I need a Unlimited Historian

[davetheacguy]

I'm building 2 scales this winter. I've purchased a 7171 kit from ML boatworks. I've designed a 7171 kit from blowing up old Atlas kit. I had My plan in place till I recieved a pic of U-70 ? This hull I can't find ? There are 2 types of this hull built. One has a rolled rear deck at transome. the other has a squared rear deck at tramsome ? No where can I find the U-70 Atlas with a rolled deck. How ever Bob Johnson sent Me a pic of this Boat. I'm at a loss ? Can one of You guys from Detroit Help Me out ? what's up with this ? U-71 is the only hull I can find ? Maybe a display boat ? I can find many pics of U-70 with the squared deck ? Thanks dave

 

[Dasboatman]

These are two of the pics of the U-70 I sent to Dave. I believe the hull is MHR 6880. U-70 Atlas '71 - '72, AND 6880 U-71 in 1974. There was also a 6880 in 1974 with a U-44 number. CHEERS !!! Bob

 

[Larry K]

Here's what I have Dave. The MHR 6880 hull ran as the Atlas U-70 in 1971 (driven by Terry Sterett and Bill Muncey) and again as U-71 in 1974. I also have it shown as the Atlas U-44 that same year with Fred Alter driving. As far as I know, that boat always ran a Merlin. It was an Atlas display boat thru the '70s & supposedly ended up in a museum in San Diego in the '80s. Meanwhile, a new U-71 hull was built by Gale Industries in 1971 - MHR 7171 - with a flared transom & Merlin engine. If you see pics with red valve covers, they were likely taken in 1972. In 1974 a turbo-charged Allison was installed & by 1975 it also was a display boat. The 2 boats were usually referred to as Atlas Van Lines I & Atlas Van lines II but the numerals never appeared on the the boats. I believe one of them is at the HARM awaiting restoration.

 

[Hydro Junkie]

From what I understand, Larry, the Atlas at the HARM was actually the 7206 Madison hull. The Madison was an Atlas clone that had an Allison engine as well so it's hard to say what boat went where

 

[davetheacguy]

I'm building 2 scales this winter. I've purchased a 7171 kit from ML boatworks. I've designed a 7171 kit from blowing up old Atlas kit. I had My plan in place till I recieved a pic of U-70 ? This hull I can't find ? There are 2 types of this hull built. One has a rolled rear deck at transome. the other has a squared rear deck at tramsome ? No where can I find the U-70 Atlas with a rolled deck. How ever Bob Johnson sent Me a pic of this Boat. I'm at a loss ? Can one of You guys from Detroit Help Me out ? what's up with this ? U-71 is the only hull I can find ? Maybe a display boat ? I can find many pics of U-70 with the squared deck ? Thanks dave

Thank You, Gentlemen ! This is what I needed to know ! Do you know if the #6880 was modified though the years ( rear section) ? Thanks Again ! Dave

 

[SayMikey]

Last time I was in Seattle the boat was leaned up against the building.Maybe someone could drive by and snap a pic of the transom,I was sure I took a pic but cant find it

 

[harvknox]

Mike,if it's the same Atlas,Harry Gatjens included a photo of the transom under a tarp outside at the Hydroplane Museum.Harry's photos were posted on IW, 2/12/2007 included in a set of "72 Bud" photos.No radius on the transom of that boat.

 

[davetheacguy]

Mike,if it's the same Atlas,Harry Gatjens included a photo of the transom under a tarp outside at the Hydroplane Museum.Harry's photos were posted on IW, 2/12/2007 included in a set of "72 Bud" photos.No radius on the transom of that boat.

Guys I'm thinking the U-70 with rolled rear deck section is the end result of the #6880 ? Then in 1971 they built the New boat with all the up grades ? What do Ya think ?

 

[Hydro Junkie]

Going from pictures shown under plan 107 at the Newton Marine website, the 6880 had a square cut transom for it's entire career while the 7171 was rounded off. I determined this by comparing the pictures at Newton Marine to the sponsors listed for the two hulls in the MHR

 

[Mike Luszcz]

Dave, got your payment Thursday, kit was cut and shipped today. I will send u a tracking number when i have time to get on the computer. Mike

 

[davetheacguy]

Dave, got your payment Thursday, kit was cut and shipped today. I will send u a tracking number when i have time to get on the computer. Mike

It seems that this hull had repairs/ redesign work done after each year, and sometimes races. I've found many articles in Unlimited detroit thunderboat mag. After reading through 15+ years The 6880 hull was changed often. The 7171 hull was end result. Most all My questions are now answered. Thanks for all the help, and info. Dave

 

[shoboat]

Dave,

If I remember correctly Jerry Betke has one of those curved Atlas Van Lines down

in his basement. He told me it was a lot of work to get it right. Mike will be able to

confirm this.

Thanks,

Mark Sholund

 

[hgatjens]

Mike,if it's the same Atlas,Harry Gatjens included a photo of the transom under a tarp outside at the Hydroplane Museum.Harry's photos were posted on IW, 2/12/2007 included in a set of "72 Bud" photos.No radius on the transom of that boat.

The boat at the Museum is indeed the Madison and not one of the Atlas boats. It was painted up as Atlas solely for display purposes.

I will look through some pictures to see what I can find of the rounded transom.

Send me your email address and I will send them to you.

 

[Ray Sametz]

I'm building 2 scales this winter. I've purchased a 7171 kit from ML boatworks. I've designed a 7171 kit from blowing up old Atlas kit. I had My plan in place till I recieved a pic of U-70 ? This hull I can't find ? There are 2 types of this hull built. One has a rolled rear deck at transome. the other has a squared rear deck at tramsome ? No where can I find the U-70 Atlas with a rolled deck. How ever Bob Johnson sent Me a pic of this Boat. I'm at a loss ? Can one of You guys from Detroit Help Me out ? what's up with this ? U-71 is the only hull I can find ? Maybe a display boat ? I can find many pics of U-70 with the squared deck ? Thanks dave

Mike,if it's the same Atlas,Harry Gatjens included a photo of the transom under a tarp outside at the Hydroplane Museum.Harry's photos were posted on IW, 2/12/2007 included in a set of "72 Bud" photos.No radius on the transom of that boat.

The boat at the Museum is indeed the Madison and not one of the Atlas boats. It was painted up as Atlas solely for display purposes.

I will look through some pictures to see what I can find of the rounded transom.

Send me your email address and I will send them to you.

Trust me Harry the MAN!!!!!!!!Thanks for all your help over the years. B) ....==={}

 

[Dasboatman]

Harry,

I have seen three decent pics of transoms for these boats 6880/7171. The one outside the HARM,and another pic that was not identified - I have attached it here. There was no information with this second pic, simply the P20.... and 6880. Maybe the Detroit warehouse?? Third is one that Dave Weagle sent a couple days ago, I believe the 7171. CHEERS !!! Bob

 

[Hydro Junkie]

Bob, the first one is the 7206 Madison hull as I previously posted and verified in Harry's post. As for the second shot, who knows, could be in Detroit. I've seen pictures of several boats in a wearhouse in Detroit, just don't remember where I saw them. As for the third picture (taken in Seattle), unless it was taken in 1974, it can only be the 7171. In 1974 both boats carried the U-71 designation so, without knowing who took the picture and when, it will remain a mystery

 

[Dasboatman]

Hey Mark,

If third pic is Seattle, then it had to be the 7171 hull. The 6880 as U-71 in 1974 only raced 3 times in '74 acording to Who's Who - -Miami, Washington DC, and Owensboro, KY. The rest of the '74 races wer the 7171 hull.

CHEERS !!! Bob

 

[Hydro Junkie]

It's definately Seattle, taken from the west side of the Stan Sayers Pits. I've watched the SeaFair races from along the Lake Washington Blvd sidewalk along the top of or from the grass on the face of the bluff seen behind the trees for over a decade. The only thing that's changed is the number of trees shown to the left side of the picture

 

[Hydro Junkie]

Bob, I was taking a closer look at the wearhouse and Lake Washington shots and, from what I can tell, that is the same hull. The position of the water drains, rudder pushrod and mooring cleats are all the same. What I'm starting to think is that the front cowl with U-70 was installed on the 7171 in the tilted roadside shot for display purposes for some reason as all the rest of the pictures show the afterplane sides and transoms to be different

 

[hgatjens]

I have found pictures of the 6880 hull for both 1973 and 1974. Neither year had they rounded the back of the deck as it is on the 7171 hull.

The picture I have from1974 is "The Roostertail" and the 1974 is repainted as the Atlas Van Lines with the odd rear wing that they put on the 1975 boat. I will send you the pictures tomorrow.