Orbitron Found Part 2 The Orbitron Saga Continues Well Howdy Gang, It has been awhile and I just thought I’d start a new thread to pick up where we left off last August with the first post “Orbitron Found?” Here is a link for any of you that want to refer back to the thread. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=204957&showall=1 The Origins: On August 27th I was contacted by no other Michael Lightbourn, a well known auto restoration enthusiasts and builder out of El Paso TX. He’s the Hero of this story and was the one that found the Orbitron and rescued it from Mexico. Michael had sent several photographs of the found treasure and wanted input in regard to the restoration and the possibility of putting together a team in order to get the job done. Michael wanted to remain somewhat anonymous until he decided exactly what he wanted to do with the car but at the same he gave permission to go ahead and send out a short press release. On August 28th I posted the photos up on photo bucket and sent out the message below via email and my space. =============================================================== “The Ed "Big Daddy" Roth Orbitron was found last week and now has a new owner. The car was found in Mexico. It was used in a carnival for several years and then as a trash can in front of an adult book store until just last week. The new owner hopes to restore it. As agent for this endeavor, I will have up dated information to ya all within the next couple of days. Below is a link to couple of fotos taken of the car in its disarray. http://s223.photobucket.com/albums/dd151/Roth_Orbitron/ That is all.. Love the Moldy one” ============================================================== Within 48 hours the word spread like wildfire and the phones rang off the hook! Since then a whole lot had not been reveled on the story except for a couple of short but informative blip verts posted on the interweb and published in a few well known trade magazines this along with a barrage of builders and collectors wanting to purchase the vehicle! You can now read the story titled “The Orbitron Saga” written by Pat Ganahl in the March 2008 issue of Hot Rod magazine! It just hit the streets this last week! The story doesn’t end there and The Saga Continues! The Orbitron has changed hands once again and the new owner is no other than Beau Boeckmann President of Galpin Auto Sports, Beau took delivery of the Orbitron last night and it now resides in his shop located in Van Nuys California. In the next couple of weeks the Orbitron will be dissembled, the restoration team will be finalized and the tedious task of rebuilding her will underway! The Orbitron only took Ed a few months to build but restoring her to spec. is a whole other story. Just recently I was given a lead to the whereabouts of the nose, there wasn’t a specific location given only that it was seen in-between two towns in the middle of nowhere. This could end up in a wild goose chase and a story in itself and we are currently looking into it because, finding the nose would make the job of restoring her a lot easier and the marriage would insure her complete originality. Thanx goes out to: Our Hero: Michael Lightbourn for finding the Orbitron and who will continue to be part of this saga. With a special thanx to Michael’s family and crew for all of their friendship and hospitality during the past few months. Beau Boeckmann for taking on the huge responsibility of restoring the Orbitron. Larry Watson for keeping such good records. Fritz, Mark and Dave for their input and continued support. Ryan for the H.A.M.B. And the Press who I’m sure will be covering this story as we go. Well that’s it for now, more news as the Orbitron Saga Continues, tha Moldy one
way to go in this day of computer articulated processes the nose should be able to be made from accurate info from photos and drawings... good luck of coarse i am concerned about the current waste collection at the mexican porn shop too..
That guy that owns Galpin is a real car nut. I'm sure he will restore it back as close as he can get it,to it's original state.
Is Dirty Doug still with us? And will he be on the team if he wishes to be? Being that he was Eds main fiberglass man on many a car, & assuming he worked on the thing in the first place that is
Nice article in this months Hot Rod too (March 2008). It will be really nice to see her restored for a new generation.
Thats really good news. I feel like he will do it right. I hope they can find the nose. Makes it more historical. Thanks. BOBBY FORD
Damm that Galpin guy gets all the cool shit... I still think Moriarity, Shutton and Fritz ( The Dream Team) would of been my choice to restore it.
I just finished reading the HOTROD piece and then saw this post, hope the nose does turn up, maybe they're storing it under the missing bubbletop....
I spoke with Darryl Roth a few months back and I guess Doug hasn't been doing so well as far as his health and some other issues, we will be trying to at least get him to come down to the shop and hang out.
Beau has a pretty nice collection these days some of which are on display at Galpin Auto Sports. His Roth Collection includes the Rotar and the Great Speckled Bird along with a Barris Dragula and some other oddities! Beau is a respected and very trust worthy enthusiast that has the integrity to do things right!
Would Roth be laughing his ass off if he knew where the Orbitron ended up and what it was being used for?
You got it bra, We came real close to showing her at this weeks GNRS but it would be a real chore to try and accomplish it in such short notice. Hey, ya know I also wanted to thank you for the first thread that you posted here on the H.A.M.B. back in August, with that in mind you are part of it, man did that get a lot of response or wot? Fact is we are all part of it, whether face to face or cyberspace! It's gonna be kewl! That's fer sure.... m
Some news of the orbitron. It seems that it has retrieved a decent nose More pics on Jimmy C's website. http://www.kustomart.com/orbitron.html
looks like he has it going in the right direction, the nose looks dead on. now he needs to get plowboy to fix him up a bubble...........
any update on the car? i drove past galpin the other day and it reminded me of this car.. anyone have info?