Ted is a friend of mine and I think he did a fantastic job on her but it really wasn't "found in a barn". I knew where it was. I put it there many years ago. I am very glad to see her up and running again!
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Ted is a friend of mine and I think he did a fantastic job on her but it really wasn't "found in a barn". I knew where it was. I put it there many years ago. I am very glad to see her up and running again!
Gene - I think that this is an outstanding restoration of your old "Bird." However, Ted did overlook one important detail. He forgot to apply the famous Lanham duct tape :thumbsup:Quote:
Originally Posted by GENE LANHAM
The port rear cowling had been formed out of cardboard and glassed over.
Sorry to say, no he is not Butch. George retired to Parker Colorado & died back in 2008. He owned Couzens Yacht Sales, in Mount Clemens, Michigan,(just above Detroit) back in the 60's, 70's & 80's. He was a Chris*Craft & Donzi Dealer(amoung others) back then, on Mt. Clemens main waterfront road, North River Road. He raced very successfully, a lighter than normal layup, 28 Donzi, with two Holman-Moody 550's, that Brownie built for him at the time. The boats name was "Blue Devil" #86. (I see that Mt. Clemens is misspelled on the side of Red Bird.)Quote:
Originally Posted by lilabner
I couldn't agree more, it looks fantastic! I just love seeing these "old Birds" come back to life. :thumbsup:Quote:
Originally Posted by GENE LANHAM
So sorry to hear about George. Anytime I think about George Couzens, I think of Brownie, Smitty, Big Dirty, Blue Devil---and the fact that George broke his back on a ski jump--a snow ski jump!!Quote:
Originally Posted by FUJIMO
But George sold the 'Yacht Sales' to a young man from Grosse Point Shores named Pat Duffy in 1969. Pat eventually renamed it 'Duffy Yacht Sales'. Sadly Pat passed away last year.
In 1969 Doc decided to take the 'free ride' with OMC.
I soon got a phone call from Odell and asked if I would be interested --racing with Pat for the 1969 season--
If 'Mt. Clements' is spelled wrong, it is probably because that is the way we painted it --47 years ago!!
Anyone recall who won the APBA Outboard OS Championship in 1969??:)
http://i68.tinypic.com/9qfb7n.jpg
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bob V
Hi Bob--I promised Ted I would supply the tape when I see him in Tavares---
i also heard a rumor that several large companies--including 3M are competing for sponsorship rights--
Hi Barry--cardboard? that is interesting--Quote:
Originally Posted by largecar91
After the little incident in Key West---the boat was only a few months old--Bob Switzer went back to the molds and in a few weeks I received a large crate labled 'parts'
But all these parts were for the starboard side--including a cowling--they all fit and the metalflake red was a perfect match -- I started a long career of fiberglass repair--
I finished in time for the Gold Coast Marathon at PHYC a month later--and was second overall--first Outboard--same 1250's; same SSM's that i had run at the Parker 9 hour and at the Gulfstream 3 hour--
http://i64.tinypic.com/fx9lzc.jpg
Hi Barry---too bad it took so many years---I was able to keep it inside til 1984--but obviously it was left out---luckily it spent years inside--either a barn or a shed--Quote:
Originally Posted by largecar91
Jim's or yours??
http://i64.tinypic.com/k2bfrm.jpg
Quote:
Originally Posted by FUJIMO
AWWW!! Pat Duffy!!! Rest in Peace, Pat!!!
I asked about George because I ran with him once somewhere when I worked for HM. I also rebuilt his engines at HM. He bought a tire store around 75 named Sable Chase or something like that. I was building the race engines for #43 Porsche owned by Dave Helmick and John Graves, Ecurie Escargot. When I got to the 76 Daytona 24 hour race to get the pits ready for the race, our crew chief told me John Graves had told George and his tire store crew they could be the pit crew. Our regular crew for the last 3 plus years was shocked. These new guys all had uniforms too. Could you see a NASCAR team doing something like that? So we just watched the race a little while and went home. George and the boys didn't do too well. But he was a pretty nice guy, and chain smoker..
Largecar is totally right-thanks to him and another individual Redbird had been preserved so that she could be brought to life and shared with everyone again-this wasn't a barn find like in the car world-this was a collector doing the right thing- and allowing a passionate vintage outboarder to bring her out to be restored and for everyone to enjoy -oh- and thanks to Gene Lanham for making the boat a winner, repairing her time after time when racing (duct tape and all) and I tip my hat to all of you for keeping her around so that I even had this opportunity
Quote:
Originally Posted by largecar91
Thanks Ted, Hopefully we will be able to see a couple more Wings out on the water.