Do I Do It? Need Help Sport’n Up Stinky!

New Look?

When we first got Stinky out her barn, it’s been a never ending fun art project. While keeping her history alive, flaws and all, we have been aware that she does in fact have a racing history. Which of course adds a fun dimension to the responsibility of ownership. Sadly, that history may have been lost, and there is a small thread of information being looked for at the home of the family that owned her since new.

In her barn for 50 years

Larry the person we got her from recalls the family talking about it racing. It never had a name, and there are “some papers” someplace. But that was some time ago, and we are talking about a rural area in Georgia.

Like this old photo of another boat, maybe no number and just her name?

We have contacted the APBA who is wonderful and if the owner was registered with them, they may?????? in the archives have some sort of paper trail. So now we are looking for that history, number and the years she was raced on Jackson Lake Georgia.

Miss Miami V

Looks great, but is documented. I have lusted after this boat for years. Photo Credit, Not sure!

We have spoken to Charley Quimby who is a regular reader here and restored Miss Miami V who had a more documented history. I love the look. It gives the boat a tad more attitude.

With a race wake?

So here is the question? Do I Sport her up? Or leave her alone in her clean factorish look? If she can be a proven racer? Do I add the numbers? Keeping her name? Since Stinky is her first and perfect name.

Replace the Chris Craft Logo

If anyone has any information on Races in the Georgia area around Atlanta, it could be a gold mine for us.

She raced on Jackson Lake GA 1945-1960

She was sold in Atlanta in 1936 as a 1937 Special Racer.

Owner name and racer was Paul Maddox

She may have had a history before that? I can not imagine we find anything on that. But there were very popular races in the 1930’s on Jackson Lake.

Like a CSI thing, any small detail could be tied to another detail.

 

 

31 replies
  1. Troy in ANE
    Troy in ANE says:

    Personally I like the race wake, it adds flare (or maybe flair), but the numbers do nothing for me. Boxy and big, they take away from the lines of the boat. IMHO!

  2. Rabbit
    Rabbit says:

    I vote number, name and no stripe. But you’re a great designer, Matt, and you already knew the stripe was a step too far, right?

    • Matt
      Matt says:

      YUP! What the hell does Troy know? Oh ya, Calibrating a torque wrench.. HA and man oh man can he find a photo!

      • Troy in ANE
        Troy in ANE says:

        Get that damn wrench CALIBRATED, or replace it with a better quality wench!

        (image may be subject to copyright)

        • Mark in Ohio (sometimes da U.P.
          Mark in Ohio (sometimes da U.P. says:

          Would that be an inch pound or a foot pound torque wrench? What is the drive size? Will she calibrate it for you?

  3. Bob Weaver
    Bob Weaver says:

    I like it with the number,name, and stripe. You can always remove it if you change your mind in the future. It defiantly gives the boat Attitude and Attentions!!! Do it!

    • Steven Horwood
      Steven Horwood says:

      I agree, number it and load it up like a race boat would have been done. Otherwise it is just another nice old boat with a big name on the side. The number gives Stinky a purpose. Think Lightning McQueen and old Doc Hudson from the movie Cars. Stinky will get a lot more attention both on and off the water with a little old race pizaz. Yes you can change it later, but tooling around the lake in an old race boat that looks like an old race boat is something I would love to see.

  4. WoodyGal
    WoodyGal says:

    See what you uncover about her past & then decide. It’s just paint! Stinky & swoosh or Stinky & number, it’s all cool.

  5. Mark Edmonson
    Mark Edmonson says:

    Most of my enjoyment of restoring boats for forty years is tracking down it’s pedigree. Sometimes it takes a year or more before I find a small bit of information that ties some history to a certain boat. I have owned our 1939 17′ Double cockpit “in The Mood” for three years know and the hull card states the boat was delivered to Harbor Springs MI with the name of “Anna R” Nashville TN. on the transom. I have contacted the Marina in Harbor Springs and they have been looking in their files for any history of the boat. You just have to keep digging I would not do anything until you find the golden clues.

  6. Jim Staib
    Jim Staib says:

    Hit the local newspaper and historical society where she raced. If the dealer where she was sold is still around they might also have history. Try to find out what she looked like racing and base the look on that.

    • Matt
      Matt says:

      Been all over the local papers, they do have an amazing archive. The Butts Jackson papers been around since the 1800’s. One issue is Paul Maddox was a big name in the area and has streets named after him and so on. So a google dig, brings up every house ever sold in the area. We have looked in city hall. But Jim you are right, its about the papers and news. As to dealers, I cant seem to find a dealer in Atlanta that was there in 1937. The big one in the area now started in the mid 1980’s Regardless of it all, its fun to keep this going.

      • Briant
        Briant says:

        Butts Jackson….ha ha ha, sounds like one of those crank phone call names….wonder if he is related to Seymour….ha ha!

  7. Wilson
    Wilson says:

    I tried to chase down the history of my first boat….a 16′ Riviera delivered to Lakeland Marine Base, Lake Hopatcong, NJ. I got there the day they condemned and tore down the dealership. No papers there…None at any bank around there either…Some locals thought they remembered the boat but that was it…Later the boat went to Sydney, Australia…Several have looked for her there without any luck…….Now we can’t even find the boat… ! Such is life…

  8. john
    john says:

    http://themonticellonews.com/a-look-at-jackson-lake-history-p5742-116.htm

    9th paragraph –
    I well remember in the late 30s how popular the lake was. Georgia Power Company owned the shore line but many fishing camps were constructed on private access land. Jackson Lake Inn was on the Butts County side and I remember big boat races near the Inn on Sundays. Turners Boat House property was built on the Jasper side along with the Green Camp, Lagree Burney’s camp, Camp Lingerlong, Camp Suitsus, Berry’s boat house on the Alcovy along with the big FFA camp further up.

    Part of the Jackson Lake Inn history as a sponsor??

  9. WoodardWooden
    WoodardWooden says:

    Do it all. Why? I smell a new line of apparell coming for Christmas 2018. A lowtimers crossover offer? Matt your more calculated than I realized. If that isnt the case run with….

  10. Matt
    Matt says:

    I have seen that note on the web, and not sure of Lester. I will ask Larry. Great family for sure. We are all doing this together. As to hull card. ATLANTA, Just Atlanta

    • jim g
      jim g says:

      Start checking out the car dealers in Atlanta at the time. I have a 18′ Sportsman that was bought new off the showroom floor in the early 50’s from Mitchell Motors which was a big GM dealer for decades. Cadillac, Oldsmobile etc. I think thats going to be your best bet as Jackson Lake is close enough to Atlanta and the car dealers would have the financial means at the time to be a Chris Craft dealer.

      Until the early 2000’s Mitchell Motors was one of the oldest car dealers in Atlanta.

  11. Royce Humphreys
    Royce Humphreys says:

    Matt, There was a gentleman that was a Chris Craft distributor for the area that lived in Landrum, South Carolina. He passed away a few years back but when talking with him, he mentioned that he and hi wife made frequent trips to Algonac to pick up Chris Crafts to sell in the Carolinas and Gerogia and he mentioned that he had help test the 16′ Racerback in 1936. I remember he told me that he had a Dodge brothers truck that they would drive and bring back two or three boats. Victor Fabricious will remember his name, as that may be a trail to follow on the history of your boat.

  12. Dan T
    Dan T says:

    Get out your vintage race apparel and enter your boat in a race. You can start your very own Stinky race history.

  13. Ronald
    Ronald says:

    Have you checked the library around there for newspapers from the area around that time ? Maybe it was on the sports page as a winner.

  14. George Emmanuel
    George Emmanuel says:

    Contact Judson Laws whose dad Judd has serviced and restored boats on Lake Rabun for many, many years. They may still have records or some knowledge. He is an ACBS member.

Comments are closed.