TOPIC: Is this a 60's flat bottom speed boat? A kit?

Just bought this for nine dollars ... what did I get? The motor is a 1958 Chevy 348 so I think the boat might be a early 1960's boat. Does it look familiar to anyone? Thanks for any response, Larry in Idaho.

I'd bet you lunch that it is an early Biesmyer(sp). Quite popular in the late 50's and 60's. Suggest you try Classic V Drive Club of America for further information.
Jack

larrychase wrote:

Just bought this for nine dollars ... what did I get? The motor is a 1958 Chevy 348 so I think the boat might be a early 1960's boat. Does it look familiar to anyone? Thanks for any response, Larry in Idaho.

I'd say you got a heck of a great deal.
Rodney

Your right its a great deal even if it won't float. Just kidding I'm sure it will float. What V drive does it have and does it have a transmission?
Jack

I am not a mechanic so I have to rely on others to clarify what this is.

Larry you have a rare one there and how did you get it for 9 bucks for god sakes. I will put 3 links to boat sites I use. You may want to put a post up on them or even screamandfly.com I have owned several drag boats over the years but never one like this. I do agree it could be a biesemeyer but if so its pre 1960. The back of the boats changed in 60 do to mist coming up the back of the boat onto the engines. The radius on the back was the problem so they squared them off and the air flow stopped that issue. Cool score. Best check the engine numbers again and make sure its not a 409. The boat is worthy of restoring or its a cash cow. I would say it would easily bring a couple of grand to the right guy.
Bob

www.hotboat.com/frm/showthread.php?t=1587

www.performanceboats.com/tags/biesemeyer.html

www.boatracingfacts.com/forums/index.php?s=35ddd836f133088fb41069e46c959356

Awesome boat!
I have always loved those Chevy 348/409's! One of the coolest looking motors ever.
$9.00 Somebodies baby was stolen!
Sorry but I am going to have to start an 'Amber' alert for that one. Nice buy! WOW.

Wow!! What a deal!!!

I'd love to hear the story of that $9 boat too. 348s and 409s were hard to find 30 years ago. It can't be any easier now.
Rodney

So I went to a "storage unit" auction ... looking at a 53 Pontiac. In one space was three boats, a 59 Alpine 16' with a 60's(?) Mercury 6 cyl, this blue boat with the inboard, and a worn out wood cheap boat. I know what the Mercury was worth ... I have several. So the auctioneer asks for an opening bid ... I offer $25. No other bidders stepped up. After sales tax I figure I am into each boat for about $9. So all three of these boats will be sold (I just sold my fleet of 5 RedFish's and 3 G3's last month ... so I need to keep trimming down). I kept my best RedFish. I am still trying to figure out the year of the "Biesemyer ?". I know for certain what the motor is (1958 Chevy 348). Also I need to figure out the year of the Mercury ... any ideas on this? Larry in Idaho

The mercury is a 1961 Merc 800 long shaft Dr (Direct Reversing)I have a few of them myself. I actually have a pair of counter rotating ones for sale with no luck selling them. Larry First thing I would do is check if it turns over freely and if you can put a battery to it, get a compression test and that will help sell it faster one way or the other. If its got good compression it will have a greater value. No point in guessing what to ask for it till you do that. Plus your in Idaho which may limit your buyer base in less you are willing to ship it. I ship lots of motors all over the US and Canada. US shipping is about $250 per 1000miles.

Regarding the V-Drive boat I would start at $2000 and promote it on one of the sites I sent you links too. I bet it gets bought up in a heartbeat from someone in CA. Very popular hotrods out there.
Bob

Does "direct reversing" mean like a "dock buster"?

that would be correct. Also this is the only Dock buster that did not have a pull start. Also 1961 was the only year that used a chrome script to spell out mercury on the cowl. There a one year only deal as far as the cowl but the 800 was produced in 60 and 61.

WOW! just plain WOW!.... Talk about falling into a pile and coming out rose's! That V- drive is beautiful!!!
Deal of the year for sure.

Nice score. Yup that old flattie will bring some $$ out here.

Is the trailer solid? The wheel bearings OK?

I'd advertise it as suggested, and on the Los Angeles and Vega Craigs Lists. Maybe Phoenix and SF Bay Area too... That's a prime collector restoration boat.

If the W motor in it has decent parts is worth $2K out of the boat as a core. There are guys building early Stockers and Gassers looking for decent cores ...

It's be nice to keep it together, but that hull and a crate motor would be OK as a runner

Thank you all for the info and comments. Now I am off to SEMA (car trade show) so I will have to wait a week before digging into these boats more ... unless the shop crew figures it all out before I get back . Thanks again. Larry in Boise Idaho.

That "worn out wood cheap boat" may be just that or it could be worth a few bucks to a "woodie" fan. I have built several wooden boats and I know the work involved in making something like that. I see some nice workmanship there. If the hull isn't rotten, you might post a pic or two on the WOOD BOATS section here and see what response you get. And that custom fit trailer shows care and planning in it's construction, all the more reason to think it might be salvageable.

BTW: in 1961 I was in the market for an outboard for a ski boat. I was at a dealer looking at a new Evinrude Lark 40hp for $640. The owner offered me one of those Merc 800s for the same price. He said he got a special deal on three of them from a distributor. He said the new Mercs were coming out soon and they had full f-n-r gearshifts. The left-over direct reversing models were not selling, so they were being unloaded cheap (he said). I choose the Lark anyway.

This Biesemyer inboard boat with the chevy 348 is now for sale on Ebay ... should be interesting to watch it find a new owner. I saw a picture of one that had been finished in "red", makes me want to pursue this one, but how many projects can an old fellow handle? I need to finish my RedFish first! Larry in Boise, Idaho.

Larry, did you ever find the exact date that red fish built the first fiberglass shark??

Sorry, I did not. Now I just have only the one RedFish left which still needs to be finished to match the "unfinished" 1959 Dodge Sweptside pickup. Too many projects! Larry in Idaho