March 1998
BOB SILVA’S WEST COAST REPORT:          GUESS WHO, BOBBY SYKES and Z-Z-ZIP
 In 1947, Burney Edwards walked into the Smith and Jones engine shop and said he needed a V8-60 built for his 135 hydroplane. Cam grinder Bobby Sykes piped-up, “Well, I could drive one of those.” Although Sykes had NO experience driving a hydro, Edwards hired him to pilot his 135 and maintain the engine.
  Bobby’s boat racing career began at Southern California’s Big Bear Lake. By his third race at Salton Sea he not only won the second heat in MIGHTY CHEVRON, but also set a new 135 competition record at 70.58 mph. It wasn’t long before other owners approached him to drive and maintain their boats as well.
  In his third racing season, Sykes bought a Don Saylor built Division I 225 (266) and installed a Merc flathead. He drove his boat, THE DUTCHESS to Southern California Speedboat Club’s 266 high points for 1950 and 1951.
  In 1952, Joe Guess asked Sykes to drive his radical new 266 GUESS WHO. Its methanol burning 258 cubic inch stroked Merc sported the latest in early 50’s technology, including fuel injection and dry-sump lubrication. All attended to by engine genius Clay Smith. After qualifying in competition at Long Beach, GUESS WHO made an assault on the legendary Paul Sawyer/ALTER EGO record (in ‘52, Sawyer’s 120 mph record was the fastest for ALL limited classes). Spinning a Hi-Johnson 12 x 23 propeller with direct drive at 6900 rpm over Salton Sea’s heavy waters, the GUESS WHO set a record of 121.703 mph. Bobby, married and soon to be father, retired from driving after the record run. Said Sykes, “Back then, 121 mph in a 16 ft boat was considered to be pushing the extreme limits of safety.”
 Joe Guess sold the GUESS WHO to Kansas City, MO veteran boat racer and Rich Hallet boat distributor, Sid Street. “The Merc was replaced with a Hilborn injected Hemi-Desoto, running a Howerton gearbox with 10% overdrive.” Recalled Sykes, who helped build the new installation. Unfortunately, the GUESS WHO was demolished and Street seriously injured at the 1953 Salton Sea Nationals. It was two years before Street was well enough to return to racing in a brand new Joe Guess creation named Z-Z-ZIP. “We used the same Desoto/gearbox set-up that was out of the destroyed hull,” said Sykes, who had taken over as engine builder after Clay Smith perished in a 1954 race car pit accident.
  Street’s first West Coat appearance with the new Z-Z-ZIP was at Nevada’s Lake Mead in October of 1956 where some of the fastest 266’s in the country gathered. Among the ten entries were: Don Wilson in the Chevy V-8 powered WA WA TOO; Bob Miller’s Texas entry BOB-CAT; Dixon Vose of Oregon in CHRIS II; the record holding Red-Ram powered Wickens MIXMASTER; and a host of South Cal hot dogs. Before the field could get through the first turn, a multi-boat crash sent driver George Mattucci to the hospital and eliminated all but the Southern Cal entries and Z-Z-ZIP. With Street returned to old form, he sped to a run-a-way victory and a fast heat of 82 mph. Then, in December of that same year, Street upped the 266 record to 132 mph.
  Bobby Sykes clearly remembers a later (Dec. 29, 1959) record attempt in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. “It was a foggy morning, and we had trouble starting the Desoto using those injectors on methanol. So we borrowed a heavy duty battery out of a taxi cab. The engine was turning 7000 rpm with the 10% O.D. when Sid set that record in an irrigation ditch that wasn’t more than 50 feet wide. It was a sight I’ll never forget, seeing that boat go so fast.” The amazing thing, besides Street’s record shattering 146 mph run, was that “Sid was really disappointed that he didn’t go 150 mph! He was such a great competitor,” Sykes said with much admiration. Sadly, the beloved Sid Street died while competing in the 7 Litre nationals only eight months later.
  The Z-Z-ZIP was sold and became Al Brinkman’s SEA BISCUIT. It was then sold again and renamed IROQUOIS CHIEF by Gordy Reed who drove it to a speed of 148 mph, retiring the old 266 class record.
  Bobby Sykes went on to work for renowned engine builder Keith Black. Subsequently he was hired by old boat racing friend Bill Stroppe (in ‘47 Stroppe drove the 225 MISS ART HALL) where Sykes built engines for NASCAR racers.
 In all, Joe Guess built 4 hulls. All different from any other design and there were all very fast.

NOTES:
Harland Orrin has several flatbottom hulls and he is looking for a home for them. A 1974 Lavey Craft, which was formerly raced by Don Snelling in the Super Stock Class; and the wood decked COLLECTOR, M-3, which is a 1962 Rayson Craft marathon hull. Harland is still looking to find plans or photos to any early 1950’s E-Racing Runabout. Harland’s can be reached at (610) 723-0767.

CHALLENGES:
Ron Morrison (editor of the Crackerbox Racing Club’s newsletter, Cracker Rapper) has the original stock V8-60 engine out of the Jones built TIGER, once raced by Harry Schneider in the late 1950’s. Ron would like to know who was the engine builder? Contact Ron at (360) 576-5819.

RACE SITES:
See dates listed back of the Propeller. Attention: Race Promoters, contact as soon as possible with your race information, so that we can help to promote your event.

ON A SAD NOTE:
Vintage member, Don Morin from Bay City, MI, has recently passed away. Don had a long love affair with hydroplane racing. He worked with Les Staudacher building many of the unlimited hydroplanes that raced in the early 50’s and 60’s. Don and his son Dwight recently crafted an exquisite and exact half scale replica of the Miss Pepsi, U-99. He was one of the original pioneers of our sport. We will miss him greatly. 

BOB JENSEN’S NORTHWEST REPORT:
One of the most recent restoration projects on Pacific Northwest waters is TEMPO VI. The mahogany hull, which is an enlarged version of a 225 cubic inch class design, was built at Ventnor Boat Works as MY SIN in 1938. The original plan was to run in the 1938 Gold Cup, but motor difficulties precluded competition that year. In 1939, the boat became the first three-point hull to win a Gold Cup. In 1941, MY SIN was the only entered boat to show up for the Gold Cup regatta. After running one 30 mile heat all alone, MY SIN was awarded the Gold Cup trophy under forfeit.
 Shortly after the end of World War II, band leader and 225 cubic inch hydro champion Guy Lombardo purchased MY SIN. Lombardo renamed the boat TEMPO VI and proceeded to batter all of the old records and establish several new ones for the three-point, unlimited class hydroplanes.
 Joe Frauenheim acquired the boat about eight years ago. Restoration work has taken the better part of three and a half years. Joe actually moved into a new home and built a new garage JUST to facilitate this project. Once the work was complete, the garage door had to be enlarged to get the craft back outside and to the water. That's dedication!!
 Shortly after Christmas in 1997, TEMPO VI's big Allison roared to life for a tour of the waters of Lake Sammamish with Joe Frauenheim at the wheel. Some minor bugs had to be worked out, but several runs in early January have been spectacular. 
 As a side note, the HYDROPLANE AND RACE BOAT MUSEUM is located here in the Pacific Northwest. Joe Frauenheim and all of the people who worked so hard with him on the TEMPO VI restoration are active members of the museum. Some of the most notable hydroplane restorations associated with the museum have been unlimited class boats, but there is also a rapidly growing fleet of limited class racers being restored both at the museum itself and in other locations by museum members. If you are interested in becoming a member, contact the museum for information. HARM 1605 South 93rd, Bldg. E, Unit D, Seattle, WA 98108; (206) 764-9453 or http:www.thunderboats.org/harm

 Just a few of the works in progress here in the Pacific Northwest include: MISS HAVANA, 1956 Lauterbach 280 hydroplane. BUCCANEER, 1970 Ron Jones 280 hydroplane and HOOLIGAN, 1954 Chuck Hickling designed 280 hydro.
 Stay tuned. There's lots more to come in the near future!!

VINTAGE HOT BOAT OF THE MONTH:
THE DUTCHESS.  
Bobby Sykes floats his Saylor-designed hydroplane, THE DUTCHESS over the Salton sea race course. THE DUTCHESS powered by a Mercury flathead won Region 12’s High Points for the 266 class in 1950 and 1951.

PHOTO CAPTION PICTURE 2: 
Guy Lombardo’s Tempo VI.  The 1946 Gold Cup winner makes it back into the water for the first time since the boat was retired in the early 50’s. Joe Frauenheim and Dax Smith adjust on the supercharged Allison Engine that powers this Ventnor three point hydroplane, G-13.

©1998 Tom D'Eath