1960's Speedliner

[A/B Speedliner]

Aeroliner construction

These are some of the early pictures, 59N is Alan in the first Aeroline that we built and 25N is one of the first red Speedliner boats bought in 1962. The boat on top of the Chevelle earlier in the thread was the last red Speedliner sold in 1965.

[BentRod]

My first boat

That looks like my first race boat except mine had an open cockpit forward. As I remember the rules called for a place to carry a passenger. The front seat? was a piece of plywood on top of the stringers. It would work but not a pleasent ride. I wish I still had it, but when I got back in the sport I drove hydros mostly. I'm glad to see that someone is building them again.

[Guest]

Some old stories

After we bought the plans and paterns for the A/B Speedliner along with one if not the last model 510's built we also bought a fram set, probably a "D" boat for a Speedliner that we built for the 36 clase that was popular at the time. It was easy to get the 510's out of my basement but the big boat was somthing that was impossible to get up the stairs with a couple folks. We wound up taking the doors of their frams and taking the stair railing down. Well it made it out and was raced in EORC on the Island and in the local area carring if I remember correctly 69N.

We will build the new boats to the same standard as using the best available wood, mahognay and oak in a few place exactly as the old ones had. All fastener will be bronze or stainless steel and hardware will only be Keller although the boat could be had without any running gear. Now that we have got everything in place the next bost will go a lot faster.

Alan

[A/B Speedliner]

Boat Progress

Alan got called to England so things have slowed down a bit. I have been able to scraff the side plywood and I am fitting one side. Hope to have both sides on by next weekend.

[oldracer]

Speedliners

Dave, when you and Alan bought the first boat, frames and plans, did Cliff
mention the start up using the Sea Jay name? I bought a 12' CU Sea Jay in
'64 used and a 13' new C/D alky boat. Both boats were well put together and
Ralph and Bill DeSilva checked out the alky boat at the '65 NOA nationals when Pete Hellsten and I drove down in his '57 T Bird hauling 3 boats in the
Long Island caravan. After blowing 3 Speeditwins, someone from MI loaned him one which was run with NO set up and still finished up there. I loved that
CU.
Ye Olde Desert Geezer (AKA) Mountain Man Al Lang
Did you get my E mail on Nicky Chapman? Anker Petersen sent it and wanted it passed on to you and Alan.

[Guest]

Possible "C" Aeroliner

Hi Al,
Well as we have been building the A/B boat David and I have been talking about a "C" version and a short "A" boat. We built the fixture to allow us to build the "C" boat so that all we have to do is proportionally change the rib spacing. I still have a "C" morter and would love to run that again. The "A" boat will be buit by removing 2 ribs and changing the spacing. One foot shorter should remove about 15 pounds and give us a boat with hardware that should weigh about 105 pounds. It ammazing that the first boat is going together like we never stopped building them, well a few lapses of memory before we got it right.

Alan

[A/B Speedliner]

Speedliners

Al
No he did not mention Sea Jay, only that he was finished building wood boats and the Company was going to build fiberglass boats. I made the trip from LI to St. Joe in three day by myself. That includes loading the boat on the roof of my Dad's Nash Rambler. I found a picture of the me pulling out of the barn doors at General Marine, if I can locate it I will post it.

The only sleep I had in that trip was under the grandstand at Indiana Raceway Park.

[A/B Speedliner]

Aeroliner construction

i found the slide with the Speedliner on the roof of Dad Rambler. I just have to convert it to digital format to post.

I also found the original Bill of Sale, dated August 1965.

Here are some of the lates pictures of the new boat, we just have to put the decks on and finish it off in the original red and varnish color.

[oldracer]

Aeroliner

Hi Dave and Alan,

Looking real good. Lines very much like Cliff's later Sea Jays. Wish I had the origional Sea Jay catalogs, kinda crude compared to the Speedliners. Cliff also
made a ski type outboard runabout (wood).

Are you going to be here for the Barrett-Jackson auction? Look me up even to meet for a few minutes. Phone no. 480-941-4766.

With all the old engines, have you thought about joining the Antique Outboard Motor Club? Lots of old time racers belong or did belong when alive.

Keep us posted on continuing updates.

Ye Olde Desert Geezer Al Lang

P.S. New E mail : alang5@cox.net

Happy New Year!!!!

[reed28n]

Speed

My Dad still has this boat unfortunately it is not the racing version

[A/B Speedliner]

Old Boats

Al I will not be at BJ this year but plan on going the following. Since selling the 1963 Z06, which I used to to tow a two boat trailer to the 1000 Islands Marathon, I have been driving a 2007 Z06. I plan to retire from my second career in July which will give me more time to travel and to build boats.

The plans and patterns we bought from General Marine (Speedliner) in 1965 were dated 1962. So that must have been the year they switched from the open front cockpit to the one cockpit design.

Alan's first Speeliner looked like the pictures posted above, except it was only a little over ten feet long. He bought that boat in 1955. The first boat I bought was a used bathtub Sid Craft from George Smith. He was a farmer just out side of Troy, NY where I was going to college. I used that boat for marthons, the first one I entered was the Lake George Marathon.

It is great remembering the old days, it must be the time of year that brings it out.

Happy New Year

David Van Weele, Aeroliner Raceboats

[RogerH]

"C" SpeedLiner to restore

I'm about to restore this SpeedLiner which I believe was was a "C" runabout (13' long, bottom = 39"). I'm not sure that the transom is correct and wonder what its original configuration might have been. There is a lot of evidence that the boat had been rigged several different times. What was the original side and bottom ply thickness?

Any information for the restoration would be appreciated. Does anyone know a source of the Speed Liner decals???
Thanks, Roger

[Guest]

C speedliner

Hi Roger,
I have an old Speedlinr cataloge from when I bought my 1955 BU. I you know the year I might be able to look at the spec sheet I have, The bottoms were 3/8 inch on most of the Speedliner. When we bought the plans and patterns to the M-510 and stated building them we went to 1/4 on the A and B boats for the bottom. Decals are not available to my knowledge.

Alan

[RogerH]

SpeedLiner Questions - Answered

Thanks Alan,
I don't think the picture got posted. I keep trying, but I can't seem to hit the right combination.
I have no idea about the boat's DOB. I'm still assessing the rebuild. I'm definitely replacing the rear 2/3's of the bottom and considering doing the sides. One of the splash rails has pulled through, and there are other cosmetic things that need attention. Plan on veneering the deck

PS: Let me know if you can see the photo - don't think so.

[JULI SEAMAN]

Hey SAX, That first post you wrote here could've been written word for word by my brother Alan,if he were still among us. His first racing baths were in our Speedliner J then the A. Hmm, wonder if your Dad bought them from mine I think the J boat was the reason I skipped J and went straight to A. Happy New Year all and may you all have a Joey Zolkoske III season in 2007!!!!!