Hot Singles ! - Pictures

[Powercat]

Rich:
Wondering how it reacts to full throtle out of the hole? zero to 110mph would make a pretty strong outboard drag boat..
Exhibition runs at drag races would be a crowd pleaser... Certainly not what a Switzer Wing or S-3000 motors were designed
for, but just an idea..
Danny

Probably not only harder to keep it on the trailer. But also harder to keep his foot from going all the way to the floor!

[T2x]

Rich:
Wondering how it reacts to full throtle out of the hole? zero to 110mph would make a pretty strong outboard drag boat..
Exhibition runs at drag races would be a crowd pleaser... Certainly not what a Switzer Wing or S-3000 motors were designed
for, but just an idea..
Danny

Right now it has pretty tall pitch (20-21") and still accelerates so hard you have to laugh....... a set of 15's would be something to stomp down on........

[willabee]

....Willa is gonna get really pissed at me for mentioning this----'cos it has absolutely NOTHING to do with "Hot Singles" but i have been commissioned to do a sculpture of the American Air Force Museum in Duxford. ------- Just tell me to get of'n your site WILLA if i'm trespassing.

I told you before, always enjoy your babble.....so babble on McDuff.

BTW, when did sculpturing become one of your hidden talents?

[willabee]

..... If you guys could pull this allison, wing, cosworth fly-by in a word AWESOME, The challenge is back to you, also this means YOU, Willa..........

Couldn't agree more, what an awesome sight and sound that would be. I'd be happy just to help get them shiney before the run!

Continuing with pictures from the collection of Molly Ballou, here are some more PR shots of players on the Race Team. Seems like they used this shot of Jim Merten until he was promoted to Team Manager. Mert won the Outboard division at Parker in 69, finishing 2nd overall in his Switzer Wing. He got hurt at Galveston later that year and didn't race again until the Miami 225 in February of 1970. He won driving the sprint in the picture. He was a plumber by trade, but boat racing was his passion and he accepted an offer to be a Team driver later that year. In October he got hurt again in Paris, but recovered to finish 2nd overall at Havasu a month later. It was after that race that he "retired" from racing to become the Team Manager, succeeding Gary Garbrecht who was promoted to Director of Racing for Merc.

Speaking of Garbrecht, here is a shot they used when they talked about him. Gary started at Merc as a mechanic in the boathouse in Oshkosh. When an engineering lab was established in that same facility, Dick Snyder became the man to head it up and he hired Gary as his Foreman over the mechanics that would do the wrench work on the engineers projects. Soon all high performance projects were also being run through that lab. Next, people from the lab including Gary, as well as Jimmy Kubasta and Bob Hetzel started to attend races to "support" good drivers running Mercs. Finally a Race Team was formed and Mr. Kiekhaefer installed Gary as it's Manager.

Additionally, Molly had a couple of shots of the Berghauer boys after their win at Parker in 1973. I'd guess they became Team drivers in 1972, not working for Merc, but driving up to Oshkosh from Milwaukee to do their testing. The boat they used for the win was one of the "white" Molinari's that we had that year, great boats and the first really good one given to them. It was a bit of a "white knuckle" finish, as OMC was gaining on them and didn't have to stop for any more fuel. The Berghauer entry needed a splash and go to make it to the end. That's when we pulled off that "engine running" pit stop that saved the win! The guy standing there all wet and smiling at the wet brothers is Floyd "Smitty" Smith. He helped us (big help) at a couple of the races out west and the picture of the "engine running" pit stop shows him holding the 4" hose next to the boat.

[willabee]

The photos from Molly also contained some great shots of Kenny Kitson. Just my opinion, but back in the day I'd guess that if 20 Switzer Wings showed up at Parker or Havasu to have their own race, and you got all the drivers to say who they thought was the man to beat, I'd bet the majority of the drivers would say "Kitson". There certainly were a number of very good Wing pilots, but Kitson seemed to have a slight edge on the rest of the field.....that man could drive El Diablo!

He had direct factory support from Merc in the 1968/69 time frame. Around 1970 he started building his Kitsoncraft. I don't know if he had an arrangement with Freddy Miles right away, or if that came a little later. OMC agreed to supply the power for his new tunnel boats, so he ran their equipment in 1970 and maybe some of 1971. He came back to Merc, but not as a Team driver. I have no knowledge as to whether or not Fond du lac was instrumental in his return.

Kenny was a fun guy to be around, great sense of humor and always had a story to tell. I don't think he even raised his voice after I sunk his record setting 18'er......Oh, Oh..... Hey old fiberglass, remember when I told the story about sinking that boat on Hot Multi's and you called Kenny to get his version? He told you that he had told anyone that would listen that the boat leaked. He also told you about a time when returning to the test ramp from a late lunch in Oshkosh, he saw just the tips of the sponsons of his Wing sticking out of the water. I told you that I had only sunk one.....well, something just popped into my head that tells me I was wrong about that. I don't have a clear recollection of the event, but it was a Wing and it was a triple and the three brand new BP's were wet! I can't remember how it happened, just remember that it did. He had to stay in Oshkosh an extra day as it took me a while to dry everything out! Man oh man, how the heck did I forget that? I'm surprised Kenny let me anywhere near one of his boats after that.....and someone said "those were the days my friend".

Anyway, here are the shots Molly had in her album. A headshot of "the Wingmaster", one of him in a Kitsoncraft clearly showing there was a relationship between him and Milesmaster and one from the Long Beach Invitational in 1971.

[mark benson]

In the video - 1969 Havasu World Outboard Championships, there is a lot of good footage of # 119 Kenny Kitson, driving the black Switzer Wing, with dual Mercury "stackers", trying to win the Championship for a 2nd year in a row, after winning in '68!

The photos from Molly also contained some great shots of Kenny Kitson. Just my opinion, but back in the day I'd guess that if 20 Switzer Wings showed up at Parker or Havasu to have their own race, and you got all the drivers to say who they thought was the man to beat, I'd bet the majority of the drivers would say "Kitson". There certainly were a number of very good Wing pilots, but Kitson seemed to have a slight edge on the rest of the field.....that man could drive El Diablo!

He had direct factory support from Merc in the 1968/69 time frame. Around 1970 he started building his Kitsoncraft. I don't know if he had an arrangement with Freddy Miles right away, or if that came a little later. OMC agreed to supply the power for his new tunnel boats, so he ran their equipment in 1970 and maybe some of 1971. He came back to Merc, but not as a Team driver. I have no knowledge as to whether or not Fond du lac was paying some or all of the bills for him to run Mercs again.

Kenny was a fun guy to be around, I don't think he even raised his voice after I sunk his record setting 18'er......Oh, Oh..... Hey old fiberglass, remember when I told the story about sinking that boat on Hot Multi's and you called Kenny to get his version? He told you that he had told anyone that would listen that the boat leaked. He also told you about a time when returning to the test ramp from a late lunch in Oshkosh, he saw just the tips of the sponsons of his Wing sticking out of the water. I told you that I had only sunk one.....WRONG, I just remembered that I did, in fact, sink another of his Wings! I think it was the new silver 20' triple (I'm sure it was a triple) and he was in town to set it up for the Miami Nationals! He had to stay an extra day as it took me a while to dry out those three brand new BP's and get things ready for him again! Man oh man, how the heck did I forget that? I'm surprised Kenny let me anywhere near one of his boats again.....and someone said "those were the days my friend".

Anyway, here are the shots Molly had in her album. A headshot of "the Wingmaster", one of him in a Kitsoncraft clearly showing there was a relationship between him and Milesmaster and one from the Long Beach Invitational in 1971.

[seeroy]

The Man And His Machine ..... 40 Years Later

[FUJIMO]

The Man And His Machine ..... 40 Years Later

Gotta love an original, period correct, 60's Mercury powered raceboat! Hey, and Kenny's a period correct Wing pilot to boot, lol! Nice photo.

[jackie wilson]

And you should hear him and Jimmy taking off Sony and Cher,---bound to get you foot tapping.

[gofish7070]

Have to know............ Which one is Cher???????????

[willabee]

Have to know............ Which one is Cher???????????

[RogerH]

Best News Yet! If we're lucky, we're gonna get to see several of these wings run at Vintage events in 2011. Also wanting to gather as many outboards as possible. Have several Molinari's and other outboards interested. Vintage isn't just for inboards!!!
I know I can't wait to see the likes of Kitson, Boyd, Luhrs, Cox, Connolly, Valachovic, Sherlock, Miller and possibly others show up with their Wings! That would give new meaning to "taking wing". Lets make it happen. - Roger

[T2x]

Best News Yet! If we're lucky, we're gonna get to see several of these wings run at Vintage events in 2011. Also wanting to gather as many outboards as possible. Have several Molinari's and other outboards interested. Vintage isn't just for inboards!!!
I know I can't wait to see the likes of Kitson, Boyd, Luhrs, Cox, Connolly, Valachovic, Sherlock, Miller and possibly others show up with their Wings! That would give new meaning to "taking wing". Lets make it happen. - Roger

Sadly Ted Miller has passed away and his hull lost to yet another "collection", and John Sherlock sold his wing to Connelly, who now "collects" them too but, so far, has not restored one. Bob Valachovic's wing is the restored "Miss Diablo" which Ken Kitson takes to various events. That leaves Ted Boyd's soon to be completed 20 footer, The Miss Diablo, The Cox wing, and ours as the only currently useable wings. There are a handful of others locked away ( I am now estimating 7 or 8) in collections (including Connelly's), and 1 or 2 more in junk heaps, for a total of about 14 remaining. In spite of "rumors" about other "secret" wings preparing to emerge.....I have still seen no further evidence of any...but I am prepared to stand corrected....or sit satisfied .

[RogerH]

Thanks for clearing that up. I'll have to call Steve Cox and see if he's interested in joining you and Ted next year.

Cross Lake is August 5,6,7. Not sure when we'll start to see events appear on the APBA Vintage site. WIll likely be going to Tavares FL for the CRA Vintage event and the "Mt. Dora" show the following week.

[Old fiberglass]

.

Kenny was a fun guy to be around, great sense of humor and always had a story to tell. I don't think he even raised his voice after I sunk his record setting 18'er......Oh, Oh..... Hey old fiberglass, remember when I told the story about sinking that boat on Hot Multi's and you called Kenny to get his version? He told you that he had told anyone that would listen that the boat leaked. He also told you about a time when returning to the test ramp from a late lunch in Oshkosh, he saw just the tips of the sponsons of his Wing sticking out of the water. I told you that I had only sunk one.....well, something just popped into my head that tells me I was wrong about that. I don't have a clear recollection of the event, but it was a Wing and it was a triple and the three brand new BP's were wet! I can't remember how it happened, just remember that it did. He had to stay in Oshkosh an extra day as it took me a while to dry everything out! Man oh man, how the heck did I forget that? I'm surprised Kenny let me anywhere near one of his boats after that.....and someone said "those were the days my friend".

I get the feeling you are being kind and leaving a few details out. Where you at Parker in 68 ??