Chris Chamberlain's Wetback

[Healey75]

Definately got to find a set of megaphones for this project...! good thought, thanks for all the advice/info, do please let me have any links or possible sites where you think I should be looking, it's all starting to come together...how did I find time to go to work...regards Steve

[Mark75H]

Pipes for the Mk40/KG9 are extremely rare. A set or two has sold on eBay during the past year or so, but I have not seen them before or since.

Pipes for the newer Mercs are seen much more often and some are still being made.

[John (Taylor) Gabrowski]

Its true that they are not plentiful but they do pop out for sale here and there. There were even filler blocks for sale here on BRF which with them it would not be that hard to build your own 4 tube set given there is a lot of free information around to make them. It was just two years ago I sold my fully chromed set to the owner of a KG9 and have seen some half a dozen pipe sets with and without filler blocks since then to now. What are real rare when it comes to KG9, Mark40H are the newer Quincy coupled elbo pipes for those engines. I might have seen 4 engines with them on ever, so that makes them real rare. Lets help the enthusiast with any leads that pop up. That will bring some real outboard racing noise back to the UK outside of what rolls on tires.

[Healey75]

Everyone, please keep your eyes and ears open, hopefully something will turn up from somewhere, I'll post some wanted adverts around as well and keep you posted if we find any, I can make up missing parts and repair damage etc so if you hear of anything please let me know...thanks again Steve.

[Ron Hill]

Chris Chamberlain testing at Elsinore, Thursday 1/27/10.

[Healey75]

Everyone, please keep your eyes and ears open, hopefully something will turn up from somewhere, I'll post some wanted adverts around as well and keep you posted if we find any, I can make up missing parts and repair damage etc so if you hear of anything please let me know...thanks again Steve.

Thanks for the leads etc on these, we now have a set of Quincy stacks here in the UK, work on the engine is moving forward slowly, the mid section is back to H length and reinforced intenally and externaly, hoping to rebuild the engine and wake 'em up by the end of the season.

[zul8tr]

This started out as a Wetback tread so here is more on that.

I built Wetback in 1970 per the Kelly plans that I bought from him at a race in 1958 at the Miami Outboard Club (salt water race). Raced it that way (except for a modded cowl and full length traps) from 73 to 77 in 25ssh and did well with Region 5 High Points in 1975 against top racers: Jeff Hutchins, Fred Townson, Bunky Bowerman, Dave Rawson and others. But then got the bug in 1978 for a mod and revised the deck and cowl. Here is a shot after the mod in 25ssh. It was faster with this mod with quicker lift and lighter in the turns definately more fun to drive. Also raced 20ssh with the Y80 starting in 1978, it handled it well with a 32" bottom. It ran in the 63 mph range as a 25ssh and 65 mph range as a 20ss with round ear props from Pinner - 2 blade for the 25 and 3 blade for the yamato Y80.

I went to Hal Kellys home and workshop in Ft Pierce during the 70's and invited him to come to a boat race to see his stuff run. He did get to a Frostproof Fl race and was amazed at the speeds and engine heights that were running compared to his rigs in the mid fifties. He was a really nice guy to chat with and see all the stuff he had at his shop and to discuss boat racing.

I still have the hydro and the engines and props and recently restored it with some additional mods to dash, cowl and cockpit sides.

Here is a twist when I first built it in 1970 I wasn't yet into APBA so I played with what ever engines my Dad had. A 35 hp Evenrude fishing engine. Mounted it and had a blast. Even did water skiing with it.

[F-12]

That is a great picture. I'm sure it changed personalities after the mods you mentioned. And you also did well mentioning the big guns from FL. All great racers. Stopped by Dave Rawson's house today while I was out and he wasn't home. Busy with what his most recent project is I assume.............

[RogerH]

Here's another one, that goes back about 44 years! Wish I still had this rig. I built this as a "C" per the instructions provided. Nothing but FUN!

[zul8tr]

Here's another one, that goes back about 44 years! Wish I still had this rig. I built this as a "C" per the instructions provided. Nothing but FUN!

Cool. What were your best top speeds with the 30H? Did you run full traps? Was it a floater?