Wayne Weeks- Southern comfort

[Streamin101]

Did Wayne Weeks use notrous oxide on the Johnson RS when he made the 118 mph run for the record?

[Streamin101]

Does any body know....? Raceman?

[Raceman]

I was always told that he didn't. If he did, he did an incredible job of hiding it. It would have been illegal when he set the NOA Unlimited V Bottom record multiple years. He had a great combination of things going for him: Both he and his dad (Wilbur) are extremely smart and were focused on makin' that boat all it could be, AND they had the ability to buy anything that would support the effort.

The boat racing hobby/sport lost a truly great duo when they quit. When Wayne showed up at the races or at the Kilos, everybody else ran for second place.

[Da Bull]

I knew Wayne and Wilbur pretty good back then and i know they both ran juice in the unlimited class`s they ran with us in The SORA. I think they checked record run`s pretty close in the NOA where Wayne set the record. I don`t know if nitrous was leagle in their unlimited outboard class but you can bet that if it was, Wayne had it in his boat. I remember he told me how the boat torqued over so bad that he had to run with extra weight on one side just to make it run level. He said it was not an enjoyable ride.

DB

[Raceman]

I ran against Wayne MANY times in various Unlimited Outboard races as well as at the NOA Kilos in Knoxville probably 4 or 5 times, and Wilbur also. This spanned a time frame from probably about 1976 or 77 until around '80 or '81. I never saw nitros on either of their boats. It was NOT legal under NOA Unlimited V rules at the time, and far as I know illegal in all of their classes.

During that time frame I believe that Wayne held the NOA record every year except for one (1980???) when he didn't go to the event in Knoxville and Glenn Dickerson from Waco set it. Glenn had the only other boat besides Wayne's that ever put up a bigger number in a given year than my Ally.

[Ryan28]

They never run nitrous to any of my knowledge.


Ryan Weeks

[Streamin101]

So an RS Johnson on a Vector is capable of 115+ with out nitrous......

[Raceman]

So an RS Johnson on a Vector is capable of 115+ with out nitrous......

Absolutely. Even if he'd had it hidden where I couldn't spot it, it's VERY doubtful that he'd have it in some way that the NOA officials wouldn't have seen it when they tech'd the boat. The course was surveyed. If my memory serves, Wayne set the record at over 118 the year after Glenn Dickerson set 115 or 116. I believe I ran 113 and change the same year Glenn set it at 115 and both speeds were faster than Wayne's previous record, but he didn't show that year. I think the next year he came back and bumped it again, but I wasn't there then. I was pretty much through since I'd destroyed the Ally by that next year.

You've gotta' remember that back then Unlimited V bottom racing wasn't what Unlimited Outboard is today. I've frequently posted that my boat was never outrun in the class at the races by anybody but Wayne OR anybody but Wayne and Glenn at the Kilos. It wasn't uncommon to show up at a dragboat race and have a whole field of UV's that wouldn't run over a hundred. Stuff like Vectors with 235 OMC's or 200 Mercs were common. Race motors like my Champ length Merc and Wayne's RS OMC were unusual. Wayne and I both ran race type gearcases also.......... Speedmaster on my Mercs and whatever OMC called the CCC/RS type gearcase on his. Wilbur (Wayne's Dad) had a Vector with a 20" OMC and full sized gearcase that was fast too.

[h2oskiier30]

So an RS Johnson on a Vector is capable of 115+ with out nitrous......


Wilbur is a genius with an OMC. His real mastery isn't one the big motors...it's on the little ones. He can build a 35 Evinrude that will shock your socks off.

The guy's talented when it comes to building an OMC.

I see him every now and then when I'm over in Jay.

[Baja16]

http://i38.tinypic.com/avodcn.jpg

[Streamin101]

Dan got anymore Land @ Sea info?

[Capt.Insane-o]

Nice and flat too.

[baja200merk]

way before my time but this thread is a real good read! cool info, thanks for posting, im subscribed :cheers:

[Streamin101]

Weeks did this with the motor bolted directly to the transom, so what does that tell ya????........

[Da Bull]

anyone ever figure out what happened to that vector with the RS?


I don`t know about the RS but i do know where the boat is and it`s whole story about how it got there.

I had the opertunity to buy the boat from Wayne in 1982 for $1,500 boat and trailor but passed because i thought (stupidly cuz i was young) that it was to heavy. Lionel Jenkins in Alexandria, La bought it instead and put a modified 2.4 Merc on it and ran it for a few years. He did well with it untill he blew it over on Lake Buhlow while competing in an SORA event. I was there and saw it all. The 6 inch set back plate that he had just installed gave it more lift than he needed i suppose. The accident Left Lionel with a dissabled arm and broken boat so he sold it with minor damage to Mel Smith and John Paul Jones. With a few good panel part`s from my old comp Vector that i had blown over and destroyed, Southern Comfort was up and running again. Paul kept the boat for many years untill he sold it to Mitch Ludwig around Lake Darbone but i don`t know if he ever raced it in compitition. To my knowledge he still own`s it.

DB

[Baja16]

Dan got anymore Land @ Sea info?


nope i found that on the hydrostream reg. site...:cheers:

[Baja16]

i take that back... i might have more at home, tune in tonight when i get home from work!!

[spujo]

Talk about memories. I remember Wilbur & Wayne coming to race a couple of times in Demopolis back in the early '80's. Wayne drove "Southern Comfort", Wilbur drove "Top Dog", and another guy with them drove "Aim Too". All 3 were vectors. It was fun watching them shoot it out with local driver, the late Kelly Hillbish driving the ORIGINAL "Bad News,,,,,,,travels fast".

[Da Bull]

I remember Kelly and his black boat. It was a Vector copy by Streaker i think. I know it was damn fast. Kelly was a real nice dude too. It was tragic how he died.

DB

[Baja16]

Ok, Land and Sea claims a stock CCC or RS was 265hp at 6900rpm from the factory (seems a little low to me), they also claim with there 2.6 litre conversion they could make up to 285+hp at 7600rpm... so i would think around 290-300hp on a Vector with the best set-up (which Wayne probly had) could hit those world record speeds without the juice.

[Ryan28]

If the other vector was yellow than that would be Jerry Cain's boat from Alexandria, LA back then. He was really good friends with my dad and grandfather. The motor they ran was an RS motor but it had their front half on it off of one of their own modified motors. My grandfather siad it was a lil over 500rpm's faster than the stock RS front half. The mid was cut down by Bill Locker and bolted directly onto the transom. It had a custom trim cylinder that ran throught the transom if I remember correctly. They never run the kilo's on nitrous cause it was not allowed. Those were some good times and where I got to love boating and boat racing.


Ryan Weeks

[Streamin101]

Relation to Wayne/Wilber?

[Ryan28]

Wayne is my father and Wilbur is my grandpa.


Ryan

[Streamin101]

Okay cool, learn sompthin new everyday!

[SUPAJAY]

Cool thread, Raceman any pics of your rig ?

[Raceman]

Cool thread, Raceman any pics of your rig ?

I've been lookin'. They're on the board here somewhere, but a search didn't do it for me so far.

[Da Bull]

If the other vector was yellow than that would be Jerry Cain's boat from Alexandria, LA back then. He was really good friends with my dad and grandfather. The motor they ran was an RS motor but it had their front half on it off of one of their own modified motors. My grandfather siad it was a lil over 500rpm's faster than the stock RS front half. The mid was cut down by Bill Locker and bolted directly onto the transom. It had a custom trim cylinder that ran throught the transom if I remember correctly. They never run the kilo's on nitrous cause it was not allowed. Those were some good times and where I got to love boating and boat racing.


Ryan Weeks


The doner boat i was refering to was indeed Jerry`s old yellow boat that i bought from him when it was only one year old. It was the twinn to your grandpa`s last blue boat with the short shaft motor. It was a potato chip boat and was of no use to Jerry when he and your dad went Mod-VP racing. I was still making notes on it when i tore it up.:(

DB

[SnakeBit]

http://i38.tinypic.com/avodcn.jpg

It is amazing to see how much history the hydrostream has behind it. I thought 70 mph in a donzi sptifire was fast. I use to see these Steams run on Greenwoo lake NY. all the time but I have never learned to appreciate them until now. I owned a 65 horse evinrude with push buuton forward - reverse and neutral on the throttle control. I had it on a 14' Sidewinder. I hope these boats all these classics are with us for a long time, thier is nothing like them. Thanks to all that give us these memories they are great.:smiletest::smiletest::smiletest:

[Ryan28]

DB was that about the time my dad started racing the baker boat ? I remember my father and Jerry both took turns driving it because my dad was supposed to race it at a race in Louisianna, can't remember exact location, but he let Jerry drive it that day and he ended up blowing it over. By the time we got home there was a brand new boat sitting there ready to be rigged. Sure wish they could have got there hands on a looper before the racing all ended.


Ryan Weeks

[Raceman]

Sure wish they could have got there hands on a looper before the racing all ended.


Ryan Weeks

Hell Ryan, your Dad was already faster than anybody else on the planet. He didn't need a looper.;)

[h2oskiier30]

His granddad can build a 35 E-rude that would make 150's cry.

[Ryan28]

His granddad can build a 35 E-rude that would make 150's cry.



If ya think the 35 was bad, you should have seen the lil 15hp on alky that my grandfather and my uncle built. They put in on a lil wooden hydro my uncle built and still run it with the tiller handle, LOL! It would run 75mph consistantly.

Raceman, the looper is a whole nother monster than the crossflows were. Just so much more potential. It would have been interesting to see what kind of numbers they could have come up with. I remember my dad running a vandal with a v-4 and winning at several races then stepping up into the v-6 class and beating them with the lil v-4. They usually were not pleased and by the next race would not let him step up again. Those are some fond memories.

[Raceman]

Do you remember seeing the story I posted about your Dad and I stepping up and running the inboards at Douglas?:smiletest:

[Ryan28]

Yeah I remember reading that story. I can recall being at a couple of them races where he ran the inboards. I thought they were the loudest things I had ever heard. I still remeber what this one gentleman said when my father backed into the water " might as well not even unload that ole fishin boat, cause you gonna get your feelings hurt." He wasn't talking too much after my dad outran him twice.

[Streamin101]

Do you have any pics of anything from back then?

[Stoker1]

Ryan, I used to hit the gun club up there between Century & Jay just off of RR 4. They had a pretty decent range & for the money it was hard to beat. Dang, so many names from that way have slipped my mind that I used to hang out with & waterski out in Blackwater. Even worked at Anron in P'cola with a guy from Jay.

Who knows, maybe we've bumped into each other.
Jamie

[Ryan28]

Do you have any pics of anything from back then?


Yeah I have some I will round up when I get back home from working offshore. Might have top get a lil help posting them, but I will try.

[horsepower]

Do you have any pics of anything from back then?


Got loads and loads of old pics. My father was about the only one who raced the Mercurys back then. Got pics of him with Top Dog. Wasnt that Wayne or Wilbur? Bad News, Kelly Hilbish

[horsepower]

Talk about memories. I remember Wilbur & Wayne coming to race a couple of times in Demopolis back in the early '80's. Wayne drove "Southern Comfort", Wilbur drove "Top Dog", and another guy with them drove "Aim Too". All 3 were vectors. It was fun watching them shoot it out with local driver, the late Kelly Hillbish driving the ORIGINAL "Bad News,,,,,,,travels fast".

*Kelly Hilbish*That was my father and that was the good ole days! Got tons of pics and newspaper clippings that I'll have to upload.

[Eagle One]

Spoke to Wilbur last week. No nitrous on the old vector when they set the V-bottom record. They did later use it drag racing some but it was always in a class where it was legal. The Weeks ( especially Wilbur) have always been good friends of mine and you just can't ask for any better. Give you the shirt right off their.... back literally.

[Instigator]

thanks for the stories guys!

[stokernick]

great read,thanks for sharing!Ryan,we feel your pride!!

[Da Bull]

DB was that about the time my dad started racing the baker boat ? I remember my father and Jerry both took turns driving it because my dad was supposed to race it at a race in Louisianna, can't remember exact location, but he let Jerry drive it that day and he ended up blowing it over. By the time we got home there was a brand new boat sitting there ready to be rigged. Sure wish they could have got there hands on a looper before the racing all ended.


Ryan Weeks



Yes, You are correct about them starting to race the Baker but a lil off on your geography. It was in Gulfport, Miss. where Jerry blew the Baker over. Jerry told me that after the derigging of the torn up Baker was over and he was in his truck about to go home to Bastrop, La. your Dad tossed the bent up stearing wheel in the seat and told Jerry "Here`s something to think about".
Yep, Those were the good old day`s.

I`m Bobby Sanders and tell your grandpa hi for me.

DB

[Jay R.]

Wow, great thread, love to hear those ole, race stories...

[FlowMaxx]

Please post some pictures of the Vandal. :cheers: thanks

[PFord]

Great thread! I'm pretty sure all of the NOA stuff was a timed 1/8 mile not kilo runs. Very impressive nonetheless. The Weeks were pioneers.

[Tom Foley]

His granddad can build a 35 E-rude that would make 150's cry.

WOW !!!!!!!!!!!!!! >>>>>> PLEEZE This might be going just a bit too far !!!!:eek::eek::eek::cheers:

[Raceman]

Great thread! I'm pretty sure all of the NOA stuff was a timed 1/8 mile not kilo runs. Very impressive nonetheless. The Weeks were pioneers.

I don't know what the exact distance of the runs were, but it was a surveyed course and referred to as "kilo's". I ran 'em in Knoxville Tn I think for 4 years. Wayne and Wilbur were there every one of those years except for one. Wayne up'd the record every year that he showed. Glenn Dickerson from Waco held it the one year that I was there and Wayne wasn't, which was the last time I ever went. The next year Wayne went back and up'd it again.

About the only other things I can remember was Joe Burgess runnin' a 16 Allison with a V6 OMC and in the lights (finish) he jumped off the throttle and the nose dropped, took one BIG bounce and went straight up like a rocket launch, breaking his back. Either that year or the year after, Mark Croslyn, who later was the original owner of the F1 V8 I have now set the SST120 record, I think in a Burgess, and Darrus showed up one of those years in a god awful lookin' outrigger kind of thing tryin' to set a record with a 4 cyl Merc, but don't think it set it that year.

Those were exciting years for boat racing because there seemed to be a lot more variety and innovation than now.

[h2oskiier30]

WOW !!!!!!!!!!!!!! >>>>>> PLEEZE This might be going just a bit too far !!!!:eek::eek::eek::cheers:


You would be shocked at what Wilbur Weeks can do with an outboard motor...especially the small ones.

[mickeyjr]

they brought a modified 9.9 on a little wood boat to Florala, AL one time that would haul azzz!!!!!

[hydroholic]

Seen a 35 E-rude that was on a home made boat that Anthony Weeks (Grandson I think) built and I think Wilbur and Anthony together built the motor. Boat was built of some kind of exotic wood from Africa (so I was told) that was very light and strong. Boat was somewhere around the 14 ft length area. And yes it would outrun stock 150's and 175's giving them a little head start and at an even start would get a few 200's as well,depending on what kinda boat they were on. Seen it personaly at Sandy landing on the Escambia river. I am not an OMC fan but they could sure make em scream like none I have seen before.

Hydro

[Forkin' Crazy]

Awesome thread! :thumbsup: