thunder boat row is gone....
 

Where Aronow started it all 40 years ago on NE 188th St in N. Miami is gone. Formula, Donzi, Magnum, Cigarette, Apache at one time called thunder boat row/gasoline alley their home. The alley is being 4-laned and cleared for commercial development. Fort Apache Marina is none existent and neither is the old Apache Powerboat plant where Aronow was murdered in front of. Cigarette Racing has even pulled off all their insignias which were on the front of their six manufacturing plants. It's a shame to see where offshore v-bottom history started being turned into condos, but everything has its day and price.

Aronow was killed in FRONT of Ft Apache.......................

Yeah, what can you do, I think the Tempest Factory is still there.

No he was killed in Front of Apache Performance Boats next door to Fort Apache.....

Crime scene picture in Jay Harris's book "Speed Kills" shows Aronow's Mercedes, and blood stained pavement in front of Apache Powerboats Plant.

I'm glad I got a chance to experience the row before it disappeared. I visited Ft Apache a couple of years ago while on a business trip. Bought a few T-shirts(still have one never worn).

But the best visit was to the first Cigarette Family Reunion in 2001. Spent a lot of time hanging around Cigarette. Even got to use the famous upstairs office shower after a very wet ride.

You could feel the history.

:cool:

I'm glad we stopped by there after the boat show last year.
I was looking at an Excalabur Cat at Fort Apache. I didn't think about getting a t-shirt.

TNT marine is still there.

I took my 16-yr-old son by there over the Holidays and tried to decribe to him what it used to look like. Ate lunch at Apaches. It's sad to see an area like that get gobbled up by "progress"...

:( :(

:( :( :(

That really sucks. It was the highlight of my trip every year.:mad:

Hey Stinson, Give me a call. The number I called was answered by a real "A Hole" and wouldn't give any info on you. Are you still running from the feds.

I was just there on Dec, 23rd. 02. and all that was left standing was a small corner of Fort Apache, The Cig factory and TnT.
I was there to tour the Cig factory but they were closed that day:mad: :mad:

I talked to Bud and he said that they would be moving in April, so I am going back down in Feb or March. to try again.
:eureka: maybe this time I wont get run over by a backhoe:p

Was there a couple of years ago, got some great shots of the beautiful hardware in the Ft Apache racks!
What a place.

Troutly- Sean said there was nothing there before except trees and a concrete plant if he remembers correctly.

Do any of you know how to find the old thread titled Don Arronow's ghost? or something like that. It had a lot of then and now pics of 188th st.

I tried a search but couldnt come up with anything:confused:

yep all gone.
I am sitting on one of the few buildings left, TNT.

the pic is one I took when I first visited Miami back in November 2001.

here you go http://www.offshoreonly.com/forums/s...threadid=32017

Thanks again OSO

This is all a bunch of tree hugging hippie crap. They save old buildings that are completley worthless but make boat history be torn down.

Ps, I want one of those signs for the front of the house!!!