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SkullandBonesSkateboards.com Forum Index » HOT DISCUSSIONS » Thunder Stage Identification Guide (Edited) |
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mkelty |
Posted: Wed Jul 01, 2009 7:56 pm |
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ORDER OF THE SKULL
Joined: 06 Oct 2006
Posts: 3644
Location: Springfield, OR
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*Edits ongoing as information comes in...
** Edited to get off of my Photobucket, moved my images to Imgur
After sifting through many, many, MANYMANYMANYMANY threads, I realized that there was no definitive Thunder ID Thread or guide, barring 86waterpumper's offer to post pics, which nobody took him up on, until now...
Here's what we've been able to gather, from his notes, my notes, Slob's occasional grunts of approval, and finally Shrewgy's comments, from the Forge as it were. Please help us fill in the blanks, as the middle stages are a little sketchy:
Eric Swensen designed the first Thunders ~1982, based on a Stage II Indy geometry.
Quoth the MoFo: "I watched him carve those bitches by hand—wood and bondo and sandpaper. I have the very 1st pair around somewhere—unheat treated."
Rick Blackhart was one of the first Test-pilots, and according to him, he was unimpressed.
Stage I, Version 1 (Initial Mail-Order Model):
Key Defining Attributes:
Single reinforcing bar underneath the hanger (like the Stage III and IV Indy). Has distinctive Thunder fluted Kingping Tower and TT embossed between Pivot Bushing and Kingpin Tower, no daggers, skulls, etc/ cast on base.
Pivot Side of Hanger has distinctive Pivot "post", edges are not polished or smoothed into Hanger
Models:
'Blaster', 9 1/4" axle length
'Charger', 8 1/2" axle length
Stage I, Version 2 (Primary Production Model):
Key Defining Attributes:
Same as first version, however has Skulls, Daggers, etc. on Baseplate, and Pivot "post" has been smoothed out on the Hanger
Also, at least on mine, the Kingpin is VERY tightly angled into the hanger, some skatekeys cant even reach the nut.
Models:
'Blaster', 9 1/4" axle length
'Charger', 8 1/2" axle length
Stage II:
Key Defining Attributes: Designed by Andrew Borgy, two reinforcing wings under the hanger (like a Stage V+ Indy), distinctive Teardrop shape at the ends of the hangers. Also called the X-Wing by the Team.
Baseplates now have a fingernail-shaped dimple in the bottom of the baseplate for weight reduction.
Also, the hangers are "thicker", in that the material is formed into a wider shape. When viewing a mounted Stage II Thunder from the back, it appears "wavy" compared to Indy's, Ventures, or other similar era and style trucks:
Model name change:
'Terminator': 8 1/2" axle length
'Dominator': 9 1/4" axle length
No geometry change was made between I and II.
Available in raw, black, blue, red and white.
First ad in Thrasher, June 1987
One-Eleven (Stage II, Freestyle):
Key Defining Attributes: Designed by Per Welinder, based on the Stage II, but in a "freestyle" width, with a flat pedestal across the bushing boss on the hangers.
First ad spotted: Thrasher, July 1988
Stage III, Version 1:
Key Defining Attributes: Designed by Steve "Shrewgie" Ruge, with a minimalist approach. The Teardrop has vanished from the hanger, replaced by a "T", the various Skulls, Daggers, Scimitars, etc. are gone from the baseplate, a simple Thunder U.S.A. is stamped onto the Baseplate. Also, the distinctive dimple in the Bushing Tower is gone, it is now a narrow bar. Bottom of the Baseplate is blank.
Made in '87 or so, the first Geometry change has happened. The relationship of Pivot to Kingpin is the same, but the hanger is now tipped back a hair, bringing the Kingpin more vertical, and tipping the Pivot further away from vertical. This slows the turniness down a hair, but is still just as stable a turn. Made in 8 1/2" and 9 1/8" sizes.
No longer Painted, Anodized Trucks are available in Blue, Black, and what the Team calls "Root Beer"
Stage III, Version 2:
Key Defining Attributes: The Hanger is the same as the version 1, however the base plate now has the "Fat" Thunder/Lightning Bolt logo (see III.3 below). The bottom of the baseplate has two trapezoids with U.S.A. stamped in.
We think these are from 1989. 8 1/2", and possibly an 8", but no 9" on these either.
Stage III, Version 3:
Key Defining Attribute: Same as the III.2, only the "T" has vanished from the Hanger ends.
1990?
Stage IV, AKA the T-4:
Key Defining Attributes: Hanger wings are rounded at the ends, 6 hole baseplate. Hollow area in the baseplate.
1991?
So, thoughts, anything in your posession that isn't already shown? |
Last edited by mkelty on Tue Sep 17, 2019 7:13 pm; edited 18 times in total _________________ ThankGodI'veGottaJobThankGodI'veGottaJobThankGodI'veGottaJob |
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willymaze20five |
Posted: Wed Jul 01, 2009 8:41 pm |
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Joined: 20 Dec 2005
Posts: 6938
Location: San Diego
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heres my blue thunders
dims
axle tip to axle tip a little over 9"
6 1/5 " hanger
baseplate has 2 T's stamped between teh pivot n the kingpins
hanger has tear drops with no little t stamp
the king pins are angled so i cant use a sk8 tool to tighten them to much
now check this out ive had soem silver thunders that had a sword on them....
So what's the roll call for the different types of stamp molds on the baseplates?
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Last edited by willymaze20five on Wed Jul 01, 2009 8:53 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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pyrate |
Posted: Wed Jul 01, 2009 8:47 pm |
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ORDER OF THE SKULL
Joined: 08 Jan 2006
Posts: 3219
Location: brooklyn, nyc
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based on your pics i have a set of 8 1/2" stage 3s in plain metal.
hmm. i thought they were wider but the tape measure doesnt lie. |
Last edited by pyrate on Thu Jul 02, 2009 12:32 am; edited 1 time in total _________________ Wanted:
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gogomouse1 |
Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2009 12:08 am |
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ORDER OF THE SKULL
Joined: 11 Mar 2006
Posts: 5842
Location: vegas
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Shrewgy designed the Teardrop (also called the "Batwing" or "X" hanger).
Those were the best Thunders.
Especially with the Skull & Crossbones baseplates, of course. |
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warehouse |
Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2009 12:50 am |
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ORDER OF THE SKULL
Joined: 23 Jan 2004
Posts: 2014
Location: British Columbia
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pyrate wrote: based on your pics i have a set of 8 1/2" stage 3s in plain metal.
hmm. i thought they were wider but the tape measure doesnt lie.
My thunders( I call them 159's) are 8.75" |
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mkelty |
Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2009 1:02 am |
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ORDER OF THE SKULL
Joined: 06 Oct 2006
Posts: 3644
Location: Springfield, OR
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A little bird on my shoulder is telling me that he thinks what I've listed as the I is really the III, and what I've listed as the II is really the I.
The reason I pegged the one I listed first as I is:
1) It's the anomaly of the bunch, with a Single Support.
2) Do you think they'd progress from Wing to Single, to Wing?
3) The Single Support predates the Winged Support with Indy, and both of these are in the same eras of development.
4) The simpler baseplate design (make it flat, give it a Hex hole).
5) Only two patterns have been spotted so far, Skull and Crossbones, and Skull with Tophat.
Hey, I'm no expert, so I open the floor to more input... |
Last edited by mkelty on Thu Jul 01, 2010 11:29 pm; edited 2 times in total _________________ ThankGodI'veGottaJobThankGodI'veGottaJobThankGodI'veGottaJob |
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motorpsycho67 |
Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2009 2:45 pm |
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Joined: 19 Sep 2007
Posts: 18129
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I'm pretty sure the one with the "wavy" hanger is a Stage I. I had a set in early '86 like that. |
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Sticks |
Posted: Wed Aug 12, 2009 10:47 pm |
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Joined: 07 Feb 2003
Posts: 10327
Location: Raytown Travel Agency
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Just got these from Ed Isaacs...Stage "0"????:
Umm, could use a little smoothing near the pivot! Is this what the black ones look like?
No skulls, no nuthin.
TT
Plain:
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mkelty |
Posted: Wed Aug 12, 2009 10:53 pm |
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ORDER OF THE SKULL
Joined: 06 Oct 2006
Posts: 3644
Location: Springfield, OR
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Definitely look prototypish. Yes, it looks like what I think is the I, with the single reinforcing bar, sans a smoothing out of the pivot, and prior to Terry nails pressing his Jewelry into the sand...
Anyone know how to reach Natas? |
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slob-air |
Posted: Thu Aug 13, 2009 12:35 am |
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Site Admin
Joined: 27 Oct 2001
Posts: 63453
Location: S&B HQ
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gogomouse1 wrote: Shrewgy designed the Teardrop (also called the "Batwing" or "X" hanger).
I don't think so, but I'll check with him. He actually designed 3 stages of Thunders—but not the first as I understand it. |
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