Thomas: The Living Legacy of 1908
After reading an article in Reader's Digest, William Harrah, founder of the National Automobile Museum in Reno, NV, purchased what remained of the Thomas Flyer. In 1964, alongside George Schuster, they carefully examined the Thomas.
By dismantling the Thomas, George was able to authenticate the car. A cracked frame in Siberia had been resourcefully repaired by him using boiler plate from a steam locomotive on the frozen tundra.
Meticulous research and work restored the Thomas to the exact condition it was in when entering the city of Paris in 1908. Even a carbide headlight lens, once cracked outside Moscow, was faithfully recreated.
The Flyer now appears fully at home on the open frontier. Shortly after completion, the car was driven from Sparks to Tonopah, NV, by George, following parts of the same route used in the 1908 race.
George recounts the saga with his great-grandchildren—Matt, Jeff, and Jennifer—while holding the US flag that flew at both the start and finish of the Great Race on the Thomas. The adventure continues to live on.
Schuster Sr., at the age of 92 and still holding a driver’s license, sits once again behind the familiar wheel of the Thomas Flyer. By 1964 (56 years after his victory in Paris), he had witnessed the world shift from horse-drawn travel to millions of automobiles. The Great Automobile Race marked the beginning of a new era in global transportation.