Astro85
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Saturday, August 29, 2020 1:09:47 PM
Does anyone know what years Chance manufactured the Music Fest?
thunderbolt85
Monday, August 31, 2020 8:15:16 AM
Sorry I don't have exact dates, but when I was a kid I wrote Chance and got sales pamphlet's on all their rides, one was still the Flying Bobs, the other the Music Fest and in the pictures the panels were 70s style painting.

So I figure late 70s to the 80s, I know Strates had his ThunderBolt in 85 and it was stated as new ride, so maybe they changed over about then.

The first Music Fest that I saw was in 86 and I believe it was Johnny's United Shows.

Then Childress picked one up in late 80s (not sure from who), but it had winter theme like a Bobs, but with Music Fest name, not sure why he never just stuck with the Fest theme.

I will try to find those things from Chance and see if I can see any dates.
Bill P
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Monday, August 31, 2020 10:11:14 PM
I have a 1977 Chance catalog which shows the Music Fest and the Flying Bobs. The last Flying Bobs was built in 1984 Thunderbolt came out in 84 or 85. Reithoffer MAY have had the first one which is still on the road as their Tidal Wave. Strates got theirs in 1985 and someone told me it was #004 but I can't confirm that.
thunderbolt85
Tuesday, September 1, 2020 7:59:12 AM
Originally Posted by: Bill P 

I have a 1977 Chance catalog which shows the Music Fest and the Flying Bobs. The last Flying Bobs was built in 1984 Thunderbolt came out in 84 or 85. Reithoffer MAY have had the first one which is still on the road as their Tidal Wave. Strates got theirs in 1985 and someone told me it was #004 but I can't confirm that.




And didn't Strates get the Huss TriStar about the same time as the Thunderbolt, I think he did. I know when he used to play Anderson they would always put new rides up front, in 85 the TriStar was on the front, then the ThunderBolt in 86.

Seems I remember after that the TriStar stayed up front until the Rainbow came along and it took the first spot.
JustinJames
Tuesday, September 1, 2020 7:56:31 PM
Pugh also had one of the early model T-bolt models.
Astro85
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Tuesday, September 1, 2020 8:47:15 PM
Isn’t Pugh’s old Thunderbolt the one that NAME /Astro now has as an Arctic Express?
Bill P
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Tuesday, September 1, 2020 8:58:54 PM
Strates got Tri Star in 1983, Pirate & Enterprise in 1982, Rainbow in 1989 and Top Spin in 1997.
They looked at a Rainbow for 1984 but got the Eyerly Monster out of a park instead, finally getting the Rainbow in 1989.
JustinJames
Wednesday, September 2, 2020 10:59:08 PM
Originally Posted by: Astro85 

Isn’t Pugh’s old Thunderbolt the one that NAME /Astro now has as an Arctic Express?



I believe so. Darn shame. It was beautiful.
Astro85
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Thursday, September 3, 2020 7:51:51 AM
Yeah I agree with ya. I liked the original Thunderbolt theme better.
IndianaTED
Thursday, September 3, 2020 8:31:07 AM
I always thought it would be cool to theme a Thunderbolt as a space-themed ride to totally distance this piece away from a Bobs theme. Obviously the scenery panels would all be in space scenes; planets, stars, space ships, maybe aliens?, just anything space related. But my biggest feature would be that all the tubs would be painted in florescent colors and at night when the ride is in full speed motion, the lights could all be turned off and black lights would be on giving it all a glow in the dark look. I even have the name for it...Satelite Flite.

Just has been my idea for awhile, and if this ever comes to a midway near you, you know who's idea it was!
I've never been "with it", just been an interested observer of carnivals for more than 50 years.
Johnny's United Shows..."A Family Tradition" and "All for Fun, Fun for All".
The carnival of my youth, which had roots that originated in my hometown.
thunderbolt85
Thursday, September 3, 2020 9:52:57 AM
Originally Posted by: Bill P 

Strates got Tri Star in 1983, Pirate & Enterprise in 1982, Rainbow in 1989 and Top Spin in 1997.
They looked at a Rainbow for 1984 but got the Eyerly Monster out of a park instead, finally getting the Rainbow in 1989.




As much as I liked the Monster, I sure wish they had decided to get the Rainbow and left that Monster at the park.
Astro85
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Thursday, September 3, 2020 2:25:21 PM
That would be a cool theme. It would be great to see something like that airbrushed, instead of the wrap. I was wondering myself, would it be a crime to have a thunderbolt themed as an Amor Express or does it have to a Himalaya Type ride to do that? I’ve never seen a Matterhorn style ride themed like that. I was thinking of modeling one that way, but wasn’t sure. I feel like the Music Fest was close to the Amor Express theme with that 70’s thing going. Thanks.
ridejocky
Friday, September 4, 2020 3:57:47 AM
Originally Posted by: thunderbolt85 

As much as I liked the Monster, I sure wish they had decided to get the Rainbow and left that Monster at the park.



It's a good bet "they" wish they had as well....


Ride the Zipper?
thunderbolt85
Friday, September 4, 2020 8:11:18 AM
Originally Posted by: ridejocky 

It's a good bet "they" wish they had as well....




He had a nice Spider before that didn't he, seems like I remember some pictures of one with orange tubs.
thunderbolt85
Friday, September 4, 2020 8:17:24 AM
Originally Posted by: Astro85 

That would be a cool theme. It would be great to see something like that airbrushed, instead of the wrap. I was wondering myself, would it be a crime to have a thunderbolt themed as an Amor Express or does it have to a Himalaya Type ride to do that? I’ve never seen a Matterhorn style ride themed like that. I was thinking of modeling one that way, but wasn’t sure. I feel like the Music Fest was close to the Amor Express theme with that 70’s thing going. Thanks.




I don't think it would matter, some of the decoration would be different like the center piece wouldn't be there, unless you removed the center scenery panels. I saw a Flying Bobs somewhere one time themed as a "Chicago Bobs",


Matter of fact if a show or owner wanted to make tear down/set-up easier with less loads I would rather see them keep the top, but dropped the inside scenery and maybe just put a canvas over the sweeps with a glitter ball in the middle and/or some lights on the sweeps. I just always thought the "Bobs" rides looked better with the top, but there is so many different ways you could have dressed it up and themed it.

One Flying Bobs I saw one time (will not say the show), looked like a flea market model with rope lights hanging on the fence and other places, looked rough and like someone just slapped some stuff together to make a ride.