Jalopnik
Men tear up, it happens. We shouldn't deny it. And we're not talking about when you drop a battery on your foot or your team fumbles the ball on the one-yard-line in the National Championship game. We're talking about that moment when you let your guard down and an emotion, whether dread or happiness or appreciation, becomes an overwhelming presence. You try your best but it takes you over. Good art can do that. This one is embarrassing but I personally liked the show Northern Exposure when I was in school and the final episode ran when I was in Junior High. As sad as the last episode was I managed to keep it together, manhood intact. It wasn't until years later in the geography lab at college when the closing song of that episode, "Our Town" by Iris Dement and John Prine (a sad song to begin with), started playing on a neighbor's computer. Then she started singing the song.
Maybe it was the exhaustion from trying to complete a project late into the night, but I started to lose it and I had no idea why. A few tears came before I even realized it and I had to quickly dry my face, which turned out to be more conspicuous than just sitting there with a wet face. She noticed. Eventually, I put two-and-two together after blaming eye strain.
It happens. And today's great post about Federal Engineering #4 touched off some emotions in Mad_Science:
We feel you. It's cool. Take a moment.I'm getting all choked up reading this.
This assembly of steel, aluminum and rubber embodies what's lacking from our post-modern era.
Look at art on the car (disregarding the car itself is art). The logos are restrained and elegant. The color scheme is cleary chosen to please the eye, rather that assault it to get attention.
The mechanical bits are of a golden age of engineering. 4' by 6' drafting tables, Curta Mechanical Calculators and $5 pencils, all used by guys who could still light up a welding torch or swing a hammer.
As best we can tell, it was re-used over the years. None of this one-season-and-crush-it disposable racecar nonsense. It was collection of valuable functional parts, not to be a showpiece in some Mafioso's car barn.
Lastly, Larry Crockett died in (or because of) this car. He was probably racing in trousers, and open-face helmet and goggles.
The beautiful, tragic absence of compromise on this car did itself, it's peers and Larry in. None of them coming back, and all we can do is imagine what it would've sounded or smelled like to be trackside in '54.
I hope no one comes in my fncking cubicle for the next 5 minutes.
Comments
Knew this was going to win as soon as I read it...
Excellent work.
Matt, that sounds almost as touching as the episode of Fresh Prince when Will's rela father shows up... Will thinks everything is going to be ok, but his father abandons him again in the end...
Its getting a little dusty, excuse me I will be back in 5...
+ Watch video
Raising the COTD bar this evening, we have Mad_Science.
Congats Mr. Science, looks like POLAЯZ going to have to go
back underground to sharpen his skills.
Kudos. Very Kudos.
@youtube
son of a...
@Red AuerБЯд╒╒: What's with you guys taking a whole 5 minutes to release?
Just ask my wife, I got it down to 2 strokes - done!
Amazing prose. Congrats!
@PAPAL POLAЯ: Mass-produced Polar-babies?
I get choked up when I go to sign in to Jalopnik and it says "Al Beaton has no friends".
And now it's started telling me that I also have zero "connectedness" but hints I might have if I buy a Honda.
It's bad enough that all my e-mails tell me that I need a bigger cock and a nicer wristwatch. At my age, if I were to suddenly sprout another four inches I'd be thrown out of the house until I had a medical certificate swearing it wasn't infectious. And if I spent ten grand on a watch, I'd be thrown out of the house permanently - herbally-enhanced glans or no.
Things are a bit tight financially, so the best I can manage right now is to tie a sprig of parsley to my manhood, grab a Casio from eBay for a fiver and trade the old XJ for an '89 Civic. I just hope that will be enough.
/sniff
Truly lyrical and touching, MAD_SCIENCE. For an engineering geek (I say that with nothing but fondness -- I'm a BSEE), you sure know how to write...
Hats off to you...!
Such a confluence of greatness in this post. First, you have this stunning find of a Kurtis Kraft roadster. Then you have the artful photography that captures this car as the objet d'art that it is. Finally you have this rich history of arguably the golden era for American auto racing.
Mad Science, I give you mad props for capturing all this and adding such imagery that you brought it vividly to life. Job well done.
Thanks guys.
Kudos to the commenters researching the car in the comments. The story (provided by them) that this car has to tell and the bygone era it represents really struck a chord with me.
I spend too much time in my cube staring at SolidWorks.
Upon re-reading it, I'm noticing it could benefit from a 2nd proof-read and fact-check, but cut me some slack, I was worked up.
And to the original contributor to this post, thank you. My screen saver has never looked better.
@TexanIdiot25: No, this is done by hand.
@Red AuerБЯд╒╒: Wow... that Fresh Prince clip has me weeping. Quite moving (and no personal loss triggers; my folks are both happy and healthy and married over 45 years now).
@al_beaton: Have you ever tried clicking on someones + sign?
Try it and you might be surprised to find a friend!
I can't do nothin' about your cock, sorry dude.
@al_beaton: check again... friendo
Oh man, you got my eyes to tear up just reading that. I didn't know one could cry over manliness.
@al_beaton:
...and it says "Al Beaton has no friends".
The good news is we Jalops are all whores... any of us will be your friend with a single mouse click. All we ask is that you follow us everywhere -- you know, like Uma Thurman's stalker... Try it; I doubt any of us have anything more infectious than laughter or deep contemplation...
@PAPAL POLAЯ: @Red AuerБЯд╒╒: @charles_barrett:
Wow, thanks guys. That parsley was starting to give me a rash.
That was a very nice post @Mad_Science: . I'm impressed by the Phil Donahue-like display of man-emotion here in the post-COTD postings. I'd join in, but I'm not comfortable with PDAs, having not been hugged enough - or maybe it was too much- by my dad. Cheers M_S, keep up efforts like this and you'll soon be out of that fncking cubicle.
@al_beaton: Parsley's for external use only, my friend.
BTW, Matt: did you get my QOTD suggestion?
@graverobber- Same great taste, new low price!: "Cheers M_S, keep up efforts like this and you'll soon be out of that fncking cubicle."
Are you trying to tell me there's a real office or the unemployment line in my future?
@Mad_Science: yikes, you're a Solidworks junkie? I do not envy you (SW & I are mortal enemies).
I believe that the overall term you are looking for to describe this wondrous machine is: Beausage: (beautiful from usage)
[metacool.typepad.com]
@mikedrawcar: but well said, overall, and congrats
@Mad_Science: Either way, I hope you keep up with your Jalopnik contributions.
@Mad_Science: Well, according to Emeril and Mario and Rachael, us 'Muricans have been using the WRONG parsley -- we should all be using Eye-Talian FLAT leaf parsley, not CURLY leaf like what Denny's sets on the side of our main dish.
And to think I was going for COTD, per Navarro's suggestions (like he needed to tell me that anyway...just kiddin', I love ya, as well as Se7ens)...well-deserved and
There are few things men can cry about. They mostly involve Spitfires, barbecue accidents, Jessica Alba's pregnancy (why, oh why, wasn't it meee?!!), being kicked in the nuts, and, of course, in this case, old race cars. Thank you Mad_Science for proving this to us.
Now that there is what I'm talkin' about. Well said.
@Mad_Science: Yeah.
Good OnYa 'Science. A worthy recip. to be sure!!!
You do us proud.
Suddenly I don't feel worthy enough to be here .....You Guy's are great.
@SLR_BlowerMania: guys...don't need the apostrophe ("guy's") ;-)
Bravo, MadScience, Bravo!
I have no freakin' idea what Solid Works is but at least you get to have Jalopnik and all of us in the cube with you!
Very very nice.
I envy those of you that can so passionately word things the way you do. I'm consumed by passion but it comes out in rants... embarrassing rants at that, so all of you composers, I command the NRA to all fire off rounds skyward(run for cover) a la drunken Mexicans (I'm thinking about the movie 'The Mexican') and salute you.
Mr. Heston.
@Red AuerБЯд╒╒: I was stunned to find that clip here: To this day, however many years later, I remember it as the only thing I saw on a sitcom that made me cry.
I also remember the biggest thrill I ever got from a sitcom was when the general on Major Dad sang "Dream the Impossible Dream." Anyone else remember that one?
very well done Mad Science, I too am envious
@Novaload: Solid Works is the current hot 3-D modeling software, useful for product packaging design. It has taken the prestige flag away from Parametric Technologies' Pro/E in the last decade or so. Both packages can redimension all components that are dependant on other components' dimensions in a simple step. Makes mechanical design and packaging that much simpler, and can crank out 2-D fab blueprints and other fabrication data automatically (Gross simplification on my part).
@Red AuerБЯд╒╒: Nothin really to say. Gotta go hug my son right now. Thanks.
Eloquence. Zen.
@Matt Hardigree: Cool. Feel free to ignore/rephrase/whatever...just wanted to know it hadn't disappeared down a rabbit hole.
Also: thanks for COTD
@milo_carrera:
@Bumblebee:
Best Fresh Prince episode ever in terms of acting...
Personal fave though (after the above mentioned) is the episode at the pool hall, where Big Phil comes and saves Will & Carlton from the pool shark
Through my tears, I still managed to befriend Al Beaton. Halleluiah.
Actually Al will still have no friends until he actually follows somebody else... Click on one of the plus signs Al.
@Mad_Science: After a more extensive, though not exhaustive search last night, the story remains largely the same. The year is different and it's a different driver, but sadly he also met an untimely end. It's not 100% for certain, but more details seem to line up.
In 1958, driver Pat O'Connor drove #4 Kurtis Kraft/Offenhauser and suffered a fatal crash at the opening of the race. From the Wiki on Pat O'Connor:
(Warning: graphic details in summary)
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Dick Rathmann and Ed Elisian started the race on the front row, with Jimmy Reece on the outside of the front row. Elisian spun in turn 3 of the first lap, and collected Rathmann, sending them both into the wall, and starting a 15-car pileup.
According to AJ Foyt, O'Conner's car hit Reece's car, sailed fifty feet in the air, landed upside down, and burst into flames. Although O'Connor was incinerated in the accident, medical officials said that he was probably killed instantly from a fractured skull.
Widely blamed for the accident, Elisian was suspended by USAC for the accident (reinstated a few days later), and was shunned by many in the racing community. Allegedly, drivers prevented firefighters from reaching Elisian's burning car the following August at Milwaukee, and Elisian died in the fire.
Following the accident, race officials announced that they would change the starting procedure, abandoning the single-file trip down pit lane that was used in 1957 and 1958. Also, for the 1959 Indy 500, metal roll bars welded to the frame behind the driver's head were mandated, and helmets were required to pass safety certification by Speedway medical officials.
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Perhaps they rebuilt the chassis, or this was a backup/sister car.