TFF set ups

[gunslinger]

Was working on my 81 hondo runner over the weekend. Did'nt have time to go to casitas, so I got out the hose and wash bucket and fired it up. After that I just sat there and drank beers in my boat and started to think about the balls it took to pilot one of these things with a fuel motor back in the day. Was wondering if those boats were laid up the same as a boat you would have purchased for lake hot rodding? My hondo is a 450lb. lay up I've been told. Did those boats use the same casale v-drive that we're using today? How about the stringers, same type of wood? Anyways, was just wondering.

[SUI-CY-COLE]

i know they had a basket in the drivers seat to handle the balls they had to have to drive at 170mph plus !!!!!1

[Fiat48]

I had a previous Fuel Flatbottom that I bought from Kim Stewart. It was Cole, I think 1977. It used the same Casale V drive with a 1 inch shaft. The strut was way under the boat, 27 1/2" as I remember. V drive was at 96" from the transom and Motor plate was at 35 1/2". I'd say it was more of a standard weight boat. The cavitaion levers were much longer for more down pedal.
The strut being so far under the boat caused us to have a heavy tail and carry the nose too high with a Blown Gas Chevy at the time. We promptly replaced the strut with a brand new proper one and crashed the boat on it's first run with the new strut. The strut broke and caused the crash. That's why struts are not chromed on race boats.
I always thought they kept Blown Fuel Flat drivers in a cage between races, then turned them loose at the races. :)

[gunslinger]

All the pictures I've seen show the passinger seat missing. I thought they kept their sacks there. eek!

[ACCEPTENCE]

gunslinger:
Was working on my 81 hondo runner over the weekend. Did'nt have time to go to casitas, so I got out the hose and wash bucket and fired it up. After that I just sat there and drank beers in my boat and started to think about the balls it took to pilot one of these things with a fuel motor back in the day. Was wondering if those boats were laid up the same as a boat you would have purchased for lake hot rodding? My hondo is a 450lb. lay up I've been told. Did those boats use the same casale v-drive that we're using today? How about the stringers, same type of wood? Anyways, was just wondering. So I guess the real question your askin is:
Can you put a fuel motor in your 81 Hondo?????
I say go for it, a few small changes and your all set...zoom-zoom!!!!!

[gunslinger]

Fuel motor? Do'nt think so. Blown gas someday. Besides, if I have to keep my balls in the passinger side it would be difficult to get friends to ride with me. jawdrop

[Ian]

I have one of Jim Cole's old fuel boats and it's layed up real heavy, big stringers, larger strut brace, extra turnbuckles on the cav plate. It takes a strong foot to mash the plate down and it seems like more of the boat is in the water when I do a pass than most other boats. From what I understand they don't have as much rocker than your typical flatty, the boat is super stable and has never felt squirlly. I'm running a blown gas 468 with about 14lbs of boost that Norm Grimes put together and I think I'd run faster with that motor in a different hull. Eventually we would like to restore it, I have to get some pics from Jim, I just hope it wasn't the boat that he ran the wing in front of the engine!

[racingfastflats]

Ian, i believe the BFF Spooky boat that Jim owned crashed on a backup run at Bakersfield while the late Jan Barrett was driving. That had the wing positioned in front of the motor. After that Jim repostioned back in the back of the boat.

[stix818]

We have an Hondo and remember Al Bush asking if my old man would be willing to sell it because Brendal supposedly had it set up for TFF. We couldn't get it to run over 125. We then took it to Larry Peto and he did the bottom (New strut and moved the V-drive among other things) and next time out it ran 134.

[Fiat48]

Stix818:
We have an Hondo and remember Al Bush asking if my old man would be willing to sell it because Brendal supposedly had it set up for TFF. We couldn't get it to run over 125. We then took it to Larry Peto and he did the bottom (New strut and moved the V-drive among other things) and next time out it ran 134. Still got that boat? I'm curious for some measurements. wink