Thunderboat kits available

[Mike Luszcz]

Well, a member here brought something to my attention that I never really thought about, so I did some research with the IMPBA Thunderboat rules as I never really looked at them (I have not checked the NAMBA rules yet, so chime in if you know they will work!), and realized I have a couple kits that fit the thunderboat grouping, so I wanted everyone to know. Here they are:

Newton 106- MHR 6207, This makes the drop sponson hulls like the '68 Miss Eagle electric.

Newton 103-MHR 5608, since the 106 and 103 are the same frame, only difference being standard shovel vs. drop sponson, I will go ahead and draw up the 103 gas size hull off the 106, and it will meet the gas scale rules, and thunderboat rules..making great boats like the Hawaii Kai. Specs for both hulls are the same:

Length- 54.5"

Width- 23.15"

Tunnel width- 11 3/8"

The other interesting kit, is the Newton 108- MHR 7025, which only makes one boat that is 1970 or older in pickle form, the '70 Pay N pak cabover...and sweet boat, that is on one of my most popular gas scale platforms. The only thing that didn't originally fit the format, was pickle depth, I have made that adjustment to fit the 10% rule, so now the 108 conforms.

Length- 51 3/8"

Width- 25 1/4"

Tunnel width- 12 5/8"

Nose adjusted to 10%

Here are some pics of the 106 1/8th scale kit and the 108 original 1/8th scale kit for reference as I happen to have pics of them to give you an idea of how they look.

Thanks, Mike

 

[Dasboatman]

Hey Mike,

NAMBA rules states: "The hull design will only be one of the following types: round nose, step deck, or chisel nose"

I don't believe the 108 hull, per IMPBA rules: "Or pickle fork design. The pickle fork shall not exceed 10% of the hull length and be modeled after a classic era boat (1950 -1970). Newton 108, or MHR 7207, 7474, or even the 7025 Pay 'n Pak, etc. are difficult to be considered "Classic Era boats".

Here are couple pics of Classic era pickle fork hulls. CHEERS !!! Bob

 

[Mike Luszcz]

Bob, just so I am understanding correctly, the 108, in IMPBA, you would say should not be allowed, or you think it should be considered? Please clarify! Thanks Bob, Mike

 

[harvknox]

Mike,you might also want to check the transom width requirements between NAMBA and IMPBA.They are different for Thunderboat.The length requirement looks OK.

 

[Mike Luszcz]

Will do Harvey, thanks for that info. Namba is the class I am most concerned with, as I swear I have heard 24" width minimum? Mike

 

[larcor69]

heres the rule as stated as per IMPBA

Classic Thunderboat

HULL SPECIFICATIONS

1. Boats may be wood or fiberglass/composite type construction.

2. Length shall be a maximum of 56 inches, minimum of 47 inches. Width shall be a minimum

of 22 inches.

3. All boats shall have a front or rear cockpit with driver figures from the 1950’s - 1970’s era, no

cartoon or animal characters.

4. All boats shall have a period correct paint scheme and sponsor name & logo. The Sponsor

and/or logo may be original or of your own choice.

5. Normal hull configuration shall be conventional round nose, shovel nose, dropped sponson

or pickle fork design. The pickle fork shall not exceed 10% of the hull length and be

modeled after a classic era boat (1950-1970).

6. No rear sponson, ride shoe or other riding surface allowed aft of the sponson transom.

Engine belly pans are allowed. Engine belly pans may not extend beyond the engine compartment.

7. Nothing may extend more than 5 1/4 inches beyond the transom.

8. The strut mounting is optional. Maximum strut length of 3 ½ inches in length and ½ inch in width.

9. A minimum 50% of the gasoline engine must be covered with either a cowling or period correct

fake engine. This does not include header and/or tuned pipe.

 

[lohring]

NAMBA Rules:

1. CLASSIC THUNDERBOAT

a. Hull Specifications

i) The boat may be of wood or fiberglass construction.

ii) The hull length will be between 48” – 56”.

iii) The hull width will be a minimum of 24”.

iv) The transom will be a minimum of 10” in width.

v) The hull design will only be one of the following types: round nose,

step deck, or chisel nose.

vi) Nothing on the boat may be further than 5 1/4" behind the transom.

My brief attempts to run the 106 hull as a thunderboat were unsuccessful. I didn't spend much time on it, though. I would look carefully at the tunnel bottom in similar thunderboats (old Insane) and consider some modifications. It made a very fast gas scale boat with some modifications. The frame kit was excellent.

Lohring Miller

 

[Dasboatman]

Hey Mike,

The 108 hull is definitely not legal under NAMBA rules, and based on what I read under IMPBA Classic Thunderboat rules - I believe it would be a real stretch for it to be legal here either.

I would hate to see anyone build this hull, show up at a race and not be allowed to run because the hull isn't a "classic era boat".

Aha, I see we have both Sanctioning body rules for CT posted. Thanks guys. CHEERS !!! Bob

 

[Samuel Hagan JR]

Mike if you do a Thunderboat kit that meets Impba rules also, I'd deffinately be interested in getting one. Will you also be doing a sheeting kit as well?

 

[larcor69]

thunder boats are not per say a scale hull, just a clissic era hull, 1950-1970.as stated in impba, which I dont plan to race an NAMBA event I dont see why that hull would'nt be legal as long as it fits with in the guide lines for IMPBA ??

 

[Dasboatman]

Hey Corey,

I just checked that pesky little thing we call a rule book, looking for an IMPBA Director to maybe chime in here. I see the Technical Review Director and the Technical Review Hydro Division positions are Vacant.

We all know Classic Thunder boats are not scale hulls, however this thread started with Mike stating "Thunderboat Hits Available". All I'm trying to do here is to say this may not be a true statement. It certainly isn't under the NAMBA Rule Book, and at least Questionable under IMPBA.

Simply trying to do is resolve this up front before someone builds a hull that will not be legal as a Classic Thunderboat or a Gas Scale under NAMBA rules for sure, and possibly IMPBA.

Don't think the hull would be competitive against a Gas Outrigger classes, maybe in Sport Gas if you were to attempt to race the hull in a sanctioned event. CHEERS !!! Bob

 

[larcor69]

I understand Bob, and I know the hull in question would not fit under NAMBA rules, I had an idea I brought to mike the other day, with the 1970 U-25 and making it fit with in the IMPBA guide lines for a Thunder boat, I know the other hulls he listed would be fine, he has the ability to do changes to a kit prior to the kit being cut, it might only be a thought, but you never know?

 

[Kevin Sheren]

Classic Thunderboat

​

HULL SPECIFICATIONS

​

1. Boats may be wood or fiberglass/composite type construction.

​

2. Length shall be a maximum of 56 inches, minimum of 47 inches. Width shall be a minimum

​

of 22 inches.

​

3. All boats shall have a front or rear cockpit with driver figures from the 1950’s - 1970’s era, no

​

cartoon or animal characters.

​

4. All boats shall have a period correct paint scheme and sponsor name & logo. The Sponsor

​

and/or logo may be original or of your own choice.

​

5. Normal hull configuration shall be conventional round nose, shovel nose, dropped sponson

​

or pickle fork design. The pickle fork shall not exceed 10% of the hull length and be

​

modeled after a classic era boat (1950-1970).

​

6. No rear sponson, ride shoe or other riding surface allowed aft of the sponson transom.

​

Engine belly pans are allowed. Engine belly pans may not extend beyond the engine compartment.

​

7. Nothing may extend more than 5 1/4 inches beyond the transom.

​

8. The strut mounting is optional. Maximum strut length of 3 ½ inches in length and ½ inch in width.

​

9. A minimum 50% of the gasoline engine must be covered with either a cowling or period correct

​

fake engine. This does not include header and/or tuned pipe.

This is a copy of the rule.

Kevin Sheren

 

[Mike Luszcz]

I definitely see none of the 3 I mentioned would fit the NAMBA rules, but I can see the 103 and 106 fitting fine in IMPBA. The 108 in IMPBA may be an issue tho, which I think is the boat Bob is definitely questioning, I don't think his review included the 103 and 106 in IMPBA. Thunderboat is something I have never really cared about, I just looked into this to see what I had that might fit. If they don't they don't. This was one of those classes I felt ZippKits had pretty much a lock on anyways! Mike

 

[larcor69]

so does it mean that if the 108 kit is made with in 10% fork depth its good to go?

 

[Dasboatman]

Hey Mike,

I am only saying the 108 wouldn't be legal under NAMBA because: v) The hull design will only be one of the following types: round nose,

step deck, or chisel nose.

I have no comment about the 106 or 103 hulls. NAMBA minimum width is 24 inches for CT, 22 inches minimum under IMPBA. I see the width range for 1.667 Scale is 19.40 to 24.70 for the 5608, and 19.01 - 24.19 inches for the 6207 so they could possibly fit under both sets of rules. Another consideration of having a hull that long would be shipping cost. I have a Friend that originally had one of the Greed hulls ~ 55", that was twice as expensive to ship as the Feedback ~ 50", 5608 hull he bought to replace it.

Roger Newton made the plug ( Pic attached) for what is now the RC Boat Company Classic Thunderboat initially, which now also is legal for some 1.667 Gas Scale hulls (I believe). This makes it nice to have one hull you can run in both CT and Gas Scale. You just have the shipping cost expense for the longer hull when boxed for shipment.



Two pics of Roger's plug, and a pic of Roger and Steve with glass hull from plug, and a pic of David with Roger's Tempo which I believe is also legal for 1.667 Scale CHEERS !!! Bob

 

[ZZ RACING]

so does it mean that if the 108 kit is made with in 10% fork depth its good to go?

That is correct. As long as it meets the 10% pickle fork depth, it is IMPBA legal. Guys remember this is not a scale class and changes to certain hulls to make them fit into the rules are perfectly legal.

 

[Mike Luszcz]

Chris, Thanks so much for verifying this for us. I would hate to offer up something not usable, so this is nice to know. Take care, Mike

 

[Tim Strange]

I really like this idea...having a boat that could run in gas scale or in the Thunderboat class. As a matter of fact I purchased the color sheets for the '68 Eagle Electric and the Miss Madison (as well as the Allison plans) for a future project. Since I race under IMPBA rules, I suppose I may be in luck!

From what I gather here, in order to make the 106 and 103 NAMBA legal the sponsons would just need to be bumped out to 24". But what about the transom? is the width measured from the top or bottom?

Never did understand the IMPBA inclusion of the pickle forks. When I first saw the rules, I was hoping that hulls like the '73 Bud or Notre Dame would would figure in...but nooooo

 

[larcor69]

one boat 2 classes just swap the engine, you have to know if a gas scale has to be modded to fit TB rule you might not have a scale..