Off topic to this post, I guess, but someone mentioned flat-bottomed drag boat racing. Good friend of my dad still holds records in a class or two, 158 mph on the water, in the Master Blaster. Story goes, they stopped running those particular open cockpit classes because they were so damned dangerous. THis is what a guy does that gets burned out with flying, motorcycle racing, drag racing, and everything else that's boring because PTSD is a bitch. His HD dealership was a freaking playground, to boot. Bikes, hot rods, drag cars, airplanes, drag boats, engines, engines, more engines, guns, place was almost too much for my 8 year old brain to handle. Aside from my pops, the guy was my hero when I grew up.
That photo is bad a$$ on so many different levels. I love it! thanks, Douglas Johnson "Skrach" www.VividlyVintage.com
My dad was on a WWII PT Boat in the Pacific. That thing had triple Packard V type engines that were a complete redesign of an aircraft engine. They burned 104 octane gas and it had a 3,600 gallon gas stank. Range? About 250 miles. But, it would fly with all three at full throttle. It would literally lift up the hull to the center point. But lookout for cross swells! This is beautiful and I'll bet a lot of planning, hard work and money led up to this work of art. The craftsmanship is simply stunning! Normbc9
Jim, According to my research the Miss Pepsi is the boat at the Dossin(Dawson) museum. Early 50's hydro with twin Allisons I think. And apparently the place is still open. As I remember they also had a WWII era sub tied up outside the Museum. Will be interesting to see how the Grand Prix race does on the Ilse this year. Karl. Karl
Early on jimdillon mentioned Guy Lombaro driving one of the Miss America boats at a pre race event in Detroit years ago. One of Lombaro Unlimited Hydroplanes is in a museum in London, Ontario Canada. In the late 30's Harold Wilson of Ingersoll, Ontario raced Miss Canada using a Miller 12 cylinder that engine specialist Charles Volker from Detroit modified and got up to racing speed. Wilson still had the Miller into the 90's but I am not sure that is still the case. One of the Miss Canada hulls is undergoing a restoration in Muskoka, Ontario. I agree this is a great thread.
Torchie, sorry on the misspelling on Dossin (one of my good friends last name is Dawson so habit I guess). Thanks for the info. Hopefully the grand prix will work out well. Detroit needs some better press for sure. Offset thanks for the info as well. I suppose if they need a Miller they could always take a satchel of cash to Zakira's Garage. I went to the Mecum auction at the Miller Meet last summer. I was hoping to score (more like steal) a Frontenac converted engine (they had a few) but they went for big money. The Miller 91 marine engine went for $250,000 plus commission. It probably will end up in a car though, with an accompanying story that would make Pinocchio proud.-Jim
I know I run the risk of getting my knuckles rapped for taking this thread a little off topic but I thought the Unlimited Race Boat fans may find this of interest. Canada Post has put out a commemorative Folder/Stamp collection to honor Miss Supertest 111. This boat won the Harmsworth Trophy in 1959/60/61 with Bob Hayward at the controls. The Rolls Royce powered boat was designed and owned by Jim Thompson. Thompson is an inductee of the Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame. Not often in this day and age do we have government involvement in motorsports in a positive way so it is nice to Canada Post put this collection out. You can go on Canada Posts web site and click on the collections section to have a look. They did a really nice job on it. Sorry if this is off topic.
Yes a great thread. E.A.Wilson's Miss Canada III, with 12 cyl supercharged Miller, was on the entry list for the 1940 Gold Cup Race, LI NY. Driver: Harold Wilson, and Mechanic: Charles Volker. Entered to run against the 16 cyl non-supercharged Miller, driven by Simmons, and the special 16 cyl supercharged Dodge, and the 24 cyl supercharged Duesenberg-powered boats. Interesting to note that the boats in that Gold Cup ranged fom 18' 4" to 34' 8"...
Wow Joe. That's a real bummer. That particular Curtiss engine was a very strong unit that inspired Sir Henry Royce to develop a new engine for Mitchell's Supermarine S.6. Do you have any idea what plane the D-12 belonged to?
Can someone please tell me who has the MILLER Marine 8 that Crazy Chris Egsgaard had back in 1974? I think he found it in Mexico, had a big hole in one side of the crankcase. It was in his barn in Woodland Hills, Ca. along with other great items. Bob
Hi Kurtis; Dont want to go too far off-topic. But despite the fact that I have a lot of the original company archives of the Curtiss and Curtiss Wright company, WITH a good group of original files and dwgs, on development and design of the D-12, as well as a whole slew of orig. company photos of the various Curtiss race planes and mods, I never looked up the particular plane. at the time...I did not WANT to know, (or dwell on my mistake) and moved on. But we took the dough and used it as part payment on 395,000 pieces of 1910-1920 German and Austrian aircraft parts, instruments and engine parts etc! Some of them even fit early Mercedes race cars and Blitzen Benz! As it is, I have so many tens of thousands of items to get rid of, now, that I put my 1940 Gold Cup program up for auction, while I KNOW where it is! (after looking up items discusssed in this thread, and contribute..) I have looked all over for the Gar Wood Liberty manuals and folder I had, but it is not in file cabinet, where it is supposed to be. Have tons of stuff that comes up in discussion on the forums, that i can't find, as they are buried in piles of stuff on every flat surface, or mis-filed in the 20 filing cabinets or somewhere in the 400 storage crates. I have nearly a crate full of pre-war National Speed Sport News that I have not been able to find, for years! despite the obvious bulk of the lot.
Looking through some more photos from the Miller album, I came across this interesting unidentified one. It was in the same group with the Miller 24 cyl Liberty engine shots. May be related. maybe not?
Love racing boats, truly awesome. I am going to go watch that "Madison" movie after seeing this thread.
Does anyone know what kind of problems the Miller 1113 c.i. V16 fitted to Miss America VIII had ?and why they couldn't get the compressors to work?Thanks.
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