Now that is a rare boat these days!

[Hatterasguy]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JXS3GBRX1Ys&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dU0X461IPCw&feature=related

After WW1 Liberty V12's could be gotten dirt cheap surplus. So all the classic Gold Cup boats ran them. Garwood, HackerCraft, Chris Craft, all made their mark.

Those guys were running 70-80+ mph in the teens, 20's and 30's. Since you sat behind the engine, usualy the driver and mechanic got an oil bath as they raced. Naturaly all the boats were open, and safety equipment of any kind didn't exist.

Now we do it with technoligy, back than it was just HP and brass balls.

[compress ignite]

'Love the visual effects(you can watch the exposed push-rods!)

[veggihatetank]

I love those v 12s This one isnt bad either. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIj2GVfua84&NR=1

[TheDon]

Originally Posted by veggihatetank

I love those v 12s This one isnt bad either. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIj2GVfua84&NR=1

nice..

I'd love to open that beast up

[BobK]

uh, he wasn't kidding. that engine wants to "turn over" car included.

[WVOtoGO]

Originally Posted by BobK

uh, he wasn't kidding. that engine wants to "turn over" car included.

No kid'n...

I found myself subconsciously trying to add some rudder just watching the video of that beast.

That's just nuts. But I like it.

[Hatterasguy]

Originally Posted by veggihatetank

I love those v 12s This one isnt bad either. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIj2GVfua84&NR=1

Damn thats cool! Talk about torque!

[Bill Ladd]

Makes my noisy lifter not seem so bad!

[TheDon]

torquey

I'd love to take a ride in a Chris-Craft, owing a wood hulled version is a lust as well... I'd take one of those over any modern speedboat... Who gets more looks? The dude in the new Skidoo or the cool kid in the vintage mahogany hulled speedboat?

I wish I went to the Lake Mirror Classic last year, they had some Chris-Crafts and other wooden hulled speedboats.. .. stupid job

[miljohnj5]

Originally Posted by Hatterasguy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JXS3GBRX1Ys&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dU0X461IPCw&feature=related

After WW1 Liberty V12's could be gotten dirt cheap surplus. So all the classic Gold Cup boats ran them. Garwood, HackerCraft, Chris Craft, all made their mark.

Those guys were running 70-80+ mph in the teens, 20's and 30's. Since you sat behind the engine, usualy the driver and mechanic got an oil bath as they raced. Naturaly all the boats were open, and safety equipment of any kind didn't exist.

Now we do it with technoligy, back than it was just HP and brass balls.

Wow...what a ride! You should check out the annual antique boat show and auction at the museum in Clayton NY. Some serious vintage mahogany boats and newer productions are always there for auction with some serious bidders to boot. 'Silver-Cloud' the 'limo-boat' owned by Capone at one time is usually there on display. When I went a few years back they had restored their huge runabout Pardon-Me and gave free rides to friends of the museum. At 40+ feet, all that gleaming mahogany and chrome on a sunny day will blow your mind.

I don't mean to digress into a lesser point but if things like summers at Lake Como are your joie de vie then a Riva is probably the best wooden boat you will ever find, period. I'm not talking about pure looks or even sheer power for a mahogany because I'd prefer a Hacker-Craft but a Riva has the class, style and sophistication plus the ultimate je ne sais quoi (easy Frenchie, that's twice in one post). They have a cool history too if you dig wooden boats of Italia.
Check out this clip of a super-rare twin 400hp Riva. I must have watched it at least 5 times. Man...straight into the sun, molto bene!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=15orWN8uv4M

[waybomb]

The water cops are gonna give him noise tickets............

[Lunagen Labs]

I love that Liberty V12. Exposed valvetrain is universally cool.

Here's a builder of wood boats in Michigan: http://www.vandamwoodcraft.com/

I've seen a couple of their boats and they are stunning. The craftsmanship is hard to comprehend, absolutely flawless. The boat, Hells Bells was docked in Petosky once when I was there. I was drooling. And I'm not even really into boats as a rule, just these old school mahogany runabouts.

[Hatterasguy]

Saw this one at Mystic awhile ago, right out of the resto shop.



Absolutely gorgeous drop dead looks, and perfection down to the smallest detail. The quality of the restoration combined with the good looks of the boat is simply stunning in person. When that boat enters a harbor everyone stops and looks.

The PO used to run it into the city from his estate on an island up the line a bit. He wanted it to be faster than his friends so he repowered it constatly. I think he had three Packard V12's IE PT boat engines in it after the war, however they put out more power than in military spec. He used to have them fire that boat up with those super thirsty Packards every morning to go pick up his paper and milk. Bet that took 50 gallons... Those V12's where cool engines, but even back than they considered them gas hogs.

I'll have to get to that NY boat show, the Mystic and Newport ones are pretty good but kind of small.

[Hatterasguy]

Originally Posted by waybomb

The water cops are gonna give him noise tickets............

I'd fire her up at 6am on a Sunday to go blasting down the lake.

[TheDon]

Van Dam makes some nice boats.

I'd love one like the "Ghost" .. I doubt diesels would make it go fast.


nevermind

the "Geronimo" is powered by a 300 hp diesel

so.. I want a twin turbo cummins