Saw some pics of a couple of old Gar Wood boats from 75 years ago. One has a 700 cubic inch flathead 6 that weighs 1200lbs. Anybody know who would have made the engines?

Fred

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MB-less

continentals and hercules were both used a lot in boats. i think there may be a couple of other common ones too. both were respected quality engines.

tom w

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

some had Packards and could do 102 mph in 1921!

......I think the 1922 record was broken by the CC Packard that topped out at 45 mph or so (The boat is in Jacksonville, FLA, but I will have to google to find it)

Edit: My friends' was the record for a six cyl. 20 ft. apparently. It looks like they had 12 cyl. CC Packards around 1925 that made 500 hp and topped out at 55-60 but I don't know what lenghts.

The robber barons had "Express Cruisers" that they would use to get from their estates up the Hudson and on Long Island Sound in to Manhattan. I don't know how fast they went but they were the fastest things going between the wars. Some had double and triple section steam turbines. The wake of one boat caused such damage to the shoreline that the boat owner was sued by the person with the damaged shoreline. That must have been some wake.

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Doug

1987 300TD x 3
2005 E320CDI

Yeah, I did a vinyard tour up there a long time ago and remember something about that. Beautiful area.

Maybe Curtis Aviation or Algonquin or CC Smith Boat Company engine (they made alot of engines for CC in the '20s, though), but I doubt it is 700 cid unless it has twins and it is an 80 ft. Chris Craft! Go to the Mariner's Museum website when I was researching old Gar Wood boats they have an archive.

Maybe it is a Kermath. There were several marine engine makers in the late 20's. Unfortunately, if you want parts, you are making them yourself in many cases. One of the ultimate marine engines of the time was the Liberty engine. It was used in airplanes, military vehicles and boats.

The post WWII stuff is much more plentiful. Chris Craft based on Chrysler long blocks and Gray Marine based on continental longblocks are still plentiful and many parts are available. A place in Ft. Lauderdale still has parts for the old Paramount reverse gears.

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Doug

1987 300TD x 3
2005 E320CDI

Never too late to install a trailer hitch onto the back of the Vauxhall...

interesting stuff.

tom w

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.