New in California

[sbartel]

Just wanted to say Hi and introduce myself. Great site, I'm getting lots of ideas already!!! I'm starting to build a '63 Stevens and will post pics soon.

[poncho]

I have a 63 post away,maybe i`m biased

[RiverRacer]

Welcome aboard, looking forward to seeing your project!..:cool:

[Flatmvn]

Nice to have new people. makes the site more fun and interesting. We all learn from each other. What we learn well that is a whole other thread and we don't need to go there.

Nice havin you.

Louis

[RiverRacer]

What we learn well that is a whole other thread and we don't need to go there.

Most definitely, LMAO!..:D

[warpt71]

Welcome! Where abouts in CA are you, there is someone to help wherever you are.

[hm66Howard]

Welcome aboard! Lots of great info gets shared here.

[sbartel]

Welcome! Where abouts in CA are you

I'm in the Fresno area. Grew up on the Kings River with a v-drive, now I'm rebuilding it so my daughter can too!

[Terrible toy]

I'm in the Fresno area. Grew up on the Kings River with a v-drive, now I'm rebuilding it so my daughter can too!

You will be familiar with the Gun Club, Royal Oak Park, Lindies Landing and, if you're not too young, drag racing at the motel.:D

[Terrible toy]

Just wanted to say Hi and introduce myself. Great site, I'm getting lots of ideas already!!! I'm starting to build a '63 Stevens and will post pics soon.

Excuse my manners, forgot to say welcome. You might check out the thread "Three piece Stevens" it has some interesting history and construction info on the early Stevens.:cool:

[V-Drive Video]

My dads old Stevens at the river in 1963 or 64.

http://www.v-drivevideo.com/pictures/albums/userpics/normal_Griffin_Archives_003.jpg

[BradP]

I'm in the Fresno area. Grew up on the Kings River with a v-drive, now I'm rebuilding it so my daughter can too!

Excellent!

Welcome aboard:D

[Terrible toy]

My dads old Stevens at the river in 1963 or 64.

http://www.v-drivevideo.com/pictures/albums/userpics/normal_Griffin_Archives_003.jpg

OMG, is that nice. When I was a kid that's just the kind of boat that started my addiction to v-drives.

[sbartel]

You will be familiar with the Gun Club, Royal Oak Park, Lindies Landing and, if you're not too young, drag racing at the motel.:D

I know those spots very well. By "the motel", you must mean Riverland. I'm a little too young for the drag racing, but I've heard stories!! I must say I prefer the lake though... it's a little safer and the skiing is WAY better, plus the Sheriff's have really stepped up patrol of the river.

[poncho]

My dads old Stevens at the river in 1963 or 64.

http://www.v-drivevideo.com/pictures/albums/userpics/normal_Griffin_Archives_003.jpg

Good lord that was you're childhood influence,nice looking Stevens,is it still around maybe?the name silhouette-2 must mean something

[RiverRacer]

Well, hopefully whoever got it preserved it, like a dummy I sold my Stevens to a kid and I'm sure by now it's in a land fill somewhere, it said "Bits & Pieces" on the side!..

[Terrible toy]

I know those spots very well. By "the motel", you must mean Riverland. I'm a little too young for the drag racing, but I've heard stories!! I must say I prefer the lake though... it's a little safer and the skiing is WAY better, plus the Sheriff's have really stepped up patrol of the river.

Sad to say the Kings river has changed, and not for the better. Before jet skis, Sheriff patrol boats, housing developments and 5 mile an hour zones it was an absolutely great skiing, camping and party spot. In the 70s it was one of the few places where hot flats out numbered all other boat types. Because of the fast current boat wakes would flatten out fast so you could always find mirror water to cut up. Royal Oak Park was the primo place to camp. Grass camping spots, on the water with sandy beaches. Gas dock and wide launch ramp both in a lagoon so no wind or wakes to worry about. Best of all the people who owned it were super folks.

But, it became more and more popular. Pretty soon the place was awash with Bayliners and jet skis. With the crowds came crime, big jump in accidents, drug problems, etc.. Royal Oak sold out to a time share corporation and the Sheriffs had to step in to keep the idiots from killing each other.

I found one interesting thing during the summers I spent on the Kings. For all the thunder, noise, speed that v drives are noted for, very few were involved in accidents and I never saw one cause one.

[Moneypit]

Sad to say the Kings river has changed, and not for the better. Before jet skis, Sheriff patrol boats, housing developments and 5 mile an hour zones it was an absolutely great skiing, camping and party spot. In the 70s it was one of the few places where hot flats out numbered all other boat types. Because of the fast current boat wakes would flatten out fast so you could always find mirror water to cut up. Royal Oak Park was the primo place to camp. Grass camping spots, on the water with sandy beaches. Gas dock and wide launch ramp both in a lagoon so no wind or wakes to worry about. Best of all the people who owned it were super folks.

But, it became more and more popular. Pretty soon the place was awash with Bayliners and jet skis. With the crowds came crime, big jump in accidents, drug problems, etc.. Royal Oak sold out to a time share corporation and the Sheriffs had to step in to keep the idiots from killing each other.

I found one interesting thing during the summers I spent on the Kings. For all the thunder, noise, speed that v drives are noted for, very few were involved in accidents and I never saw one cause one.

TT, it is so sad when we think of what we had.....Guess what? It is our own fault. Not you and me exactly, boat, hot boat, water sports people,(NO NO NO, not the HB forum, cause it was us, and now we're here) everywhere. Example: A STOCK Harley off the showroom floor is allowed more db s than my 69 Tahiti?..These are the guys that run, quite loud, right outside you car window on the freeway. On the water there are NO lanes, you can veer away from the noise, right?...Why the difference?.....Well, it involves the almighty buck, the Harley guys knew which palms to grease, the poor un informed boaters were never united against noise restrictions.......Whats next, 50 MPH on Havasu?...People, someone needs to take Arnold for a few boat rides.....My first choice would be Billy B.....2nd, Wayne Herbert, and just to keep Arnold in touch with those that keep trying, Pat........

[V-Drive Video]

Good lord that was you're childhood influence,nice looking Stevens,is it still around maybe?the name silhouette-2 must mean something

This is me in the boat after dad installed the 427 ford.

http://www.v-drivevideo.com/pictures/albums/userpics/Copy_of_Griffin_Archives.jpg

Around 1971 dad swapped a 406 into the Stevens and sold it minus trailer. I've never seen it again. He put the 427 in the next boat...

That dog weighed 250 lbs:)

http://www.v-drivevideo.com/pictures/albums/userpics/Griffin_Archives_002.jpg

[hm66Howard]

The wood deck didn't get painted over, did it? Yikes. :eek: I hope it's just the lighting in the picture. :D

[Moneypit]

Damn Jerry, nothing like FE Fords to wake up the day.......I would give my left.....Well maybe not, but still, those ol' FE fords were the kings of the day. I had one in a car, 57 2 dr wagon, with a C&O Hydro.....bad to the bone....Art had one in an old Stevens, medium riser like mine.....R&W Automotive chassis dyno'd mine at 410 to the ground @ 4200 (1967).......I buzzed it 6, once to 7200 in high gear, but that is an entire different story, ask me?.)......Those boats, the pics of your mom, dad, the memories of the legendary FE, the river when it was JUST boat people,......what wonderful memories for you, my friend. Thanks so much for sharing them........Ray

[V-Drive Video]

The wood deck didn't get painted over, did it? Yikes. :eek: I hope it's just the lighting in the picture. :D


Re-read the text and you'll realize it's a different boat. :)

[V-Drive Video]

Damn Jerry, nothing like FE Fords to wake up the day.......I would give my left.....Well maybe not, but still, those ol' FE fords were the kings of the day. I had one in a car, 57 2 dr wagon, with a C&O Hydro.....bad to the bone....Art had one in an old Stevens, medium riser like mine.....R&W Automotive chassis dyno'd mine at 410 to the ground @ 4200 (1967).......I buzzed it 6, once to 7200 in high gear, but that is an entire different story, ask me?.)......Those boats, the pics of your mom, dad, the memories of the legendary FE, the river when it was JUST boat people,......what wonderful memories for you, my friend. Thanks so much for sharing them........Ray

I still have that motor pictured Ray. My dad passed a few years back and I bought dads ac cobra kit car and that same 427 from my mom. I think they'll go together perfectly. I just need to sell the 390 that sits in the cobra (or find a 57 ford 2 door sedan or 64 Galaxie) ;)

[Moneypit]

I still have that motor pictured Ray. My dad passed a few years back and I bought dads ac cobra kit car and that same 427 from my mom. I think they'll go together perfectly. I just need to sell the 390 that sits in the cobra (or find a 57 ford 2 door sedan or 64 Galaxie) ;)

Jerry, I'm glad that/ANY, FE brings you and your dad back together, spiritully......Now, the 57 sedan, the FE will bolt right in, BUT, aftermarket FE headers are about one inch short of the head, from the bottom, hitting the "Y" block cross member, been there done that.......With that fricken Hydro, all the street guys figured I was running a Fordamatic, less than performance oriented, but that Hydro across an intersection was something to behold, carrying a wheel up!!!!!!!!!!!...Any Cobra would make my life complete....Give me time in a Cobra, and take it off the top end........Same could be said for a ride in the Honcho......Jerry, thank you sooooo much for sharing your photographic genius with us, (yeah I know these aren't your pictures), but your videos are second to none. River Rats 1 &2 come to mind........And thank you for including the human side of our sport, the fun, and the tragedy. Always good to see you at the races.............Ray

[poncho]

Jerry,thanks for you're contribution to our hobby,i work on fishing boats so no tv just video`s boat i worked a few years back had a couple of guys that ate their breakfast to River Rats-2 ever day for like three months,we would hit the galley same time everyday and they would say put in the vid dude only thing allowed to play day after day without being thrown overboard,anyone reading this that doesn't have the video order it best winter fix out there,our hero Art makes an appearance on there,GET THE VID

[poncho]

As an aside,imagine what these video`s are going to mean to someone fourty years from now

[hm66Howard]

Re-read the text and you'll realize it's a different boat. :)I knew I should have went to bed earlier. :p

[RiverRacer]

Jerry,thanks for you're contribution to our hobby,i work on fishing boats so no tv just video`s boat i worked a few years back had a couple of guys that ate their breakfast to River Rats-2 ever day for like three months,we would hit the galley same time everyday and they would say put in the vid dude only thing allowed to play day after day without being thrown overboard,anyone reading this that doesn't have the video order it best winter fix out there,our hero Art makes an appearance on there,GET THE VID

You need to get River Rats-1 also!..:D

[BradP]

You need to get River Rats-1 also!..:D

I lent both RRI and RR!! out.

Neither one has been returned.:mad:

[V-Drive Video]

Thanks everyone for the encouraging and kind words! I really appreciate it. :cool

Hopefully I can get more of you to loan out your boat vids necessitating a re-order.:D


Ray, my dad had f.e.'s in 57 ranch wagons a 57 t-bird his boats, hell everything. I remember he had to turn the pan around on the t-bird and we had custom made headers for it.

[RiverRacer]

Jerry, FE's were and still is one the coolest motors out there, I was really bummed when they discontinued it for the "385" series!..

[LeadSledMerc]

Jerry, FE's were and still is one the coolest motors out there, I was really bummed when they discontinued it for the "385" series!..

I had an FE in my old '51 Merc leadsled, I still can't believe the absolute abuse that motor took from me over the years and just kept on going!

I just gave my last FE and all of my spare parts to a friend, so hopefully it's gone to another abusive motorhead! haha :D

[RiverRacer]

I had an FE in my old '51 Merc leadsled, I still can't believe the absolute abuse that motor took from me over the years and just kept on going!

I just gave my last FE and all of my spare parts to a friend, so hopefully it's gone to another abusive motorhead! haha :D

Yeah and that's in factory form, with a few mods they can really take the abuse, anymore though you just want to preserve them!...

[RiverRacer]

I lent both RRI and RR!! out.

Neither one has been returned.:mad:

Gee, I can't imagine why!..:D:D:D