PDA

View Full Version : "FASTEST STOCK INBOARD RUNABOUT IN THE WORLD!"



Craig
10-17-2003, 10:09 PM
What is it? Or, what was it?

HINT: This status was achieved by the following marine "innovations" --

Patented "BalanStern" & "Stepless-hydro hull"

Oh shoot! I gotta go. Post more info. soon...

Craig
10-18-2003, 08:20 PM
Oh man, I thought I'd prompt some guesses before I got back! Oh well. Anybody have any ideas?

Another hint: The above claims and info. came from this boat company's literature when these were built in 1964... It had a 215 hp Interceptor (Ford 312)... It was plywood... It was produced in Oshkosh Wisconsin...

Ooops! That's too many hints.

It was the Dunphy X-55. I know I just mentioned some of this stuff on another post. I liked these boats so much I figured they needed a post of their own.

Here are some pics:
http://www.donzi.net/photos/CZimmermann504.jpg
...there's a profile of one "putting" along...and here's one painted white (I don't think Dunphy produced painted ones -- just owners I guess looking for less maintenance)
http://www.donzi.net/photos/CZimmermann502.jpg
Here's a couple different X-55's showing the unique (patented) stern design mentioned above ("BalanStern" and "stepped-hydro hull") Probably sounded cool in 1964. Shoot, I think it sounds cool now! Looks neat too.
http://www.donzi.net/photos/CZimmermann503.jpg
http://www.donzi.net/photos/CZimmermann507.jpg
Here's a couple of beauties:
http://www.donzi.net/photos/CZimmermann505.jpg
http://www.donzi.net/photos/CZimmermann506.jpg
And here's the specs sheet making the bold claim above
"FASTEST STOCK INBOARD RUNABOUT IN THE WORLD!"
That may be debatable, but for a 17' boat with only 215 hp to run 55mph (55mph is from another source - sheet below says "50-plus" mph) I'm sure was mighty zippy. Enjoy the read...
http://www.donzi.net/photos/CZimmermann510.jpg
Incidentally, I got most of this info. from a guy who did a CD of Dunphy Boats - history, pics, ads, catalog info., etc. If interested, let me know and I'll e-mail his contact info. He sells the CD's for around $20.00. Well worth it. There's a pile of stuff on it.

I've got one more pic that I got from a wooden boat book that I gotta put up. A nice shot of an X-55 buzzing along at probably WOT. Nice! Have to scan it first.

Tomahawk
10-19-2003, 06:32 AM
Thanks Craig - pretty neat stuff.

Craig
10-20-2003, 06:16 AM
Tomahawk - Glad you liked them. I might resize the spec sheet. I hate when I post pics and they end up big enough to necessitate the left right scroll bar. I did size them down a bit from my original scan.

I guess if I re-enter them at the photo post spot a bit smaller, but with the same name, it will repalce them automatically.

Anyhow, I still gotta scan the one of X-55 buzzing along. It's just a B&W, but it looks nice.

harbormaster
10-20-2003, 03:08 PM
Excellent post Craig...

Craig
10-21-2003, 06:55 AM
Thanks Scot -- Here's the additional pic of the X-55 running fast (mentioned above):

http://www.donzi.net/photos/CZimmermann513.jpg

Not great quality, but a neat shot!

Again, check out the "BalanStern" technology (the little cut out corners)! OOOOooooo!!!!

It's patented!

Something about that looks awesome to me.

tom409
09-13-2010, 08:00 PM
In 1966 i moved to memphis from fort smith arkansas. my cousin porter mcfarland had been into souped up inboards for several years and at the time he was running a century sabre with a 427 chevrolet in it. i was fresh out of high school, very much into drag racing and was instantly hooked. I remember one weekend at mckellar lake in memphis we met another crew with a 16 foot century with 427 ford and several other chevy powered mahogany beauties for a shootout which porter won.
In 1967 i helped porter open mcfarland marine. we specialized in custom upholstery work, exterior wood refinishing and installing hot engines in older inboards. it was a fun time and we frequently went to the lake to test our work and every saturday afternoon was mckellar lake time. later in 67 a guy named earnest high put a modified 427 chevrolet in an x55 wood dunphy and pretty much ruled the lake.
In 1968 porter found out about someone building a boat called an owens fiberglass inboard off of the specifications of a wooden dunphy. he ordered three, sold two of them and kept one. we installed a modified 427 in it and it was the only inboard around who could beat highs dunphy. porter eventually got into the sale of jet boats in late 69, i bought the owens and installed a 459 cubic inch 409 chevy built by racing head service of memphis. with a two blade prop i pretty much ruled the lake for a summer.
my best friend bought earnests old dunphy, installed a stock ford in it and used it for skiing and pleasure for many years. i would very much like to find a nice dunphy again or even better an owens with the step bottom which was a mean motor scooter for the time.
We eventually got into serious drag boat racing in 1972. porter ruled in comp jet in 1973 and 74 and went blown fuel jet racing in 1975. he briefly held the sdba record until he was killed while racing dan pastorini in 1976.
i'll never enjoy boating or anything else involving motor sports like the old days with the old inboards on saturday afternoon at the local lakes. dunphys, centurys, owens and chris crafts. those were the days.

gnar
05-29-2011, 04:56 PM
Hello there, new to this thread, I am looking into bying one of those boats, can get one in bad shape for about 1500 dollars, needs overhauling, should that be a good price??

Donzi_Dude
05-29-2011, 05:05 PM
this is a cool thread.


dont know what it would cost to restore but that seems more important than is it cost $1500 or $500 to buy.

i would negotiate the price to the best or you abilities in any case.

best of luck and great old boat. way cool!

mrfixxall
05-30-2011, 01:00 PM
Switzer craft..

silverghost
05-30-2011, 01:38 PM
Century at this same time period also made a claim in their advertising that~
Century built the world's fastest production inboard speedboat in the Coronao with the Chrysler Hemi with dual quad carbs or the Cal Connell Crusader Cadillac V8 with dual quad carbs.

Century~~~
A boat built to last a century~
Not just a decade like other boats.