I need a Unlimited Historian

[davetheacguy]

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.

I'm still at a loss ? Where did the U-70 with the rounded rear deck come from ? That's what I'm trying to find ?

 

[Larry K]

There seems to be a consensus forming here that the boat you are looking for didn't exist - at least not as a race boat. The first of Bob's pics does show a U-70 Atlas with the rounded deck. But look where it's parked - it's out in the grass next to a roadway. This looks like it could even be out behind the south side of the pits in Tri-Cities. It's hard to be sure, but that car in the background looks to me to be something from the late '70s or early '80s. As HJ says, w/o knowing who took the shot & when, we can only guess but I have little doubt that what you are looking at is a display boat in 1975 or later. It is probably the 7206 even though that hull always ran a t/c Allison. It could have been changed for display purposes. I suppose it could even be the 7171 but either way - it's not the 6880. Nobody seems to have any evidence of the 6880 with a rounded deck & lets face it - changing that on an existing hull would have been a lot of work for little or no gain. As I see it, your only option to putting this thing to rest would be to find the last known owner, Karl Lau, or scour San Diego for a museum with a hydro in it & hope it's the one you're looking for! Road trip!!?!!!

 

[SayMikey]

I dont buy the it never existed thought. This boat was kitted by Dumas

 

[Dasboatman]

Hey Larry,

I believe that the rolled back rull U-70 tilted on the trailer is the 7206 with a simulated AVL paint scheme. Gawd only knows where that pic came from and when. The annotation is mine, not knowing for sure what the Sam Hill it really is. The other pic of a disassembled 6880 behind the HARM is I believe the 6880. That's what the lable attached indicated. I believe the 7206, and the 6880 reside at, or near HARM. Mark Lee is going to try to verify this whaen he goes to HARM next month.

I believe the second two attached pics are the 7171 in pieces at the Detroit Warehouse/Museum.

Dave the A/C Guy and myself have been beating this horse to death. He is the one that talked me into building the U-66 Miss Liberty you send me dummy engine pieces for. It needs clear coat, and it will be ready to rumble - Har, Har !!!!

Mikey,

Very Zen my Friend. We all know Dumas wouldn't lie. Har, Har !!! CHEERS !!! Bob

 

[SayMikey]

Sure would like to walk around an hour or so in that garage

 

[davetheacguy]

Sure would like to walk around an hour or so in that garage

Botton Line. I won't be building 2 Atlas van lines with rounded rear section, as I wanted ! So I'm thinking U-71 Atlas, and Pizza Pete U-44 I think this mistery is Solved ! I too beleive the U-60 is a display boat. But it can not be #7206 it was still running as Miss Madison till 1977 ? Just maybe it's not solved ? Thanks For all the Input Guys !

 

[Larry K]

OO! OO! Bob - I can't wait to see some pics of the Liberty! Ya know, there were rumors back in the '80s that she might be coming to the HARM too! Don't know if it ever made the trip - might have fallen apart before it got here

 

[hgatjens]

Hey Larry,

I believe that the rolled back rull U-70 tilted on the trailer is the 7206 with a simulated AVL paint scheme. Gawd only knows where that pic came from and when. The annotation is mine, not knowing for sure what the Sam Hill it really is. The other pic of a disassembled 6880 behind the HARM is I believe the 6880. That's what the lable attached indicated. I believe the 7206, and the 6880 reside at, or near HARM. Mark Lee is going to try to verify this whaen he goes to HARM next month.

I believe the second two attached pics are the 7171 in pieces at the Detroit Warehouse/Museum.

Dave the A/C Guy and myself have been beating this horse to death. He is the one that talked me into building the U-66 Miss Liberty you send me dummy engine pieces for. It needs clear coat, and it will be ready to rumble - Har, Har !!!!

Mikey,

Very Zen my Friend. We all know Dumas wouldn't lie. Har, Har !!! CHEERS !!! Bob

As I stated earlier, the boat at the HARM is the 7206 Madison boat painted to look like Atlas.

As for the Miss Liberty, I have a couple of pics if you would like them.

 

[Larry K]

Thanks Harry! I think Bob already has several pics of the big boat. I am just anxious to see some of his 1/8 scale Liberty. Do you know whatever became of that boat? Uncle Bob (Burd) stated in his book that it might be headed to the museum.

 

[Dasboatman]

Hey Larry,

As much as you do for1/8th Scale boaters, you shouldn't have to wait. Here's Mine, Dave's, Don Pinckert's, and Rod Geraghty's.

Do you think the exhaust lines to the "Trash Can" came out right??

By the way, this was a custom piece molded by Larry for this project. I understand his wife looked everwhere for the cap to her Tide jug - Har, Har !!! Thanks Larry.

CHEERS !!! Bob

 

[Dasboatman]

"Don't know if it ever made the trip - might have fallen apart before it got here "

Hey Larry,

If it did make the trip, we could track it by the trail of carriage bolts it would have left in it's wake - Har, Har !!!

Harry,

Roger the 7206 painted in AVL colors. The attached pic of the une under the tarp appears to be the 6880 visually and by pic caption. Does HARM indeed have the 7206 and the 6880?

CHEERS !!! Bob

 

[Larry K]

Thanks Bob!! I'd say you really nailed the set-up on the exhaust, etc. The whole thing just looks awesome - way better than the full-sized boat EVER did! Nice job Buddy - ya did me proud!

ps: Lol about "the trail of carriage bolts"

 

[Dasboatman]

Hey Larry,

Between completely using up all the carriage bolts, and angle aluminum for every seam on the boat for a radius of 1000 miles around Detroit; and being one the first to use a turbo charger, you have to admit that - despite it's boxy appearance - this hull was well outside of the norm of the day. I still wonder how he attached the sponson he had to saw off because it wouldn't initially clear the alley.

And you have to ask yourself what was inside the "Trash Can" with one bank providing exhaust pressure to spin a turbo, and the other bank being exhausted to the atmosphere. It must have been one confused, engineering Marvel, running "like a skipping rock" around the course. Har, Har !!!

The boat has grown on me since Dave and I started gathering material.

Rod Geraghty provided me with a lot of information about this hull, including a drawing of his hull. I thank him very much.

David Hall sent me pics of Rod's hull - Thank You David also.

Any red. white and blue boat, with a Statue of Liberty on her tail, is just fine with me.

I have an OPS 67 in it right now but have also made provision to be able to mount every 67 I own in this boat. I'm thinking it may surprise a bunch of Scale boaters. Watch out for the Ugly Ducklings !!!! Har, Har !!! CHEERS !!! Bob

 

[Hydro Junkie]

Okay guys, I stopped by the HARM today and talked with David William, the man in the know. Here is what he told me:

6880: This hull, with the flat transom, is the one pictured under the tarp outside the building. Due to rain earlier in the day and more forcast, not to mention the boat being in a very difficult location to get to, I was unable to take any pictures. I do know the boat was not modified to match the 7171

7171: This was verified to be the boat in the wearhouse shot in Detroit with the rounded down deck. It is currently owned by U-13 owner Dave Bartush(?) and stored in Detroit

7206: This boat, a virtual clone of the 7171, was painted in Atlas colors and used as a display boat for Atlas after it was retired at the end of the 1977 season. It was later aquired from Bill Muncey by the HARM, being sold not long after and shipped to Arizona. It was sold a second time and shipped to upstate New York. It was later sold for a third time, this time ending up someplace in Indiana.

Now, getting back to the round transom Atlas shown along the road with U-70 on the front cowl, there are only two possibilities:

1) It was the 7171 fitted with the 6880s cowl or with it's own paint changed

2) It was the 7206 while painted in Atlas colors for display purposes with U-70 on the cowl rather than U-71

I hope this solves the riddle of the Atlas since, as already stated, without knowing the date of that picture, we will never know which boat it was, other than NOT being the 6880

 

[dave weagel]

Okay guys, I stopped by the HARM today and talked with David William, the man in the know. Here is what he told me:

6880: This hull, with the flat transom, is the one pictured under the tarp outside the building. Due to rain earlier in the day and more forcast, not to mention the boat being in a very difficult location to get to, I was unable to take any pictures. I do know the boat was not modified to match the 7171

7171: This was verified to be the boat in the wearhouse shot in Detroit with the rounded down deck. It is currently owned by U-13 owner Dave Bartush(?) and stored in Detroit

7206: This boat, a virtual clone of the 7171, was painted in Atlas colors and used as a display boat for Atlas after it was retired at the end of the 1977 season. It was later aquired from Bill Muncey by the HARM, being sold not long after and shipped to Arizona. It was sold a second time and shipped to upstate New York. It was later sold for a third time, this time ending up someplace in Indiana.

Now, getting back to the round transom Atlas shown along the road with U-70 on the front cowl, there are only two possibilities:

1) It was the 7171 fitted with the 6880s cowl or with it's own paint changed

2) It was the 7206 while painted in Atlas colors for display purposes with U-70 on the cowl rather than U-71

I hope this solves the riddle of the Atlas since, as already stated, without knowing the date of that picture, we will never know which boat it was, other than NOT being the 6880

h j,

thank you for taking time to talk to david williams at the HARM about these hulls and posting here.

dave , bob and i have been trying to sort this out.

dave w.

 

[Dasboatman]

HJ,

Thank You. We do appreciate it. After a long period of dark, greay and rain, we have had an absolutely great week here in Houston. Today was foggy in the AM, cleared away about 10, and got to right at 80 degrees this afternoon. Very humid however. Dave Weagle is freezing in Detroit area and Dave is ripping 3/16 square spruce to start building his 7171 M L Boatworks kit, after a number of modifications to suit himself. CHEERS !!! Bob

 

[SayMikey]

Its a shame the world headquarters is here in my home town. But after the passing of OH Frisbe may have spelled his name wrong. Atlas walked away from Hydroplanes. We used to go buy our Dumas sport 40 kits at Atlas.......

 

[davetheacguy]

Its a shame the world headquarters is here in my home town. But after the passing of OH Frisbe may have spelled his name wrong. Atlas walked away from Hydroplanes. We used to go buy our Dumas sport 40 kits at Atlas.......

Thanks to every one Who offered Info. I now can move on with My 2 builds ! Dave

 

[Larry K]

Took these 1-26-13. Unfortunately, the boat is not currently scheduled for restoration - due,in part, to the fact that the sponsons were sawed off to remove the hull from a hotel lobby. The good news is what was thought to be a junk display engine actually had a few useable parts & the one good cylinder head found a new home on the engine in the Miss Wahoo replica!

 

[Dasboatman]

Thanks for the pics Larry.

Sawed off spoinson?? Where have heard that tune before.........



I shot clear coat on mine yesterday, Got in a hurry so I paid with a couple runs on the deck. But the business end (bottom) came out Great. Will rig it and get it into the water and see what I have. CHEERS !!! Bob