I might've been. I have a few memories of planes landing on the river. Howard's grandson was working at Roadrunner a couple years back but I heard he moved away. Right between my cousin's place and Howard's is still a stack of his old car/hot rod magazines just sitting and rotting outside.
Rolled up on this on the 5 Freeway down in Irvine today...the guy driving the truck got a couple of horn honks, a huge smile and a thumbs up from me! Probably thought I was nuts...
Speaking of splashing and law suits, how about the Ken Baker Sidewinder's! Here's a rare '70? I/O 18' Super Sidewinder sitting and waitin in my back yard for a new Sidewinder restorer, windshield, engine, etc. in the barn............. Hoovs, thanks for the Hemi flatbottom pic's, saved............ Like said already these boats are out there and pretty cheap comparative, most with high dollar motors..........
That is a Howard flatbottom that one of my customers just finished a 3 year restoration . Here's afew pics of the pinstriping that I did on the deck. It's an awesome piece !
Love some ol' Jet boats! Nothing like rearing thru a peceful lake with a big block chevy and open headers !
Applekrate, Yes, people still do this. Some people, ( myself included ) , have never stopped. It's just fun. For me also, I like engines, so hot V-Drive flatbottoms and hydros, where the engine is so prominent, turns me on. Here's a couple photos taken at the river, ( Parker ), in my flatbottom.
My family has been around boats and going water skiing since around '62. I believe the first time my Dad let me drive the boat by myself , I was 14, at Lake Elsinore. I really took to driving, and became the designated driver In my family for anyone wanting a ski ride, as well as being the one in the family most likely to drag race the boats. I came across this old photo of myself ( 18 years old here ) and my girlfriend, and her friend, in '73, at Parker, about to take my Dad's '65 Stevens hydro for a ride. Master and Commander!
Off topic, and not drag boats, but, before there were jet skis, wet bikes, etc., we had a pair of what was called "Hydro-Cycles', powered by 35 horse Johnsons. They would do 42 mph. Dad had this two level trailer custom built long before anyone. The first two cycles we had were orange, then we got another pair, a blue and a bronze one. They sat two, and could pull a skier. We did. We had to take 2 or 3 cars to Parker to bring all our boats for an outing. I thought some may dig these, as you never see these anymore.The company is long gone. In the black and white photo, I'm the 16 year old kid in the long white t-shirt leaning over helping Dad work on one at the river.
I remember seeing these things "back in the day" and always thought they were the most dangerous toys on the market. Probably no worse than a jet ski, but the thought of riding that close to a spinning prop always gave me the shakes. On the other hand, I'd love to have one now...LOL.
I remember Glen L Marine or a similar company used to advertise plans to build those in the back of Popular Mechanics.
Off Topic: In 1973, on Clearlake Calif. A group of locals got together and started building and racing “Bathtub” boats. They had to have a bathtub incorporated into the design, and had to run 6 hp motors. I built an all aluminum flatbottom boat that had a lightweight fiberglas tub in it. With my 115 lb wife in it, it would get up on plane and run about 26 mph. The last race of every meet, you could run bigger engines, so I got to run it. With a 9.8 Mercury it would run about 45 mph. At the beginning of a TV program in the late 70’s there was a clip of a race. I think the show was “That’s Incredible” It was fun until they joined the APBA and all of the rules screwed up the fun.
flyinT the 2nd video looks kinda like what our stuff did, of course we had outboards and the boats were all about 7-8 ft long.
Hoovs, I know what you're saying about props..................but, in reality, no matter what propulsion is being used, v-drive prop, outboard prop, stern drive, or even jet drive, no one has ANY business being near the driving end of a boat while in gear. It's just common sense. They say 99% of all boating accidents are caused by people not using good judgement or common sense. I see these people EVERY time I go boating. It's just suprising. I guess, in defense of props, it's like the gun saying...."guns don't kill, people do". Propellers don't hurt people, idiots do. As you're around boating long enough, you see it all.
Anyone remember a '63 Steven's V-Drive in the SoCal area named Gambler, had a stack of Aces under the name and a # 37. Nothing fancy, just wondering why the number........................
Not sure if this has been posted yet, but I just stumbled on them today. Really cool stuff! The one with audio is amazing, but the second one has some great hot rod footage as well. The second video looks like additional footage the first one and is tagged as "1962". http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=za9jhnlQUwc http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3WBt8CM37k0&feature=related
They say 99% of all boating accidents are caused by people not using good judgement or common sense. I see these people EVERY time I go boating. It's just suprising. You are so right Spike. We are at Lake Havasu every other weekend during the summer and I am contantly amazed at the various displays of "jack-ass-ary" that I witness first hand. Some people have NO BUSINESS being anywhere around a boat or others on the water.
To me, it seems like some people get behind the wheel of a boat and all common courtesy and brain cells are left on shore....it actually starts on the boat ramp...
I was told, years ago, that when a person purchased a 427 Cobra, or S/C Cobra from Shelby American back in the sixties, the company had an instructor take you out driving to show you HOW to drive the car safely, being as how it was over powered and could get a person in trouble quick. Not a bad idea today. Anyone with the coin can buy a high powered boat without ever having any seat time or experience with them. MOST people should never have, and don't need to have , and really can't handle a "100 mph " boat , ( the majority of real hot ski flatbotoms do around 70+ mph in reality ) . Oh, man, add alcohol, bragging rights, chest thumping, and testosterone venting, and you've got the basic ingredients for an accident. I haven't even touched on those people who launch their boat with the bilge plug out... I think you should "drive it like you love and respect it", not "drive it like you stole it". My father hammered respect of the water into me as I was growing up. It's kept me out of trouble ever since.
Here's a photo of a boat called "Windjammer", I must have downloaded it from another site, 'cause I don't know him. ( Sorry) I'm guessing maybe from the 80's? He's gettin' with it though....
Here's Leadsleds '63 Stevens, look at the drop/dip where your arm would be same as yours. Lodda splashin goin on! Lots in common....................
Moriarity, I don't know if you have ever wondered about this, but I have. "Moonshine" has always worn a pair of Cal-Custom valve covers, in any photo I've seen. The boat's owner, originally Dean Moon, of Moon Equipment Co has always been the premier manufacturer of nice finned valve covers for small Chevys, as well as others. I've just always wondered why Dean used ( at the time ), the cheaper of the two, instead of his own parts. Don't get me wrong, the boat is too cool, it's just an interesting question.
I have wondered that myself, especially considering the fact that it has moon tanks, moon gauges, moon steering wheel and gas pedal and a moon timing cover. just another mystery I guess
Hey, and don't forget that cool air scoop with the removeable flame arrestor in the front. I believe THAT too, is a Moon piece. Those scoops were very popular in the sixties but you hardly ever see any today. Personally, I like the looks of the air scoop. I remember buying a pair of Cal-Custom valve covers brand new around 1969, from a place called "House of Chrome", on Van Nuys Blvd, for my dad's 389 Pontiac powered flatbottom. No lie, the valve covers ( pair ), plus gaskets, two chrome twist-on breathers, and eight tall wing-nut style hold down bolts, came to a grand total of around $19 TOTAL! Nowadays, a cherry set ( no extra breather holes or fins missing ) of Cal- Custom valve covers from the sixties for any engine, will cost considerably more. Then again, I used to buy good used Stromberg 97 carbs from Dean Moon in '73 for $5 each. Remembering what things USED TO cost makes getting older a bitch......
The Jalopy Journal
