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  Photo of the week 102 (October 14)

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Author Topic:   Photo of the week 102 (October 14)
heng44
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Posts: 3387
From: Netherlands
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posted 10-13-2006 03:01 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for heng44   Click Here to Email heng44     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote

Gemini-6 backup astronauts Gus Grissom (left) and John Young sit on a car in the parking lot at Cape Kennedy as they wait for launch of the prime crew on October 25, 1965. The launch was scrubbed when the Agena target vehicle failed to achieve orbit. At left is KSC security chief Charles Buckley.

Ed Hengeveld

Steven Kaplan
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Posts: 140
From: New Jersey
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posted 10-13-2006 06:09 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Steven Kaplan   Click Here to Email Steven Kaplan     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
The mysterious Charles Buckley, whose signature appears on NASA ID badges and passes from Gemini through early Shuttle. Ed, another great photo that only you would have.

mensax
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From: Virginia
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posted 10-14-2006 08:32 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for mensax   Click Here to Email mensax     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
ahhh... for the days that you could sit on car.

Noah

ejectr
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From: Killingly, CT
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posted 10-14-2006 08:52 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for ejectr   Click Here to Email ejectr     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
....and not crumple the fender...

Philip
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From: Brussels, Belgium
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posted 10-15-2006 03:09 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Philip   Click Here to Email Philip     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Any idea... What's the make of that car ?

ejectr
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From: Killingly, CT
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posted 10-15-2006 05:54 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for ejectr   Click Here to Email ejectr     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Looks like the letters on the front spell Ford with the old ford symbol, and the letters behind Gus's leg could say Fairlane.

ea757grrl
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From: South Carolina
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posted 10-15-2006 08:34 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for ea757grrl   Click Here to Email ea757grrl     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Philip:
Any idea... What's the make of that car ?

It's a 1963 Ford.

jodie

Astro Bill
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From: New York, NY
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posted 10-15-2006 10:05 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Astro Bill   Click Here to Email Astro Bill     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
What do you think John is saying to Gus? Could he be saying:

"Light that candle! I'm missing an episode of Captain Video."

Steve Procter
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From: Leeds, Yorkshire, UK
Registered: Oct 2000

posted 10-15-2006 11:35 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Steve Procter   Click Here to Email Steve Procter     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
"Stay cool John, he's trying to hotwire the car, but as long as we sit here he won't get away with it!"

Steve

ea757grrl
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From: South Carolina
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posted 10-15-2006 12:33 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for ea757grrl   Click Here to Email ea757grrl     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Astro Bill:
What do you think John is saying to Gus?

"Care for a corned beef sandwich, Skipper?"

jodie

tegwilym
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Posts: 2331
From: Sturgeon Bay, WI
Registered: Jan 2000

posted 10-16-2006 11:17 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for tegwilym   Click Here to Email tegwilym     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Philip:
Any idea... What's the make of that car ?

Ford Fairline 500 I would say. I had that exact car as my first car -inherited from my grandpa.
I had the 4 door version, but this is almost the same color as my old car. It had really cool fins on the back too, the neighbor kids called it the "batmobile".

Tom

ea757grrl
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From: South Carolina
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posted 10-16-2006 06:59 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for ea757grrl   Click Here to Email ea757grrl     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
It looks an awful lot like a base-model 1963 Ford Galaxie. It definitely has the front end of the Galaxie (the little upward gap between the grille and the bumper and the crest in the center of the grill are tipoffs). It also looks a little beefier than a Fairlane.

Since in another incarnation I build models of NA$CAR race cars from the early 1960s, I've come to know the 1963-64 Fords much better than a Chevy girl really should.

jodie

spaceman48263
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From: Michigan
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posted 10-16-2006 07:15 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for spaceman48263     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I vote for the Galaxy too. Note the lack of the metal trim along the side. I would think the Galaxy would be a better fit for a US Government type vehicle. Bigger size and all. Besides "Galaxy "&"NASA"!

ejectr
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From: Killingly, CT
Registered: Mar 2002

posted 10-17-2006 05:52 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for ejectr   Click Here to Email ejectr     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Look at those letters next to Gus's leg. They are F-A-I...just like they are shown in the above ad. How can it be a Galaxy?

ea757grrl
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From: South Carolina
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posted 10-17-2006 07:30 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for ea757grrl   Click Here to Email ea757grrl     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
That fender emblem is in the same "script" typeface that was popular for automobiles of the 1950s and 1960s. What looks like an "a" may be an "o" on closer examination, and the next letter is cut off at the upsweep -- so what could look like an "i" could be the upsweep of an "r".

Here's a couple of pictures to illustrate the difference between the front of a '63 Fairlane and a '63 Galaxie. First is the Fairlane:

And now the Galaxie:

jodie

ejectr
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From: Killingly, CT
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posted 10-17-2006 08:29 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for ejectr   Click Here to Email ejectr     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
According to the grill, you maybe right, but I don't remember Ford putting the word Ford on the side of the car in that location. I had a 1961 Falcon and the "F" and "a" looked similar and was located in the same spot.

The Galaxie above in your photo says "Galaxie" in that location, not "Ford". Why would they have put one model's name there and not the other?

That's why I do believe this says "Fairlane".

ea757grrl
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From: South Carolina
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posted 10-17-2006 10:01 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for ea757grrl   Click Here to Email ea757grrl     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
"The Galaxie above in your photo says "Galaxie" in that location, not "Ford". Why would they have put one model's name there and not the other?"

Because (upon further review) it's most likely not a Galaxie (which was a higher-end model), but a Custom 300, sort of the baseline model full-size Ford used for government vehicles and police cars, etc. The Custom 300 had the "Ford" script and a little logo aft of the front wheelwell. The Galaxie was sort of the high-end full-size Ford.

Here's a link to a picture (which takes forever to download, but it's there): http://americaniron.narod.ru/album/ford/imagepages/607014.htm

Another sign it's not a Fairlane: Take a look at the fender line aft of the front wheelwell, along the bottom of the body. The Fairlane had a good bit of sheetmetal back there, but the full-size Ford front fenders tapered back rather dramatically towards the front end of the front doors.

Apologies for mis-labeling the car a Galaxie to begin with. Since the Holman-Moody Fords raced in the early 1960s were Galaxies, I've got them on the brain.

jodie

cddfspace
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Posts: 609
From: Morris County, NJ, USA
Registered: Jan 2006

posted 10-17-2006 11:05 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for cddfspace   Click Here to Email cddfspace     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Astro Bill:
"What do you think John is saying to Gus?"
"Anybody seen my turtleneck?"

CDDFSPACE

micropooz
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From: Washington, DC, USA
Registered: Apr 2003

posted 10-17-2006 11:48 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for micropooz   Click Here to Email micropooz     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by Astro Bill:
"What do you think John is saying to Gus?"
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

How's 'bout: "Gus, is this a Fairlane or a Galaxie?"

ea757grrl
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From: South Carolina
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posted 10-17-2006 12:43 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for ea757grrl   Click Here to Email ea757grrl     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by micropooz:
quote:How's 'bout: "Gus, is this a Fairlane or a Galaxie?"

Welp, there went one Diet Coke and one monitor....

jodie

tegwilym
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From: Sturgeon Bay, WI
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posted 10-17-2006 01:28 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for tegwilym   Click Here to Email tegwilym     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Definitely a Fairlane!
I have to at least say that my first car was the same thing that Gus drove (or at least sat on!).

Tom

ejectr
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From: Killingly, CT
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posted 10-17-2006 01:53 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for ejectr   Click Here to Email ejectr     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Hey, Jodie.....at least it's a Ford and nor a Chevy. )

Astro Bill
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From: New York, NY
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posted 10-17-2006 02:09 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Astro Bill   Click Here to Email Astro Bill     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
It's a Ford Fairlaine. OK, now what color is it? - Yellow, blue, white, tan or pink?

ea757grrl
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From: South Carolina
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posted 10-17-2006 02:22 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for ea757grrl   Click Here to Email ea757grrl     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
See above. Neither Galaxie nor Fairlane, but a base-level Custom 300....

See for further information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_300_(1963)

jodie

JAE
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From: St. Louis
Registered: Mar 2000

posted 10-17-2006 03:14 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for JAE     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I think someone needs to track down the license plate information.

Astro Bill
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From: New York, NY
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posted 10-17-2006 05:46 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Astro Bill   Click Here to Email Astro Bill     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
With my right eye the license plate looks like "552-24443." With my left eye it appears to be "-----4---". Is that a Florida plate? Any more ideas on what Gus & John are saying?

FFrench
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From: San Diego
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posted 10-17-2006 06:37 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for FFrench     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by bill:Any more ideas on what Gus & John are saying?

I think Gus is saying:
"John, can you help me down from here? That's not one small step for a little guy like me..."

NasaFrk
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Posts: 56
From: Winter Park,FL
Registered: Feb 2002

posted 10-17-2006 09:10 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for NasaFrk   Click Here to Email NasaFrk     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Not a Florida plate. Never had to put one on the front of the car down here. It must be a Nasa or Goverment issued tag. Looks like it reads Gov(on an angle)then the numbers 24443.The reason the tag is on the front was for driving up to security gates and the gaurds could read it. Sounds like a good story anyway!!

AstronautBrian
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Posts: 287
From: Louisiana
Registered: Jan 2006

posted 10-17-2006 11:45 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for AstronautBrian   Click Here to Email AstronautBrian     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Astro Bill:
What do you think John is saying to Gus? Could he be saying:

"No more racing for you today, Gus! I'm taking the keys!"

mikepf
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Posts: 441
From: San Jose, California, USA
Registered: Mar 2002

posted 10-18-2006 10:09 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for mikepf   Click Here to Email mikepf     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
"Yah know Gus, I got this weird feeling this car will be real interesting to some mighty strange people forty years from now."

"John, that's just ridiculous."

star61
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From: Bristol UK
Registered: Jan 2005

posted 10-18-2006 01:37 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for star61   Click Here to Email star61     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I've just got to know what the vehicle to the left is........that headlight has just got to be a...........

ejectr
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Posts: 1751
From: Killingly, CT
Registered: Mar 2002

posted 10-18-2006 01:51 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for ejectr   Click Here to Email ejectr     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
FAGETTABOUTIT!

Aztecdoug
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Posts: 1405
From: Huntington Beach
Registered: Feb 2000

posted 10-18-2006 04:31 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Aztecdoug   Click Here to Email Aztecdoug     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Astro Bill:
What do you think John is saying to Gus? Could he be saying:

"Charlie, hurry up with that skunk, I think I see Al and Deke coming out of the building now."

------------------
Kind Regards

Douglas Henry

Enjoy yourself and have fun.... it is only a hobby!
http://home.earthlink.net/~aztecdoug/

spaceman48263
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Posts: 75
From: Michigan
Registered: Aug 2004

posted 10-18-2006 06:02 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for spaceman48263     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Hey how about the truck!

spaceheaded
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From: MD
Registered: Feb 2003

posted 10-18-2006 07:50 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for spaceheaded     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
From this angle, you can't see the bumper sticker: "My other vehicle is a G-T II"

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