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| Hydros that were extended to compete in other classes APBA rules did not allow any apparatus (like an extended cowling) that could be simply bolted on the boat to meet the legal class minimum boat lengths (LOA) required. A boat or two tried that and it was soon outlawed so the wood hulls were cut and modified so they could compete in the next class up. If you look at all of these boats, something just doesn't seem right. Regardless of how they looked, some were very competitive moving up in class at the time. There are even a few instances were boats moved down in their class and became successful. Hornet, Miss Kathleen, Wasp 
H-45 Hornet Owner / Driver - Marion Cooper Columbus, Ohio 1956 Hallett hull that was extended. Click here to see other pics. 
F-48 Miss Kathleen The next Owner / Driver is Harry Saunders Celina, Ohio 1962 
F-8 Wasp Driver - unknown Jeffersonville, Indiana 1965 
F-8 Miss Kathleen Owner / Driver Harry Saunders Harry is back driving the Hallett hydro but continues to campaign the hull using F-8 Jeffersonville, Indiana 1968 This extended Hallett ran for over a decade with it's hull modification. Country Boy 
H-77 Country Boy Ottawa, Illinois 1964 A former F class Lauterbach hull that was turned into H class. Driver is Davy Thomas holding the rope. Owner is George Walthers. (Click pic to see a larger resolution version) 
H-77 Country Boy 1963 
H-1 Miss Crazy Thing | H-77 Country Boy Bill Sterrett, Sr. and Davy Thomas dueling at Ottawa, Illinois 1964 
H-77 Country Boy Davy Thomas Morgan City, Louisianna 1964 
H-77 Country Boy 1964 A young Bobby Musson at the wheel, Salty Walther holding the boat The Hustler Too 
H-19 The Hustler Too Melbourne, Kentucky 1961 (Click pic to see a larger resolution version) 
H-19 The Hustler Too Ecourse, Michigan 1961 (Click pic to see a larger resolution version) 
H-19 The Hustler Too 1963 Fleiger, The Nemesis 
S-129 Fleiger Jack Brown New Martinsville, West Virginia 1962 This hydro was a one-off hull built by Dick Sooy. It uses a similar design approach that Joe Guess used when he designed & built his last boat, Z-Z-Zip 
S-129 Fleiger Columbus, Ohio 1962 
Jack Brown sold the boat to Phil Kunz and requested that it not be run as a cabover. 
Phil and a few of the DMBRA (Dayton Motor Boat Racing Association) members came together to help make the conversion and the hull was slightly lengthened to run 280 class. 
Not a lot of room on transom to work with. 
E-640 The Nemesis Owner/Driver: Phil Kunz Crew Chief: Vulgar Boatman (Jack Hines) 
E-640 The Nemesis Owner/Driver: Phil Kunz Dayton, Ohio 1965 (Click pic to see a larger resolution version) Phil campaigned this hull for 2 years, sold it to some gentleman and never heard of whatever happened to the boat, Hank's Prank 
E-1111 Hank's Prank III New Martinsville, West Virginia 1962 Dick Sooy S or A class converted to E class. Trick Shot 
F-48 Trick Shot (ex Bon Bon) Phil Lipschutz Ohio 1983 This hull was a former 225 Lauterbach hull. Chucky Boy 
F-96 Chucky Boy (ex Gandy) Owner / Driver Bill Hodge Jeffersonville, Indiana 1963 Originally Doug Brockman's former old 266 Gandy. The hull was extended when the F class rules changed LOA rules in early 1960s. Little Wide Track, Wonder Wart Hog, Brief Encounter 
E-200 Little Wide Track Dayton, Ohio 1965 Owner / Driver Dean Chenowith bought the hull from Will Farmer and decided he wanted to run in the faster class so he had the hull extended. 
E-200 Little Wide Track Ottawa, Illinois 1965 
E-200 Little Wide Track New Martinsville, West Virginia 1965 
E-200 Little Wide Track New Martinsville, West Virginia 1965 
E-200 Little Wide Track Saint Peterburg, Florida 1965 
E-666 Wonder Wart Hog Dayton, Ohio 1967 Phil Kunz debuts the boat for the first time after acquiring it from Dean. The hydro was re-powered from a Buick to Chevy. 
E-666 Wonder Wart Hog Kankakee, Illinois 1968 Jim Kropfeld flyin by and pointing to the headers (that were rattling loose). 
E-666 Wonder Wart Hog Celina, Ohio 1968 This photo shows what many called, the Wonder Wart Hog "Skydance." This occurred when coming out of corners. 
E-666 Wonder Wart Hog New Martinsville, West Virginia 1968 Walt Struzek driving the record setting Vagabond and Jim Kropfeld driving hard in the Wonder Wart Hog pushing it to the limit 
E-274 Brief Encounter Zanesville, Ohio 1969 The boat was sold and campaigned the next year. After it's racing days were over it was sold again and the new owner was running it on his lake and ran out of gas. He soon discovered that old raceboats leak alot (and with no chase boat), Buckeye Lake (Ohio) claimed it. © Phil Kunz Back to The Vintage Hydroplanes |
