help with id on mandella 18' v-drive

**catndahats** · 03-17-2010, 06:13 PM

#26 Ford 429
#24 Ford 427

Dang...I used to drool over those boats at the races when I was a kid....still drooling (but due to old age now)

**hooggdoogg** · 03-17-2010, 06:15 PM

That is almost enough to take a persons breath away. That boat proably should b in a museam or in a collection but hopefully I can breath a little life back into her

**catndahats** · 03-17-2010, 06:17 PM

the program was from 1969....whatever you do, keep it original.

**hooggdoogg** · 03-17-2010, 06:23 PM

The motor would b the hardest to come by. The gell coat is in pretty rough shape but I think I can wet sand it and re clear it I don't want to disturb the number and name but it will b hard. I was thinking about putting a 5.4 lit. Cobra motor in it and put it back on the motor

**Mike Bruton** · 03-17-2010, 07:24 PM

Even though that boat is only 18' long, it's pretty heavy. I'd go with a big block.
Catndahat. Send me a message. You sound like someone I might have Known.

**donmac** · 03-17-2010, 08:57 PM

I know a guy that use to drag some ford powered flats and he had some spare ford motors in his shop if your interested. these are in canada though,if your interested p.m. me and I'll check if there still there. these engines will not be stock [highly modded]

**hooggdoogg** · 03-17-2010, 09:09 PM

Were r u at in canada I have family in the thunderbay marillo area. What price range would u b talking about. I am on a poor tradeing level right now.

**harlanorrin** · 03-17-2010, 09:34 PM

I would start with powering it with a junk yard 390" Ford Thunderbird engine. This could lead you to a race F E Side oiler. I do not have any pics of boat interiors.
Contact Jerry Griffin, Photographer in SO CAL. He has quite a photograph library.
HARLAN ORRIN

**lilabner** · 03-17-2010, 10:16 PM

I was in that race, co driving the Par Breaker..not Marvis..We were running third until the steering cable broke..Our boat was the first one built like that, just like the Saint.. Brummet told us..It was built for Mickey Thompson..It was fast..Brummet was a great driver, but I think Jack Stuteville was the best Mandella driver ever back then..Most of them had Ford 427's or 468's..I built a lot at Holman Moody, Louie Unser built a bunch on the west coast..Funny deal, working for HM and running a Chevy..I didn't own the boat, just co-drove with my buddy.
There were more boats wrecked that weekend than I have ever seen..One guy died in this race..

**catndahats** · 03-17-2010, 10:23 PM

I was there (in Galveston) as a spectator...it was rough, I remember that fatal wreck too.

Originally Posted by lilabner

I was in that race, co driving the Par Breaker..not Marvis..We were running third until the steering cable broke..Our boat was the first one built like that, just like the Saint.. Brummet told us..It was built for Mickey Thompson..It was fast..Brummet was a great driver, but I think Jack Stuteville was the best Mandella driver ever back then..Most of them had Ford 427's or 468's..I built a lot at Holman Moody, Louie Unser built a bunch on the west coast..Funny deal, working for HM and running a Chevy..I didn't own the boat, just co-drove with my buddy.
There were more boats wrecked that weekend than I have ever seen..One guy died in this race..

**catndahats** · 03-17-2010, 10:26 PM

Here's a couple photos of those Mandellas in race form...Lou Brummett the builder, and Dr. Cannan (sp?)

Very cool to see one of those old boats show up again....brings back a lot of memories and dreams.

**lilabner** · 03-17-2010, 10:33 PM

Originally Posted by catndahats

I was there (in Galveston) as a spectator...it was rough, I remember that fatal wreck too.

Do you remember they had no more ambulances because 5 boats flipped in 15 minutes? They were working on the guy on a picnic table, pounding on his chest, just as I was suiting up..then they put him in someones van and took him to the hospital..The race should have been stopped when they ran out of medical staff and ambulances.

**hooggdoogg** · 03-18-2010, 01:18 PM

Wow guys I don't know what to say I never expected to get this much info. And I'm glad I got to bring back some memoreis. I feel like I'm the youngest guy here. And here I traded some tools for the boat so I could use it for a drag boat guess that's out of the question now. And yea I'm a ford guy and I know abit about building fe's. And would not take much to turn a 390 into a 427 or 429. But thank all of u for all the info who could I talk to about maybe selling this boat to who can do it justice. Thanks

**Mike Bruton** · 03-18-2010, 01:53 PM

You might check w/ some of the SDBA members, but I'm pretty sure you could drag race in the et brackets.

**hooggdoogg** · 03-18-2010, 04:30 PM

Yea as far as tech goes I would have no prob getting into se pm classes but it would take a bunch of power to get it fast enough. Me and a buddy have been racing river racer for 4 years with a rydin think that how it was spelled. 15' v hull jet boat with a big block chevy but jets take a lot of power to make them go. And tech won't let us run a blower so it takes the fun away so I wanted to step up to a v drive so I don't need as much power. But I am really a outboard guy. But that's another story

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