What happened to Cole boats???

[new2cats]

My buddy worked for them years ago...lived close to them...nice 25' & 28' "World Class" Vs......Jim Cole was an interesting dude. Heard lots of rumors....anyone know the TRUE story with details and timelines.
Sorry if this is an ancient subject with past threads.
Just curious!

[uLtRADeNniS]

The owner has giving up boat building and is now spending his time researching the airplane/treadmill theory.

[new2cats]

Common...somebody's gotta know somethin'!!!
I think this is an attempt at my first BUMP.....bump

[new2cats]

The owner has giving up boat building and is now spending his time researching the airplane/treadmill theory.
OH....a MythBusters reference.....that helps!:D

[ULTRA26 # 1]

It will be interesting to read what others have to say about Jim. I have heard stories from he got cancer and got out of the business, to he got shot, and that he moved to AZ and retired. I do know that Eliminator had a new Cole 25 for sale last year with a 496 Mag in it, priced at under 70K.
Jim built great boats. I had a 91 Superhawk with a 454/Bravo.

[new2cats]

It will be interesting to read what others have to say about Jim. I have heard stories from he got cancer and got out of the business, to he got shot, and that he moved to AZ and retired. I do know that Eliminator had a new Cole 25 for sale last year with a 496 Mag in it, priced at under 70K.
Jim built great boats. I had a 91 Superhawk with a 454/Bravo.
I do know this.....he got shot....he was being protected by some big dudes after the shooting...that is the end of the "good info" I have....a buddy was doing some conduit in the attic of the shop when the shooters came in and popped him (on a Saturday)....would love the whole story...yes, he built a very Howard-quality boat!

[ULTRA26 # 1]

I do know this.....he got shot....he was being protected by some big dudes after the shooting...that is the end of the "good info" I have....a buddy was doing some conduit in the attic of the shop when the shooters came in and popped him (on a Saturday)....would love the whole story...yes, he built a very Howard-quality boat!
Back in the early 90's it was Howard, Hallett and Cole. The Chatsworth shop was a bit of a hole, but he had some beautiful boats in the back.

[wedge44]

No Howard builds COLE quality boats, just not as heavy lay-up...:D :D :D

[Dribble]

He did get shot. He's out of the boat business. His molds are at a shop in Winchester. They're building some boats there and also laying up some hulls for Martin Marine.

[ULTRA26 # 1]

Is Jim still alive?
Martin as in Casillas(sp)?

[shippingguy]

He did get shot. He's out of the boat business. His molds are at a shop in Winchester. They're building some boats there and also laying up some hulls for Martin Marine.
Winchester as in Temecula/Murrieta area? Where is this shop located?

[playdeep]

...Molds were in Havasu for a while,Jeff Clark had them.
After that it gets REALLY ugly...

[Trailer Park Casanova]

If you do a search you can find all kinds of takes.
I've owned a home across from his (now former) shop.
Always lots of drama at and with Mr. Cole.
His retail boats performed well over 70 mph, especially compaired to most (not all) his competition.
And some of his boats are valued by their condition, not their year. A BFD that says alot about quality.
Cole is a subject that can really get folks worked up here.
Many Sunday mornings at the nearby Elks Lodge on Shoenborn, across from Rocketdyne, former Cole Racers, team owners, drivers, mechanics, employees, owners, vendors, friends and enemies have breakfast at the outdoor beer garden and the Cole stories fly.
LEOS are at the breakfast and their Cole stories, takes and opinions are just as interesting
It's open to the public.
Cole, if anything, good or bad, real or exaggerated, is definately a legend in the world of Hot Boats.

[OCMerrill]

I love the shooting story. Everybody knows somebody that was there. What, were there 55 people in the shop when he got shot?
My sister's husbands step father's brother has a cousin.... :)

[3 daytona`s]

:) The owner has giving up boat building and is now spending his time researching the airplane/treadmill theory.
some of us get a bit confused by you Dennis:idea: :) A simple question. and a time and place for attempted humor IMO not the Time Or Place. But who knows the humor out here any more

[Rvr Swpr]

The owner has giving up boat building and is now spending his time researching the airplane/treadmill theory.
That could be something "Dumb and Young" would Type.But he has been gone quite awhile.lol

[wedge44]

J 540 knows cole real well, worked for him for a while 20 yrs ago, I believe he's still in touch and knows his whereabouts:idea: :idea: :idea:
Paging J 540.....the biggest dick I know:D :D :D

[DeltaSigBoater]

I remember back at the LA Show in '99 Jim was siting at the desk they had set up in towards the back of their display, with (what appeared to be) a cocktail in one hand, and a lit cigarette in the other. Reminded me when I was a kid and smoking inside was still kosher :D

[3 daytona`s]

If you do a search you can find all kinds of takes.
I've owned a home across from his (now former) shop.
Always lots of drama at and with Mr. Cole.
His retail boats performed well over 70 mph, especially compaired to most (not all) his competition.
And some of his boats are valued by their condition, not their year. A BFD that says alot about quality.
Cole is a subject that can really get folks worked up here.
Every Sunday morning at the Elk Lodge on Shoenborn, across from Rocketdyne, former Cole Racers, team owners, drivers, mechanics, employees, owners, vendors, friends and enemies have breakfast and the Cole stories fly.
LEOS are at the breakfast and their Cole stories, takes and opinions are just as interesting
It's open to the public.
Cole, if anything, good or bad, real or exaggerated, is definately a legend in the world of Hot Boats.
:)

[HM]

Is it possible that you could be a bigger dick?
I think it is "That time of month" for 3 daytona's.

[Kilrtoy]

I love the shooting story. Everybody knows somebody that was there. What, were there 55 people in the shop when he got shot?
I was there moments after he was shot...
You rang BOB....

[SOCALDETAIL1]

I ran into him at a yacht sales office in Huntington Beach a few years back, He gave me a few words of advice he told me "Son start offering gel repair in your detailing business thats where the money's at" Nice guy gave me one of his old business cards and limped off.

[uLtRADeNniS]

I think it is "That time of month" for 3 daytona's.
Thanks.. a good laugh is always good before bed.:D
Goodnight!

[steveo143]

Jim Shubert is still building motors in the valley. He recently built the motor in Frankie's BAH "Red Baron" and a fuel motor for Andy Herberts' BFH "Reinin Thunder". PM me if you want to get in touch with Jim.

[Dribble]

Winchester as in Temecula/Murrieta area? Where is this shop located?
He advertises on Craigslist as Crusader boats and does other custom work also. I know that Martin Marine said he can build a Cole boat with a Cole Hull ID. Jim Cole gets a piece of every boat built.

[ColeTR2]

It was not Cole's Family boats that put him on the map. It was his Drag Boats.
Read this Tread it has some info (http://www.***boat.com/forums/showthread.php?t=105330)

[Keith E. Sayre]

New 2 Cats: Call me when you have a minute.
Work number is 928-680-7600

[justfloatn]

The little I know about him is from articles and the drags. His flats, runners and hydros are some of the best and still most sought(sp) after hulls. If ***boat Mag. is correct he was the first to produce a out of the box 100MPH I/O V-hull and pioneered some of the gel coat colors and techniques used.
IMO. It's too bad he was not a better business man. He is an awesom boat builder and could be up there with Eliminator and some others today.

[ChumpChange]

There is a Cole thread about once a year. It will get deleted at some point.

[OCMerrill]

There is a Cole thread about once a year. It will get deleted at some point.
SPOT ON.
Right now this thread is mild. If it goes left just a little it will disapear.

[ULTRA26 # 1]

There is a Cole thread about once a year. It will get deleted at some point.
SPOT ON.
Right now this thread is mild. If it goes left just a little it will disapear.
Why is that? :confused:

[OCMerrill]

Why is that? :confused:
Don't know but there is obviously a relationship between HB and Cole...still.
Some of the older threads I remember get pretty wild and the speculation flows. Then thread is gone.
Probably deserving of deletion anyway.

[Throttle]

his boats were the SHIAT!
I almost bought one in 2002

[ChumpChange]

Why is that? :confused:
Tweakers take them down. :D
OC said it best.

[ULTRA26 # 1]

Tweakers take them down. :D
OC said it best.
:D :D

[3 daytona`s]

I think it is "That time of month" for 3 daytona's.
does that to me= sorry:idea:

[uLtRADeNniS]

does that to me= sorry:idea:
here ya go...
http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j151/Katieboo4x/midol.jpg
http://adweek.blogs.com/photos/uncategorized/tampax.jpg
.....ahhhh you might as well pick up a copy of this to read too.. I will upset you less than hot boat will!
......
https://rs230.securehostserver.com/~asborg00/osCommerce/catalog/images/oprah.jpg
See ya in 4 days!

[3 daytona`s]

how to secure the Diverter pump?:confused: :rolleyes: :D Young and Dumb this is not brain surgery:)

[uLtRADeNniS]

how to secure the Diverter pump?:confused: :rolleyes: :D Young and Dumb this is not brain surgery:)
....hey did you buy a boat yet?;)
or are you still sobbing over that guy in the jet boat that didnt wave to you?

[3 daytona`s]

....hey did you buy a boat yet?;)
or are you still sobbing over that guy in the jet boat that didnt wave to you?
D&Y should we make a little wager:)

[uLtRADeNniS]

D&Y should we make a little wager:)
You've got my attention......what kinda wager?

[Cole22]

One day while Jim was out 2 black men dressed in army fatigue came into Cole boats on Canoga Ave Chatsworth,CA and tied up his employees back, then then waited for Jim to show up, the windows to his shop were tinted so he couldn't see what was going on inside while walking up he opened the door and was punched and shot he says these were the same two guys who came up to him a month earlier asking him for money they also said he better close his shop or he would be killed ( he knows exactly who did this and the reason is he didn't sell his molds to a competitor, though he did not report the company. He then began staying home and healing from the gunshot wounds and the broken ribs, he later moved back to his home in San Diego where he suffers from that disease which consists of memory loss alshimers ( don't know how to spell it) anyways he is alive but can't even remember who his kids are his ex-wife is trieng to hang out with him in hope to get $$$ from his will (his kids are fighting that) that is the last I heard about Jim. But this is 100% true from what I've heard from close family members so I hope this helped thank you

[cole super sport]

Cole 22 is almost correct... He never had a home in San diego.. He isn't in san diego.. Close though.. I worked for him when all this went down.. I just wasn't there at the time.. I have been reading all these forums for years just too see what people say.. or think they know.. it's all rumors.. Ya a few boat shops knocked off a few of his boats.. BIG DEAL.. They might say cole but in reality they aren't.. A true cole was built out of the shop from Chatsworth.. Just like all his boats.. People talk all this crap just because they are jealous they didn't ever buy one.. or couldn't afford one.. A lot of people buy another boat that looks like a cole cause they didn't want to spend the extra couple of grand to get a true hand made boat.. built to their every spec.. I'm not trying to start a thread that gets people all bent out of shape.. I just don't understand that people can't just respect the fact that he made great boats and leave it at that.. He ran a great boat business and had the fastest hulls out there.. Hot boat magazine proved that many times.. They took boat for boat and motor for motor and a cole was always faster.. So take it or leave it..Whatever he did in his past is his past.. Everytime i go to the lake with my cole someone always has a story.. The story's will never go away.. There is nothing that u can do about it...But just realize if u have a cole.. U are part of something that will never be made again.. End of story