Thunderbolt2
Friday, April 22, 2022 10:54:20 AM
See if anyone knows the answer to these questions:

Who had the first Huss/Weber 1001 Nights here in the United States, was it Deggeller, or someone else. I know CVS had one later on, but not sure who brought the first one here. I figure Conklin had the first Rainbow.

How about the Wave Swinger, I know Nova/Penn had one in early 80s as well as Conklin, but who brought it first.

How about a Dutch Wheel, I always thought it was Deggeller, but maybe Conklin or Reithoffer was the first?

Bill P
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Friday, April 22, 2022 9:05:01 PM
Reithoffer had an early Rainbow, not sure of exact year.
Deggeller had their Dutch Wheel at the 1985 Ohio State Fair. I remember it was only lit with quartz floodlights mounted in the A frame trusses. You can still see where the light brackets were in the trusses at Knoebels Park where the wheel now resides.
First saw Reithoffers Dutch wheel in '86 but they may have had it earlier. Strates got theirs in '86. I know Conklin had one of the first but again not sure of when.

CVS had a Wave Swinger, didn't they?
Strates got theirs in '89 but someone told me it is an '83 version.

Frankie Kopcha had one of the first Huss Enterprises in the US in 1978 when he was trying to re-sign the Big E. But he still lost the Big E to Conklin who was the show they wanted all along. I remember travelling to Erie, PA to see it and then saw it three more times that summer at Dunklirk, NY, Clearfield, PA and Hamburg, NY. That is the Enterprise that Strates still has. They acquired it in 1982.
ridejocky
Sunday, April 24, 2022 3:57:37 AM
Originally Posted by: Bill P 


Frankie Kopcha had one of the first Huss Enterprises in the US in 1978 when he was trying to re-sign the Big E. But he still lost the Big E to Conklin who was the show they wanted all along. I remember travelling to Erie, PA to see it and then saw it three more times that summer at Dunklirk, NY, Clearfield, PA and Hamburg, NY. That is the Enterprise that Strates still has. They acquired it in 1982.



Another rides that came with a foreman when Strates got it. Jimmy (I forget the last name) was a great guy, but not a good fit with on Strates. The Enterprise was a little rough when we got it, but that thing has been winning good money for over forty years. I saw it 2-3 years ago and it looked real rough.

I redid the tubs and clear-coated them with Imron one year ('86?) and they came back great. Looked almost new.

I think Strates sent Frankie the 'diver to be "rebuilt" around the time we got the 'prise. What a mess. Quick paint-job, re-skinned the tubs and new tub-bearings with NO GREASE. What a mess. Tub-frames were still rusty, but now full of old rivets you could hear rolling around when you spun the tubs. A year or two after that and we sent it to a hydraulic company in Orlando and they completely redid the hydraulics, brakes and lift cylinders. They did a great job, best system I ever saw on any diver.

First Dutch wheel I saw was Conklin's when they played Yonkers with us. Must have been around '81?
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wvscott
Sunday, April 24, 2022 11:37:09 AM
pretty sure Cumberland Valley Shows had the very first Chance Giant Wheel.

who had the first Huss Pirate?
who had the first skywheel?
and who had the first traveling large flume?
ridejocky
Sunday, April 24, 2022 7:40:11 PM
I think Curtis and Elmer Velare had/built the first Skywheel, and booked it on Royal American Shows in 1940. They also had/built the Space Wheels in 1958 which I think ended up on the Royal as well.

I think Allan Herschell trailer-mounted them in the early sixties.

I rode a ground mounted Velare wheel a number of times at he Long Beach Pike when I was a kid.

velarespacewheel_amusingthezillion.jpg

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Bill P
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Sunday, April 24, 2022 7:43:56 PM
wvscott posted:
pretty sure Cumberland Valley Shows had the very first Chance Giant Wheel.

I think CVS got the first Chance Giant Wheel at Port Huron Michigan in 1988.

Strates booked Larry Carr's brand new Chance wheel into to Hamburg & Syracuse in 1992 and I heard the Dutch wheel beat it 4 to 1. Watched Carr's crew take Chance wheel parts out of bubble pack and cardboard packing so Hamburg must have been the first spot it played.
Thunderbolt2
Tuesday, April 26, 2022 4:40:11 AM
Originally Posted by: wvscott 

pretty sure Cumberland Valley Shows had the very first Chance Giant Wheel.

who had the first Huss Pirate?
who had the first skywheel?
and who had the first traveling large flume?



They did, and I believe they helped Chance design the wheel as well.
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