Record Holder

[Greg]

Yes Doc, Chris put me on to them pretty smartly.

Greg

[cbsynboat]

Hi Doc, pleased to meet you. Good to be on the Board, a lot of good and interesting info.

Cheers

Chris.

[Alan]

Welcome to the board and the club Chris,
great to see you got hold of a family heirloom, can't wait to see some more pics of the boat (and the engine set up)
If you need any help, just ask on the board there is always some one with good suggestions.
Alan.

[cbsynboat]

Hi Alan pleased to meet you. Everyone on the Board sounds very helpful, that is great.
I have finally been able to get some photos of the V drive on to my compouter and hence onto the board. The
gearbox was cast out of worn out Pratt and Whitney (DC3) pistons. The 3rd owner who I bought the boat from
says that it is 25% step up, but depending which way the gearbox is installed could be 25% reduction.
My Dad said that before he sold the boat he fitted reduction gearing more suitable for skiing and that when he raced
it had about 5% step up gears. This sounds about right for the size and HP of the boat. 25% step up would normally
be used in a modern 6L raceboat with 700+ HP, so sounds way too tall for Wildfire. I have 3 of the original 2 blade race props
and they are pretty much normal size and pitch. The gears in the box are hearingbone gears out of a Lee Francis car?
That is about all I know about the gearbox.
The engine is a 3.4L (215ci) Jaguar 6 with the head reworked to D type specs and was fitted with factory Jjag D type cams as well
as factory Jag forged pistons running in chrome moly steel liners. The block was apparently sleeved back to std size. The 3rd owner
who was a Jag car club member says that the engine originally came out of Bib Stillwell's race car? The engine had 1 3/4" SUs on a steel
fabricated inlet monifold. It has been rebuilt but I am not sure about a few things, I pull it down and go over it. Compared to the the original build
by my Dad, some of the newer coponents might be a bit dodgy. I have included a photo the engine and inlet manifold.
I had better leave more for later, heaps of things to sort out!
Cheers
Chris.


I

[cbsynboat]

Here the engine and inlet photos.

Cheers
Chris.

[cbsynboat]

Here are some more photos of the inside of Wildfire. The guy who bought the boat from also painted it white inside. Just doesn't look right, especially after owning a Syndicate previously finished in clear on the inside. I have photos as original on the inside (clear) and I will take it back to bare wood on the inside, apply epoxy wood preservative and then two pack polyurethane clear.

Cheers Chris.