Belmonts

[Sangerboy]

In order to keep the K-boat thread intact I'll start a new one for you LO. Belmonts were based in Fresno, the shop was on Belmont Ave about 1/2 mile west of the 99 across form a cemetary. The boats were first built in the 50's by Smith "Smitty" Weeks. I think the earliest boats were all wood but by '59 or '60 they were doing fiberglass over plywood,strong but heavy. Smitty favored big cid torque monsters (big Fords and Lincolns especially). All fiberglass construction started in the mid 60's. The boats were quite fast for their day. Smitty's hull designs often used a lot of rocker. Son Lynn(sp?) took over the business and sadly suffered a stroke several years ago, the business died out in the 80's I think. Probably the most famous Belmont was the Purple People Eater, a Allison powered drag boat which would run 115 in the quarter in the early 60's. Boy, would I love to find that boat and restore it Here's a picture of my dad's 1960 20' Belmont powered by a McCulloch supercharged 430 Lincoln, in the late 70's the boat would still do 70 mph, even with a very tired motor. and yes that's a much younger eraser in the passengers seat.
http://www.***boat.com/image_center/...d_boat-med.jpg

[V-DRIVE VIDEO]

Sangerboy, thanks for gettin me off the hook.
I've driven Billy M's Belmont its a nice boat. Lots of rocker and built like a tank.
I don't know if they all have 4 stringers but Bills boat does.

[Just Tool'n]

Belmont is still in business, they are just building comp ski boats just like everyone else is. Look at Sanger, Hondo, Centurian. All building boats for the masses, instead of for the few.
I talked to Lynn a number of years ago, said when he had his stoke that his wife took the business over. Did not sound like too good of a story.
They are still in Fresno on Belmont Ave, across from the cemetary, they are now called Belmont Marine.

[Just Tool'n]

Oh by the way my good friend had a 69 Belmont flat, he had a 427 BBC with a small B&M 250 blower on it, Zoomies, & a powerglide in it. He lost intrest in it when he bought his 24FT HTM.
He just gave it to his 20 year old son, so we should it back in action this summer we hope.

[Sangerboy]

Thanks Just Tool'n, I haven't got much info after the 80's for Belmont

[LakesOnly]

Originally posted by Sangerboy
Belmonts were based in Fresno, the shop was on Belmont Ave about 1/2 mile west of the 99 across from a cemetary.
I think the boat I'm gonna be driving is from that cemetary. But it can be revived.
The truth is I am grateful that an idividual is kind enough to offer to revive a boat and send me to the brackets in it. That's pretty damn cool, if you ask me.
Still, based on what I've uncovered so far, I've decided that I will continue to look for my own V-Drive. Currently, I'm looking at a DiMarco Hydro and an early eighties Cole TR-?.
Thanks for all the info on Belmonts. I was curious what this boat is all about. So it's the same company in Fresno that makes today's Ski Supreme...
LO

[cal***boat]

http://www.***boat.com/image_center/...82_Belmont.gif
In the above picture is the 1982 Belmont that I bought quite a few years ago from Bill Simpson.
The boat was built for Bill as a marathon ski race boat by Lynn who is Bill Simpsons brother in law. The boat was a one of a kind and was built from 3 different molds they had at that time to build this boat.
The boat was a real heavy layup and had all the latest trick Trimetric hardware in it for the time. The boat did have a blown 500 inch chevy in it and pushed the boat over the 100 mph mark and was the boat to beat back in those days when Bill raced it.
When I bought it from Bill it had a worn out carbed 427 in it and was a real slug. I pulled the 427 and put in my full roller 468 by Ron Fry Racing and the best I could ever get the boat to do was 84 mph.
It was one sweet riding boat and loved the rough water and it seemed the faster you went in it the better it rode.
The last time I seen Lynn was over at Bill Simpsons summer house up here at Clearlake about 3 years ago and he was doing good at that time.
Well thats my 02 cents about Belmont Boats and Lynn.