V-16 MILLER BOAT ENGINE UPDATE, IN BOAT PICS and dyno stats!!

If you missed the first post, This is a World record holding Speed boat from the 30's that is being restored. The engines were restored here in Cincinnati, Oh. at Zakira's.

Zakira's fired and broke each engine in, in house. Here are there findings..

Under "pull" EACH engine uses 1.2 GALLONS of gas per minute.

At 1800 RPM the engine made 680 H.P. and 700 ft. lbs of torque.

Jim took the engine to 4500 RPM, he said... "all the sudden I was the only one standing there, all the other guys in the shop took cover behind machines and cars!!"

At 4500 RPM the engine made 890 H.P. and 960 ft. lbs of torque!

so, double all that cause theres TWO of them.. BUT!! In the 30's when they raced this boat these were the numbers:

AT 6000 RPM on methanol and SUPERCHARGED each engine was reported to make 1200HP. These guys had a 2400H.P. boat in the 30's!!!




Here are some pics of the boat at speed and how it looked a couple years ago at the begining of the restoration.



Here it is now...













Joshua Shaw

 

way beyond cool! somebody`s got some really deep pockets.

 

My God! That's Beautiful!

 

Really interesting.

 

what is that thing? the most expensive boat in the world?

 

Cl*** 1 Off shore power boat racing is big here ( I spent time watching one yesterday) and the speeds attained by todays bigger boats with twin Lambo ,Stirling etc engines are not much faster.
And I notice only one seat..No throttle man ? .Damned hard controlling a boat over 40 mph let alone 104 mph by yourself.
What sort of pitch and diameter on the props?

 

Dude, you're gonna get in trouble for posting **** on the H.A.M.B.

 

That my second favorite thing...Old wooden Boats...Look as great to me as and traditional hot rod.....You guys are doing beautiful work.....not to mention keeping part of history alive....

 

Holy **** that boat is bad ***.

 

Oh my God. Amazing.

Malcolm

 

Good eye... and your right. It had two seats. The second seat is in the background in a few pics. Its just not in yet. The picture of the boat on the river has two guys in it.

as for the prop stats.. I dont know. I'm sure the guys on here can find that information before I can!

...and yes, its amazing how fast these guys were back then.

Joshua Shaw.

 

it looks like there are 2 guys in the first pic.

that is a seriously bad *** boat. i remeber watching a show on the history chanel a few years ago about rum runners and the boats they had to bring the liquor to shore. they'd go out to international waters and load up these gnarly wooden boats and race back to a "sectret" unloading spot. kinda reminds me of those but in a more bad *** way.









paul

 

was it injected originally? i dont think it had that style of holley carbs on it in the 30s

 

Will this boat be going to Clayton this summer for the Race Boat Regata?

 

Supercharged with downdraft Miller's. They put the holleys on it for vintage boat runs.. easy and troble free.. kinda.


A side note to this boat is neat.. They say...

These engines were so heavy, and the boat was heavy, that, IT DIDN'T FLOAT SITTING STILL!! When ran it was "Afixed" to two other boats, one on each side, and was "Dragged" up to speed. When moving it was boyant... and then would take off. I don't have a clue how they stopped it.. I guess the same proccess in reverse. Sounds crazy... but thats what I was told.

Joshua Shaw

 

6000 RPM engine speed means there's a reduction box for each engine too? .6000 RPM prop speed wouldn't work except as a milkshake machine.
lack of Bouyancy doesn't sound right.I've seen some really big engines in vessels as short as 60 Ft and there was never a worry about flotation. it may be a lack of freeboard to keep windage down I guess because the hull sides look shallow. Anything is possible with racing boats .Today they enclose the ****pits etc to help with that sort of thing.

 

that is the most insane thing i've ever seen!!! it is sooooo kool!! my best friend restores wood boats, mainly Chris Crafts, but he did a century last summer. we took it out on its maiden voyage and as soon as it hit water it was pouring in. i was panicking knowing we we going to die in this thing and all my buddy did was laugh. i looked at him and asked "what the hell was so funny" as i was starting to stand in water. he said all wood boats leak when they have been out of water "thats why they make billage pumps" and "it will quit in a minute". so sure enough it quit leaking and we were cruizing down the lake. the looks you get from being in a wood boat was as much fun as the looks you get in an old hot rod.

 

I Want To Here This Thing Ruuunnn!!!! We Need Video!!

 

I have to agree with you on most counts... Military PT Boats had triple Allison or Packards V-12s tons of weight from arnament but it did have plenty of freeboard to handle the open ocean!

Freeboard refers to the sides if the vessel... usually measured from the "Chines" to the top of the "Gunnel".

In other words... if a boat has tall sides it is said that it has plenty of freeboard...!

More freeboard means that the vessel can sustain rougher water... the waves are less likely to enter the boat by splashing over the sides (gunnels)!

 

way - way past KICK ***...!

 

Well, I dont even know what the hell "Freeboard" is I know about miller engines... Thats why I posted it. I enjoy looking at old wooden boats but just don't know much about them. Thanks you guys, for your info and knowlege.. Please keep it coming.

Thanks,
JD

 

Just Plane Bad ***.

 

WE NEED SOUND!!!!!!

If at all possible can somebody get some recording of these things running? Even at idle or just above idle?

This is one of the most beautiful things I have seen on here in a while.

Thank you!


jerry

 

Gunnels, Chines, Freeboard... I learn something new everyday on the HAMB... and that boat it awesome!!

 

AWESOME!!! Harry A. Miller was a GOD amungst men!!

 

If I am not mistaken the boat is a single step hydro, you can see how it's riding in the old photo. I don't think I have ever seen a photo of any of the Miss Americas at idle speed unattended...for what it's worth, the replica Miss America VII (which is almost identical in design to the boat the Millers are going in) floats just fine today, it does not have to be tended or lifted out of the water between runs. I believe I may have read somewhere that the old boats simply leaked too much but don't quote me.

Man, thanks for posting those photos...that is an unreal task they have taken on.

Cris

 

I agree with everyone here, that thing is unreal! Love to hear it in anger. Thanks for the clarification about the seating, I was wondering that too, because it kinda looks like there is only one pilot in the old photo, now that I look there are definitely two.
Also, 104 on the Harlem river? That is not a very long bit of water, thankfully it runs into two other big rivers! Though I have to say my only gauge on timing is crawling across the Cross-Bronx "Expressway" .

Thanks for this post.

 

That is awesome.

 

whatever you do... dont crack your block or blow a engine.. because if those are the only two ever made... you might be in a world of hurt...

 

Wow. opps I mean DOUBLE WOW!!! Very cool.