Retro Thing

Rollin' Oak Teardrop Trailers

Few things would amuse me more than spending a few months cruising the length of Route 66 with a teardrop trailer in tow. Rollin' Oak in Jamestown, Tennessee offers a range of beautiful handmade trailers that seem ideal for such a whimsical adventure.

Each of these little gems measures approximately 12 and a half feet long and has a dry weight of around 1000 lbs. They feature a polished aluminum exterior with 3/4" oak veneer plywood sidewalls and 3/4" marine grade wood flooring. The interior cabinets, beams and exterior trim are crafted from solid oak and maple, and the galley lid features gas shocks to avoid crushed fingers. Curvaceous Ford Model A taillights add to the vintage feeling, along with a pair of fiberglass 1937-style Chevy truck fenders.

The trailer's relatively light weight and compact dimensions allow you to pair it with a wide variety of vehicles and will ensure that you're not left penniless by exorbitant fuel costs halfway through your journey.

Rollin' Oak Teardrop Camping Trailers [warning: Flash site with sfx]

A New Super 8 Movie Camera!?

It looks like the world is going to see the first new Super 8 movie camera design in over 20 years. Kinda. Super 8 magazine smallformat reports that Swedish manufacturer Ikonoskop is planning a Double Super 8 version of their compact and affordable A-Cam SP-16 Super 16mm model.

The A-Cam DS8 will offer the same features as its Super 16mm brother, including interchangeable C-Mount lenses (the camera ships with a wide-angle f/1.5 9mm Kinoptic lens), parallel viewfinder, 100 ft film capacity, and microprocessor-synchronized frame rates between 6 and 37.5 frames per second. The camera weighs a mere 1.5 kg complete with lens, batteries and film.

Double Super 8 (DS8) is a hybrid format that uses 16mm wide film to capture Super 8 sized frames. One half of the film is exposed, the reels are flipped, and the other half is shot. The 16mm strip is cut into two 8mm-wide reels after processing.

DS8 has a few major advantages: A 16mm film transport is far more stable than the sometimes jittery plastic Kodak Super 8 cartridge, and the format is far more economical than 16mm since it offers 10 minutes of shooting time per 100 ft reel, versus only 2:46 while shooting 16mm. The processed film has exactly the same dimensions as Super 8, so it is compatible with all Super 8 projectors and video transfer devices.

The main downside is that relatively few film stocks are available in the format, although the word on the street is that at least one small retailer has begun offering Kodak's beautiful Ektachrome 100D reversal film.

Leif Bystrom of Ikonoskop AB in Stockholm has announced that the company needs orders for at least 25 DS8 cameras for the project to make financial sense. As a result, they will build the model if 25 potential customers are willing to make a € 1000 deposit. The DS8 version will carry a list price of € 5,200 (the same as the SP-16) but customers who pre-order will be receive a € 1000 discount.

This looks like a fascinating camera for shooting music videos and indie films. If you're interested in acquiring one of these exclusive devices, send an email to info@ikonoskop.com with the subject "Early adopter for the A-Cam DS8."

Ikonoskop A-Cam Motion Picture Camera [Only the Super 16mm appears online]
DS8 diagram from INTO 8MM FILM

Scalextric 50th Anniversary Slot Cars

Scalextric slot cars were introduced at a British toy fair in 1957 and are still going strong 50 years later. They're probably the reason I smile whenever I detect the smell of an electric motor on the verge of burning out. To celebrate their 50th year, the company has something special planned:

"One of the first two cars ever made by Scalextric was a Ferrari 375 made in tinplate. We have lovingly reproduced this iconic car of the Fifties again with a tinplate body but to todays high standards of detail. We have then matched the 375 with a modern day Ferrari to represent 50 years of Scalextric. These fine pieces show how Scalextric can now produce classic and modern cars whether they are raced on track or displayed in a cabinet."

The 50th anniversary boxed set also includes an intriguing hardcover book by Roger Gillham. Scalextric: A Race Through Time offers 144 pages of full-colour slot car fun that celebrates the brand's unique appeal to "car-loving males" everywhere. Available mid-2007.

The Official Scalextric 50th Anniversary Page [via retrotogo]

related:
Scalextric Slot Cars

The Return of The Untouchables

I was recently reminiscing about classic television shows with Retro Thing co-editor Bohus Blahut. He admitted an addiction to The Untouchables, a series based upon the autobiographical book by Elliot Ness. It ran for four years on ABC and loosely related Ness's experiences in the U.S. Justice Department in Chicago during the late 1920s and early 1930s.

I hadn't thought about the show for over a decade, since watching it in late night reruns on a Detroit TV station. For that reason, I must be one of the few people on Earth to associate Elliot Ness more strongly with 8 Mile Road than Chicago. Interestingly enough, a bit of Googling revealed that 14 episodes from Season 1 will be released on DVD in April 2007. But more on that later.

A Japanese "Mercedes"

This one seems really strange: Japanese company Duesen Bayern will take a perfectly respectable BMW Z3 roadster and mod it to look like a vintage Mercedes Benz 190 SL. They only select donor cars with under 30,000 km on the odometer and no accident history.

This is a limited production of 100 vehicles, so they're using fiber reinforced plastic rather than steel for the body, although "to pursue genuine favoritism," the bumpers are chrome-plated steel. The Dusen Bayern Mystar is certainly an attractive car, but at the end of the day it's merely a modified BMW roadster. And an original Z3 isn't a bad little car to own, after all.

The original 190 SL was envisioned as the little brother to the Mercedes 300 SL. It proved quite popular, selling over 25,000 units during its 8 year production run (1955-1963). Power came from an inline 4-cylinder engine that put out a respectable 105 HP. A removable hardtop Coupe was available, along with a softtop Roadster. Mercedes was even willing to apply custom paint colors. Alas, the 190 SL was not considered a collectible car, in part because many regarded it as the inferior little brother of the 300 SL. As a result, many of these vehicles were neglected and have only become popular among collectors in recent years.

Dusen Bayern Mystar Sports Car [via retrotogo]

Confusing Super Mario Bros Chocolates

"Hit block and get coin?? Give coin chocolate to your friend and get bonus, gain his / her heart! All 5 types of figure and 3 types of block (One is clay pipe). Mario, Luigi, super mushroom, Kuriboh and Nokonoko! Which figure will you get? Wait and see!" Ahh. The wonders of Japenglish engrish.

Valentine's Day may be the perfect excuse for gameaholics to pick up a set of Mario-themed collectibles. Each figure, block and chocolate coin will cost you $19. Or maybe you get all five, since the ad cryptically proclaims: "Which figure will you get? Let's try your luck! Each one of figure, block and coin chocolate are in a box". These have to be ordered from Japan, so place your order right this minute if you're hoping to get your hands on it by February 14th. Don't say I didn't warn you!

Nintendo New Super Mario Bros Character Figure and Coin Chocolate 10 set [via OhGizmo]

Videos of Mike Ford's Circuit Bent Devices In Action

When we last caught up with Mike Ford he had just posted images of his fantastic circuit bent sculptures as a flickr set. Since photos don't tell the full story, he created a series of short videos to demonstrate these demented shiny things in action.

Check out the sonic mayhem of 'all hands man your battlestations,' a dual beatbox/sound effects device. Perhaps you'd prefer the 'homage to r a moog' micro synth with two frequency channels, two analog delay units and a salvaged cpu audio amp circuit? Or maybe the effervescent simplicity of radio free jupiter?

Readers in the UK should watch for a two page spread featuring Mike's work in the February edition of Future Music. He tells me that the magazine ships with a cover DVD which might feature high-rez video of these machines in action.

Here's a look at all 26 of Mike's unique bent devices

Chronovalve Circuit Bent Instruments

Mike Engebretson writes: "You might be interested in some of the DIY instruments and music on my website. Some are made from retro electronic toys and keyboards. I recently posted my new 'Debris' keyboard. Also, here is a song [mp3] composed only with sound samples from my circuit bent 'Musini'.  It's a glitchy ambient piece composed in FL Studio."

This is wickedly strange stuff from a guitar player who was inspired by Reed Ghazala's 'Art of the Creative Short Circuit' piece that ran in Electronic Musician several years ago.

Chronovalve Circuit Bent Instruments

8 BIT: Video Game Documentary

A glimpse into the "digital heritage" of Generation X and the impact that video games have had on our culture and art. Upcoming screenings include Montreal, Berkeley and Austin. I'm definitely looking forward to the DVD. [thanks, Giles!]

"A mélange of a rocumentary, art expose and a culture-critical investigation, 8 BIT ties together seemingly disconnected phenomena like the 80’s demo scene, chiptune music and contemporary artists using machinima and modified games. Produced in NYC, LA, Paris and Tokyo, 8 BIT brings a global perspective on the new artistic approaches of the DIY generation which grew up playing Atari and Commodore 64."

8BIT: a documentary about art and video games

Resurgence of Hardware Music Synthesizers at the NAMM Music Show

The recent development of stupidly powerful and stunningly affordable personal computers caused many people to loudly declare that hardware music synthesizers are a dying breed. It's true that software has virtually obliterated the low end of the market, but there were some fantastic "real" synthesizers at the 2007 Winter NAMM Show in Anaheim last week.

Moog's Little Phatty Stage Edition: Moog might be the only company in the world still capable of successfully marketing a $1375 monophonic analog synth.  This new version costs slightly less than the Bob Moog Tribute Edition that preceded it. It features rubberized end-caps rather than the sleek (and easily scratched, dented and chipped) wood on the original.

Retro Thing TV: Quasicade EX Arcade Cabinet Video Review

It's here! Our first Retro Thing TV video review. You'll see me assemble the Quasicade EX, a DIY kit that lets you build your own stand-up arcade cabinet.

We worked hard to bring this to you, and really hope that you enjoy it. Don't forget to let your retro gaming friends know to come here and check out this new video. Let us know what you think of this video by posting in the comments section.  What else would you like to see reviewed on video?

New and Remanufactured DeLorean Sports Cars

We've written hundreds of posts without once mentioning the delightfully different DeLorean DMC-12. Apart from the 'kitchen sink' stainless steel finish, its coolest feature is definitely the wonderfully smooth counterbalanced gull-wing doors. In fact, the first time a co-worker introduced me to his DeLorean, the first thing I did was repeatedly open and close the doors for a couple of minutes straight. It goes without saying that he didn't let me drive.

Once you get past the doors, the vehicle feels rather like a vintage kit car. It's low, the cockpit is snug but somehow accommodates even tall occupants, and the dashboard seems to have escaped from an early 1980s Chevy pickup truck. The 130 HP PRV V6 engine burbles with a tone more reminiscent of an old Pontiac Fiero than a Ferrari, and high-speed maneuvering is a tad less precise than the Lotus-designed suspension would suggest.

The company came to a tumultuous end in 1982, when founder John DeLorean was arrested and charged with drug trafficking. He was ultimately found not guilty, but by then it was far too late for the struggling auto manufacturer. It's thought that around 75% of the original 8,000+ cars built in Northern Ireland still exist today, and the unique style remains quite capable of turning heads.

Retro Thing reader Richard Van Luven recently pointed me to the DeLorean Motor Company (Texas) - completely unrelated to the original DeLorean Motor Company - which offers custom-built brand new DeLoreans starting at $57,500. The site also offers several slightly more affordable used DMC-12s selling in the $20,000 to $30,000 range.

DeLorean Motor Company (Texas)

DAB Retro Radio Thinks It's a Marshall Guitar Amp

It looks like Nigel Tufnel has picked up a new gig as a digital radio designer. The £99.99 PURE Digital Evoke 1XT is designed to look just like a teeny, tiny Marshall amp. It goes without saying that the volume knob goes all the way up to 11, although I doubt its little 3-inch speaker is capable of making the walls shake.

Just like it's much more conservative older brother, this modern DAB rocker does away with unnecessarily old-fashioned doo-dads such as analog AM/FM reception. A mini-jack output enables you to connect an external speaker to enjoy your favourite Black Sabbath oldies in stereo. Alas, this clever little product isn't available in North America, because terrestrial broadcasters here are stuck in the stone age.

PURE Digital Evoke 1XT Marshall Edition [via Crave UK]

Casio Robot Alarm Clock

Casio has already done so much for the planet earth; lifestyle defining calculators, dulcet white noise synth drum beats (sometimes both at the same time!), and watches that do everything from memorize phone numbers to take a picture.  In the 80's Casio tried to insinuate themselves into the household even more with cute items like this robot alarm clock.

Tomy ruled the roost with their home robot line back then, offering myriad robots from tiny windup toys to servo powered drinks servers.  Casio saw a robot-alarm-clock shaped hole among Tomy's offerings, hence this stubby little guy.

The "magnetic" font on the clock shows you that this faceless robot means business.  When the alarm goes off, not only do you hear the robo's electronic whelp, this robot actually stamps his big cakepan feet.  Now I'm a robot fan from way back, and I can't think of another robot so infuriated at his sleepy owner that he executed "TechnoTantrum.exe".  One thing's for sure, the sights and sounds of this huffy 'bot is enough to get my analog ass out of bed.

Borg Nintendo Famicoms

This image would be slightly scary if it wasn't so incredibly cool. You're looking at Kaseo's circuit bent Famicom, with another Famicom modded as a breakout box for the first. Oww. My head hurts just thinking through all the glitchy possibilities. I could blather on attempting to explain how it works, but you should just watch the video instead.

Kaseo's Borg Famicoms [GetLoFi]