Tweet
Gar Wood built beautiful runabouts. He also built race boats. Ten, Miss Americas. Number eight was supposedly his favorite. Thirty feet long and powered with a pair of V-12 Packards, number VIII won the 1929 and 1930 Harmsworth trophy.
But Wood wanted more. He wanted the world's speed record. In 1931, Wood commissioned engineer Harry Miller to build him a pair of 1,113 cu in. V-16 aluminum engines.
Miller completed the engines, a bit over budget and behind schedule. The engines were installed in Miss America VIII and sea trials conducted. But mechanical problems kept the boat from competing with the Miller V-16's.
Packards were put back in and the boat again won the Harmsworth. The Miller engines were sold to a private party and hulls nine and ten were raced again with Packards.
Many years later, the Miller V-16's were reunited with hull VIII. The Aluminum V-16 were rebuilt and dyno tested and run in. While the Packard V-12's produce somewhere around 800 horsepower at a modest 2500 RPM, the Millers with their Schwitzer-Cummins supercharger produce 1800 horsepower at 6000 RPM. The engines feature 60 degrees between banks, dual overhead camshafts and four valves per cylinder. 3600 horsepower and rope steering....OH YEAH!
The engines are finished, looks like without the superchargers, and with four 1150 CFM Holleys! The hull isn't complete, needs finish and hook up the engines.
Perfect boat to add to your collection. See the Mecum Auction site for more info and a video.
McSkagit
But Wood wanted more. He wanted the world's speed record. In 1931, Wood commissioned engineer Harry Miller to build him a pair of 1,113 cu in. V-16 aluminum engines.
Miller completed the engines, a bit over budget and behind schedule. The engines were installed in Miss America VIII and sea trials conducted. But mechanical problems kept the boat from competing with the Miller V-16's.
Packards were put back in and the boat again won the Harmsworth. The Miller engines were sold to a private party and hulls nine and ten were raced again with Packards.
Many years later, the Miller V-16's were reunited with hull VIII. The Aluminum V-16 were rebuilt and dyno tested and run in. While the Packard V-12's produce somewhere around 800 horsepower at a modest 2500 RPM, the Millers with their Schwitzer-Cummins supercharger produce 1800 horsepower at 6000 RPM. The engines feature 60 degrees between banks, dual overhead camshafts and four valves per cylinder. 3600 horsepower and rope steering....OH YEAH!
The engines are finished, looks like without the superchargers, and with four 1150 CFM Holleys! The hull isn't complete, needs finish and hook up the engines.
Perfect boat to add to your collection. See the Mecum Auction site for more info and a video.
McSkagit
Comment