Green Machine

[SwedeSport]

Designed by a SAAB owner? Those look an awful lot like soccer ball wheels to me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygcConBi ... ata_player


The time frame is just about correct.

[DrewP]

"A racer for guys who like a ride that's really fast!"

How do you find stuff like this? That's awesome.

[SwedeSport]

The classic "Big Wheel" was huge when I was a kid. I had many of them. The Green Machine came out when I was 5. I remember circling it in the Sears catalog that year.

I was searching for a current big wheel toy. I grew up at the top of the hill we all raced our wooden plank racers. I built mine using 3 pieces of 2x4, and a piece of plywood for a seat. I would get a set of wagon wheels with ball bearings and rubber tires for the front. I would use the wide plastic slicks from the back of a big wheel. That made it steer well, but drift and powerslide easily.

I got a bug up my ass to find a set of wheels and build another one.

[Geoff]

I either used to have one of those or had a friend who did. I went through a lot of Big Wheels as a kid. One of the failures was due to me riding it one repeatedly down some steps until the rear axle fell off. Most of the rest were due to the rear tires coming apart from excessive use of the handbrake for power sliding.

Everything I've ever needed to know about handbrake turns I learned on my Dukes of Hazard Big Wheel.

[Jordan]

"A racer for guys who like a ride that's really fast!"

How do you find stuff like this? That's awesome.

As you can see Jason is an old, old man.

[Luke]

Hmm, have we found the common childhood experience that led us all on the path to driving race cars as pretend adults?

I had something really similar to that and I was obsessed with it. My driveway was big chunky gravel, it was a rough ride. Now that explains everything!

[SwedeSport]

I would always flat spot the front wheel trying to stop.

In the early 80's the big wheel craze was coming to an end, and they were showing up on the curb for trash day. (very much like Saabs are now). Being a young budding dumpster diver, I would drag them home.

...and the cycle continues.

[SwedeSport]

Hmmmm.... I had sidewalks and paved streets to play in, Luke had gravel...

that is a crazy co- ink-ee- dink!