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Thread: 1970 E & T Tunnel Racer

  1. #1
    Rick Cole bajarick's Avatar
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    Default 1970 E & T Tunnel Racer

    Here's my ride! Its a 1970 E & T Tunnel built by E & T MArine of Lexington PArk, MD.
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  2. #2
    Sam Cullis Mark75H's Avatar
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    I have one too, but mine is older.

    Beale Tilton ("T" of E & T) is a member here on BRF

    (The boat pictured below is not my E&T)
    Since 1925, about 150 different racing outboards have been made.


  3. #3
    Rick Cole bajarick's Avatar
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    Default E & T Tunnel

    Mark 75H,

    Mr T responded to my post. Ive been talking to him. He reffered me to Mr Edwards (the E in E & T), who still lives in St Mary's County. Ill be giving him a call tonight about restoring my hull. He is supposed to still be in the marine industry.

    Where are you located? Im in Baltimore.

    My hull is resting under wraps down in St Marys county on a trailer. Im getting more excited about getting it back on the water. The 35 year old transom finally gave up and I lost the Merc - the one in the picture. Im looking for a 90 hp short shaft Merc with power trim to install once I get the boat restored.

    I took the boat to Loffer Marine (still in Lexington Park, MD) once to get the Merc carbs rebuilt. They showed me a picture of a larger boat that was a picke fork - said it was easier to drive. The pickle fork relieved the execess air pressure at the nose of the boat, making it less likey to blow over. THey said the driver had passed away in a car accident. They coulndt tell me much more and really didnt seem interested.

    Here are a couple more pics...

    Id like to see some of your E & T!
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  4. #4
    Sam Cullis Mark75H's Avatar
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    Since I can never find the pics on my hard drive:

    Link to my thread on SnF
    Since 1925, about 150 different racing outboards have been made.


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    Thumbs up

    That's what I think is so great about this site, older tunnel hulls. Bajarick, how long is that boat? It'll make a nice restoration.

  6. #6
    Rick Cole bajarick's Avatar
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    Default 1970 E & T Tunnel boats

    Mark 75,

    I checked the pics @ SnF. That has to be the E & T pickle fork boat that was built after mine! I know you said you found some gold paint under the white...but Im sure if you dig (sand) a little more that you will find red gel coat - my boat still shows the original gel coat color - red. I saw an old photo of your boat when it was new (at Loffer Marine -they did not have a photo of my boat-Dam)...... It had the same paint scheme as mine (shown in my pics). The number of your boat was not visible in the photo. The paint colors are Mercury colors!....black engine with red stipes and white letters. I dont think that was the original engine on your boat. But it still looks like one hell of a racing piece. I wouldn't touch that!

    Your boat has the exact same lines as mine. If you look at the transom (standing behind the boat)...... You will notice its shaped exactly like mine The cowling is also exactly the same (I cut mine when I first bought it - right at the side of the cockpit - the little forward extension was broken off on the drivers side - so I cut the left side extension off - gave me more elbow room) Loffer told me the pickle fork boat was bigger - you say yours measures 14ft (exactly?). Mine is actually 13.5 ft.

    Let me ask - on the top of the deck on either side of the cockpit are there two humps on your hull? They arent really humps but more like a "step". Its like the deck is stepped down. I think this feature relieves the air pressure flowing over the rear of the deck which would actually provide lift (low air pressure) at the rear of the hull.

    Dam - weve got two pieces of some great racing history. I didnt get to talk to Bill Edwards ("E" of E & T) this eveing...but I bet he will set us straight! Wonder if he would be interested in helping with the restoration!

    Here's a more direct shot of my transom....and a closer shot of the cowling.
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  7. #7
    Rick Cole bajarick's Avatar
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    Default 1970 E & T Tunnels

    Wrong shot for cowling...try these....
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    Sam Cullis Mark75H's Avatar
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    I think Beale told me mine was one of the very first tunnels they built (based on the sponson and tunnel shape) and that it was originally round nose; someone cut it back to picklefork later.

    On mine the deck is higher at the transom and my tunnel is narrower and more square.
    Last edited by Mark75H; 09-27-2005 at 04:58 AM.
    Since 1925, about 150 different racing outboards have been made.


  9. #9
    Rick Cole bajarick's Avatar
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    My hull came first. My nose is square or flat accross the front. They were not round nosed boats. Like I said, they added the pickle fork front end to the later boat to releive the air pressure at the nose of the boat to make it easier to drive. It also made that boat faster than mine. It does seem like it was a rough attempt to change the design. I want to change mine to a pickle fork too (but Ill probably just leave it alone).

    Your deck may be higher at the transom. Do you have what looks like a "step" in the deck (on either side of the cockpit)? My deck steps down right at the cockpit. I beleive that creates a low pressure (air pressure - and thus lift) situation on top of the hull from the driver back. Your boat may not have this feature. Also, I cant tell from your photos, but my transom has some "set back" built in. Just below the sides of the tunnel (the chine area), my transom angles forward at about 45 degrees (in the drain hole location). In otherwords, the back of the sponsons tilts in towards the front of the boat. Your entire transom looks totally flat (across the back). Hard to tell from your pics. I guess they figured they didnt need any set back - cause that would make the front of the boat run high - and cause a blowover.

    I believe the changes made to your boat were made to help keep the boat right side up

    My tunnel is square too. There are fillets at the top corners that make it "look" somewhat rounded. The fillets stop stress cracks from propogating where the top of the tunnel meets the insides of the sponsons. Not sure how wide the tunnel is, but like yours, it is about 8-1/4" deep at the transom.

    Ill post some more pics later tonight.

  10. #10
    Team Member Beale Tilton's Avatar
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    Default 1970 E & T Tunnel Racer

    Rick,
    Your hull is the only one built with the "humps" in the deck. They were hand crafted.
    Not all tunnels were red, we also built white, blue, black and Super Pickle green.
    The pictures you saw at Loffler's were most likely those of Bob Roberts U boat.
    Sam, I'm not sure about yours. I am postive the front cowling is not E & T.
    Since you know Bill it should be no problem to verify if it is or is not E & T.
    T

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