Floyd Hopkins

**Master Oil Racing Team** · 03-03-2005

Just heard that Floyd Hopkins has passed on. Have a lot of great memories of him. Was glad I went to Alex in 2003 with my kids. He was there and we had a good talk. I have some photos to post, but until then I have a story to tell.

In 1969 Bobby Olsen was really hot in A hydro. Besides him Jerry Waldman, Bob Hering and some others we were nowhere close to being competitive with that bunch. We had two A Konigs and nothing we tried got us closer than a couple of mph slower. We could get speed, but lose acceleration & visa versa.

We called up Floyd and asked him to come down. Bring some props and a hammer. My dad, Jack Chance and I were at our testing pits (Dad's front yard) with Floyd, and the object was to boost our horsepower with Nitro. We had never experimented with it before. Until we got another motor or figured out how to catch up, we better try something. Our Canandian friends Chuck (?...help me with the names) had given us some tips on running nitro in the fuel.

We didn't know what we would need in the way of props if we could get more horsepower, so we were going to test and do it on the fly. Floyd was right there when we cranked up that A. We had not done anything prior to that because none of us had any previous experience with nitro. If Floyd had any experience he didn't mention it. If he did he probably thought he knew what we were doing. Them motor ,including timing ,was as we always set it.

We had the boat ( Marchetti) on stands in the water and we wanted to crank it up first to warm it up before testing on the water. My dad pulled the rope and it started right up. I goosed it and rooooooooooommmm---it took off! It sounded like it was turning 15,000 rpm's. I pushed in the switch.... Nothing! I pulled the safety cord.... Nothing! I unplugged it... Nothing! I was trying to pull the fuel hose off when my dad put both hands over the carbuerator (all of this took place within a few seconds).

When the engine was killed we looked around and Floyd was behind a big willow tree about 20 feet away. We adjusted the timing and it ran away with us once more before we got it right. Floyd stayed by the tree until we was sure that motor wasn't going to turn into a grenade.

**Ron Hill** · 03-03-2005

I'm guessing Chuck from Canada was Chuck Simon...He bought Harry Bartolomei's VC after Valleyfield in 1967....Harry "KNEW" Nitro...

Ted May always taught us "KIDS" there were the "QUICK" and the "Dead"...Floyd knew when to run for cover..

Add: Chuck and Lou Simon did motor work from Harmon Herbert (R Mun E Bear)..

At Depue, I stuck my "C" Konig...Chuck helped my dad pull that Konig apart, cleaned up the cyclinder and put her back together...He and may dad worked the better part of a day...Seems Lou was there adding his help too...

Both, just nice Boat Racers from Canada!!!

**Jeff Lytle** · 03-04-2005

I had 2 Simon Konigs as well. A 2 banger FB and a VB.
Both ran nitro, both were fast!! I bought the VB off Doug Thompson who won the US NAtionals with it. I tossed a retainer out the rotary valve the 1st race I ran it, and got in touch with Chuck and Lou who were more than pleased to work on the engine again. They still had ALL the specs on the engine, and did the work right away.
To see the inside of that engine was a real joy-----Highly polished, and ported to the nines.

The Simon fuel mix was as follows:

Per 800 ounces (or 5 imperial gallons)

40 oz benzine
44 oz castor oil
160 oz nitromethane (20%)
balance methanol

Armand Hebert was a Crazy Kanuck if I ever saw one !! He too LOVED his nitromethane.

BTW Wayne, I had an FA that did that too--even hands over the carbs didn't stop this puppy--

**Jeff Lytle** · 03-04-2005

We did some business, always a pleasure to speak to, always on time.
My condolences to Glen and the family.

**Master Oil Racing Team** · 03-04-2005

Ron--You got it right. Don't know how I could forget Chuck's last name. He was out of racing for awhile after two rocks fell off a truck and crashed through his windshield. He was lucky he wasn't killed. One crushed some bones in his hand, and the other his skull. I think he had to have a plate put in.

Jeff--Here's your crazy kanuck.

**Jeff Lytle** · 03-04-2005

Whully S#$T!! I never expected that!!

I have never seen ANY pics of Armand.........NEVER. You DO have quite the collection Wayne.
Any pics of him racing? Remember he had a Butts with a red cowling named "Miss Pharmacie Vachon". On the cowling it said "L'Pic 4". I remember seeing a Butts ad in Propeller many many years ago that showed that boat in a pic taken from overhead. Armand was in the cockpit, Gentex on, helmet off with a BIG grin.

**Master Oil Racing Team** · 03-04-2005

Floyd took these pictures at Alexandria, put the captions on and sent them to my dad. I came across them about two months ago. I mounted them in sequence and hung them in our racing room.

**Jeff Lytle** · 03-04-2005

That blue boat sitting on the trailer......#500 belonged to a buddy of mine, Wes Smith. Another Krazy Kanuck

Where was that pic taken?? Alex??

**Master Oil Racing Team** · 03-04-2005

Yep! That's Alex. I was looking through my files or Armand in his boat, but my light table is packed away and I can't find my loupe magnifier so I am have a hard time identifying some of the shots. Maybe this #42 is Armand. It's been awhile and some of the numbers don't come to me like they used to, but seems like this boat came out of Canada. BTW wonder what's with the exhaust on the other boat? Can't recall right now.

**Jeff Lytle** · 03-04-2005

Actually, 42 is Doug Thompson, and that is the Simon engine I bought off him. I can tell by the Nydahl ignition.

WTF????? Can you imagine driving with the pipes sticking forward that way??