Sponsored

Remembering The Past

Big Blue

Well-Known Member
First Name
Lee
Joined
May 5, 2020
Threads
16
Messages
3,927
Reaction score
9,352
Location
Wisconsin
Vehicle(s)
2019 Ford Ranger XLT FX4 Supercrew lighting blue
Occupation
Retired mechanical designer
Anyone remember these...the tethered cars and planes with the Cox Baby Bee .049 engines ?
Had the plane pictured but never had interest in the cars. Would pester my dad for an extra .50 cents to get fuel, but snuk the big old 9 volt battery out of the house flashlight to start it.

kgrhqj12.jpg


s-l500.jpg
Had SB2C Helldiver that dived one too many times and wouldn’t stay together. Got dizzy too many times. Still have a Stuka and a .010 Pitts Special in the attic.
Sponsored

 

Grumpaw

Well-Known Member
First Name
Steve
Joined
Jul 1, 2021
Threads
84
Messages
5,860
Reaction score
29,197
Location
Fishersville, Va.
Vehicle(s)
Previous 2021 Ranger, Now 2019 Ford Expedition
Occupation
Navy Vet., Retired Police Sgt., Grumpy Old Senior Citizen
Had SB2C Helldiver that dived one too many times and wouldn’t stay together. Got dizzy too many times. Still have a Stuka and a .010 Pitts Special in the attic.
I had kept a lot of my old toys and stuff from when I was a kid, but sadly lost everything in Andrew in 1992. Boxes of memories, picture albums, memento's, were all lost to Ma Nature. Our attic became open when the roof went, and stuff in boxes in the garage went when the garage went. :crying:
 

SemperVee

Well-Known Member
First Name
Dar
Joined
Aug 25, 2019
Threads
47
Messages
331
Reaction score
665
Location
Olympia WA
Vehicle(s)
2022 F150 LARIAT. 2019 Ranger XLT Traded in.
Vehicle Showcase
1
Where the hell are my sock filled with Marbles? Probably left with my Micky Mantle baseball cards that got ripped up in the spokes of my Stingray bicycle in 1960-ish...
 

dtech

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 10, 2020
Threads
37
Messages
3,135
Reaction score
7,577
Location
colorado
Vehicle(s)
Ranger Lariat FX4, chromed and forever damperless
I spent a very boring 6 months applying fixes from IBM for the mainframe system at the company I worked at the time. We got a phone call from someone at IBM urging us to apply a particular fix IMMEDIATELY - it was really bad and IBM was personally calling sites to make sure they applied it - it was about 6 months before Y2K, so it wasn't found out until very late in the game. That is but one example of many - had the hard work not been done all sorts of weird and wacky things would have occurred.

I get a little worked up when people say Y2K was overblown since basically nothing happened.... :) Nothing happened because of the tremendous amount of work that was put into making SURE nothing happened.
Yes not intending to discount your experience - IIRC it was big thing especially in the mainframe world but mostly involved COBOL programming and a few other older languages . I recall a lot of early FUD about a whole lot of micro processor based stuff sh*tting the bed - even home appliances and I don't think that proved true. But that FUD did prompt companies to open their coffers and fund a lot of IT spending - some with HW replacement and others SW remediation. I had some healthy paychecks supporting 2 companies that in all haste were trying to migrate off mainframes, neither succeeded by Y2K and had few issues but they spent a lot of money trying.
 

RedlandRanger

Moderator
First Name
Rob
Joined
Nov 14, 2018
Threads
42
Messages
5,111
Reaction score
11,105
Location
Oregon
Vehicle(s)
2019 Ford Ranger Lariat FX4, 1973 Mercury Capri
Vehicle Showcase
1
Yes not intending to discount your experience - IIRC it was big thing especially in the mainframe world but mostly involved COBOL programming and a few other older languages . I recall a lot of early FUD about a whole lot of micro processor based stuff sh*tting the bed - even home appliances and I don't think that proved true. But that FUD did prompt companies to open their coffers and fund a lot of IT spending - some with HW replacement and others SW remediation. I had some healthy paychecks supporting 2 companies that in all haste were trying to migrate off mainframes, neither succeeded by Y2K and had few issues but they spent a lot of money trying.
It was very much a "gold rush" kind of atmosphere for sure. And consulting companies made out like bandits in many cases. I think part of the reason microprocessor based stuff didn't have as many problems is because at that time their influence/criticality was a bit more limited than it is now, coupled with the fact their underlying architecture was a lot newer. But you are correct, most of the issues were in the larger systems realm (mainframes and minis) - they were the kings at that point in time - the WWW was still relatively early and the internet was still "new" - certainly not nearly as mission critical as it is now.

I for one was glad to see it pass with relatively few issues - I know many places had staff on site at midnight on Y2K - just in case something weird happened.
 


gfitzge2

Well-Known Member
First Name
Gregg
Joined
Nov 7, 2018
Threads
6
Messages
1,231
Reaction score
6,989
Location
Louisville, Kentucky
Vehicle(s)
2016 Focus RS, 2019 Ranger, 2021 Mustang Mach 1
Occupation
Retired Electrician
Vehicle Showcase
1
This thread sure has brought back a lot fond memories growing up in the good old days.

Along the lines of stupid and dangerous ideas as kids what about the Polish Cannons (No Racial Slur Intended), back then there was no such thing as being PC. Used to cut the top and bottom off of soda cans and tape them together for a tube, then leave the bottom one intact just punching a few holes in the top and one on the side. Filling with some lighter fluid, shaking it up and shooting tennis balls at each other out of it.

Another crazy idea was to shoot bottle rockets out of the barrel of the tank at the local VFW. They had it fenced off, and the top hatch was welded shut, but there was an opening on the bottom you could crawl into. The only problem with the idea was after shooting a few out of the barrel by the time we crawled out, and over the fence the cops were waiting for us no way to escape.

What about the Tuffskin pants (Sears brand I think) you wore? As thick as they were, and with the double knees you could not wear them out. So you had them for a few years even when they did not fit anymore.

We are all lucky that we are alive and well to enjoy our newest toy the Ranger.
We also made the coke can and lighter fluid cannons. Eventually we graduated to carbide cannons. You could buy the carbide at the hardware store. Came in little chunks that looked like small rocks. Add a few with some water and it made acetylene. You could send that tennis ball way up there.
 

gfitzge2

Well-Known Member
First Name
Gregg
Joined
Nov 7, 2018
Threads
6
Messages
1,231
Reaction score
6,989
Location
Louisville, Kentucky
Vehicle(s)
2016 Focus RS, 2019 Ranger, 2021 Mustang Mach 1
Occupation
Retired Electrician
Vehicle Showcase
1
I had a couple of them blow up when I started using oxygen with alchohol as propellant. This one will put a carrot through a pine board. Never tried it with ice that was the original plan.

Anybody else build and launch Estes rockets. I had 20 of them. We had a giant ball field and would have contests to see who's could go the highest. The ones with 3 rocket engines could be real dangerous if the engines didn't all light.
Yep on the Estes rockets. I had great plans to send a mouse into low orbit, but it escaped the day before launch.
 
OP
OP
AzScorpion

AzScorpion

Moderator
First Name
Dave
Joined
Jul 25, 2019
Threads
335
Messages
26,238
Reaction score
132,126
Location
Back Home In AZ!
Vehicle(s)
2023 Ford Ranger Tremor
Occupation
Retired...Full Time Slacker
Toughskins jeans were mentioned earlier. I had toughskins corduroys
for the winter months. I remeber the swishing sound they would make as you walked through the cavernous halls of the school.
Kind of like this KJ? ?


 

gfitzge2

Well-Known Member
First Name
Gregg
Joined
Nov 7, 2018
Threads
6
Messages
1,231
Reaction score
6,989
Location
Louisville, Kentucky
Vehicle(s)
2016 Focus RS, 2019 Ranger, 2021 Mustang Mach 1
Occupation
Retired Electrician
Vehicle Showcase
1
I had a camera just like this one. o_O My parents gave it to me when they bought a new one. You had to wait to take all the pictures then go drop off the film and wait like a week to get your pictures back. Then you'd find out that half of them didn't come out. lol

Camera.jpeg
This building is often referred to as the flash cube building. It has out lasted flash cubes by a long time.

1671825647813.webp
 

Big Blue

Well-Known Member
First Name
Lee
Joined
May 5, 2020
Threads
16
Messages
3,927
Reaction score
9,352
Location
Wisconsin
Vehicle(s)
2019 Ford Ranger XLT FX4 Supercrew lighting blue
Occupation
Retired mechanical designer
I had a camera just like this one. o_O My parents gave it to me when they bought a new one. You had to wait to take all the pictures then go drop off the film and wait like a week to get your pictures back. Then you'd find out that half of them didn't come out. lol

Camera.jpeg
I still have my first camers. A Instamatic 100. It used 126 cartrige film. It had a pop up flash that you put individual bulbs in. While we were dating my wife carried a 110 that use the flip flash bar and had a telephoto lens you could switch to. I bought here a battery flash for her birthday to replace the flash bars.

I have a small collection of old cameras. It includes some old box cameras some instamatics a few 35s and some polaroids. The newest one is the one I shot wedding with.
 

Fordup

Well-Known Member
First Name
Ed
Joined
Jun 3, 2022
Threads
17
Messages
1,932
Reaction score
9,542
Location
NY
Website
youtube.com
Vehicle(s)
2022 Black Lariat Crew , 1966 Chevrolet Biscayne
Occupation
Retired YouTube Creator
Yep on the Estes rockets. I had great plans to send a mouse into low orbit, but it escaped the day before launch.
I don't think that mouse would have enjoyed the parachute charge going off. :explode:
 

gfitzge2

Well-Known Member
First Name
Gregg
Joined
Nov 7, 2018
Threads
6
Messages
1,231
Reaction score
6,989
Location
Louisville, Kentucky
Vehicle(s)
2016 Focus RS, 2019 Ranger, 2021 Mustang Mach 1
Occupation
Retired Electrician
Vehicle Showcase
1
I don't think that mouse would have enjoyed the parachute charge going off. :explode:

:LOL: :LOL: No wonder it escaped.

Actually as near as I can recall, it had a larger diameter lower section and a tapered cone and then a payload section. The pay load was separated from the parachute section and they were tethered together.
Either way I am sure the mouse made the right decision when it made the great escape.
 

Fordup

Well-Known Member
First Name
Ed
Joined
Jun 3, 2022
Threads
17
Messages
1,932
Reaction score
9,542
Location
NY
Website
youtube.com
Vehicle(s)
2022 Black Lariat Crew , 1966 Chevrolet Biscayne
Occupation
Retired YouTube Creator
Well today I got to relive my childhood for a while.. Was typing a reply here about 10:30 this morning and power went out. All my hobbies and projects need power so I was down. My wife just sat there knitting like nothing happened. She told me I should take up carving so I would shut up and leave her alone. Well down to the basement with a flashlight and started digging through another old box. Found my old slinky that is a little corroded but still works. Amused myself for a hour on the basement stairs. Dropped from 45deg to 8 degrees in a couple hours so I kept the wood stove cranking and then took a nap with our dog. 5 1/2 hours later I had enough and dragged the generator out.
20221223_161914_01.jpg


Got the Internet up and power in my shop before it got dark. Proved to me there's no going back. The internet has ruined me and I need my air fryer to eat. Street power just came back on and it's a 19 below wind chill outside now. Hope everyone affected by this cold snap is doing well.
 
OP
OP
AzScorpion

AzScorpion

Moderator
First Name
Dave
Joined
Jul 25, 2019
Threads
335
Messages
26,238
Reaction score
132,126
Location
Back Home In AZ!
Vehicle(s)
2023 Ford Ranger Tremor
Occupation
Retired...Full Time Slacker
Well today I got to relive my childhood for a while.. Was typing a reply here about 10:30 this morning and power went out. All my hobbies and projects need power so I was down. My wife just sat there knitting like nothing happened. She told me I should take up carving so I would shut up and leave her alone. Well down to the basement with a flashlight and started digging through another old box. Found my old slinky that is a little corroded but still works. Amused myself for a hour on the basement stairs. Dropped from 45deg to 8 degrees in a couple hours so I kept the wood stove cranking and then took a nap with our dog. 5 1/2 hours later I had enough and dragged the generator out.
20221223_161914_01.jpg


Got the Internet up and power in my shop before it got dark. Proved to me there's no going back. The internet has ruined me and I need my air fryer to eat. Street power just came back on and it's a 19 below wind chill outside now. Hope everyone affected by this cold snap is doing well.
Yes the internet has ruined me too. But without it we'd never have this great forum and great members to enjoy these times with. It's fun reminiscing about our childhoods and brings back so many great memories. Hope all that are in the way of that nasty weather stay safe & warm!!
 

Big Blue

Well-Known Member
First Name
Lee
Joined
May 5, 2020
Threads
16
Messages
3,927
Reaction score
9,352
Location
Wisconsin
Vehicle(s)
2019 Ford Ranger XLT FX4 Supercrew lighting blue
Occupation
Retired mechanical designer
Yes the internet has ruined me too. But without it we'd never have this great forum and great members to enjoy these times with. It's fun reminiscing about our childhoods and brings back so many great memories. Hope all that are in the way of that nasty weather stay safe & warm!!
Agree completely, the internet has ruined us all. Still have a couple of kerocene lamps in case the power goes out. Glad it doesn't as often as it use to. Remember playing cards by lamp light or sitting on the sun porch watching the lightening during a storm. Simpler times, we didn’t know what we missing.
Sponsored

 
 








Top