Texmo Moth Unlimited

[Mark75H]

Tunnel hull

Three Merc T-4's

Multi engine Outboard Tunnel Hull

[H2Onut]

Any numbers on that thing, 1 helluva ride.

[Mark75H]

I don't remember the actual speeds on the thing, but the straight line and practice runs were competitive, so it must have been in the 160 range on the straights.

Problems came in competition....throw in a few Unlimited Hydro wakes and competition in the turns and it was less than competitive. It was not a bad turner......far from it, but it lost a lot of ground leaving the turns.......here Nosub is correct: 3 T-4's don't have the torque of a Merlin or Griffon or turbine.

[Mark75H]

Good power to weight ratio, good power.....powerband...not the same

[Mark75H]

.

[Mark75H]

Oooops. Here's the real page 2

[Dave S]

Is that a Switzer winging? If it's not fast enough, trim it out more! Dance on the deck if it's trimmed out too much. :D

[Mark75H]

Buck Thornton bio

[Mark75H]

Jerry Gilbreath, crew chief

[Mark75H]

Boat and Motor specs

[Mark75H]

T-4 page

[Mark75H]

Boat under construction

[Mark75H]

Flip over and complete decking and launch

[Mark75H]

84 Unlimited schedule

[Mark75H]

Inside of back cover....basically a Merc Hi Perf ad

[H2Onut]

Before my lifetime ends I am coming to the RAG BOAT capital of the world to see YOU and all that un freakin dirty word stuff you got laying around to look at.

It rocks my world..... To cool :cool: :D :D

[BK]

Sam ~
Thanks for posting all that stuff about Texmo. Those days sure were fun days.

Speaking of the "Moth", when we were in St Louis two weeks ago, there was a guy working the docks with an actual original "TEXMO MOTH" crew uniform on.

I had to take a double-take as he went by me, and I said " Did you see that?"

Lots of people noticed that guy, but I wonder who he was?

I have a picture of Texmo around somewhere - I'll see if I can find it.

[mardyn]

That project was shrouded in secrecy for many years for some unknown reason...
I remember seeing the thing down in Houston at the U-boat races (on Clear Lake?) back in about 84 or so. It was not impressive at that outing, but then again, neither were those other slugs that those other guys were running... overall, the whole show was a big disappointmnet.

Give me a full on Pro Fuel outboard drag racer or maybe even a F1 style tunnel boat... that's the kind of outboard racing that blows my dress up. How 'bout you BK?

At any rate, great info on the TEXMO project... btw, where'd that info come from?

David Berry
Marine Dynamics

[Mark75H]

Its the 12 page flyer from the press kit that was circulated when the boat was raced: this was the official word!

Page 3 mentions other tunnel hull Unlimiteds. Anyone remember the details on them?

[Raceman]

I've got one of the Texmo T4 powerheads. Several years back, Merc disposed of some of the old "junk" that was at High Perf. I think this was at the time they moved it from Oshkosh to FondeLac, or visa versa. Anyhow, there were some boxed T4 powerheads in the stuff that was liquidated. One of them was painted black (as opposed to the natural finish on all the rest) and had a tag that said "Texmo Racing". Nobody seems to know if it was on that boat and sent back for freshening, or if it was just a spare, but at the time I got it, it was in like new condition.

[BK]

here's another shot of her....

http://www.unlimitedsdetroit.com/images/LarryWilson/texmo.jpg

[BK]

Another Unlimited Tunnel:

Jim Hauenstien's "ARCADIAN" with EIGHT Mercury V-6 powerheads, mounted inboard - 4 on each side.

The story I've been told is that they built the boat inside Jim's garage. And when they finally finished the proejct, discovered the garage door was too narrow! They had to remove one wall of the garage just to get the boat out! :D

[Laker]

Sam!!
This Stuff is KILLER!!!!!
Thanks for the memorys!!!!!!!

[Joe]

BK, Jimy's boat was built in Marcel Bellville's garage, in orange County. The walls then had to be torn down to get it out, the boat was bigger than the doors.

JJ

[BK]

Ah! Well since you're the one who told me the "Arcadian Unlimited - tear the walls down" story in the first place --- I stand corrected!

Joey - Remember my sister in law who never could re-tell a joke correctly and ya'll would ROTFLYAO? ...... Well, I think I'm getting the same disease! LOL

[racer]

Same boat also had two KB hemi`s and merc stern drives at one time as well as four f-1 V-8`s at another time. Straight speed was not the problem it just lost too much in the turns. Jimbo McConnel told me it ran 185 with the 8`s

[Mark75H]

2 hemis have been tried a number of times in Unlimited. I don't know why no one ever figured out it will take 4 car engines, not 2, to run competitively in Unlimited. Cadillac is into racing these days.....maybe they could be talked into supplying engines and support. How about 4 V-10's? It would be interesting!

Also, all three tunnels had the same result, that equals "don't try it again" in my book.

[BK]

Found this over on scaryfast.com:

http://www.scaryfast.com/images/McConnel-Unlimited.jpg

Alan, is this the same boat as TEXMO?

[BK]

Here's the answer to my question - Exclusive scoop for Scream and Fly!

"Is the TEXMO MOTH the same boat as the Aronow/Garbrecht US RACING TEAM Unlimited Tunnel?"

Gary Garbrecht answers:

"Certainly not, my Dear!
The Aronow/Garbrecht Special was a 28' full tunnel hull with the original power being twin Cosworth-Turbo charged engines, Earl Bentz drove it and it had great chute speed 175+ but no low end torque to get thru the turns so we replaced the Cosworths with twin Keith Black Chryslers- Supercharged and Earl retired that winter so I asked Buck Thornton to take over driving. The low end torque problem was instantly solved and we had a very competitive boat.
Buck used to fly that tunnel where I thought for sure he was going to blow it over but he never did, probably because the Mercruiser stern drives always failed almost immediately due to the Chrysler's torque.
So, ticked off because of the Mercruiser failures and no other drive options, Don and I figured our last shot would be to convert it to a 4-Engine outboard hull Johnson V-8's, and at that time I was building all the racing engines for Strang at OMC in my company called SECOND EFFORT. So we rigged the boat up and I asked Jimbo to drive it and we sure had reliability but again were short on torque. Only ran 153 down the chutes, but Jimbo drove it very competitively at the one event we took it to.
Anyway, Jimbo did a great job of driving it to 2nd place overall and if there was one more lap, I think he could have won.
There, now the record is straight.
Never told that story to anyone!
GG

P.S. Jerry Gilbreath did a great job of changing over the boat to Chrysler power and acting as my crew chief.
Danny Walters, my present inspector for Hydro-Prop was a crew member. And another interesting engineer that helped me out tremendously with the Cosworths was Keith Duckworth - he is the "Worth" in Cosworth!"


:D
Cool stuff!!

[WharfRat]

I was there for the Clear Lake race, & Bob Taylor's shop was close by also. THat thing didn't run with Miss Bud & Atlas Van Lines very well, but it was a novelty to see it.

[BK]

Sam ~

Do you happen to have more pictures of the Aronow/Garbrecht tunnel?

Also any of the Arcadian?

The website I used to visit that held some of those photos is now gone. :(

That press kit is really cool. And I would imagine it's pretty rare too. Hang on to that!


Val

[racer]

BK, The Arcadian boat was built by Marcel Bellville about ten miles from my shop, he now lives in Florida. Next time I talk to him I will ask about pics.

Al

[BK]

Originally posted by mardyn
Give me a full on Pro Fuel outboard drag racer or maybe even a F1 style tunnel boat... that's the kind of outboard racing that blows my dress up. How 'bout you BK?



Yes it sure does, David.

But when did you start wearing skirts? :eek: :D :eek: ;) :D


j/k

BK

[Jeff_G]

None of the tunnels did well on the course in Miami which had reletively tight turns.

Funny story about the Arcadian, it threw a huge roostertail, not high but long. Because of that it couldn't be started in the pits in Miami. My job was to take an inflatable dinghy with a 40 hp and pull it out on the course before they could start. Since the boat was so big and heavy the inflatable couldn't steer it so we solved that by dragging it with the inflatable in reverse so the bow would give directional steering! What a sight! But sure was fun.

[Mark75H]

I remember seeing a picture somewhere of that....thanks for filling us in on the story behind it!

[Rusrog]

happened to the TEXMO Moth and to the Garbrect boats. I know the lifespan for an unsuccessful race boat is pretty short and bleak but I am thinking that in an old marina or hanger somewhere these boats are still alive.

Anybody know?? Just curious...

Russ Rogers
Ft WOrth TX.

[Jeff_G]

Sam if you ever find the picture let me know. Jeff

[BK]

Originally posted by Rusrog
I wonder what happened to the TEXMO Moth and to the Garbrect boats. I know the lifespan for an unsuccessful race boat is pretty short and bleak but I am thinking that in an old marina or hanger somewhere these boats are still alive.
Anybody know?? Just curious...
Russ Rogers
Ft WOrth TX.


Russ....

I have some sad news to report.....

According to Garbrecht, the old USA Racing team tunnel was stored at Aronow's shop. But after Aronow's murder, the tunnel was neglected and left outside, exposed to the elements....

....last he heard was that it eventually succumbed to Mother Nature.

:( :eek: :(

very sad story.....

[LakeRacer99]

Well, Here is a pic of Buck driving the Aronow/Garbrecht Special, I am not sure if this was with the Cosworths or the Chryslers...It was from a 1982 Powerboat Mag.

[LakeRacer99]

And Here is Jimbo driving it in 1983 with the V8 outboards...It is from a 1983 Powerboat.

[LakeRacer99]

Then here is Hauenstein's Arcadian with 8 Merc EFI powerheads...Wow what a site...this was from a 1986 Powerboat Mag.

[LakeRacer99]

Another shot of the MOTH...

[LakeRacer99]

Could this have been the end of the Texmo Moth? Check out the caption..."Gilbreath was riding in the bilge!"...Ouch

[LakeRacer99]

Apparently some rules in Unlimited were relaxed to allow the outboards to compete. Here is Renato Molinari with a 4' wing off the back of his boat to make the 28' requirement (even though his boat was 20'-doesn't add up to me).

[LakeRacer99]

...

[inspectorlance]

Texmo moth is at the Hydro Museum down the street from me, Just seen it today. They only took the boat for the trailer its on, I dont think that they plan to restor the boat.
Looks in really rough shape.


Lance

[inspectorlance]

TexMo moth outboard hydro

[MN4V]

Looks like the sponsons had some major changes made to them from the original design. Would be a nice project for someone with enough money to buy this boat. Might fit it my shop!
Mark N

[Raceman]

Well, I've got 4 T4 complete drop ons, including cowls, and 3 #8 Speedmasters also, but only 1 mid section. It'd sure be neat to see it restored with those three motors on it. I believe I have one of the powerheads from that boat.

[inspectorlance]

Sounds like you only need two more mids ??? ya getting any ideas ???

From the guys that I talked to at the museum, they are not interested in the restoration of the boat, but maybe I was talking to the wrong people. Its sitting outside in the back of the lot. sure does need some work, but I'm sure it can be saved.

[Old fiberglass]

I believe the boat is still sitting there. If it is the same boat I saw in September the hydro museum owner wasn't interested in it. It sounded like they were willing to make a sweet deal to the right person.....

If anyone is serious about saving the boat this is where it was sitting outside as of September 2005 - http://www.thunderboats.org/

P.S - When you talked outboards with them it was kind of like you just farted in church or something.