David Bradshaw photos Vol. V

[bradshaw]

Call to Arms....
Old upright piano,
or two or three...

Played thunderously all manner BIG BORE sixguns and fiveshooters.

Might have to line up two in a row----slow down those big angry slugs.

Lee, I believe the piano you posted was Played to Death in 2005. Belonged to my nephew, stored at my sister's. They shoved it out onto the porch. Nephew advertised it. No takers. Revised add says "Free." Finally, a person calls: "I'll take it if you deliver it!"

I picked it up. Folks came from as far away as New York City to shoot it.

Upright pianos are often free for the taking. People don't want 'em. They'd rather have a piece of chintzy lightweight crap they can move around. You may find an old upright, maybe half a dozen, in the basement of a church, where congregants have dumped 'em off.

As musical instruments go, a real piano is BIG GAME.
David Bradshaw

[bradshaw]

Lee.... "Baldwin"... "baby grand"... ?

Sounds like you should be able to sell that piano and build more guns. Or, to at least amass the lead to play a few of pianos to death.

My mother made love to her 1892 Steinway grand six hours a day. While her musical talent failed to infuse my blood, her appreciation got in solid.

My mother would leap from her grave at some infidel turning a Steinway into Swiss cheese. However, to fill an upright piano full of bullet holes might amuse her spirit no end.
David Bradshaw

[Lee Martin]

What's even more ironic David is guess what my middle name is? Yep, it's "Baldwin". Oh well.

I'll give you a call tomorrow to discuss piano blasting and shooting in general. I've been meaning to phone you since Sunday but work took me to Arkansas today.

-Lee
www.singleactions.com
"Building carpal tunnel one round at a time"

[steve]

Jan 22, 2013 11:52:20 GMT -5 bradshaw said:

Photos graciously posted with help of Lee Martin:


3) Rugermobile (side view). Ford high performance 427 V-8 with 4 speed manual. Tires equivalent of 7:00x18 on wire wheels. Stainless steel exhaust. A road racer drove a Rugermobile on the road race course at Lyme Rock, Connecticut, turning a surprisingly fast time.

David Bradshaw

David, there are a few car guys on this board, myself included. From your writing's you come off as somewhat modest. What I want was to know is, Did you ever get to take one of those bad boys for a spin!!!! or at least get a ride in one!!! That car, with a Holman & Moody side oiler must be one hell of a fun ride!!

[bradshaw]

Steve.... I have not driven a Rugermobile. Bill, Jr., inherited his father's car enthusiasm. The operative Ruger car principle keeps all the cars in GO and SHOW condition. Sometimes old parts are set aside, such as 1933 or '36 Cadillac V-16 carburetors, with a couple of big Holleys put in place for better performance. Or custom sleeves and heads to increase CID.

William, Jr., made sets of titanium connecting rods for a pair of Stutz's, plus extras, as the original aluminum rods are known to stretch. Ruger subjected his investment cast titanium connecting rods to aircraft testing----far more stringent than for automotive----and something like 27 out of 30 or 32 passed.

And so forth...
David Bradshaw

[steve]

Nice.....thanks David

[bradshaw]

One night I told Bill, Sr., about driving a British Austin Champ jeep frfom Long Island to northern Vermont (early 1970's). The Austin Champ is an over built, heavy vehicle supposed to serve the Jeep role----impossible to do with a complex, heavy vehicle. The Champ features a 4-cylinder Rolls-Royce engine. (When I compression tested this Rolls, cylinders varied from a low 140 psi to a high 142 psi.)

Independent suspension, with 7:50x16 tires. As with the junk "man killer" which replaced the CJ Jeep, the Austin Champ was prone to unannounced rollover if you weren't careful.

The 5-speed manual was backed by what I call an "in-and-out" box for reverse. Theoretically, one could drive it backwards in 5th gear! I did get it into 2nd gear reverse, and was much relieved to bring it to a stop without damage or death.

When I told Mr. Ruger that I drove the Champ 70 mph on the Connecticut Turnpike, he said, "My Ferrari does 70 in reverse!"
David Bradshaw

[bradshaw]

Bill, Jr., had a player piano, which he liked to “play” in the evening, threading a roll of perforated paper, which pattern of tiny holes triggered keys and pedals to depress, creating music. A ghost piano, no pianist required. Mechanical aspect perhaps as intriguing to Bill’s engineering mind as the tune itself. The two Rugermobiles are prototypes, which “the Old Man” wanted to put into limited production. Dream ultimately thwarted by his inability to control the supply chain of drivetrain components.

The S410N 10-1/2-inh “Silhouette Super" represents the commitment of Bill Rugers senior & junior to prove accuracy and durability of the Super Blackhawk at the highest level of competition. Example shown proved them right.

Bill, Jr., sits in Rugermobile with 600-00018, the first .357 Maximum ushered through assembly.
David Bradshaw

[bradshaw]

Probably have another photo essay on or with the RUGERMOBILES. The car which Bill Ruger designed was heavily inspired by his 1929 Bentley touring car., and came to be referred to as the “Rugermobile”. I think the first choice engine was Chrysler Hemi-Head V8, probably the 392 block. Ruger settled on the high performance 427 cubic inch Ford. Had the car reached production, it might have had the Ford 428 CID truck engine, or a variant of the Ford 428 inch V8.

Bill Ruger, Jr., passed the two Rugermobiles to his family.
David Bradshaw

[bradshaw]

Time to remember Bill Ruger, Jr., the man who named the .357 Maximum, identified top-strap cutting and identified its self-arresting nature, and saw the gun to production. Photo of Bill, Jr., in the yellow Rugermobile with the first Blackhawk Maximum assembled in production, 600-00018.

Figure Coogs and Jerry Moran won’t mind seeing this,
David Bradshaw