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1963 Flat Bottom V-Drive

Posted: Thu May 01, 2014 11:50 am
by CamKing
Finally got my 1963 Buck Smith flat bottom running 100%.
2014-03-22 13.05.26.jpg
2014-03-21 15.34.35.jpg
2014-03-21 15.34.08.jpg

Re: 1963 Flat Bottom V-Drive

Posted: Thu May 01, 2014 1:40 pm
by Fordracer347
Looks nice! Hope it makes for many happy weekends on the lake.

Re: 1963 Flat Bottom V-Drive

Posted: Thu May 01, 2014 9:45 pm
by PackardV8
Beautiful boat, Mike!

I'm sure you have enough years and miles to handle her well. There's fun and then there's flying with a hard landing; I've seen more than one of those endo with the wrong combination of throttle, wave/wake and wind. Could have been a few beers in the equation as well.

Wish you weren't on the wrong coast or I'd bum a ride. A boy never really grows up.

Re: 1963 Flat Bottom V-Drive

Posted: Fri May 02, 2014 10:46 am
by CamKing
Thanks,
It's only got 350hp, but it's plenty fast for me.
I've got the parts to build a 450-475hp 383ci, but I'm not sure I want to.
I've been driving this style boat since I was 13, but anyone can get hurt, if they're not careful. My dad was known as one ot the greatest circle boat racers of all time, and he busted his arse, in a boat just like this, with about 500hp.

Re: 1963 Flat Bottom V-Drive

Posted: Fri May 02, 2014 11:42 am
by nickmckinney
Really really really nice boat!

Re: 1963 Flat Bottom V-Drive

Posted: Mon May 05, 2014 8:46 am
by Notchback
Beautiful!

Re: 1963 Flat Bottom V-Drive

Posted: Mon May 05, 2014 11:04 pm
by dave brode
Very nice boat. Too nice to tear up.

Re: 1963 Flat Bottom V-Drive

Posted: Tue Jun 30, 2015 8:54 pm
by claysmoker
Very nice! I had a Hondo with a BBC back in the 60's. Fun times for sure.

Re: 1963 Flat Bottom V-Drive

Posted: Thu Nov 05, 2015 11:18 am
by Old as Dirt
CamKing wrote:Finally got my 1963 Buck Smith flat bottom running 100%.
2014-03-22 13.05.26.jpg
2014-03-21 15.34.35.jpg
2014-03-21 15.34.08.jpg

Nice looking "Buck"
Just now getting my Sanger put back together.. fresh roller 496..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7t--R8pUPM

Re: 1963 Flat Bottom V-Drive

Posted: Thu Nov 05, 2015 11:24 am
by PackardV8
claysmoker wrote:Very nice! I had a Hondo with a BBC back in the 60's. Fun times for sure.
A Studebaker friend of mine in SoCal is restoring a Hondo/BBC and may get it done someday.

Re: 1963 Flat Bottom V-Drive

Posted: Sat Jan 27, 2018 3:08 pm
by CamKing
Just got off the dyno with my new boat engine.
355 SBC
10:1 compression
ported 492 heads
Performer RPM
Holley 600cfm "top-loader"
LS firing order hydr roller cam: 216/220 @.050" .340"/.340" Lobe Lift, 112 LSA, 108 ICL
1.6 rockers
Morel #4602 lifters
PAC 1218X springs

Made 445ft/lbs @ 3,600rpm, and 425hp @ 5,600rpm.

Now I just need to wait for spring.

Re: 1963 Flat Bottom V-Drive

Posted: Sat Jan 27, 2018 3:28 pm
by PackardV8
Good numbers, for sure.

FWIW, buy some good insurance. A hot flat bottom is one of the scariest rides I've ever taken. Like a too-fast bike, it seems so stable until it isn't.

Re: 1963 Flat Bottom V-Drive

Posted: Sun Jan 28, 2018 11:05 am
by CamKing
PackardV8 wrote: Sat Jan 27, 2018 3:28 pm Good numbers, for sure.

FWIW, buy some good insurance. A hot flat bottom is one of the scariest rides I've ever taken. Like a too-fast bike, it seems so stable until it isn't.
That's why I designed it to nose over at 5,600rpm. That's plenty fast enough for me.

Re: 1963 Flat Bottom V-Drive

Posted: Wed Nov 20, 2019 4:57 pm
by learner1
I used to work for a guy that raced flat bottoms (before i knew him) with a highly modified N/A Chrysler hemi. He had some good stories to tell

Re: 1963 Flat Bottom V-Drive

Posted: Fri Nov 22, 2019 1:23 am
by FC-Pilot
Just stumbled across this thread. That is a greaT looking Buck Smith. You don’t see many of those hulls around. Great hulls! As far as power, yah, our little 350 in our Biesemeyer gps’d at just under 90 and that was before we made some more cavitation plate adjustments that should help it take a set. I can appreciate not needing to go any faster. Our little pump gas iron headed small block is fast enough for me. We rigged it to take a BBC as well but don’t feel there is any need to go faster.

So what lakes do you play with that thing at?

Paul