here...video is not like posting a pic but once you get it on the host site it's just a copy and paste of a filename... This elusive mystery might make for an interesting new book...
funny you shold mention it!!!! See running video below. I think this link works. Try this. https://www.youtube.com/shorts/VJYcfToI04A
...That's better! @willys36...It runs really good at that...I knew there was a book...I was thinking when the real deal pieces are finally unearthed it may warrant a second, you know some fella at a gas station sees an unusual shape under a tarp...and, and...perhaps all that's covered already in this one you've shared...it just sounds pretty much like an orchestrated situation of secrecy with some vintage history...
Agreed. I don't know what Ryan's day job is but his little gigs about Mystetion is some of the best marketing I have ever seen in my 63 years! It hooked me into HAMB a decade ago and continues to stir excitement.
A good mystery is just that. It's like a secret. Most of the time the mystery surrounding the secret is better than the knowledge. I'm sure my opinion is unwanted or unneeded but I watched when the original was built. I was fascinated by what I read in Rod and Custom. Roth was larger than life back then. History has dictated that the car was only good for showing and wasn't handled properly to prevent breakage. Decades pass and the aura of the car was still there. The only build that I followed was Mr. Jones. His dedication to the project was more than top shelf. I could use many adjectives but the bottom line is his recreation is as good as is possible in my stupid opinion. I read his book and the most serious part involved him finding Mr. Brown who was able to fill in the missing details that made the build possible without an extraordinary event. My point is what are the remains of a car in dreadful state worth to us. The restorations or recreations in Mark's garage are wonderful. If you find enough for a good start, there is value. If it faintly resembles the original, than other than to say you started with what's left, is there a real value to it? I've never done a recreation or found anything to base a restoration on. Am I missing the point to this whole thread?
With the original, the frame was constantly cracking from loading/ unloading due to engine weight, so didn't they hollow out one block to help with that? Was the original a " static" model or a driver?
I didn't think it ran. My guess is it's locked away in a government storage building along with James deans Lil bastard! .
Yes, I believe that too. Gas can and Ed looks to be fooling with carbs with the air cleaner off. Also looks like a solder iron behind the car so probably fixing electrical problem too? I contacted the fellow who took this photo and he claims the car started. He was a kid and talked his mom into dropping him off at this show. Turns out he was a couple hours early but was able to talk his way in and got to be up close and personal with Ed before the crowd was let in. I think he said the show was in SantaMaria, CA. Oscar Koveleski who founded the original Auto World mail order hobby shop said he made a trip to Calif and visited Ed's shop when the car was still under construction. Ed used to do the art work for some of Oscar's ads. I contacted Oscar while searching for info on my book and he swears he witnessed at least one of the Mysterion engines running. Once it hit the show trail, everyone attests they hollowed out the engines and trannys trying to unload the weak frame to no avail. It was a trailer queen for the majority of its life.
1968 7th grade moved across from a Jon Berry? East 99th st Had a 61 falcon panel wagon painted by the 'Bearded One' had the Shield and 'The Bearded One' front of Right rear light on the 1/4 panel . That was his parts truck . Track car was a 65 Mustang coupe Boss 302 tunnel Ram Autolite Inline 4 bbl Big Slicks hanging out maybe painted bye him Saw a couple of cars paint bye him . 6-7 engines painted bye him . Moved from there in '76
After the frame cracked, Ed realized the motors were too heavy for that frame. So they were gutted, to save weight.
Don't want to totally derail this but I just saw on Youtube Speed & Kulture posted Andy Southard's film of the LA Roadster Show & Swap Meet from June 18 1967 and it shows Bob Reisner's Invader cruising. Another twin engine car like the Mysterion with twin differentials as an actual running car.
The "Uncertain T" was also a runner, same for the "Silhouette".....the Roadster show had a rule in place that vehicles must start and drive on their own. Gallon has the "Roach Coach" now, and like so many show rods, I love the packaging and details, but the work and cash poured into a static model...it just makes no sense. Exception being those Zingers Moriarty has!
Again, don't want to beat a dead horse, but Ed was not a car customizer. He was an artist who worked in the automotive medium. The only Detroit steel Ed fooled with were his Honda work car, his 50s Ford shop pickup that was just a paint job, his '56 Chevy 'gasser' that had radiused rear wheel wells, front bumper removed, cheesy Cal Auto aluminum hood scoop and a bit of pinstriping, Tweedy Pie T-bucket which he didn't build, just pinstriped and added a couple shiny parts, and his 1932 Ford sedan 'Little Jewel' which was a pedestrian street rod you see at all the rod runs. His magnificent works of art - Mysterion, Outlaw, Beatnik Bandit, Road Agent, Orbitron - are not cars. They are in every sense fine art.
The Jalopy Journal
