originally posted on 2/19/2021
Photo: Jerry Brick. View full-sized image.
In August 2017, ACE was contacted by the curator of the Coney Island Museum, Lisa Mangels-Schaefer, regarding the restoration of the Coney Island Tornado car the museum had in its collection. ACE first helped to solicit some estimates on getting the car restored. As the estimates came in, they were quite expensive. Mangels-Schaefer realized she would need to have a fundraiser to acquire the funds, as the museum is a nonprofit. ACE donated $1,000 to start the fundraising efforts.
In the months after the initial conversations, things weren’t progressing as hoped, and more help was sought to get this project done. During a visit at Lake Compounce, this author spoke with General Manager Jerry Brick and brought up the subject of the Tornado car restoration project. Brick showed interest in this project but wanted some better photos of it. ACE provided photos that the Coney Island Museum had taken. He said he and his maintenance crew would be able to do this for Mangels-Schaefer and the museum. ACE put them in direct contact with each other so they could work out the details.
Photos: Lisa Mangels-Schaefer. View full-sized image.
View full-sized image.
In November of 2018, the car was on its way to Lake Compounce for restoration, expected to take up to eight months. As the work progressed, the team at Lake Compounce found some of the wood was severely rotted and would have to be replaced, even though everyone involved wanted to use as much of the original wood as possible. They also built a frame so the car would sit in the proper position.
Photo: Jerry Brick. View full-sized image.
It took approximately five months to finish the car. The results? It looks amazing, and it will be on display for many years at the museum. Preservationists cannot thank Brick and his maintenance team enough for the wonderful job they did on this project. To make this story better, Brick and Lake Compounce donated everything needed to complete this project; the only thing the museum had to pay for was shipping the car to and from Lake Compounce.
Tornado was built in 1926 and operated until 1977.
Photo: Adam Sandy Collection. View full-sized image.
Tornado was built in 1926, a year prior to Coney Island’s famed Cyclone. It closed in 1977. The house within was featured in Woody Allen’s movie, “Annie Hall.”
When visiting Coney Island, please stop by and support the Coney Island Museum. The people are passionate about the history of Coney Island. The museum has been closed because of COVID-19, but workers are hoping to be open by Memorial Day weekend.
— David Dragun, ACE History and Preservation Director
Photo: Jerry Brick. View full-sized image.
Photo: B. Derek Shaw Collection. View full-sized image.
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