2ndgencarnie
Monday, January 5, 2009 11:44:04 AM
Quote:

quote:


Originally posted by Pinetar

The Zumur would blow it away. High speed.



Thats what I was thinking but the Swinger goes higher so it might make up some ground there...
FrankiesFoods
Monday, January 5, 2009 12:15:18 PM
My favorite are the zumur's way better than a swinger imo. The best is when the Zumurs don't Zoom they are always flat out fast. What a Ride.
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Benjibear
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Monday, January 5, 2009 1:44:43 PM
Quote:

quote:


Originally posted by vcanfield

Quote:

quote:


Originally posted by Benjibear

I was going to put this in the history section but if the mods feal it should be there, they can move it.

I am looking for any history on Watkins Swinger. Wikipedia has an article that in my opinion is very poor:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swinger_(ride) 



My browser truncated the wikipedia link--it went to an entry that belongs in the off-topic section.



I tried fixing it but for some reason it truckates everything after the underscore. Copy and paste the link.
It is what you learn, after you know it all, that counts.
babyhughie
Monday, January 5, 2009 2:39:02 PM
A friend of a friend of mine has a machine shop in his basement.I couldnt tell you how many shear pins he made for jeff brady and numerous others in the bussiness![;)]
popcornserver
Monday, January 5, 2009 2:44:43 PM
Quote:

Originally posted by SideWinder

The Watkins Swinger was an awesome swinger during it's time, unfortunatly you don't see to many of them on the road any more, which is sad. It served it's purpose for what it was built for. Only 42 built, huh who knew.

On a small show it would still make money today but for the bigger shows who have the Wave swinger or the YoYo bet it wouldn't do as good....


We put ours up every week! Easy,easy,easy!!


2ndgencarnie
Monday, January 5, 2009 3:13:31 PM
Quote:

quote:


Originally posted by secret.squirrel

Wikipedia Article  <-- fixed --

or

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swinger_%28ride%29 




Now that's the Squirrel we all know & love...
Carnie_Joe930
Monday, January 5, 2009 4:40:36 PM
Quote:

quote:


Originally posted by babyhughie

A friend of a friend of mine has a machine shop in his basement.I couldnt tell you how many shear pins he made for jeff brady and numerous others in the bussiness![;)]


Why bother making them...and how much cheaper would they be?
First off, there's the liability factor. And secondly, you can buy them from any bearing shop that sells Browning products. They usually cost around $9-12 bucks apiece if you find a good discount store.
Just taking some 3/4 stock and lathing a groove in it does not constitute a shear pin. There is also a heating process that is critical, so that the pin will snap clean at the groove.
Benjibear
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Monday, January 5, 2009 11:30:47 PM
Quote:

quote:


Originally posted by secret.squirrel

Wikipedia Article  <-- fixed --

or

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swinger_%28ride%29 




Thanks! I thought if I get enough good information, I could update that Wikipedia page. Let's hear more about the ride. Also, any information on Grover Watkins can be created into a page.
It is what you learn, after you know it all, that counts.
squirrel
Tuesday, January 6, 2009 3:41:32 AM
Quote:

quote:


Originally posted by Benjibear

Quote:

quote:


Originally posted by secret.squirrel

Wikipedia Article  <-- fixed --

or

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swinger_%28ride%29 




Thanks! I thought if I get enough good information, I could update that Wikipedia page. Let's hear more about the ride. Also, any information on Grover Watkins can be created into a page.



I'd be more than willing to help you on this one if you want. I was working on a Ride Wiki for a while on my site but it's too massive a project for just one person...
massachusettsman
Tuesday, January 6, 2009 6:47:02 AM
Only 42 built, huh who knew.

And most of them are still around. That ride is a very reliable ride.
ringmaster
Tuesday, January 6, 2009 12:51:23 PM
The Swinger was only sold by GW, under his name. A Swinger turnded over, I don't know the details, but it eventually put Watkins out of bussiness. The ride was relatively inexpensive, easy to set up, and could be pulled double. It was seen as a modern interpritation of the classic Smith & Smith Chairoplane. All the GW rides, the Swinger, Hustler, Tempest, Rampage and Heartflip ( a folding, valentines thiemed Frolic ) were fast flashy rides souted to small fast moving shows. He made an eight foot wide punk ride that used real mini-bikes. no setup at all. Bob Bolling bough the first ( only ? ) one for Mid-South Shows in 1977. The G on the ride was that the engines on the bikes all ran. It was so loud that the agents couldn't work. After a week it was exchanged for a new Tempest. The first night it was up, inside Egland Air Force Base, I stopped three grade school kids rolling a scooter away with the sweep still attached.
Greg
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Tuesday, January 6, 2009 5:08:35 PM
Arnie Vomberg told me that Watkins developed a new ride called the Wild Surf. He sunk a ton of money into it & it bombed out at the trade show which led to the bankrupcy of Watkins rides.
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Scott
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Tuesday, January 6, 2009 11:37:06 PM
Quote:

quote:


Originally posted by ringmaster

The Swinger was only sold by GW, under his name. A Swinger turnded over, I don't know the details, but it eventually put Watkins out of bussiness. The ride was relatively inexpensive, easy to set up, and could be pulled double. It was seen as a modern interpritation of the classic Smith & Smith Chairoplane. All the GW rides, the Swinger, Hustler, Tempest, Rampage and Heartflip ( a folding, valentines thiemed Frolic ) were fast flashy rides souted to small fast moving shows. He made an eight foot wide punk ride that used real mini-bikes. no setup at all. Bob Bolling bough the first ( only ? ) one for Mid-South Shows in 1977. The G on the ride was that the engines on the bikes all ran. It was so loud that the agents couldn't work. After a week it was exchanged for a new Tempest. The first night it was up, inside Egland Air Force Base, I stopped three grade school kids rolling a scooter away with the sweep still attached.



That Motorcycle ride was moved to Burns Park Funland in North Little Rock Ar and worked there for years. Mokey Choate bought the park in 82 and he pulled it out of the park and put it out with his show for about a year or so, then dropped it.... it may be sitting in one of his WQ's.

BTW this park was owned by Grover Wadkins, but only had that ride and a Satalite ride built by him, the rest I assume were trade in's as the Scrabler came in a trailer with "maine" plates
2ndgencarnie
Wednesday, January 7, 2009 5:17:46 AM
I had a Watkins Kiddie Rcoket ride. Same action as the satelite, only smaller with rocket tubs. That piece was always right up at the top with our other kiddie rides every single week. One thing that sucked about the piece was the grease, it required more grease than a jeanie. It was an easy piece to maintain & the kids loved it. I have only seen 2 others, 1 was at Coney Island Park in Cincy and the other was for sale a while back on Aplines website.

Does anyone know how many of these were built?
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