Joe Swift

[Mark75H]

I can't find my master notes about Joe Swift right now, but I'll start with what I can remember from memory.

Swift was involved in wood working or furniture manufactoring back in the 1950's. One of the main products was clothespins ... the company logo was actually a clothespin.

In the late 1950's Joe got connected with Carl Kiekhaefer and made a deal to build boats and supply them to every Merc dealer .... making every Merc dealer a Swift race boat dealer. This deal made Swift the most popular race boat in the US, probably the world back in the late 1950's and early 1960's. I can't find my notes on it right now, but the total number of boats was something like 5,000. There were other boats that were faster, but Swift outright dominated racing by shear numbers in that time.

In the late 1960's Joe took over PR for Mercury racing and was once again at the forefront of outboard racing.

Its a start any way .... I'll try to find the exact and correct details.

[Tomtall]

OK - Lets post some Swift hulls here to go with Joes background.

This one I'm posting belonged to Ronald Liethas of Wis.. Pic was taken in 1992 after restoration of his "Big Bee". Nice,Very Nice!

[Ron Hill]

My brother went in the Army in 1952, and as Oldalkyraces said, he thought he went to Korea...Well, Russ was to go to Korea, but went to Germany instead... Seems the Army wanted him to run an IBM machine...Whatever that was in those days...My brother said he'd sleep on it and when it quit shaking, he'd add more cards...

My brother spent a lifetime in the computer business because of the ARMY.

When he was in the Army, my dad bought my brother a new Swift hydro...Nailed together, by god...A C-D-F-X Hydro...2 feet longer than a Neal..or something...My dad sand bagged a Mark 40 and A KG-9 for my brother. I wasn't old enough to race, yet, and didn't have a boat... Everyday, when I went into my dad's gargage (Shop) I'd look at that Swith, sitting on its side in a wooden crate...White Kainer steering wheel...Don't seem to recall a throttle...but I'd kind stick my head between the crate boards and pretend I was driving that damn thing...Then my dad would yell at me, "Not to tangle the steering" and come in here and start doing something...and don't pull the disappearance act."

That went on for about 9 months...When Jr. go home, I had me a Terrill AU and I was "RACING" every weekend behind Seaboard or over at Bixby Slough...waiting for my brother to come home so I could watch HIM drive that Swift....It was quite a thrill, considering the first time he put on his Six Stud racing C, he fell out of the damn boat...Big splash...(If you don't take the wheel and throttle with you, you fell out, you know)...

This picture is Lake Mead, fall of 1955, about a month after the Stock Nationals at Devil's Lake...

When I was racing for OMC, Joe Swift and I became good friends, though Joe worked for Mercury. Joe was easy to like. (Besides, I told him everything I knew...no secrets here.....YOU KNOW!!!!).. He had a great sense of humor.....Joe was always very humble, considering I always thought of him as a GIANT in BOAT RACING HISTORY!!!!

[BBaron]

Tried to send a pic. of my Big D Swift didn't work?

[Tomtall]

This boat was resently found in a warehouse that was to be demolished. It is now for sale on E-Bay at this link. Sure looks like a "Swift" hydro to me. Any input on this?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Vinta...85894354QQrdZ1

[Bob Valachovic]

There are Swift Hydroplanes at the Antique Boat Museum at Clayton New York in the Outboard section. One is brand new and never seen water.
Bob

[Mike R. Cole]

A couple of weeks ago Joe Swift's son, James A. Swift 55yrs, died of cancer in th Orlando Fl area..

Jewel Swift, Joe's ex-wife during the Swift Hydroplane production years, is still alive and living in Ormond Beach Fl.

[Mike R. Cole]

Jack Leek worked for Outboard Marine Corp. during the (60's) years that my father, Richard C. Cole, was designing boats for them.

[ezryder]

A couple of weeks ago Joe Swift's son, James A. Swift 55yrs, died of cancer in th Orlando Fl area..

Jewel Swift, Joe's ex-wife during the Swift Hydroplane production years, is still alive and living in Ormond Beach Fl.

Hi Mike,
Thanks for the update on James. I met him for the first time at the
Tavaries Vintage Boat Show back in March. He never mentioned he
had cancer.
I'm really sorry to hear of his passing -- RIP Jimmie!!

I'm from Orlando also, but moved to Lady Lake 12 years ago. I'm retired. I was a boat racer in my youth. My dad was too. And I knew
Joe Swift. And drove his boats also. He had a shop in Mount Dora.

I have a fir plywood Swift A/B hydro in my collection. All his early
A/B's and C/D's were built with Fir. Later he added ocumae construction.

Regards,
George

[BoatingBuddy]

Hi Mates,

Looking for a photo of a Swift Atomic A from 1957-58 My boat was yellow and # G 53 would like to show my son and grand son.

Thanks Those days were great..