Remembering the people whose imagination and work shaped Magnum Illusion: its creator, its original artist, its first named driver, and the owner who carried the car into its next chapter.
Golden imagined Magnum Illusion as a companion to his celebrated Little Red Wagon. By April 1978, the Dodge Magnum wheelstander was appearing beside it at Lakeland, captured in a photograph that still introduces the car to new generations.
This archive honors the ambition behind the build and Golden’s place in the history of wheelstanding exhibitions. The surviving car remains a testament to an idea made real.
The original artwork gave Magnum Illusion its unmistakable identity. The current owner preserves design material and photographs associated with the first paint scheme, including its dramatic fantasy-inspired imagery and sword motif.
The artist has passed away. His name is being held open here until it can be positively matched to the original signed artwork and family-supplied material. His contribution deserves a proper attribution.
Rick was one of the three drivers of the Magnum Illusion wheelstander. Rick was the first driver named on Magnum Illusion. ‘Rocket’ Rick Mehl is lettered on the car in its original paint scheme. He later drove the Dodge Super Wagon. Rick was a talented driver of the Magnum Illusion, and later, when the car was sold, the engine and transmission went into the Dodge Super Wagon. So part of the original creation’s powerplant lived on with him.
James “Jim” Crumpton carried Magnum Illusion into a later display and promotional chapter. Surviving photographs show Air Force and Thunderbirds-themed paint schemes, while an owner-held “THUNDERBIRD II — Wheel Standing Exhibitionists” display board names him directly.
We remember his stewardship of the car and the distinct chapter he added to its story. Mike Burghart reports that Golden confirmed his sale to Crumpton in a recorded call. Crumpton’s purchase and physical possession may have occurred at different times, and the exact dates remain unresolved. After Crumpton’s death, the car passed from his estate to Burghart under a separate estate bill of sale.
First and most important please note and honor the military service of both Billy and James (Rick service unknown). While not planned, both these owners had many things in common, the same town, their service in the military, and love for motorsports.
Mike Burghart recalls Golden describing the circumstances of the sale. The following account is Burghart’s recollection, rather than a transcript of the recorded call: someone always says how they can do things better, drive it faster, build it better than everyone else. They might also bug the owner to sell it, and either they get told “It’s not for sale” or are given a price out of reach, or at least that is the intention. Now, as I was told, James kept bugging Bill to sell the car to him more than once, either at events or around town, so he finally gave Jim such a high amount he thought that would be the end of it.
Well, a couple days later James showed up with the funds, and Bill honored the deal even though he did not want to sell it. James, you see, had big plans for it, as he wanted the Air Force to sponsor the car and use it as a promotion for recruiting by James, as he loved the military deeply. He first tried in version one for sponsorship as an Air Force-themed car, but being the 1980s, the military did not have the budget for it, even though they had previously sponsored Army and Navy cars and teams before. So later James repainted the car to a U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds theme, with Thunderbirds flying in formation depicted on the hood in full glory.
He also had humorous items scripted around the body like Easter eggs for only those close enough to see. Well, sad to say, they denied his request for sponsorship. Not to give up, Jim took the car around to shows, events and schools promoting a new military honoring fundraising organization he created, “Defenders of Freedom,” in which he sold military memorabilia, branded merchandise, lectured at events and schools, and won many awards and trophies.