secret squirrel, that 1959 Scrambler would be one of the originals, then...as I understand it, the one at Old Town was built in 1957, taken all over the country for a couple of years, then Eli went into production in '59, building quite a few of them that year.
I would expect the oldest ride still on the road to be something from Eli, either a ground mount #5 or an Aristocrat. No idea whose would be the oldest, though. The first Tilt-A-Whirl didn't hit the ground until 1926 or so.
I wonder how many rides are out there that nobody can remember how old they are...[:D]
--Dave Althoff, Jr.