Top Fuel Hydro (1 Viewer)

[glofria]

Confession time. As much as I enjoy drag racing, drag boat racing has really peeked my interest. Take your 11,000 hp nitro engine and stick it in a carbon fiber boat and run it across the lake, And no oil downs and aborted runs due to lack of traction.

 

[ZWeinstein]

Although there may not be oildowns you can still get aborted runs because of them getting crossed up, and I've been to a race that got "winded out" one time. But the top fuel hydros are some of the baddest machines around. 250 mph in 3.2 seconds in 875' while barely skimming the water, it is insane. One of the coolest things to me and it is so simple are the rooster tails provided from the props at speed. I think this year there are going to be 3-4 fuel boats touring with SDBA, since Lucas pulled out of the drag boat deal I think only Nitro Nuts has run, they ran back in November on Firebird Lake at the SDBA finals. They are returning to a World Finals style race in 2022 and I think it will be the weekend in between Vegas and Pomona in November.

View attachment Nitro Nuts-2.jpg

Nitro Nuts from back in November.

 

[Al]

I always thought that they were really cool. However awhile back, Lucas Oil canceled their involvement in the sport and it looked like it was going to die. But Alan (he did commentary on the event coverage) told me it wasn't going anywhere. I see there is a Southern series and IHBA still sanctions Wild Horse, but since then I don't see much mention of the sport. Anyone out there know if they survived the loss of Lucas Oil and if the Top Fuel class still has a place to run (especially in the west) ?
Alan? Cliff?

 

[ZWeinstein]

I always thought that they were really cool. However awhile back, Lucas Oil canceled their involvement in the sport and it looked like it was going to die. But Alan (he did commentary on the event coverage) told me it wasn't going anywhere. I see there is a Southern series and IHBA still sanctions Wild Horse, but since then I don't see much mention of the sport. Anyone out there know if they survived the loss of Lucas Oil and if the Top Fuel class still has a place to run (especially in the west) ?
Alan? Cliff?

They (Nitro Nuts) ran on Firebird Lake this past November and it was the first time since the 2018 finals a top fuel boat ran there. There is suppose to be a World FInals this November and they mentioned during last years' race that I think 3-4 fuel boats are going to tour with SDBA. Im not too familiar but I know SDBA runs quite a few races in the southern part of the country and in Texas. I believe the ADBA (Arizona Drag Boat Association) runs on Hidden Lake in Buckeye and I believe still runs in Parker once a year.

 

[Tybamf]

Pretty cool. I have a few questions if someone would be so kind to answer them:

1. How do they start the boats in the water?

2. Does anyone have videos or articles explaining more about these boats? I am most interested in seeing the "driveshaft" and propeller.

 

[mgty3whlr]

Apparently, They have an on-board starter. Look at 19 seconds in the video.

 

[none]

Drag Boat racing never stopped. Just because Top Fuel wasn't being contested doesn't mean racing stopped. As a matter of fact one of my shop neighbors has a Hydro that he races 6-8 times a year.

Just as with land racing Top Fuel requires more of a safety team and insurance to run, and they have been inactive the last couple of years, but the Southern Drag Boat Association (SDBA) and the Kentucky Drag Boat Association (KDBA) seem to be the front runners in trying to get Top Fuel back in action. They have run an extensive series, even using Forrest's Lake Lucas at Wheatland for some events.

The boats are self starting, the starter mounts on the front and drives the lower pulley (Crankshaft) then just kicks out exactly like the starter they use on Dragsters, then just rides along.

A Top Fuel Hydro has twin props and uses a W Drive which is basically a V Drive with two output shafts. One rotates clockwise one counter and when the boat is on plane only one prop ear is in the water. The prop shaft is actually out of the water when the boat is "Set" They are amazing machines.

Alan

 

[TopFuel@Lions]

Gino. you would have loved watching "Blown Fuel Hydros" race at Long Beach Marine Stadium back in the day. It was the Lions Drag Strip on water. Went from 66 til the last bigun in 77. On Sunday, they had just a 5 hour window to run from 12 to 5, Saturdays and the rare Friday (Nationals only) could rum from 10 to 5.

The great classes in the N.D.B.A. heyday were
Blown Fuel Hydro
Unblown Fuel Hydro
Blown Gas Hydro
Unblown Gas Hydro

Blown Fuel Flatbottom-(the fuel altered class on water, Al Bush and the Crazy Horse was the bomb)
Unblown Fuel Flatbottom
Blown Gas Flatbottom
Unblown Gas Flatbottom

Blown Fuel Jet
Ski Modified

A true liquid drag strip the set all the standards...just like Lions. On Sunday during the August N.D.B.A. Nationals, all 16 Blown Fuel Hydro qualifiers would be at the launch ramp, at 12 noon they would get the go ahead to fire up and warm, then get wet, fire up and hot dog it to the other end, it was epic!

TopFuel@Lions.. or watching Ray Casselli in the Panic Mouse flip at LBMS.

 

[Butch]

Back around 1980 we had a Drag boat race at Creve Coeur Lake west side of St. Louis. We got to the motel on a Thursday evening. For some reason we couldn't get into the lake park so everyone spent the day of Friday just working on the boats in the motel parking lot. That night a hell of a storm came through flooding the lake Porta poopers, and anything that could float was floating on the lake. We hung around till noon when it was announced races was canceled due to TOO MUCH RACETRACK LOL. They did throw a part that Saturday night FREE, man talk about a bunch of drunk boat racers.
And I got a bunch of shit Monday morning when I got back to work at Seaport Automotive, how does a boat race get rained out? Thats all I heard for a week. I did come back with a ton of Coors to sell off that paid for the gas.

 

[glofria]

Gino. you would have loved watching "Blown Fuel Hydros" race at Long Beach Marine Stadium back in the day. It was the Lions Drag Strip on water. Went from 66 til the last bigun in 77. On Sunday, they had just a 5 hour window to run from 12 to 5, Saturdays and the rare Friday (Nationals only) could rum from 10 to 5.

The great classes in the N.D.B.A. heyday were
Blown Fuel Hydro
Unblown Fuel Hydro
Blown Gas Hydro
Unblown Gas Hydro

Blown Fuel Flatbottom-(the fuel altered class on water, Al Bush and the Crazy Horse was the bomb)
Unblown Fuel Flatbottom
Blown Gas Flatbottom
Unblown Gas Flatbottom

Blown Fuel Jet
Ski Modified

A true liquid drag strip the set all the standards...just like Lions. On Sunday during the August N.D.B.A. Nationals, all 16 Blown Fuel Hydro qualifiers would be at the launch ramp, at 12 noon they would get the go ahead to fire up and warm, then get wet, fire up and hot dog it to the other end, it was epic!

TopFuel@Lions.. or watching Ray Casselli in the Panic Mouse flip at LBMS.

I think you're absolutely right Mark. As a kid growing up, I have memories Long Beach Marina and the racing. Dad was good friends with Ray Castelli and we were always around the Panic Mouse; Valley Head Service is on the back end of the hull. But when Ray was killed along with a couple of other boat racers that year, he said no more boat racing.

Several years ago when the restoration of the boat was going on the project manager came back to the shop and had us make the dry sump oil pump and modify a Milodon oil pan (as it was back in the day). i'm proud to say I had a hand in making both. Here some of the story of the restoration. https://www.riverdavesplace.com/forums/threads/panic-mouse-restoration.75174/

BTW, if you didn't know, The still hold boat races at the marina.

 

[twostep]

All our lives Eddie Hill and I have lived in the same town, at one period of time less than 1/4 mile away from one another. I'm told Hill knows something about TFH but I'm not sure.

 

[Butch]

Gino, Thanks for that Panic Mouse clip. All that is needed is a Olds Toronado as a tow vehicle. LOL

 

[Butch]

Forgot anyone hear of any updates on Scotty Lambert?

 

[TopFuel@Lions]

A couple more thoughts on this, all random.

When Sam Kurtovich drove the "Hot Jaws" to the last ever Blown Fuel Hydro win for a nitro Chevrolet at LBMS.

Watching Gary Scow and "The Beast" run 200mph at Long Beach.

When Earl Bachant debut the ultra fast "Smoke on the Water."

Dwight Warner in the "Nitemare" upsetting Al Bush's Crazy Horse with his Rat Engine BFF.

Joe Babel setting the Unblown Fuel Hydro record in the "Running Bare" at LBMS.

The barefoot water ski nutjob trying to break 100.

Mary Rife and her "Proud Mary" giving Mario Andretti a ride in that picklefork BFH.

The very heated rivalry with Kenny West and the Western Mag Special vs. Dennis Pollachia.

My 3 trips to Oakland Marine Stadium and wondering how I got home on a very long Sunday drive back to So Cal after so many beers.

Many more as well.


[email protected] Blown Fuel Hydros at Long Beach Marine Stadium..it was a glorious time indeed.

 

[Cliff]

Story about Eddie The Thrill Hill. TFH champ & also had his share of crashes. The lake at Wild Horse usta be called Firebird Lake. Hill had a bad crash there & the engine went to the bottom of the lake. Story goes that they fished the engine out and used it in Hill's "Texan" T/F dragster when he returned to the asphalt.

 

[glofria]

While doing some reminiscing, I came across this facebook page. Don Ewald was/is a great photographer and historian of drag racing. He use to run the "Bank Americar" top fueler back in the Lions days and throughout the 70's. Now 'm seeing he was big on taking photos of the boats too.

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[Ramjet]

I tried to drive a Top Alcohol Hydro once. We were changing the Turbo size on my Bonneville C/Streamliner and met some guys with a Turbocharged alcohol Pickle Fork. They had KS Pittman helping them with a Hilborn setup on it. The owner of Turbo Recon Glen Williams said that he would build me a couple of turbos if I could help him get his boat running. I said OK and we changed his injector setup around and it was time to go try it. The guy who had been driving the boat was not around so Glen said why don't you drive it. Being a little leary I said I had never driven a Fast boat. He says it should be no problem you have driven a streamliner over 300 MPH - what's the difference (What could possibly go wrong). We go down to Long Beach and he says here's the deal - we will make a short hit and see what happens. It fires up and I idle out by the side the Queen Mary and slowley bring it up because it stumbles. We go back and change the fuel system around and it is time to go. After a few MORE tries Glen says OK - there is 175 lbs. of weight in one sponson and if it starts to "Chine" ease out of it don't completly lift. You will have to steer this thing because the of weight difference. They tow me out with a Jet Ski and I'm going to be the next "Boy Wonder" in a drag boat. I fire up - run down and turn around and hit it. This thing lags a little bit and then all Hell breaks loose. It hops up and is gone untill it starts rocking and pulling towards this giant boat (Queen Mary). I tug on the wheel - NOTHING. I turns until it locks with no strain against it. I'm thinking "Do I want to come to an abrupt stop in the side of a Ship or take a nose dive by jerking my foot out of it". I eased out as much as possible and got it to slowdown enough to shut it off. They come get me and tow it back in. Get back - pull it out of the water and check things out. The Pitman arm is laying in the bottom of the boat hooked to the Drag Link. Glen laughs and says "Whoops - Forgot to tighten the bolt thet holds the Pitman arm to the splines. We can have that fixed in a Jiffy and we are ready to go again. That's the best this thing ever ran about 160/165 MPH". I looked at him and said "My boat driving career is over - You drive it". He Gave me the turbos and headers off of it and parked the boat. We did well at Bonneville with what were huge Turbos for the day back then.

 

[ZWeinstein]

Story about Eddie The Thrill Hill. TFH champ & also had his share of crashes. The lake at Wild Horse usta be called Firebird Lake. Hill had a bad crash there & the engine went to the bottom of the lake. Story goes that they fished the engine out and used it in Hill's "Texan" T/F dragster when he returned to the asphalt.

Come on Cliff, you of all people should know it is still called Firebird Lake lol. As far as using an engine that ended up at the bottom of that lake, I do not know if that is true because I've seen parts that were pulled from the bottom after only a few days eaten up, mainly aluminum parts. It is why they have a fresh water tap on the out ramp where they instantly hose the boats off after a run. But it does make for a good story.

Forgot anyone hear of any updates on Scotty Lambert?

I saw Scotty a couple years ago at the NHRA finals hanging out with Shawn Reed, he was not quite walking at the time if I remember but I believe he is walking again as of now. He has made a lot of progress since his crash.

 

[Cliff]

Zed, I forgot that the lake is still called Firebird Lake. argh As far as the Eddie Hill story, read below article the point where it sez "return to land racing". I think this is where I got the engine story from.

Drag Racing List - The Racing Career of Eddie Hill

 

[Nunz]

I tried to drive a Top Alcohol Hydro once. We were changing the Turbo size on my Bonneville C/Streamliner and met some guys with a Turbocharged alcohol Pickle Fork. They had KS Pittman helping them with a Hilborn setup on it. The owner of Turbo Recon Glen Williams said that he would build me a couple of turbos if I could help him get his boat running. I said OK and we changed his injector setup around and it was time to go try it. The guy who had been driving the boat was not around so Glen said why don't you drive it. Being a little leary I said I had never driven a Fast boat. He says it should be no problem you have driven a streamliner over 300 MPH - what's the difference (What could possibly go wrong). We go down to Long Beach and he says here's the deal - we will make a short hit and see what happens. It fires up and I idle out by the side the Queen Mary and slowley bring it up because it stumbles. We go back and change the fuel system around and it is time to go. After a few MORE tries Glen says OK - there is 175 lbs. of weight in one sponson and if it starts to "Chine" ease out of it don't completly lift. You will have to steer this thing because the of weight difference. They tow me out with a Jet Ski and I'm going to be the next "Boy Wonder" in a drag boat. I fire up - run down and turn around and hit it. This thing lags a little bit and then all Hell breaks loose. It hops up and is gone untill it starts rocking and pulling towards this giant boat (Queen Mary). I tug on the wheel - NOTHING. I turns until it locks with no strain against it. I'm thinking "Do I want to come to an abrupt stop in the side of a Ship or take a nose dive by jerking my foot out of it". I eased out as much as possible and got it to slowdown enough to shut it off. They come get me and tow it back in. Get back - pull it out of the water and check things out. The Pitman arm is laying in the bottom of the boat hooked to the Drag Link. Glen laughs and says "Whoops - Forgot to tighten the bolt thet holds the Pitman arm to the splines. We can have that fixed in a Jiffy and we are ready to go again. That's the best this thing ever ran about 160/165 MPH". I looked at him and said "My boat driving career is over - You drive it". He Gave me the turbos and headers off of it and parked the boat. We did well at Bonneville with what were huge Turbos for the day back then.

That's a great story!