Retro Thing

Return of the Morgan Threewheeler

In 2009, the Morgan Motor Company celebrated their centennial by producing a 2/3 scale pedal car version of the classic Morgan Threewheeler. Now they're back with a full-sized road ready model that would be at home in the garage of any grown-up Biggles fan.

Between 1909 and 1953, about 30,000 Morgan Threewheelers were produced in the company's Malvern factory. These fuel efficient little runabouts got over 50 mpg and were frequently seen at race tracks, even winning the French Grand Prix in 1913.

The modern version mates a 100 HP v-twin engine to a Mazda 5-speed gearbox. It weighs a scant 500 kg, making it a nimble performer capable of 0-60 in 4.5 seconds, with a top speed of approximately 115 mph. The body comes in eight colors, with a choice of black or tan leather interior. There's even a "bomb release" starter button to ensure a grin every time you start this magnificent vehicle.

As the company explains, "The success of the Morgan Motor Company was founded on the manufacture of an icon, the Morgan Threewheeler. This brilliant but simple design by engineer Harry Morgan (HFS) became one of the most successful lightweight cars of the early days of motoring.

Whilst the world is a very different place in 2011 the time is right to relaunch this exceptional design.  Young people may not have experienced the same thrill as the early Threewheeler pilots and perhaps cult status is assured for a car with such an emphasis on simple honest functionality."

The £25,000 (plus tax) Threewheeler will be available in March and meets US and European safety and emission rules.

Update: Morgan Threewheeler

NintendOscope: Phosphorescent Game Boy

Craig is just your average nanotech PhD candidate. While avoiding work on his doctoral dissertation, he cooked up this brilliant Game Boy display hack. He figured out how to read Game Boy display signals last October, and now he's hooked up an XMega128A1 microcontroller running at 32 MHz to decode the signal and display it on an oscilloscope.

It's not the most practical hack in the world -- there are other less expensive ways to light a Game Boy screen -- but it's definitely the most over-the-top mod I've ever seen for Nintendo's classic handheld. Schematics, source code and words of wisdom are available on his site... just in case you're looking for ways to avoid finishing your own PhD.

NintendOscope: Gameboy On An Oscilloscope [via the always inspiring Hack a Day]

Every Billboard #1 Single, Ever

SoundCloud user mjs538 has generously compiled 5 second excerpts of all 1,000 Billboard #1 singles, so you don't have to.

Five Seconds Of Every #1 Pop Single Part 1 by mjs538

Five Seconds Of Every #1 Pop Single Part 2 by mjs538

The Billboard Hot 100 first debuted in mid-1958, although Billboard Magazine's original Hit Parade dates back to 1936. How many can you name? (via @jonlustig)

Vintage Joysticks, Repurposed

Roger writes, "I follow your blog and always share your passion for old gaming devices, specially joysticks. As a designer, I use Joysticks as research material to create my art work. Please enjoy my collection of 100 joysticks."

His collection spans decades and includes beautiful devices like the xx, along with abominations such as the IBM PCjr stick. For reasons that I can't quite fathom, each has been hooked up to a digital timepiece.

The site explains everything in artful detail, "In 2002, Roger Ibars started to build 'Hard-wired devices,' a collection of vintage electronic devices -alarm clocks and game controllers- in which two cultures of interface blend: the computer gaming culture and the home appliance culture."

Personally, I'm holding out for a joystick-controlled microwave.

Roger Ibars Hard-Wired Devices

Evolution, Video Game Controller Style

According to this chart, the first Magnavox Odyssey controller slithered out of a swamp and onto dry land some 41 years ago. It lay gasping on the muddy bank for a year or two before spontaneously evolving into the Odyssey 200. And -- if one takes the word of scientists without question -- the cycle continues to this very day, leading to improbably complex devices like the Rock Band drum set and Wii Balance Board.

Personally, I don't believe any of it. There isn't a word of this nonsense in my Atari Video Computer System Catalog (1980 Edition), which tells a much more persuasive story. As Atari explains, "Years and years of fun and satisfaction are assured because your Video Computer System is designed to be as up-to-date next year as it is today."

This 24"x36" poster ($30) comes signed by the artist. Printed in rich indigo ink on 100 lb archival recycled stock by blasphemous Brooklynites.

The Evolution of Video Game Controllers [via Rampaged Reality]

Rare 1986 Ford RS200 Evo Up For Auction

First, some numbers. Zero to sixty in three terrifying seconds. That's faster than the famed Porsche 959 or a Ferrari F40. Ford produced two hundred RS200s in 1986, and only 24 were upgraded to the Evolution package. This example hits the auction block on March 12, 2011 and is expected to fetch well over $80,000.

From the auction listing:

420+ bhp, 2,137 cc 16-valve DOHC turbocharged inline four-cylinder engine, five-speed manual transmission, front and rear independent double wishbone suspension, and four-wheel ventilated disc brakes. Held the Guinness record for “fastest accelerating car in the world” for 12 years.

This particular white RS200 is in very good condition with only 5,557 kms showing. Some minor stone pitting on the front end is the only sign of wear. The one thing separating this RS200 from a Group B rally car is the interior, which has been comfortably trimmed by Tickford. The interior has been fitted with grey carpeting, door inserts, red Sparco seats and a matching red leather XR3i steering wheel. Bidder beware – zero-to-sixty sprints in three seconds are not for the faint of heart!

Rare in the USA: 1986 Ford RS200 Evo [via Bring A Trailer, thanks Martin!]

MedGeneral MicroCeptor II Is Not A FuzzBuster

Even after having done my homework, I can't say I entirely understand what the MicroCeptor II is, except to say that there was at least one model before it. The burled walnut decal, and the controls for "width", "amp", "rate" all made me think that it was some sort of miniature radar detector. Then I found this:

"Pain is the body's warning system. It is a way of letting an individual know that something is wrong. Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) ... relieves pain by sending small electrical impulses through electrodes placed on the skin to underlying nerve fibers. TENS is believed to work by two different mechanisms. First, electrical stimulation of the nerve fibers can block a pain signal from being carried to the brain... Secondly, the body has its own mechanism for suppressing pain. It does this by releasing natural chemicals called endorphins in the brain which act as analgesics. TENS may activate this mechanism."

So now I'm scared to even touch the thing. I found a guy selling the whole setup (in not exactly "new" condition... someone collects this stuff?) which included a conductive gel and some electrodes. So it's a little spooky. The funny thing about the manufacturer's description is the line that the device "is believed to work". So the guys who market this device are out to lunch on whether it actually does something, eh? Pain management techniques are important, but is this devce a little on the snake oil side? I understand this sort of therapy in a doctor's office, but a little portable electric shocker?

I wonder who'd want this device today? Perhaps a smart hacker wanting to rig up the finest joy buzzer ever...

related:

Somnus 5 Sleep System mystery
Wonder Sauna Hot Pants
Casio Biorhythm calculator

Tapes Banished From Car Showrooms. Is The Wagon Next?

A recent story in The New York Times said that the factory-installed cassette deck is dead. I found that notable, but not that surprising. I mean, I was mildly surprised that the last car to have a cassette deck as an option was a Lexus, not a Buick, but is anyone shocked that there's not much incentive for manufacturers to offer tape decks in cars in 2011? (Tapeheads, you can still rock out to wow and flutter with a new car receiver, but your options are limited. Crutchfield sells four head units that play tapes. Best Buy, according to its website, sells one.)

An even more ominous headline in Fortune, however, caught my eye: The death of the station wagon. The essay is pinned on Volvo, which will soon stop selling wagons in the U.S. The last Volvo wagon being sold stateside is the V50, but it won't be around dealers for much longer. The company sold fewer than 500 of them here last year.

According to Fortune, "Edmunds.com, the online-car buying site, lists 115 kinds of SUVs and 92 types of crossovers but only 31 varieties of station wagon. Even that count is suspect. It includes a Ford Flex, which is a minivan in disguise, and the bizarre Dodge Caliber."

Unlike Fortune, I actually think there's good news for American car buyers who dislike the compromises inherent in SUVs and crossovers. From what I have seen, there are plenty of new wagon-like cars out there. They're just not all called wagons.

Acura, for example, recently introduced a new TSX wagon, but it prefers the term "Sport Wagon." The five-door flavors of the Mazda 3 and Subaru Impreza are called hatchbacks, but you sure would have a hard time explaining the difference. And more hatchbacks are arriving every year, with companies like Mitsubishi and Kia recently bringing five-doors to the U.S. The Germans still seem to be selling wagons — or at least trying to. And some of the oddball Japanese boxes-on-wheels like the Nissan Cube and Scion xB might not be wagons, but I am not sure what else you can call them.

I doubt the station wagon will ever regain its total grip on American suburbia, but I think it's too soon to call the wagon dead. The name might be passé. They probably won't be as boxy. You might see fewer of them out there. But I have to think cars — and I do mean cars — with five doors will be around for a long time.

Foreshadowing The Nintendo DS

I purchased this Game & Watch title in a moment of irrational weakness during the summer of 1983, somewhere in Knightsbridge. It was my traveling companion across Europe and North America at a time when handhelds weren't commonplace -- there were no iPhones to keep adults amused, and kids didn't have Nintendo DSes.

In 1979, legendary Nintendo designer Gunpei Yokoi spotted a businessman idly playing with a digital calculator on a train. His observation spawned the idea of a tiny LCD-based game that could also double as a timepiece.

The first Game & Watch - Ball - was introduced in early 1980, and almost 60 different titles were produced by the time production ceased in 1991. In addition to the immensely popular single and dual screen handhelds, there were also various tabletop and widescreen titles. Over 43 million Game & Watch units were sold worldwide, and their success encouraged the release of the immensely successful Game Boy series, also spearheaded by Mr. Yokoi.

I put mine on eBay last night and it's still at $1 with no bids.This could be your chance to own a bargain-priced piece of gaming history (If you're interested in photography, I also listed mint Holga and Diana+ Lomo cameras).

Yesterday's Cars of Tomorrow

As this short 1948 film aptly demonstrates, the hardest thing in the world is to design something futuristic. That said, I wish my old jalopy could parallel park as nimbly as the Davis Three Wheeler.

Schiit Lyr 6W Tube Headphone Amp

I am juvenile enough to admit that I enjoy writing about Schiit Audio just because of the name. Their latest aluminum-clad creation is the $449 Lyr hybrid headphone amp that pumps out a terrifying 6W RMS directly into your noggin. They explain:

"Now, if you’re a headphone guy, you’re thinking 'Holy Schiit! 6 watts! That’ll make the magic smoke come out of my headphones! Why the hell do you need that kind of power?' Well, we have one word for you: orthodynamics. And two more: Why not? If everyone wanted polite little low-power headphone amps, this would be one awfully boring world, wouldn’t it?"

For those who don't remember, orthodynamic headphones were a fad in the 1980s. They use magnets with opposing charges instead of more common electrostatic diaphragms. The result is a very musical set of cans, but they need a massive amount of power. That's where the Lyr comes in.

The Lyr claims 0.1% THD 20Hz- 20kHz at 1V and features a pair of ECC88 dual triode tubes.The company encourages you to try substituting 6DJ8 or 6922 tubes -- new or old -- in your quest for the perfect tube tone.

The amp includes a 5 year warranty (except for the tubes, which are covered for 90 days) and pre-orders will ship on March 1, 2011.

Schiit Lyr Headphone Amplifier [via OhGizmo!]

A $20 Silver Coin For $20

My grandparents used to give me commemorative coins when I was a kid. It was a hobby that never really grabbed me -- I preferred things that flash and whirr. The Royal Canadian Mint suspects there may be hundreds of thousands of potential collectors like me who just need a little encouragement.

For $20, they'll sell you a silver coin with a face value of $20. The 99.99% pure silver coin measures 27 mm in diameter and weighs 7.96 g. They'll even ship it to your door for free. What you do with it from that point on is up to you -- it can be redeemed at any Royal Bank of Canada branch for $20 cash, or you can hide it in the back of a drawer for emergency use in a post-apocalyptic economy.

Available in Canada only, limit of three per customer.

$20 Fine Silver Commemorative Coin (2011)

X-Wing Battles Snow-Covered Suburban Trench

Minnesota thermometers may not dip to quite the same lows that they do on Hoth, but they get darned low. Chicago is buried in snow too, but it never occurred to me to get one of my fx friends to add the iconic X-wing fighter to spice up the drudgery of shoveling. Now I want a personal space ships with snow-clearing laser phasers.

related:
Star Wars Movie Viewer
Star Wars: Behind The Scenes Home Movies
Star Wars: Prehistoric Computer Graphics

50 Years Later: Clairtone Braun T523 Radio

The beautiful Braun T523 was marketed in North America by Canadian audio manufacturer Clairtone. The understated 1962 Dieter Rams design hid a state of the art AM/FM/SW radio inside an equally modern all-plastic shell. It's hard to fully appreciate how forward-thinking this design was, because so many of Braun's design cues have become second nature in the electronics industry.

In this instance, the spartan control panel is perfectly balanced visually, right down to the minuscule silkscreen legends that are the norm these days. Even the power indicator wouldn't be out of place on a modern digital media box. To top everything off, there's a 10 cm speaker covertly hidden under the bottom/front panel that puts out 0.8 W.

The T523 was intended to be eminently portable and runs off 6 x 1.5V dry cell batteries, with an optional car mount so you could enjoy the glory of high fidelity FM wherever the road led. This example is currently on eBay with a bid price of $200, although it's not in working condition. Let's hope it finds a good home.

Braun Portable FM/AM/SW Radio by Dieter Rams [via Clairtone.ca]

Speedlink 25th Anniversary Joystick

I can't stop humming the theme to Goldfinger this afternoon. Such is the mesmerizing effect of Speedlink's € 24.99 ($34) 25th anniversary edition Competition Pro joystick. Someone evidently decided that the paint job wasn't quite enough, so this megablinged stick comes wrapped in a red ribbon, too.

For some reason, Speedlink apparently manufactured 10,000 of these things, each with its own certificate of authenticity. They feature 4 fire buttons (with selectable auto-fire), an 8-way stick and standard USB connectivity. The accompanying CD-ROM includes 50 C-64 and Amiga titles for your retrogaming enjoyment.

And have no fear -- we won't issue a golden version of our Retro Thing Clear USB joystick anytime soon.