Unlimited Hydro for sale (not mine)

[woobs]

Looks like it needs a bit more than elbow grease...but it has racing pedigree in spades!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Vintage-U-88-Unlimited-Hydroplane-Raceboat-/150998676608?pt=Power_Motorboats&hash=item232838f480#v4-46

Anybody up for a small project?

[Offset]

Woobs that is a great find. We could have it loaded on my utility trailer and headed to your garage shortly after your winning bid! She will be a beauty when you are done. :wink:

Somebody with the skills and of course many dollars could perhaps rebuild it. But I ask would it be less expensive to simply remove what is left of the running gear and install them in a "copy" of the existing hydro? How much of the original boat would have to remain to be considered restored?

Hope somebody buys it and does it justice.

[woobs]

From what I understand, according to the ACBS rules it's not so much how much original wood is left ...its on how the replacment is done. The largest criteria being that the boat must always resemble a boat.

If you disassemble the whole thing, measure and replicate frames stringers etc... right from the originals in original dimensions and reassemble...she's considered a copy. If you say, replaced ribs and frames in place, then changed the hull coverings she's an original even if 100% of the wood is new. (Kinda stupid, huh).

As to expense, the woodwork and hardware restoration is a drop in the bucket, as the correct motor is a Rolls-Royce Merlin 12 cyl aircraft engine....not exactly alot of these kicking around the bone yard and more expensive than the GDP of some small countries.

I would love to help out on a project like this. The only way I'd get to actually own/restore one like this would be in a dream of a dream! That being said, there's someone out there for this boat.

[gcarter]

I was looking at the shaft sticking out of the transom.......to me it looks like a starter shaft.
It even seems to end in a bevel gear.
Pretty interesting boat. I would assume the same rule applies here as elsewhere, buy the best one you can afford.
Of course this may be the best one someone can afford!

[mattyboy]

according to the description given in the ad, this would be her in her prime....


http://www.lesliefield.com/boats_teams/1956_u88.htm#Fascination (1) U-88


http://www.lesliefield.com/default_frame.htm


neat site can look at it forever

[badbird]

Wow...what a find.....:checkered:....thanks for sharing.

[seabuddy]

Do I understand that the bidding did not make the minium that the seller wanted?

[MOP]

George I am pretty sure the shaft you see is for the offset/external rudder.

Phil

[gcarter]

That makes sense Phil.