Tony Maricich in Suddenly

[Ron Hill]

Tony calmly waits for the final heat at St. Petersburg, Florida, 1965, Inboard Nationals...

Explain those carbs...

[Tomtall]

Ron - I do believe the intake is a "Smokey" original.He designed it for the small block chevy road race engines.They made a Big block version later.Stager carb desighn on top of a box.Carb's are "Holley".Goofy look'n air scoops were a 60-70's Hot Rod shop novelty.You should know of "Smokey" being a left coaster.The man was a master of engines.Read this book if you have time.Lots of great stories and engine speed secrets of the man.His web site is @ http://www.smokeyyunick.com/

[Spike Morelli]

Tony calmly waits for the final heat at St. Petersburg, Florida, 1965, Inboard Nationals...

Explain those carbs...

Ron,
Tony's carb set-up is not as weird as it appears. The photo is from a rear three-quarter view so it's not clear to many.
I doubt that the manifold is a "Smokey Ram". According to the book "Edelbrock,Made in America", the Smokey Ram (designed by Smokey Yunick), but manufactured by Edelbrock, first appeared in Edelbrock's catalog in 1972. Tony Maricich's boat picture is earlier than that.
Mickey Thompson made their own manifold, the "Power Ram", a dual quad side-by-side-staggered affair like the manifold pictured as early as 1964, but my records show big and small Fords, small Chevys, and Pontiacs only. Mickey may have manufactured a big Chevy manifold, I just can't verify it.
What was definately available back then, was the Edelbrock X-C96, a one piece(as opposed to the two piece Smokey) dual quad ram-log design. Edelbrock made these for the small and big block Chevys, as well as small and big block Fords. The dual quad ram log was a very popular marine racing manifold in the sixties, obviously, Tony kicked some serious backside using it.
The cast air horn devices pictured ARE NOT "goofy" 60's-70's speed shop items. Those are marine flame arrestors. They were common on inline dual quad set-ups because they were compact, front-to-back,yet had good total inlet area. They had dual screens, usually orentated pointing side to side for clearance. Debbold's Marine Supply catalog from the sixties shows the flame arrestors pictured on Tony's boat as part #449.
The stainless flame arrestor screens have been removed in the picture of Tony's boat, to allow more air flow but still protect the carbs from water spray.
Again, someone other than Debbold's may have manufacured that style of marine flame arrestor as well.
Hope this helps. Spike

[Ming]

The deal on the carbs.
I spoke to Bill Dunsmore this morning, and for the guys that were not around at that time, Dunsmore owned the boat. The engine was a 396 Chevy that Grant Pickens of GM furnished. The manifold was from Edelbrock and the carbs were Holley.
Other things of intrest:
The boat was a Wickens Kit Boat
The manifold was the 1st 396 manifold that Edelbrock made
The motor put out about 550 hp on Edelbrocks dyno
Dunsmore still has the Dyno sheets
Ming

[Spike Morelli]

Thanks Ming!
I almost added the fact that Tony's Chevy was a 396 , which, of course was within the 400 cu.in. limit for SK. I believe "Suddenly's" number was SK-57. I have a picture of Tony a year later (in 1967) driving a Howard Super Stocker called "Super Suddenly', SS-57.
I remember lots of guys de-stroking their 427 Chevys and Fords to run SK.
I'm a big fan of sixties drag boats and SK runabout. I never got enthused with K, GN, SS, Unlimited, PS.....not that there's anything wrong at all with them, but the old SK's and draggers get to me. Kinda like the way the Parker strip was in the sixties...if you're old enough to have been there.
Come 5 o'clock in the evening, cocktail hour, the most wonderfull and colorfull boats would come out to play, and there were lots of SK's eating up supposed "100 mph" braggers.
Did Dunsmore ever say what happened to the "Suddenly" boat, or is it gone? Spike

[Ming]

I think the boat is history. Bill senior has been retired for years but still puts togather a few high buck V-Drives. He and Bill jr. own Dunsmore Marine in Boulder City, NV. Most of their business is large go fast boats. Their phone # is (702) 293 1927

[bill boyes]

If I remember correctly Bill and Tony were Firemen from Torrance Calif.

[Jones Cams]

The deal on the carbs.
I spoke to Bill Dunsmore this morning, and for the guys that were not around at that time, Dunsmore owned the boat. The engine was a 396 Chevy that Grant Pickens of GM furnished. The manifold was from Edelbrock and the carbs were Holley.
Other things of intrest:
The boat was a Wickens Kit Boat
The manifold was the 1st 396 manifold that Edelbrock made
The motor put out about 550 hp on Edelbrocks dyno
Dunsmore still has the Dyno sheets
Ming

Could you ask Bill if that was the manifold Dick Jones designed, and gave to Vic Edelbrock Sr to manufacture?
I believe I used to have the factory Corvette injector that came off that engine from GM.

Thanks,
Mike Jones