Bought a boat today. What is it?
 

Not to repeat myself but I did buy a boat today and have no clue what it is.
Found it on Craig’s List the other day. The guy claims to be boat flipper but getting a hold of him took forever. Finally hooked up today. Drove up to PA and he was late but said to go ahead and take a look at it. “It was out back.”
I go out back to look it over and when I first see it I think we would never get it out of the weeds with all the rain we had the last couple days. From what I did see it peaked my interest enough that I waded into the abyss. The more I saw and the wetter my socks got the more I wanted it (pictures don’t do it justice but it is a total wreak). Got a good chance to get an honest assessment of it while he was not there. When he did show up I shot him a lowball number and said if he can get it out. He shot me a number back still much lower then the listing price and I took it. I ask if he can get it out looking at his blazer. He says that’s why he was late, had to load up the 4 wheel ATV on the trailer he was towing. 15 minutes later it was on the blacktop.
We are doing paperwork and I am picking his mind about it but he knows nothing. He bought it a few years ago and it has sat ever since. He did say he got it from a guy outside of Philly that brought it up from Florida when he moved up there. He also said the only thing he got was a Florida registration when he bought it because Florida didn’t have or didn’t need titles and that’s what they used to transfer ownership. I remember something similar when I bought a boat in NY and brought it to Maryland a few years back. The thing was he had issues with Penn’s title people and eventually just titled it as home built and he didn’t remember what it was and I cant find a single marking on the boat or trailer.
It’s 16’ tunnel hull, V drive, drag boat. Has really cool exhaust and transom. Unique and hope it will help find out what it is.
It also has a early Hall Craft V drive with a cable Tach attached to it. Mounting parts for the drive and prop shaft struts have CAL-MARINE stamped on them.
Got a couple pictures to look at.

http://img338.imageshack.us/img338/7288/26824508.jpg
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http://img36.imageshack.us/img36/179/77388757.jpg
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http://img577.imageshack.us/img577/6928/36214161.jpg
http://img51.imageshack.us/img51/8369/82560468.jpg
http://img190.imageshack.us/img190/6734/18233655.jpg
http://img38.imageshack.us/img38/4143/17686117.jpg
http://img812.imageshack.us/img812/328/62392117.jpg
http://img687.imageshack.us/img687/872/72411302.jpg
http://img192.imageshack.us/img192/4820/33003483.jpg
http://img545.imageshack.us/img545/1492/62701641.jpg
http://img21.imageshack.us/img21/3307/25212279.jpg
http://img861.imageshack.us/img861/4274/33974309s.jpg

looks like early to mid sixty's vintage, looks like a quality boat for it's time.
I don't think I would get to carried away with power on that early of a tunnel hull boat, but it should be fun!
It will get some attention at the lake!
Good find!

Thanks!
Originally came with a small block Chevy. They said a 350 but not sure if there was such a thing back when it was built.

I hate to ask this, but why? is a V drive ever going to be that fast?

Not sure but what the hell. I kind of like the V drive thing though. I like Volvo's on my inboard outboards because they don't break but they are not good for speed. V drive's are so simple there's not much chance of breaking anything. And after the race boat's Casale C-1000 this one should be a piece of cake.

Boys and their toys!
Now there is a project for you, something different.
Nothing wrong with V-drives in the right application.
Keep us updated on the build / restoration.
Good luck!

Now it makes sense - I read your signature.
"Resurrection Marine.com"

That's us. Saving a little history one boat at a time.

Nice! I miss the V-drives and jets that used to prowl Lake Oakland.

Have you posted on SnF?
They'd have a better idea.

According to a member of VDriveBoat.com it's a 18', 1963 Biesemeyer Hydroplane, 4-point [tunnel hull], inboard drag boat made in Arizona.
One of 4 made.
Here is a link, what do you all think? Same boat?
http://www.performanceboats.com/boat...t-%241000.html

I'm never going to get this title right being it's listed as a 17' Florida homebuilt.

I was gonna say Biesemeyer gullwing from the looks at it. The guys on PerformanceBoats would definitely know for sure though. Wait and see what the consensus there says.

Look in boats for sale on that site there is other Biesemeyer boats for sale . They are all newer ones than yours bit all have the unique styling relative to the builder.

Chevy built a rather nasty 327 back then
if memory serves this was the original mouse motor..

You have a good picture of the ID plate. Make one and glass it on and apply for a lost or salvage title. :)

Carl C

Thanks folks for the help. Carl, If I can do it in Maryland without giving up my first born I’ll give it a try.
It is a 63 Biesemeyer 4 point hydro.
Just talked to the guy that has two. He said Mr Biesemeyer told him that one of them set the speed record in 1963 @ 130mph but was an insane handful. I think a 70mph small block boat should be a bit safer and easy for the hull to handle but still very cool. Got to remember that is a 48 year old boat and should be treated as such. No reason to beat the crap out if it now.

I remember seeing it on CL for sale.. Defiantly a unique boat. cant wait to see the rebuild!
Jr.

The whole thing will be on Resurrection Marine.com and I will try to do a few updates here also.
Thanks.
I just found this one (I think its a 1969) and may have to copy it.
http://www.acbs.org/scroller/images/biesmeyer.jpg

That could be fun!
A nice 327/283 Chevy or a 260/289 Ford.

Chevy, chevy, chevy. Not getting into the availability and the cash flowing out my pockets as fast as it can game like with Ford, Olds, and Chrysler. Been there and done that. I would love to have a 327 but I'm thinking that will be big bucks these days. May end up a 400ci or a stroked 350 just to be a little different. lol

You can make a 327 using a 350 block, just use a 3 1/4 stroke instead of 3 1/2. That boat is very cool. You may get the award for saving the most cool old boats. Is your front yard resurection marine :)

Mouse was the 302? GMG F in Kool boat!

i have access to a 1964 283,that can be had cheep.pm me if u can use it

I just could not do that to a motor. There’s no replacement for displacement. But a peppy small block would be all I would go with in this boat.

As long as that award comes with a pay check. Lol
Yup, Resurrection Marine’s home base is also home. Unemployed so I though I better do something I knew how to do so off I went into this new/old adventure with both feet.
There is a thousand folks on here who love classic old boats and would love to have them. They can take care of them but a boat in the weeds is a little to much to start with for number of reasons. I have a passion for classic boats. I see a cool boat in the weeds and I have to save it or at least think about a hundred times. So why not put those two together and I can find and fix these boats, sell them at a reasonable price and then next owner can either enjoy the very cool “daily driver” or take it to the next level and make it a show boat if they wish.
There is no reason you have to pay a fortune have something cool. One of our boats may not win the next Florida classic boat show but the foundation will be built, if you know what I mean.
Classic boats at an affordable price, now there’s a concept. Lol

Thanks Golf

Thanks Mike but I’m thinking a 350 will be what I’m looking for. The simplest and cheapest to build some small block HP out there.

"mouse" motors are small blocks and "rat" motors are big blocks regardless of displacement.

327
 

A buddy of mine has a 1964 327-210HP and a powerglide
out of an Impala for sale . I can put you in touch with him
if your interested. Very cool find on the boat by the way.

motor
 

Have a fresh 350 4bolt main motor ,Sell cheap all you would need is manifolds and a salt water pump. JOHN

PM's sent

Buick
 

I'd go with a buick 401, really cool. A nailhead. lots of these around and have a 2- 4bbl on it. Old Skool.

Wannabe

I would love it if money was no object but it is. They broke the 130mph speed record with a BB Ford but just the cost of the exhaust manifolds for that motor would cost more then building a whole small block Chevy.

Check for stringer and core rot!

There is no "core" material. Stringers and cockpit deck is shot and going to be replaced.

That is a REALLY cool boat! I like it almost as much as my sleek, which says a lot because I find a lot of boats kinda boring. That thing is WILD!!!!!!!!!

Man I love that 72 SuperNova on your site. Wish I had it.

Thanks Cash, that's what I thought when I saw it. I knew it was mine. It just came down to cost.

Shinglman, thanks also. That's my baby. May be making another one just like it in the next few months if I can figure out how to get it here from NJ on a trailer that is not road worthy.

f , Hey I have a set of the old school finned valve covers with no holes and an old holley dominator manifold with the tube hole in the front. If you are interested stop up and see me. Tom @ Cobe.

Hey Tom, I will and thanks. Still looking for something to put them on.
Almost pulled the trigger on a 1962 Gray Marine 327 AMC motor but just couldn't do. To many issues (being and AMC) to deal with. Even though the side draft carbs would have looked so cool.

Have any idea on the performance of that hull? What it originally had a powerplant, and what to expect? Are you going to to a period correct restoration in terms of the powerplant or throw something weird in?

I've always wanted a turbo rotary boat. That would be perfect.

I found a motor I couldn’t pass on.
Between the info I found on-line on engine codes and what the maintenance folks wrote on the oil filter (it came from a back up generator for a radio station) and such I’ve come up with…. The motor is a Gen V 454 that was built on April 25th 2004. If I do the math (hours = miles) it looks like it has about 20,000 miles on the motor and it was all at 1800rpm’s or less and was all on natural gas. Clean, clean, clean.
It must have been kept inside due to the only dirt on it is like when something sat in the shed to long. It even still had bright green antifreeze in it.
It did need to be rebuilt though. Couple of the seals were starting to leak (valve covers and front main) and I plan on doing a cam change anyway so might as well finish it off with some rings and bearings and gasket set. From the back shed at a radio station to a 1963 Bee’s. Hopefully it will be happier in it’s new home.
So nothing radical but nothing lame either. Going with a 1 to 1 B/W transmission (I have to be able to shift it in and out of gear) and the rest will stay the same.
It originally (from what I’ve been told) had a small block Chevy but trying to find one that was worth fixing cost twice what I paid for the 454 in perfect condition. So I figured it will be easy to make some decent HP out of the 454 then an insane build up of a small block to squeeze out the same HP.
I also have to keep in mind the selling factor. Folks want BBC’s in these type boats. A refreshed BBC with originally having 20,000 miles on it to boot fits many of the concerns that people have when buying a boat. It’s basically a new motor that is not going to be overbuilt and prone to break (reliable power) and should get this moving into the 70‘s (mph not years lol).
I have paint ideas so it will match the boat but being I’m not using a period motor I’m going to make the bb look as new as possible. The concept is it will be like a brand new crate motor in a classic car

Cool. Feel free to post any other photos you've found of them, they sure look..uh... "swell"? Or "groovy?"