Formula and Holman-Moody

[Greg Guimond]

Anyone know if any of the 1963 Formula's were ever powered by H/M motors?

[gcarter]

I don't know the answer, but in '63, there wasn't a lot of choices.

[Marlin275]

In Michael Aronow's book he states that the 27 Formula was powered with twin 427ci Interceptor engines, ran 62mph top end.
Don told Michael after he lost the 1963 Miami-Nassau race by 18 minutes but still shattered the previous year's record,
he was going to work on adding more speed his new boat.

Ford started the 1963 Grand National campaign with a bang, finishing 1-2-3-4-5 in the celebrated Daytona 500.
Dearborn Marine Engines, Inc. offered the Interceptor line of marine engines. Ford Motor Company's Industrial Engines division provided the engine blocks used in Dearborn's marine engine builds.
Eventually Dearborn Marine became a division of Eaton Manufacturing which offered the Eaton Powernaut Sterndrive.

In the 1963 November Miami- Key west race, Mike Gordon driving his own Formula 27, "Fish Peddler" powered with twin Daytona 400s won her class.
1964 Miami-Nassau and Round Nassau race, the Formula 27, "Claudia II" now had Ford's new Interceptor 400s.

In mid 1964 my Father in Law bought the the Formula 276 from Don and started Marlin Boatworks.
She became the Marlin 275 Sportfisherman.

The race boat "Claudia II" was renamed the "White Marlin" and raced against Don in 1965, with two Holman-Moody 450hp engines.
Insurance company would cover them for 1 hour at WOT.

I didn't see any mention of Holman-Moody in Formulas in Michael's book, "The King of Thunderboat Row".
The first mention in index, of H-M starts on page 43, the Donzi chapter, "007 was powered with twin 450hp Holman-Moody engines".