Vintage V-Drive [Archive] - RiverRacer.Net

Her454

03-28-2004, 05:17 PM

Anyone have any info on Spico V-Drives? A friend of mine has had a 62 Spico in the back yard that has been going to crap. Its a beautiful boat, mohaghany deck (sp) and I've been bugging him about it for years as it just sits in the pasture. He finally gave it to me today and it is now my "project restoration". It was a gorgeous boat in its heyday and the motor is in good condition, hull is great, just needs interior and the wood redone. Any pics of these boats? It needs alot of work but its a challenge and I cant wait to get it done. I'll post pics later.

Blown 472

03-28-2004, 05:32 PM

Originally posted by Her454
Anyone have any info on Spico V-Drives? A friend of mine has had a 62 Spico in the back yard that has been going to crap. Its a beautiful boat, mohaghany deck (sp) and I've been bugging him about it for years as it just sits in the pasture. He finally gave it to me today and it is now my "project restoration". It was a gorgeous boat in its heyday and the motor is in good condition, hull is great, just needs interior and the wood redone. Any pics of these boats? It needs alot of work but its a challenge and I cant wait to get it done. I'll post pics later.
Kick ass, can I have your hydro?

Hud

03-28-2004, 05:44 PM

Traci, a friend of a friend has one. He bought it band new & it still looks like the day he got it! It has a 389 in it with 3-2's. Nice boat!

Her454

03-28-2004, 05:59 PM

Same thing this has in it Hud, just needs alot of TLC. I cant wait to start on it.
Blown, sorry the Hydro is getting sold. Not yet, but the motor is gone and some of the goodies....:)

Blown 472

03-28-2004, 06:02 PM

Originally posted by Her454
Same thing this has in it Hud, just needs alot of TLC. I cant wait to start on it.
Blown, sorry the Hydro is getting sold. Not yet, but the motor is gone and some of the goodies....:)
Really? bummer

1Bahnerjet

03-28-2004, 06:14 PM

Originally posted by Her454
Blown, sorry the Hydro is getting sold. Not yet, but the motor is gone and some of the goodies....:)
Wish I could just buy the Paint Job. :D

Hud

03-28-2004, 06:32 PM

Traci, I haven't heard from Mike. I would like to buy the primer system IF its for sale!

Her454

03-28-2004, 08:32 PM

Hud, he should be getting home from the swap meet tonite, he will give you a call Im sure.
Do you have any pics of your buddys' v-drive?

Hud

03-28-2004, 09:32 PM

No, I have only see it twice in the last ten years! It's a garage queen!:D

Bad Meds

03-28-2004, 09:41 PM

Hey Hud , check your PM's . I got home late but it was a fun day:D

Kurtis500

03-28-2004, 11:15 PM

Heres apic of my dads 62 Spico taken in about 1964.
http://www.***boat.com/image_center/data/518/7spico-med.JPG
This is how they looked back then. The stripe on the side was very popular then too, my dad always refers to it as the 'Spico stripe'. I owned a 62 Spico myself for a year before I sold it to a friend. I still get to see it and ski behind it a few times a year. Those are pretty rare now. If I remember right a 62 Spico with a blown hemi named 'Hot Totty' ran 104mph or so back in its day.

Her454

03-29-2004, 06:42 AM

Thanks Kurtis500, thats exactly what the boat looks like now except the stripe is blue..yuck. Was this a wooden deck also?
Cant tell by the pics.

Stab-n-Steer

03-29-2004, 07:37 AM

Her454

03-29-2004, 09:00 AM

No its not, but I've seen that boat and the guy wont part with it.
(I hate to see boats rot away like that, they have so much history!)
This one belonged to 1069 Dimarco (Alvin Newton) and the boat was redone about 10 years ago (the wood deck) but its been sitting since. He has too many projects, was going to give it to his son to restore but he just doesn't have the time so it just sat out in the backyard. He finally let it go yesterday. Im bringing it home this week and having the motor pulled and going from there. Im going to take some pics of it as is and they are trying to dig up some pics of what it did look like before. The interior is in good shape, just needs lots of cleaning but the wood is completely gone. Motor needs lots of cleaning and some TLC but otherwise it will polish up nice too. Has the original trailer, and Mike told me what the name of it is but I cant remember now and its still in great shape.
Now just trying to figure out the colors - something to really compliment and bring out the wood. :D

old rigger

03-29-2004, 10:11 AM

her454,
spico boats boats was owned by a guy named Buck Smith and they were built outa Bakersfield, Ca. I had one about 3 years ago, a 65 with a wood deck, but got rid or it. It was too much of a project at the time.
Back in the day, like Kurtis said, Hot Toddy was a world record holder in its class.
Buck Smith (and sons) would build you a hull with a deck, a hull only with the directions and plans (i still have the ones that came with my old boat) telling you how to build your own wood deck or of course a complete boat. Smith went on to invent, and patent the chopper gun. A chopper cun is used to mix glass and resin and then shoot it out of the nozle. Great for making patio furniture and stuff like that, but not so great for making boats, galaxie, bayliner and the like. It make the process of laying up a boat very, very quick, but you get a resin rich finish...lots of stress cracks.
Buck Smith is still alive, or at least he was about 7 years ago when I met him at a hot rod deal. He made a killing on his chopper gun.

Her454

03-29-2004, 10:41 AM

Thanks Old Rigger, appreciate your info as Im trying to find as much about these boats as possible and Im not having much luck. I'd like to see some deck pics of a few old ones.
Her454 <-----------------Cant believe you used Boats and Bayliner in the same sentence. :):):)

JEThro

03-29-2004, 11:47 AM

Traci,I was told once that you had a Bahner that was your project boat. I must have you confused with somebody else. Good luck with your new project. Jethro

Her454

03-29-2004, 12:04 PM

Jethro, Jet is done just waiting for a few parts for the pump :).
This thing has me looking at all kinds of cool sites and I found these pics, thought I'd share.
http://www.hotboatpics.com/pics/data/500/13967Regatta.jpg
Engine builder Keith Black relaxes alongside his blown Chrysler which powered the Royal Canadiana, owned by Aubert Brillant (standing), to a new 7-litre Kilo record of 150.244 mph.
http://www.hotboatpics.com/pics/data/500/139KeithBlack-med.jpg
FROM A SPECTATOR'S VIEWPOINT, the 1966 National Inboard Championships July 29-31, at Seattle, was a
smashing success. Onlookers basked in rare, fine mid-summer weather while surveying the rich blue waters of Lake Washington where some 150 racers battled it out for nine class titles. And, for those grimly anticipating spills, there was a total of 13 to prompt their oohs and ahhs.
For the participants, however, the warm clear days, the inspiring scenery and the thrills of competition were somewhat overshadowed by the dangers and disappointments created by the deceiving Lake Washington course. Pretty it might be, calm it might appear. But, there is little doubt that "holes," cross currents and gentle but tricky winds greatly handicapped the proceedings.
Of new records, there were none; the closest timing to a record book figure being 3-mph off the mark. Flips may be expected at highly competitive events like the Nationals, but their frequency throughout the event attests to troubled waters. Clockings were another indication that all was not ideal; in many classes, timings were well off the norm, some incredibly so.
Yet, though the beautiful Lake Washington proved to be a villain in tranquil disguise, the show went on. And, when the spray had settled following the last SK championship heat, eight title-holders had been dethroned while only one had safely remained king of his class.
http://www.hotboatpics.com/pics/data/500/139kboats-med.jpg

coolchange

03-29-2004, 12:38 PM

Old Rigger, Would there be ANY way of getting a copy of those plans/directions? :D I'll pay ya for your time/ expence/ beer/?.

Her454

03-30-2004, 12:05 PM

Ok, I KNOW this is going to be a project......but I think it has great potential and I love a challenge ! I've got alot of great help lined up and Im really excited about his......... Dont be too harsh...try and see the potential here ;)
http://www.hotboatpics.com/pics/data/500/139Spico1-med.jpg
http://www.hotboatpics.com/pics/data/500/139Spico2-med.jpg
http://www.hotboatpics.com/pics/data/500/139Spico3-med.jpg
http://www.hotboatpics.com/pics/data/500/139Spico4-med.jpg
http://www.hotboatpics.com/pics/data/500/139Spico5-med.jpg
http://www.hotboatpics.com/pics/data/500/139Spico6-med.jpg

Blown 472

03-30-2004, 12:08 PM

You good with sandpaper?

Her454

03-30-2004, 12:21 PM

Originally posted by Blown 472
You good with sandpaper?
Actually yes. :) My ex used to restore the old Woodie's so I've watched several go from start to finish and even helped in a few.

Blown 472

03-30-2004, 12:23 PM

Originally posted by Her454
Actually yes. :) My ex used to restore the old Woodie's so I've watched several go from start to finish and even helped in a few.
She said "woodie":D
How much for the ford exhaust manifold?

Her454

03-30-2004, 12:27 PM

LOL....thats the best part of the boat....Im keepin it. :)

AzDon

03-30-2004, 12:32 PM

You use sandpaper to restore a woody?....OUCH!

HotHallet

03-30-2004, 01:19 PM

Her454- She's pretty rough but not impossible to bring back to life. As long as you see the potential in it and are willing to put forth the effort to revive the old girl go for it! You will have a timeless classic when your'e done and I'm sure lots of fun putting it back together. Best of luck!

old rigger

03-30-2004, 01:23 PM

her454,
here's a pic of my old Buck Smith Spico. This was about 3 years ago.
http://www.***boat.com/image_center/data/524/469thumper_1-med.JPG

Her454

03-30-2004, 02:01 PM

Thanks HH! Appreciate it. Old Rigger, thats a nice boat. I was thinking of something in possibly yellow also as to bring out the wood. Not sure yet, I've got a long way to go before that point. :rolleyes: Thanks for the pic!

JWM

03-30-2004, 08:22 PM

Buck Smith is still alive. Lives in Santa Ana Ca. and has a shop in Costa Mesa with his son. He hangs out almost evey Wednesday night at Art Christmas shop in Santa Ana Ca.. A bunch of old racers have been meeting on Wednesday for years.
Jim Wilkes
Wilkes Marine

old rigger

03-31-2004, 07:11 AM

Jim,
Glad to hear he's still around. I thought he said he still lived in the Bakersfield area when I met him, but I guess I heard him wrong.
I knew he was an old rodder, I met him at a special lunch deal for old track roadster racers and owners. He was sitting at across the table from me. I never met him before and I kept thinking that I knew this guy from somewhere. About halfway through the ceremony and the inductions it dawned on me on who I thought this guy was. I leaned across the table and asked him if he was Buck Smith? He said yeah and did I know him? Nope, I told him but, I remembered one of his adds from the mid 60's. It featured one of his boats in the water with Buck standing on the deck. I remembered it from when I was a kid, 30 years earlier, from my dads boat mags. He was floored that I remembered that (I was too, now I can't remembered what the hell I had for dinner the night before) and we talked boats for a while surrounded by all these legendary roadster racers.
It was a pretty good day.

TRG

03-31-2004, 10:19 PM

i actually am the semi-new owner of old riggers Spico, i was given the oppertunity to make her river-worthy, but had a friend that was way interested in the project of a total resto,...i gave him until this may to show me some results , but has not yet come through, so i think i will be coming back into this project where i "WILL" complete in the near future! pics will be posted upon arrival and throughout the resto.:D

058

03-31-2004, 10:44 PM

Originally posted by old rigger
Jim,
Glad to hear he's still around. I thought he said he still lived in the Bakersfield area when I met him, but I guess I heard him wrong.
I knew he was an old rodder, I met him at a special lunch deal for old track roadster racers and owners. He was sitting at across the table from me. I never met him before and I kept thinking that I knew this guy from somewhere. About halfway through the ceremony and the inductions it dawned on me on who I thought this guy was. I leaned across the table and asked him if he was Buck Smith? He said yeah and did I know him? Nope, I told him but, I remembered one of his adds from the mid 60's. It featured one of his boats in the water with Buck standing on the deck. I remembered it from when I was a kid, 30 years earlier, from my dads boat mags. He was floored that I remembered that (I was too, now I can't remembered what the hell I had for dinner the night before) and we talked boats for a while surrounded by all these legendary roadster racers.
It was a pretty good day. "Pretty good day"??? You walk on hollowed ground and call it a "pretty good day?" O.R. Do you know who would **** fish to stand in your shoes and refer to a "pretty good day" with the likes of Buck Smith or Howard Brown or ........"fill in the blanks" What was had for dinner is NOTHING compaired to WHO you had dinner with and the stories they could tell is what matters...GODDAMN, Man you are making history or should be recording history for the young pups that are starting to wonder where these fine boats come from. It is your duty to educate these fellows where our roots lie.:D