formula jr info

[tmac]

Hi,
I've been reading these posts for while now and was hoping someone can help me with some background on my boat. I have a 1970 17' formula outboard. From what I've read/seen on the formula jr. this is the same boat with the tumblehome stern changed to a more standard transom configuration with a motor well for the outboard. The front profile is identical to the line drawings of the Wynn-Mil II that were posted were posted by rustnrot and formula jr.
I had the original capacity plate, which I've subsequently misplaced but it said manufactured by Alliance Machine or Alliance Tool it rated the boat at 210HP which seems excessive since the largest outboard back the was, if memory serves me correct a 135 Merc.
Anyway, I've had this boat for 7 years and am now facing a major overhaul. The transom was dust and the center stringer not much better. I've removed the deck, cut out the floor, cut out the center stringer..... needless to say I've got a fair amount of work ahead of me but want to restore this right. Any info anyone (formula jr., lenny, rustnrot, etc..) has on this year formula and it's connection to the Jr. would be appreciated. I've attached some pics, both before and it's current state.
Thanks
tmac

[Formula Jr]

1971 was the last year of the Jrs, but the hull lived on until 1975. You have one of the first of the re-tooled decks that were put on this hull as the Jr was being retired. Walthers, who was one of the original designers of the Wyn-Mil, designed a group of small OB Formulas. I believe your boat was just called an F-17. It is clearly a Jr hull from the strake and chine pattern. Another of these was a walk through bow rider also. The 210hp probably comes from the Stern Drive Jrs, which you could order with 210 HP.

[tmac]

That makes sense on the I/O capacity. I've seen the bowrider on the formula site. Did they continue with this hull into the mid 70's? I remember formula in the early 70's. My father had a "Flipper" thunderbird tri-hull and then a formula 233. I used to devour boat magazines and manufacturers brochures and my earliest recollection of small formulas was the 18' which was a bigger boat, different deck config, etc... Any idea how many of this config as well as the formula jr. were made.
By the way this is a great riding hull. I live on the great south bay on long island, NY . It can get very choppy. This boat takes it great.

Thanks!

[Boatclinic]

Nice project and your doing it right by going all the way down to the hull. Did that hull have flotation cavity's or was there flotation foam in it? 70 sounds early for flotation foam but you never know! Good luck on your project,
Am still working on the 67 Jr. Couple days left and I'll post some picts!
Don

[Lenny]

I believe you will find out that Madpoodle learned to ski behind that very style boat :D

[tmac]

Don,
No there was no foam under the floor just lots of glass to grind. Look forward to seing pics of a restoration that's further along.
Tmac
By the way if anyones interested, heres a link to a boat on craigslist on long island http://newyork.craigslist.org/mnh/boa/396668445.html
says superboat type but the it looks like an old magnum marine logo on the back. Don't know if it is or not. Only $1200. Might be a good project I'll put in a seperate post.

[Formula Jr]

The Alliance Machine and Foundry tag tells you just how weird and convoluted boat company ownwership can becme. It can give you headaches trying to follow ownership.
Alliance Machine and Foundry in 1961, bought Thunderbird.
In 1963, Thunderbird Bought one boat design, the 233, and the name of Formula.
In '66 or '65 Wynne sold or licenced the Wyn-Mil Design to Formula/Thunderbird. This had no real relationship to Aronow that I can find.
In 1969, Formula was sold to Fugua Industries in Georgia. So you have one of the last Alliance built Formulas.

The JR died a strange death. The deck was discontinued in '72 but two other variants lived on for a couple years; your boat and the Bow Rider. There are very few of these. I've only heard of four existing boats. By '72 Walthers had a whole new line of small V, mono hull Formulas and Formula/Thunderbird had introduced the Cathedral Hull Sigmas.

Unlike the 16 and the 18 Donzi, the JR hull was not splashed widely. I've never come across a copy. You can be pretty sure its from a real company if it fits the profile of the JR's hull.

As to how many JRs were made.... Thats a very difficult question. There's no records that I can find. Potter's Formula Company doesn't know.

We are an odd bunch here since there is no "for sale" boat that goes unnoticed. We might know of all the existing examples, ..about 50 boats.

[tigweld]

Nice boat. I have a 71, outboard. Mine is tagged as a Formula/Pacemaker. The only evidence I can find of the collaboration between Formula and Pacemaker, is at the time my hull was made, they were both owned by the same holding company, Fuqua. I also have the original tag, which rates it a 210 hp.
My boat is in the background.

[rustnrot]

That's Fuqua with a q. He got his start here in Augusta with Radio/TV. Fuqua Industries owned lots of companies all over as time went on.

We have a station here WJBF (J.B.Fuqua). Just a little more trivia for ya'll. That, and I know I have mentioned this before, we have some of the best BBQ in the country and a station WBBQ!

[tigweld]

I fixed the Q:bonk:

[MOP]

They also had a 165 Merc, I bought one new was a nice running boat.

Phil

[tmac]

Thanks everyone for the info. Does anyone happen to know how the interiors on these were set-up. Was it just two back to back "lounge" seats. When done with my resto I'd like to do two buckets and a bench across the back, but was just curious about the original set-up
Also, a note to Tigweld. Beautiful boat. I've seen it on the Formula boats forum. You've really got it set-up to run.
Thanks.

[Formula Jr]

Wish I could give you an answer on how the F-17 OB was set up with its interior, but all the ones, the three of them, that I've seen were gutted or altered. There just isn't a good specimen of one of these since there were so few of them made.... If your back to back lounge configuration looks original - ie, there are not any extra drill holes in the sole, then you are giving more info than I can...

I have a theory, but not much to back it up with.. And that is that the molds for the jr were in a sense completely retired in 1971. But Formula kept using the hull form as some sort of test bed... for later products. So you have all these little one offs and small production runs. Maybe there never was a "model" or production run of any of these late jr hulls...
This makes sense with Walther's method of design. He never wasted anything.
I wish Brownie would sit down with a professional writer and lay it all out for us.

[friendlybear]

For resurrecting an old thread, but I haven't been able to find any info on this boat. It has no ID tag, I know it's a formula, and I think it is a 1970. Does anybody have any info?