A 76 Hondo GT comes home

[OhHondoGT]

I can't say for sure.....
but it looks like this was one of the early designs of the Runnerbottom. I can see were a couple pieces of Masonite might have been thrown in the bottom of the mold to create the hull design. Then later on a new mold was made or purpose built for the Runnerbottom design. One of the neat things about this hobby is that a lot of the history of this sport is still floating around and you can see just how designs have progressed over the decades.

It is really interesting to learn how the different runner bottom designs evolved through the years. From what I've learned, my boat is a XH511 - Cole splashed this bottom and called it a TR1. After this design Irv made the runner a little deeper, removed a little bit of rocker, extended the chines to the transom and extended the air traps further forward - this became the XH511T design that was to be copied (and refined) by almost every other flatbottom manufacturer like the Cole TR2. Jim Lange has posted some great info on runnerbottom history / design on PB.

[OhHondoGT]

Hi Tim,

Think I'll post a thread when I'm done. I drop a photo here or there every now and then. I need to update my website with more photos and the sort for sure. Last year I went racing with the Giroux boys and we brought home the High Point Championship for our bracket in the Lucas Oil Dragboat Series.... So my website took a major backseat to learning a bunch of new stuff and the boat has now taken on a more narrow focus. All I'm thinking about and working on is the boat now.

I think your dad, you and I would have gotten along famously seeing that you all are "Dye in the Wool" Ford guys. Just something about us underdogs that just have to work a bit harder and a bit smarter than the fellow next to us. Ha!

Keep slugging away! I'm looking forward to seeing your Hondo finished!!

Here's a sneak peek at some items I've mocked to see how thing fit, lots more work needs to be done of course....

Outstanding work Art! Keep the updates coming, can't get enough of this boat.

[OhHondoGT]

Well ladies and gents it's been a while but I'm back. After the death of my father and a move to a new house, I've finally gotten the Hondo to her new home and managed to get s few things accomplished. I hope to stay on it through the winter so I might be able to actually use this thing again before I get too old.

First up is the trailer re-do. Bought this Competitive trailer from a friend of Mouzers while on vacation in California (2013) and had it shipped back to Ohio.


Just back from the paint booth (after a lot of work).


Under the boat. Really like the road dolly look and the fact that it takes up less space in the garage. Fenders are polished stainless, not taking the protective wrap off of them until I'm done with the boat so they don't get scratched. Trailer got all new LED lights, torsion axles and has a foldaway tongue, just have a few details to finish before it's road ready.

[OhHondoGT]

Next up we started bolting in the motor rails and got the new rudder in place. Got the rudder from Dan at Canyon boats - great guy to deal with. Going with a matte black powder coat on everything that touches the stringers for some contrast to the gloss black. I've seen this on a few other restorations and really like it, trying to maintain a clean / all business look.

[OhHondoGT]

Not a great picture but all of the underwater gear is in and the bottom of the boat was speed coated before it was put on the trailer.

[OhHondoGT]

Finished up the rudder and rudder support along with rear steering pulleys. If you look close we hid a bilge pump in the corner since this thing will be used at the lake once in a while (spent a week making a nice bracket to mount it on that you'll never see once the fuel tank is in!). Next I'll be sending more to the powder coaters and start working on hardware towards the front of the boat - I'll keep updating from here forward if any one is still interested?

[hyperpasta]

The trailer came out beautiful. Quite the difference from the first photos in this post!

Love the flat black powder coating too. Your floors are off the hook as well! I'm really liking the color combo you got going on!

Lastly! You paint the bilge pump? It's pretty cool how you have it tucked back in there out of sight. Might have to copy you on that detail!

Great job Tim on your project! First class build and rigging...

Art

[HB Vic]

Definitely some serious quality work right there. It looks amazing. Very nice work.

[Sharp shooter]

Wow! Very nice!!!! All of it!

[2manymustangs]

PLEASE keep the pics coming Hondo... Your pics/project look awesome...

Very sorry for the loss of your father... Sad news there... :(

P.S. I like your BIG COBRA JET sign in your shop