A Day With Bob Weaver All Crammed Into One Hour!
Bob in one of his barns. That’s motorcycles under the dust covers and two amazing boats. Oh, and Bob!
Phew, it’s Friday and the start of what we hope will be a wonderful 3 day weekend with loved one, or ones if you have two or more boats. It will be hard to beat last weekend for sure. To think that a dumb story about wanting some wicker chairs would turn into one of the most fun weekends in a while is amazing and one of the main reasons we started WoodyBoater. Meeting the great folks up in Buffalo and Bob Weaver, who are about the nicest guys on the earth. Bob went out of his way to give us a fun tour of his amazing collections. Some we can show, some not. And oooofffff! There is some stuff. We will just focus on boat related “stuff” here.
Lets go Bob! OK!
A very rare single cockpit Western Flyer. Ever seen one of these?
Oh yeah
Chris Craft Engine in the Western Flyer
Note the grain! WOW
Dang!
Now, to say his stuff is stuff, is really not a correct description, it’s very nice museum quality art, that every collector could dream of. And..well.. it’s stuffed into many large spaces. Clean, perfect, well taken care off spaces, but there isn’t one square inch of space. Hey I aint complaining, and even Bob Laughed about it. Not an inch. I am sure the space were the Wicker Sisters were, is filled by now with a vintage snow mobile or vintage motorcycle. And the areas that are too small for big machines, are filled with little toys. You could lift the house/barn, two story 6 bay garage up in the air and see the shape of the buildings.
The sign, the holey grail of all metal signs. Mother of god that thing is nicer than a Picaso! And chances are the only one left!
Oh, look down! in a corner. Next to a Coke Machine beteen two …Oh I don’t know. AHHHHHHH!
Now I mention the space, because taking photos of boats with stuff all around them in a basement of a house can be a challenge. And walking around with a camera is a tad tacky. I tried to capture stuff without tripping on stuff, or always behind a camera. You can feel the history in there.
Models.
More models. Rare amazing metal stuff
Yes thats a pedal car behind this huge display model
Steam model, next to a Model A truck. YES!
Original, still in the box! YES, this was sitting under a truck. No, not kidding, in the basement. Note the foot upper left as a reference to size. AHHHHHHHHH
More models, IN BOXES!
Little outboards
Miss Thriftaway
The Speedo off Miss Thriftaway!
More Models
And more, and it goes on and on!
Oh did I forget to say that there are two boats in the lower basement room? Heck there is a perfect vintage motorcycle in the living room. AHHHHHHHHH! I had to take some tylonal when I got into the car. My eyes wouldnt stop rolling around in my head. Anyway. I think you get the point. Lots of stuff, lots of spaces, with stuff, and the nicest guy who knew every detail of every single thing he had. AMAZING!
Down on the basement floor of the garage. #51
And her Cadillac duel Quad engine.
In the basement – two boats, this is the “Governor Earl”, an amazing Launch with a Kermith engine. See below
Sign on the wall about the Governor Earl – Will enlarge
Thanks again, for letting us party crash Buffalo and share the fun you all have with the fellow citizens of Woodyboaterville. Dang, took longer to do the story than we had to do the tour. WE ARE SO GOING BACK UP THERE!
Hoool-ly Smokes Bob, that’s a great collection you have there and lots of it. That’s the sweetest CC restored engine I’ve ever seen. Thanks for sharing your stuff. Great way to start the day!
Yea! And Bob, knows every detail of each piece. I mean Each and every nook and cranny of each piece. You would ask, hey what is the story on this. OH, that’s the first motorcycle I ever sold, and I was able to …. or that was in the attic for 3 years and one day I thought, mmm, that would be fun to use. WHAT? There is an attic? Or… and so it went. The fastest hour I have lived.
Let me know when you are going back. I will hold your camera bag and drool towel.
Matt,
It was great fun showing you and Jimmie around. It’s always fun to show someone your “stuff” that appreciates it. You and Jimmie are TRUE enthusiasts and it was my pleasure. Oh yeah hope the wicked wicker chairs work out. Come back again anytime. If anyone has an interest in the Fairliner have them contact me. Jwweaver17@aol.com
I’m going to sell the the Governor Earle also. Soon to be replaced by a 1929 Dodge Water Car 26′. With its original Curtis OX5 engine. This will be another good story for you because it has been a 35 year restoration ( why hurry)
The Governor Earle is amazing! Thanks Bob!
Just amazing!!!!! Thank you for sharing this fantastic collection with us. Also thanks to Woody Boater for making it possible. Great work guys.
What a great story today, Unbeleivable amount of boating history to see there, Sure would like to see all that myself. Thanks
Pic of Kermath in Governor Earle please?
Pic of the Curtis OX-5 please?
Would have loved too, but would had had to climb over 20 motorcycles to open the hatch. Did I say STUFFED. not ONE INCH!
Is this it? this was from a previous report?
Nope, that’s from a McNeil Norris a 1934 Muskoka Launch built in Bala Ontario. It’s a 6 cyl Bucanan with a solid brass 1 barrel Carter carburetor
No, I think thats the engine in the Ventnor Here is the boat and you can see how close the bikes are. ONE INCH!
Yes please Bob; pix of the OX-5 Dodge when she’s done……Thank you!
I am assuming that the Western Flyer is not stained, but even if it is, it is not the standard mahogany Chris Craft used. Which raises the question, why did Chris Craft go with the mahogany stain when the color of real mahogany is so nice? Is there a story behind the decision?
Mike D
Because unstained Philippine Mahogany (not actually mahogany) looks like piss.
Good answer Brian. And of course, when your producing thousand of boats and burning through millions of feet of lumber, its tough to make it all match without a stain.
I drove through Grand Island with my check book and an empty trailer hitch twice this week. Thank you Matt for publishing this AFTER I got home. Then again, it is only two hours away.
Is that a Vincent parked under the big sign? Black Lightning or Black Shadow? CQ
Black shadow, good eye!
That’s why they call it the Empire State. See you on The River.
do the boats and bikes ever get used?
Bob, your Western Fairliner is very cool. I’ve heard that there were several built with a single cockpit but have never seen one. Also, heard that there were several engine options. I see yours has a CC KBL. Do you have the boat’s history? Are it single cockpit and the KBL both original? Could be interested.
Yes single cockpit and eng are orig. I have quite a bit of documentation with it.
Wow! Bob is a long time friend of mine. I have seen most of his wonderful collection and did some work for him on the steam boat model. I enjoy building boat models and recently built a few. I have more to work on this winter as well.
1955 Monogram B stock Hydro
B stock hydro
F1 Tunnel Hull Wyatt Nelson’s boat a Revell model kit.