Questions for our resident forensic graphic artist, James Hackerott

[James Hackerott]

If I understand what you're saying, I agree with you that between "Purse Lady" and "Fedora Man" in Wiegman we can see that the 1958 Pontiac Bonneville is parked next to the "island."

What you don't seem to realize is that it's visually overlapping the front one-third or so of a light-colored car that's parked-the-wrong-way on the other side of Elm Street Extension in that gap between "Purse lady" and "Fedora Man," making them almost look like one car.

Thomas,
Is this something like you are seeing? How should I position the Huge Gates car? Should I put the S curb car on blocks?
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1nNl5q1QI_KXwykynuqmvp5JdlM1BreNQ/view?usp=drive_link

[Tom Graves]

[...]

Regarding the visible part of your "single car" between "Purse Lady" and "Fedora Man" at the 1:47 mark in Weigman, why is its "lower" front part "two-tone" color-wise but the rear part monochrome, why does the "lower" front part have two parallel and nearly horizontal dark lines about two feet apart whereas the rear part doesn't, and why does the top edge of dark color of the front part taper off in the middle of your "single car" the way it does?

Shadows from the oak tree?

[James Hackerott]

Regarding the visible part of your "single car" between "Purse Lady" and "Fedora Man" at the 1:47 mark in Weigman, why is its "lower" front part "two-tone" color-wise but the rear part monochrome, why does the "lower" front part have two parallel and nearly horizontal dark lines about two feet apart whereas the rear part doesn't, and why does the top edge of dark color of the front part taper off in the middle of your "single car" the way it does?

Shadows from the oak tree?

Yes, shadows from the Giant Live Oak tree. I think, but am not really sure I understand your description.  Look at the visual in post #5. See the image from Alyea. Look close at the “Getaway Car”. See those grayish smears all over the car? Those are shadows. Look at the Robert Hughes film where he shoots over the hood towards the TSBD doorway. The car is covered with shadow. What is a little strange about this Hughes frame is the color of the car is kinda a bluish-green. But so is Sawyers' car. Must be color response of the film in the shade. IDK.

James

[Tom Graves]

Yes, shadows from the Giant Live Oak tree. I think, but am not really sure I understand your description.  Look at the visual in post #5. See the image from Alyea. Look close at the “Getaway Car”. See those grayish smears all over the car? Those are shadows. Look at the Robert Hughes film where he shoots over the hood towards the TSBD doorway. The car is covered with shadow. What is a little strange about this Hughes frame is the color of the car is kinda a bluish-green. But so is Sawyers' car. Must be color response of the film in the shade. IDK.

James

Regarding the parallel, nearly horizontal and approximately two-feet-apart lines on the "lower-front part" of your "single car" (which aren't visible on the other part of your "single car"), just look at the frame in Wiegman at the (click-click) "1:47" mark where the tip of the fin on the car in front of Weigman's is touching the right foot of the woman "in white" standing about ten feet to "Fedora Man's" right, will ya?

How could shadows from an oak tree create those straight-and-parallel lines?

[Charles Collins]

Note: Duncan is allowing posting Imgur images as long as I also post a link with a Google Drive for those who can't see the embedded graphics. Thanks Duncan!

The first animated GIF shows a 17.5' 1968 Pontiac Bonneville located on the Elm Extension at about 12:53. Tom Alyea's film taken from the 7th floor, basically 30' above Elsie Dorman's location, shows the front end about 2' west of the lamppost shadow. I'm displaying the views of both Alyea and Wiegman as the position of the car is moved eastward 10' in 1' increments. The car moves about 8' before the taillights are viewable in the Wiegman “Gap”. The initial position is also consistent with the Robert Hughes film of the TSBD doorway taken shortly after the assassination.

A second graphic shows the view from the Wiegman film through the open area “Gap” between the “Fedora Man” and the woman to his right. It was alleged that the 1958 Pontiac Bonneville (Getaway Car) we see in the Wiegman film is not parked on the south side of the extension (nearest to the camera) but is actually a car parked on the north side of the extension-near the Huge Gates. This graphic compares these two scenarios. The north curb car is actually parked just west of the TSBD's west corner. It is partially blocking motorized egress through the gates. I say the car is parked at the south curb nearest the “Fedora Man”. You make the call for yourself.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1swc2Q_86arxdKyaKdMOWme1ZgXqIwnjW/view?usp=drive_link

James

Great work as usual James, thank you very much. I am beginning to change my opinion and agree with your assessment and abandon my initial assessment. i can see how a shadow could have fooled me. I am wondering if you can demonstrate the shadow so we can compare it to the Weigman image, and indicate the approximate position of the tree limb that created the shadow. The value of a great 3D model shows itself again. Thanks.

[Royell Storing]

Great work as usual James, thank you very much. I am beginning to change my opinion and agree with your assessment and abandon my initial assessment. i can see how a shadow could have fooled me. I am wondering if you can demonstrate the shadow so we can compare it to the Weigman image, and indicate the approximate position of the tree limb that created the shadow. The value of a great 3D model shows itself again. Thanks.

   With respect to the Alyea photo, you guys have fallen into the trap of solely having your eyes fixed on the "getaway" car. Try widening your attention to the Long Shadows being cast by the people standing close to that "getaway" car. Then, compare that to the Short shadows being cast by people standing around the Island in the Wiegman Film Footage. Tick/Tock involved big time.
   And the posted Hughes image of the "getaway" car is a Still Frame. You are restricting your observation(s) to only a single piece of that FILM. Conclusions and Opinions should be based on ALL of the evidence.   

[James Hackerott]

Regarding the parallel, nearly horizontal and approximately two-feet-apart lines on the "lower-front part" of your "single car" (which aren't visible on the other part of your "single car"), just look at the frame in Wiegman at the (click-click) "1:47" mark where the tip of the fin on the car in front of Weigman's is touching the right foot of the woman "in white" standing about ten feet to "Fedora Man's" right, will ya?

How could shadows from an oak tree create those straight-and-parallel lines?

Tom, what an awesome request. While reviewing the Hughes film frames I found close up identical shadow patterns in the same area as the “Getaway Car”. This is a DNA scale identification of the Wiegman “Gap” shadow car being in the same location within a few minutes with the Hughes car!!!

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1_QAs5E8-X2Sr5Wji-MBHINvR7-o7IrkQ/view?usp=drive_lin