Hello again; Today, I’m bringing you another episode of the midway’s showcase called the calliope corner. This time the subject is the Chance Wipeout I have for sale on the site for $100,000. And as part of the show we will also talk about its predecessor the Chance Trabant. I’ll share some of their history along with my own memories. Th first link will be to the video of the whole show. If you don’t want to watch it all, you can scan down to the headings that say trabant video or wipeout video to watch just the ride footage.
Full Show Video
You can watch it on my site using this button.
Or you can use this direct link to watch in on youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9_Iqveg0fA&feature=youtu.be
Trabant History
Carl Sedlmayr of Royal American Shows discovered the Trabant (German for satellite) in Germany. He purchased the manufacturing rights from the young German man who invented it, and approached Harold Chance of Chance Rides. to build the ride. Chance saw the potential in the ride, made it flashier by adding lights and colorful panels, and mounted it on a trailer so it would be portable. The first ride was sold in 1963 and it became very popular with traveling showmen. Chance eventually started producing a permanent model that was not mounted to a trailer. The ride was also available in a number of different themes such as Mexican Sombrero, Wagon Wheel, and Roulette Wheel. Chance sold 254 Trabant rides between 1963 and 1990.
My Memories
Now, when that article says Chance made the ride portable, they didn’t tell the full story. You see, the first versions of the ride were portable in the strictest sense of the word, but they weren’t easy by any stretch of the imagination. The center was mounted on a trailer, but you had to assemble the rest of the ride by hand. It took four men about four hours to have one of these early models ready to operate. It was only in later models that the floor supports would fold out and the floor could b winched down and some of the seats would stay attached to the ride.
Two of my uncles owned one of these early models. My uncle John, Shorty, Crouch who owned Lone Star Amusements and my Uncle Albert Wagner who owns Wagners Carnival. My friend, Robert Lujan of Great Plains Amusements still owns one. I had his for sale last year, but they have since refurbished it and have decided they don’t want to sell it any more. I really can’t blame them. It is hard work, but as my dad used to say its paid for. You can’t blame a family carnival owner for wanting to hang on to a solid major ride like this. Th photos of the trabant in this post are of Robert’s 1965 model. I have a video of a 1970’s model operated by Earl’s Rides in the midwest. YOu can see it at the link below.
Trabant Video
Wipeout Background Information
In 1991 Chance introduced the Wipeout, an updated version of the Trabant that has seating that faces in both directions and has the ability to spin faster than a Trabant. During the duration of the ride, the ride will change speeds. When the ride is fluctuating in its wavelike manner, the person will feel like the ride is not going that fast. However, when the ride is almost over, the person will feel forces on their body, and get pushed toward the outside of the cars. This happens when the ride starts lowering to the ground in a non-wavelike manner. When the ride moves in this way, it acts like a Music Express. Both the Trabant and Wipeout move forwards and backwards. Because of the forces experienced on the ride, there must be two riders on the ride at all times. Most parks and carnivals require that riders be a minimum of 42 inches tall with an adult, and 48 inches tall without an adult. Seating on the ride consists of 20 seats, with two people on the left and two people on the right. There is a maximum of 40 people on the ride. Other names of the Wipeout/Trabant are: the Mexican Hat, Hully Gully, Sombrero, Wagon Wheel, Casino, Razzle Dazzle and Super Satellite.
The background information on the Trabant and wipeout comes from Wikipedia and can be found at the following link. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wipeout_(ride
I don’t have any personal experience with the wipeout. By the time they came along I had lost most of my vision. My family’s show was never successful enough to own one of them or their competitor the Casino. From all I have heard they are easy to set up and tear down for an adult major amusement ride. They are quick loading and are very flashy with lots of lights and great ride action. I have not heard of any major safety hazards or design flaws. And as far as I know they are as low maintenance as any other traveling ride. My Cousin Jason Wagner owns one, and I hear he is very happy with his wipeout. Next, is the link to the video of the wipeout I have for sale.
Wipeout Video
The pictures of the wipeout were taken last season, and the video was taken just last week at a fair in south Texas. Its owners operate a large carnival that travels from Texas to Missouri or Nebraska and back each year. The rid appears to be in very good mechanical condition. The video was taken on their cell phone which explains the small size of the image. But I think you can still get a good idea of the ride’s current condition. And the earlier video shows you what the trabant was all about. These rides are excellent for amusement parks, carnivals, fun fairs, family entertainment centers, beach boardwalks, pleasure piers, themed restaurants, etc.
I would love to have gone in person or sent someone to take better photos and video of the ride, but for the time being; this is the best I can do. I prefer photos and videos of at least 800 by 640 or 640 by 480 pixcels. Currently, I don’t have the funding to do these shows on location, but I’m hoping to fix that very soon. If you would like to help support this dream of mine, then pleas use the donate button on the site.
Appearing On The Show
If you would like to be featured on the Calliope Corner or have some of your equipment mentioned here, its real simple. Just send me an email Tell me who you are, what company you own or represent, and why you think you would make a good subject for the show. If you already have equipment listed with me, or if you have items for sale that you want to list with me; I would be happy to do a showcase about it providing you can send me videos or slide shows to work with. I’d love to interview more leaders of the industry especially if they have a unique story or offer an unusual service. For example I’m working on getting the founder of Cafe Barnabas to come on and talk about his mobile tea business in Kansas. I know of a lot of people doing coffee or cappuccino but no one doing tea. And I and my viewers usually enjoy a good story. I’m looking forward to making these shows a more regular part of my website. I hope you will all help me make that happen.
Sharing Is Caring
I put my hart and soul into everything I do for the website and the people who have entrusted their items to me, but these videos are extra special. I hope you like what I’ve done so far and what I plan for them in the future. If you do, then please share them with your friends, family, and coworkers. Please use the sharing buttons to post them on social media. Which reminds me if you have a question, you can now use the hashtag askmistermidway on twitter. Another way you can show your appreciation would be to subscribe to my youtube channel. I’m told there is a button right below the video window. Please let me know your thoughts, opinions, and suggestions in the comments section. I will respond to all of them even the occasional negative one. And if there is anything you want my help with just let me know. I love helping my friends, it makes me feel better when I have to ask for theirs.
Well, that’s it for this week. I always love haring from my friends out there. If you have a question, or if you just want to talk; then drop me a line through the contact form. I can’t wait to hear from you. Thanks and take care out there, Max
Hi Max,
Wow! You put quite a lot into this post, and I appreciate learning about the history of Trabant. With it, I think of all the years and all the families that have enjoyed it. I think also of how rides like this add to the culture of fairs and amusement parks. I have seen similar rides, but not the Wipeout by Chance.
Have a great week, and I wish you success in selling the ride.
Kind Regards,
Bill
Hi Bill; thanks for the kind words. I too hope I can sell it. Or at the very least I hope these videos may lead to sales of other items on the site. I think there is also the casino built by zamperla and in europe they are generally referred to as surf rides. there is even a version that turns upside down. I did put a lot into it. Carnivals and their rides have played a major roll in our history. And this is recognized by many states that provide funding for fairs carnival owners or both. I just wish more of the truly amazing rides were being built in the u s. It seems all the really innovative designers and designs are from france, italy, germany, the netherlands, etc. thanks again. You are a good friend. Take care, Max
Hi Max
Great background story with interesting stuff but too much for me. I love taking my grandkids to the fair since that gives me an excuse to go on the merry-go-round or the ferris wheel with the older ones – that’s about all I can handle. (Wimp that I am).
Lenie
Hi Lennie; are we talking a regular ferris wheel or one of those giant gondola ones? In new york city they are building one that will look down on the Statue of Liberty. I am generally afraid of amusement rides, but I will have to face that fear once I start traveling to do the youtube shows on location. Thanks for the comment. I’ll try to find a kiddie ride next time. That is one thing I am learning that the majority of my readers prefer the gentle rides like merry-go-rounds. Take care, Max
Even though I am not much for rides on amusement parks myself – my insides get shook up too much and it is not a pretty site 🙂
I do enjoy watching them though 🙂 you also have a lot of history which is very informative and I enjoyed learning more about the Trabant
Did you ever consider a career in music? 🙂 Nice vocals!
Hi Sandy; I’m glad you liked the post. I do my best to include plenty of background information. When it comes to carnival or amusement park rides, I’m usually the guy standing near the fence or sitting on a bench holding the purses. Will have to get over my fears. I usually go for the shows. I used to also go for the food, but since having gastric surgery; that’s no longer high on my agenda. And thanks for the complement. I’ve never thought about going into music. The truth is up until starting these videos I have always ben self conscious about my voice. I only did the singing because I didn’t know how to create a fancy intro like everyone els has. And I didn’t want to use that as an excuse not to start doing the videos. But its something to think about because you aren’t the first person to complement me on my voice. thanks again and take care, Max
Max,
I consider myself fairly adept at helping others and have brokered quite a few business dealings throughout the years. However I must admit that the odds of finding someone in the market for the Chance Wipeout might be slim. I will still look out for you and at least I know to guide potential buyers in your direction.
Hi Edward or is it Ed? Thanks for leaving the comment. Considering how different our fields are, I’m impressed you are reading my posts. And I never know who is going to refer that ultimate buyer to me, so I wouldn’t be surprised if it were you or someone you know. By the way do you know anyone that needs a big professional performance stage preferably in the south east. And did you watch the video at all? I’d be curious to hear your take on my singing at the beginning. Thanks again and take care, Max
Your post is really interesting, Max. I enjoyed all the info on the Trabant. The Wipeout is a tad too exciting for me! It’s funny because I am a pilot and have done lots of aerobatics and do enjoy the sensations but I like to be in control as I am in a plane.
Hi Beth; I’m glad you enjoyed th post. so its not fear but control or lack of it that scares you? maybe that’s my problem with thrill rides too. would love to go flying with you some time. take care, max
It’s amazing to me to think about the potential history associated with any object, but there’s a certain allure about carnival rides. I’ve written about a carnival worker in one of my short stories, and it’s a topic I can see coming back to again. If I ever have any equipment related questions, I will know who to ask 😉
Hi Jeri; well, if you want to model a character on me i’d love it. and you know most bloggers are working to be the acknowledged expert in their field. so thanks for saying you would come to me with any questions about rides. thanks so much and take care, Max
Hi Max, this is quite a story you have put forward this week. I, like some of the others, have out grown the excitement once associated with riding these beasts but can fully appreciate their historic and romantic value. Good luck with in your endeavor. Tim
Hi Tim; Luckily there are always new generations of kids and teens to come along to enjoy rides like this. I appreciate your good wishes on a sale. I consider the videos a success just because I have ben able to keep doing them. I would be happy if they lad to a sale whether it was the wipeout or some other item on the site. Thanks again and take care out there, Max
Max — as usual, I always feel I’m stepping back in time when I read your posts which are so interesting. This post is especially exciting because of the videos. When I was a kid growing up, a traveling carnival would stop in our little town once a year. The signs would announce the dates and I can remember exclaiming to my mother, “The carnival is coming! The carnival is coming!” In retrospect it was a pretty small affair, but I remember the swings and a version of the Trabant. The one I rode on went around in circles and then began is gyrations on the ground but I don’t recall it going up in the air as shown in your video. And we never had the Wipeout. You bring back fond memories.
Hi Jeannette; I’m glad I could bring back good memories. In the early days of the business here and in the u k there were some rides built on trailers that win operated seemed to sit right on the ground. In the u k they refer to the older waltzers as grass mowers for that reason. and my dad always said that the carnival business was much easier and a lot more fun when you only played a town once a year. He said back then the carnival coming to town was an event looked forward to all year. I believe he was right, but all things change. Now days most carnivals spend more dates on shopping centers and mall parking lots instead of festival or fair venues. glad I could bring back some good memories. And any time I’m reminded of my dad are good ones for me too. thanks so much, max
Max you never seize to amaze me by bringing back my childhood. I don’t think the carnivals are what they were when I was young and it is sad the changes. I enjoyed the history of Trabant. I had never heard of the wipeout by Chance. I wish you good luck selling the ride.
Hi Arleen; I’m glad I could bring back fond memories for you. I do know the business has changed a lot. There aren’t many small carnivals left out there. Th shows that are still operating in general are larger with more corporate approaches to the business. Many small towns and their fairs or festivals either have to go without rides or have to hire party rental companies with bounce houses rock walls trackless trains and other inter active attractions. Many older rides are no longer traveling if they require a full semi load to be move. This is why many shows no longer carry the tilt-a-whirl one of the greatest carnival rides ever. Instead now you have the crazy dance if you are lucky enough or live in a large enough town or city to get a real live carnival. When my grandfather ralph wagner started his show in the 1950’s you could play any fair in america with eight to ten rides twenty games a couple of side shows a girly show and an animal free act. I’m working on getting some old photos of his show and can’t wait to write a post using them. thanks for sharing and take care, Max
Hi Max! I can not believe it is going for 100,000. That is awesome. I would never ride that ride because it would make me sick and it would not be fun for everyone else on the ride. lol However, I hope you sell it and make big money!
Sincerely, Crystal Ross
Hi Chrystal; Well, I don’t know if you mean that little or that much. smile That is where the market is now days. While the manufacturers closely guard their price lists, I would say a new one is probably a $350,000 investment or more. I hope you are sitting down when you read that. I am hopeful of selling it too. But in all honesty I do the videos with the best ride information and videos I have available. The hope is to draw attention to the site that will result in a sale of anything on the site whether it be a hot dog cart, a game trailer, one of the many used rides, or the wipe out. What do you think of this strategy? I look forward to your opinion. And thanks for the sincere good wishes. All the best to you too, Max
Hey Max. You really are one scary son of a gun. I would probably pay $100k to even stay off the kiddie rides !
Hi Paul; Well, there aren’t a lot of true kiddie rides any more. Most of them are designed to ride adults as well. but i bet you could handle the tea cups. smile Just think I’ve promised to ride some of these rides if I sell them or as part of my future plans for the you tube show. take care my friend, max
Hey Max,
Great video and great history of the Trabant.
I never really paid that much attention to the names of these but after watching the video I do remember that particular ride and it was one of my favorites too. I like those that kind of ride that takes you from side to side and up in the air. I’m not a big roller coaster or Ferris wheel person myself.
Great write up and you’ve done really great with this post. Love the pictures too. Hope that you’ll get some bites soon. It’s a cool ride.
~Adrienne
Hi Adrienne; glad your memories of the trabant are good ones. and thanks for letting me know i did a good job on the post, photos, and video. One person told me not to record there again because the way the blinds were hanging is very distracting. I don’t know. So far all the other responses have ben positive. I’m just hoping the videos lead to a sale, it doesn’t have to be the wipeout. I appreciate your good wishes. Take care, Max
Max where do you find all of these rides at? Wipe out was my favorite ride when I would go to Magic Mountain. Now not so much. My friends and I would ride it until we were sick lol. Thanks for bringing back some good memories.
hi Niekka; it sounds odd that memories of riding until you were sick are good ones, but I’m glad I could remind you of those days. and i wish I had more of them. many people prefer not to use my site because i work on commission. I may have between 50 and 100 listings all together where as the free sites have over a thousand. I would also like to have much better photos and videos. I appreciate your comment. Take care, Max
What fun! As I’ve said before, I like the rides that make you move. I know the quality of the videos could have been better, but as you note, they give you a pretty good idea, so they get the job done.
I have to tell you, the posts featuring rides are among my favourites. I like hearing about the ride’s history and how it works from the amusement park owner’s perspectve. It gives additional context and interest to them. I suspect I also like these posts because they warm up the winter.
Hi Debra; I wouldn’t blame you if it was because the rides remind you of spring. this winter has been so harsh for so long, that you have to keep going somehow. I do my best to provide good information about the rides. Obviously, I can say more if they are rides that I have some personal experience with. Other times I have to depend on family members, online research, manufacturer’s specifications, etc. I love it when I find out something the owners didn’t know like when my research turned up the fact that the casey jones cannonball train on the site was the last one built before that factory went out of business. glad you like the post and the videos. Take care, Max
Hi Max,
You are surely becoming better each time with your videos, and this was another good one. 🙂
Your posts always take me back in time, and though the rides at the carnivals are very different our end, it’s more about the fun and enjoyment we all had as kids that’s still so fresh in our memories.
I liked the history of Trabant, the way you wrote about it and all the families that have enjoyed it – something totally new for me. Always good to learn from each other, isn’t it?
Thanks for sharing. Have a nice week ahead 🙂
Hi Harleena; I’m glad that you liked the post and the video and that you think I’m continuing to improve. That’s all any of us really want is to learn and grow. I think I am learning that including the history is helpful in bringing in the casual fan and their traffic is key to getting my videos found noticed and shared. I do need to increase my subscribers, so in future videos I will work harder on including history and personal experiences with whatever item is being featured. Perhaps a future video will show off more than one item? what do you think? thanks and take care my friend, Max
Wow this is some great information that most of us never think about when we go to carnivals and get on rides. There is a lot going on in the background that most of us will never fully understand but you are bringing a lot of great information to us with your post. Thanks for sharing
Hi Jay; Thanks for the complement. One of the things I tell people about my future plans for the youtube shows is that I want to be an ambassadore for the industry that i grew up in and that I have a passion for. so i will try even harder to include more historical and background information in future posts and videos. Thanks again and take care, Max
First time I came to know about Trabant , I am happy to know history and about different things and videos are doing great work here. You have put a lot in this post , it took me to my teenage where I use to have fun and enjoy with friends by going to carnivals.
We just enjoy and know what we have in front but a lot of effort is put in background to give people a chance to enjoy , I think these are real people who are working behind the camera.
I am happy to see your video and by the way your voice is also nice , enjoyed short song from you.
Hi Andleeb; You are right there are a lot of hard working people out there that you never see who are responsible for bringing the rides to events and giving people a few happy minutes of diversion. glad you enjoyed the history. Everyone says that was helpful, so i will include more in future posts. and bringing back good memories is something I love doing too. glad you enjoyed my singing. I keep wondering if people would like me to sing more. I am just trying to have an unusual introduction to my videos and singing is technically easier to do than creating a stock intro. thanks again and take care, max
Max,
As you know I have not been to your blog or anyone else’s blog for that matter for a while. I have had some offline things that have kept me away.
I loved visiting today though. It was really interesting learning about the Trabant. I think I might have ridden on one of these at some point.
I also enjoyed seeing the progress you have made at blogging and you still amaze me. I have a hard time doing a lot of this and I can see.
Great post and blog.
Dee Ann
HI dee ann; thanks so much for the complements. You are amazing in your own way managing to keep your blog going and continuing to support the blogs of your friends while going through a chaotic move where you not only changed locations but had to meld the people and property of two houses into one. we all have our challenges. some decide to go forward any way, while others choose to use them as reasons not to try. i just read your latest post about making sites mobile friendly and was impressed that you took the time to read my post watch the video and leave a comment. I would love to hear your thoughts on how friendly my site is or isn’t to smart phones and other mobile devices. I try to avoid plug ins not because of the potential effects on site loading time but because that is not the most accessible part of word press. You rock my friend. thanks again and take care, max
There is some good stuff in here. You’re reminding me of my childhood aka the good ole days.
glad i could; they are the good ole days for a lot of people in the business too. take care, max
I have always enjoy carnivals for the food, the games and shows, not so much the rides. Most of the time I prefer to watch them then to be on them. So regardless, I did find this very interesting, but I think I’ll stay on the ground as an observer. 😀
HI susan; thanks for the comment, I hope I didn’t scare you. I am usually the one you will find standing off to the side holding the valuables of those more brave than me. however, i will have to face my fears as later this year I will be riding some of these beasts myself. I always enjoy the shows, and food more when i have been to amusement parks myself. thanks again and take care, max