Mandella flatbottom info

[redcraft]

Hey- I bought a Mandella flat bottom last week. I bought it mainly for the trailer to be used on a 1950s style 14' dual cockpit (outboard powered) runabout that I'm almost finished building. The hull was pretty well rotten, so I've already scrapped it. I ran the numbers on the small block that came with it and it happens to be a 1955 265 vette engine (with 202 "camel hump" heads)! The thing was in a tow yard for a couple of years, so it had been poached of intake, valve covers and exhaust......so it needs rebuilding (it has some rust inside the heads and some in the combustion chambers). It also came with a Halibrand V-drive and all the running gear (prop. shaft, rudder set-up, helm,etc.) What can you guys tell me about the V-drive. 1st question I've got is how does this thing shift? Push or pull the shaft on the top of the unit? Turn it? Or is it hydraulically operated? Is this thing worth anything? The boat was a 1964 I guess from what the guy I bought it from said, if that helps. The thing also came with a what looks to be a hydraulic "gas pedal" that has a Marbet logo on it. I couldn't find any info on this?. Thanks in advance guys!
http://pic4.picturetrail.com/VOL776/2640720/5265927/310141485.jpg
http://pic4.picturetrail.com/VOL776/2640720/5265927/310141489.jpg

[RiverRacer]

So you went and scrapped a classic huh!...

http://www.v-driveboat.com/vweb/attachment.php?attachmentid=25&stc=1&d=1206421082

[redcraft]

If it hadn't had rot everywhere and an oil soaked bilge, I wouldn't have. But it was so I did.

[shooter2]

You would be surprised at how many of those old boats are restored. But its not for everyone. If you want to see some cool restos check out the vintage hydroplanes sight.

[lebel409]

I had to claim "heirloom" status to get my fiberglass/gel work done.

I was told I'd be better off just buying a running boat...because the bill for the fiberglass would be more than a new hull.

He wasn't lying! But sometimes the old stuff is worth it.

I'm asking because I don't know...but wouldn't a wood boat be easier to deal with on a resto deal?

[68Stevens327]

Wish you would have come on here first BEFORE you scapped a classic like that!!!! I'm sure one of us would undertake such a challenge to SAVE an oldie like that... ( some of us on here know a thing or two about f-glass.....)
From your pics, it looks better than the Stevens I'm restoring....
What a shame...

[AzDon]

How many of us have un-ceremoniously disposed of a hull that we deemed "beyond repair"? The sin is admitting to it!
I've been thinkin that I'd like to get a bunch of too-tired old flatbottoms to build a fence by burying them with the noses sticking up like the row of caddies in Texas.

[RiverRacer]

How many of us have un-ceremoniously disposed of a hull that we deemed "beyond repair"? The sin is admitting to it!
I've been thinkin that I'd like to get a bunch of too-tired old flatbottoms to build a fence by burying them with the noses sticking up like the row of caddies in Texas.

I remember those caddies in Texas, I can just picture a fence with boats, wonder what the city would think about that, LOL...:D

[RiverRacer]

I'm asking because I don't know...but wouldn't a wood boat be easier to deal with on a resto deal?

If you can do wood work it is easier I think, I watched/helped a friend redo a little 15' boat, used the old rotted stuff as templates one part at a time and put it back together, it ended up looking like a piece of furniture you'd never know it was an old rotted POS!. Oh, he wasn't a woodworker by trade either, he just did it!...

[redcraft]

Don't make me feel guilty. I love old stuff of all sorts. The thing was just to jacked up. I think someone had taken the timing cover lose and just let the oil drain into the bilge- it soaked through the battens, keel and plywood skin on the bottom (+ the oak engine stringers were totally eaten up). The frames were all dry rotted and the foredeck deckbeams were all broken. Believe me, I worked in boat yards for 12 years and I know when the things are not worth saving. Sad story.

What about the Halibrand V-drive guys? Any info. on these things? I might build another boat around the hardware I've got or maybe even sell the stuff to one of you guys on the forum here?. Any info. you guys have got would be great!

[RiverRacer]

Hmmm, that's just how that 15' was, oh well!.. That Halibrand is obsolete and parts are almost non existent and it wasn't made for power, but it can still be used in a ski boat with a stock motor, small block would be perfect!..

[skyskier]

So you went and scrapped a classic huh!...

http://www.v-driveboat.com/vweb/attachment.php?attachmentid=25&stc=1&d=1206421082
Is that Harlin Orrin's project boat ?

[babybeze]

Halibrand is probably a top shift in which you slide the shaft back and forth for an in and out. Don't chunk it I still use one in my little boat and we who use them cherish finding others for parts/ gears. Art is right they are not good for power but if you want vintage or simply want to use what you got they are kinda cool. Whine worse than a blower though.

[Moneypit]

I may be wrong here but I don't think the "Camel humps" were 2.02. Like just about every other SBC head they were 1.94s.......MP

[FC-Pilot]

I may be wrong here but I don't think the "Camel humps" were 2.02. Like just about every other SBC head they were 1.94s.......MP

Ray, I have seen them both ways. Then again, the 2.02's may have been added after the fact so you may be right.

Paul

[RiverRacer]

Is that Harlin Orrin's project boat ?

Yes it is, and it's finally being rigged after all this time, should be sweet when it's done!..:cool:

[RiverRacer]

I may be wrong here but I don't think the "Camel humps" were 2.02. Like just about every other SBC head they were 1.94s.......MP

Ray, you're right they came with 1.94's but anymore them things are all wore out and they've been cut for 2.02's, that's why you see them out there like that!..

[redcraft]

Thanks Babybeze for the info. I measured the intake valves and they are 1.94s. My "hotrod" neighbor guessed that they were 2.02s.....wrong again. So, Babybeze heres another question for you- what pushes that rod back and forth? The Mandella had a hole in the back of the seaty for some type of linkage or something?

[babybeze]

Mine has a handle mounted to it going to a pivot off one of the top bolts. I have a second one that is similar. If you need pics I can get them but it may be this weekend before I can get to it. The rod you see is attatche to a shift fork made of brass or bronze that engages a dog gear that slides on the top shaft. The gear will engage the top gear on the v-drive. The dog gear is actually the weakest link. It has three dogs on it that are very effective as long as there is no slack in the driveline but if you ever get slack the gear will back lash and shatter. (wonder how I know that). Sorry to be long winded if you need more info let me know. FYI there is one of these units on ebay right now. Not to bad a price if you need parts.

[redcraft]

Yeah, I saw that one on Ebay. It looks really similar to mine. If you can send me a pic or two of the said linkage, that would be great. No hurry or anything. My plan is to use the Vdrive in the next boat I'm going to build. I really like the looks of the boat in the pic below- without an outboard hanging off the back. Maybe 14' long with a marinized 150hp motorcycle engine? Heh, heh.http://hometown.aol.com/_ht_a/raveau/owner16.jpg

[dry]

So you went and scrapped a classic huh!...

http://www.v-driveboat.com/vweb/attachment.php?attachmentid=25&stc=1&d=1206421082

That is a sweet looking classic......Talk about a looker....Real Nice!!:)

[AzDon]

The square Halibrand paralel shaft box with the sliding shaft in the top cover actually slides the top gear in-or-out of mesh with the bottom gear. There are no dogs or syncros, so usually all the teeth on one side of both gears are ground pretty good. These boxes have gears that are small in diameter and wide. Gear damage and the top gear sliding on it's shaft usually cause these boxes to sound like there is a chain rattling loose in there. Kinda unsettling!

[babybeze]

Hate to disagree with you Don but these particular drives actually have a sliding dog gear. Top gear is stationary as well as the bottom. Mine also is a 12 degree not parallel. But maybe they built one like you describe. I dunno I'm just a kid.

[babybeze]

Ok sorry this is fuzzy it was dark out when i took it. Under the plate with the switches is a funky triangular peice that attatches to two of the case bolts and has a third going through the black handle you see pictured. Snap it forward and its out of gear. rearward its in. Hope this helps. BTW if your into small rocket like classics check out my little boat. It could be had for the right price.

[RiverRacer]

:)

http://www.v-driveboat.com/vweb/attachment.php?attachmentid=128&d=1207879400

[RiverRacer]

That is a sweet looking classic......Talk about a looker....Real Nice!!:)

The pic don't do it justice, it's all wood and it's like a piece of fine furniture!..

[harlan orrin]

So you went and scrapped a classic huh!...

http://www.v-driveboat.com/vweb/attachment.php?attachmentid=25&stc=1&d=1206421082

This wood Mandella was built over about 10 years from plans I drew from memory.
I am now restoring a '55 Joe Mandella plywood flat bottom v-drive. When we picked the boat up, my wife was going to get matches from our truck, to help the boat along the way. There was 1 gal. of water and 1 gal. of oil in the pan. I have replaced the entire bottom, 3 keels, battens, stringers, frames and plywood bottom. The complete new deck was built. This boat was built with twin props-twin rudders, as a speed ski race boat. The first owner was Rozzie Barton. He built the 4 shaft v-drive and the hydraulic foot throttle, MARBET. The '55 Olds engine has been rebuilt. The hull has been glassed and primered. The new deck has 6 coats of varnish. The trailer has been rebuilt with tandem axles w/brakes.
Harlan Orrin

[harlan orrin]

Your boat is not a '64 Mandella. We quilt building wood Mandellas in 1960. I built the plugs for the glass Mandellas in 1960. When Lou Brummitt started building glass Mandellas, we stopped building wood Mandellas.
This boat could be a Bristol. There were several companies building wood v-drives in the late '50s.
Harlan Orrin
builder wood Mandellas 1957/1960

[Roaddogg 4040]

Harlin... How about posting some pictures. I bet you have more pictures of cool boats the all of us put together...:)

Steve

[shooter2]

Somehow I think Harlin could take us all to school. He has forgotten more than I ever hope to know about boats and what makes them run.

Brian

[RiverRacer]

I been to his place, and you should see some of all the old school race boats just sitting around, some very cool projects there!...

[ls6vdrive]

http://www.vintagehydroplanes.com/the_boats.html

http://www.vintagehydroplanes.com/lauterbachmystery.html
http://www.vintagehydroplanes.com/gp_956.jpg


http://www.vintagehydroplanes.com/advanceunited_historical_lakecalhoun_mn_1978.jpg

http://www.philkunzphotography.com/homewrecker.html

[ls6vdrive]

small project
http://www.vintagehydroplanes.com/tijuanataxi.html

http://www.vintagehydroplanes.com/herrington_ttaxi_port.jpg

http://www.vintagehydroplanes.com/tijuana_taxi_080419_3.jpg

[Terrible toy]

Cool boats.

[Terrible toy]

Redcraft... somewhere, someone is restoring a 55 Vette while watching a Barrett Jackson auction and would give his first born and a box car of cash for a numbers correct engine.;)

[E-boat racer]

This is a great new restoration owned by Jay Marshall of Baton Rouge.
This boat is the answer to a lifetime dream for Jay
It was run for the first time at Chautaqua Lake, NY regatta two weeks ago.
Jay had some small cooling problems and a fuel starvation above 4000
rpm. We drilled out the fuel cap vent and fixed the rudder water pickup.
And then old Rotten Rob (me) took it out for a test run. This was a
real treat as I haven't driven a Hallett hydro since the mid 70s.
After a warmup lap, I got on it and ran it up to about 5600 rpm.
It used to turn around 6000 in the old days.
It handled well and ran through a couple of corners wide open.
Top speed was about 90 mph but that will improve with jet changes.
It should run just about 100 mph like it did in 1976 when it won the
divisional championships. The engine is a spec (class rules) 273 c.i.
Pymouth pulling 215 hp on the dyno. This boat is a piece of furniture.
We should have some pictures after the Celina, OH regatta in two weeks.
We normally have from 25 to 45 Vintage boats at an event.
Rich Hallett would sit up in his grave to see this beauty.

[shooter2]

Scott Liddycoat did a beauty job on this boat. Anyone who likes boats wood love the Vintage sight. These guys, wether they pay someone or do it themselves, do it for the love of it. But I wonder were these boats ever this nice?

Brian

[E-boat racer]

Most of the hydros looked as good then as the restorations do now. The
finishes (paint and clear coat) are better materials now. 10 to 20 coats of varnish looked as good 40 years ago as a just varnished boat looks today.

[RiverRacer]

Scott Liddycoat did a beauty job on this boat. Anyone who likes boats wood love the Vintage sight. These guys, wether they pay someone or do it themselves, do it for the love of it. But I wonder were these boats ever this nice?

Brian

Yes Brian, they were that nice when new but at the time it was just a boat that you went racing with, guys would crash them and just put them back together and go out and thrash them some more, just like boats are today!. It's just that now they are a classic and they are treasured, just like a 55 Chevy!..:D

[SnoC653]

I remember at one race in Columbus (Sciota River) one of the drivers knocked a big hole in the sponson. Mom and us were elected to run accross the way and buy a piece of wood paneling and some 100mph tape. Raced over, threw it in the back of the wagon and raced back. He made the next heat.