One Of A Kind Chris Craft Barrel Back Footage On Ebay!

8 mm film 111If you are into old footage, this is your lucky day. This amazing footage of a guy in a rare orange stripe and pigskin interior barrel back running on a lake. Not only is the footage cool, but this boat looks almost brand new in the footage. Who ever is the lucky so and so to get this, do us a favor and get it digitized and load it up on youtube for us all.

8mm-4

8 mm 2

8mm Film 1

8mm-3
Check out the item here on Ebay

36 replies
  1. matt
    matt says:

    I bet it will be. This is a very rare boat. looks like a 17 footer. Also the film was done in Iowa, which may also help. It would be a treasure for that new owners to have as well as the name on her stern.

  2. matt
    matt says:

    So i kept on digging, and There is a Wesley Lowell Renzas as a marine or navel aviator in WWII online. Could this be the WL Renza in the box of film?

  3. matt
    matt says:

    It gets more interesting. The light may??? not be a 1941 Ivalight. It has a short shaft, not the long one. Was this footage shot later in the 1950’s? Color? Yes that was available in the 40’s but this footage feels profesional, like it was shot for something other than a home film? Maybe not? Not sure.

  4. 72hornet
    72hornet says:

    Interesting! I resided in Iowa City back in the 80’s for college and then again in the mid 90’s. The Iowa River runs through campus and Coralville Resevoir is located just north of town. Construction was started in 1949 slowed due to the Korean Conflict and finally finished in 1958, so I am wondering where the footage was actuall shot. The Ole Miss is only about an hour East of Iowa City and this coult have been taken there. Lake Okoboji would have been 6 hours NW of Iowa City where Wilson Boat Works was located and a Chris Craft Dealer for many years. I have access to some of the hull cards of Wilson Boats works and can look through those when I return later this week.

  5. Troy in TX
    Troy in TX says:

    Very cool boat.

    The footage looks like some kind of promotion film for the services, but would be cool to own if you have the boat.

  6. Don Nelson
    Don Nelson says:

    I was fortunate to get color pictures of my 1949 Chris Craft 17′ runabout taken in 1949. I suspect there were few color cameras available then. To get 16mm film would be even better. Hopefully the film would be in good condition and could be moved to new technology.

  7. Erich
    Erich says:

    I lived in Hillcrest Hall in the late 80’s. That room number even rings a bell.
    It is also possible that it was filmed at Clear Lake. That water tower in the background might give a clue. I’d bet on Clear or Okoboji. Definitely not shot on the Iowa River, or Lake McBride. Probably not the Coralville reservoir either based on the size and houses along the shoreline.

    • Matt B
      Matt B says:

      Erich, correct, no houses on Coralville shoreline, the reservoir shores are all federal land. Lake McBride only allows 10hp or less so count it out also. I think your on track with Clear Lake or Okoboji.

  8. Ron
    Ron says:

    Label talk, being an ex-Coastie in the 60’s some of that label is familiar. But I am guessing, maybe others can help.
    Obviously USNR is US Naval Reserve
    Batt could be Battery 32 or Battalion 32 but the Navy never had Battalions did they? The Navy and Forts did have Gun Batterys.
    USNPFS = Postal (or Post) Forwarding Station?
    The guy is in a brown uniform. Navy was always blues, or whites for summer, weren’t they? Was that post WWII? I guess they did have browns in McHales Navy! Need someone older than me here. Anyone figure out what the shoulder patch stands for? And what year, make, model is the car in the other pix? Isn’t it post war?

    • m-fine
      m-fine says:

      I believe US Navy aviators wore khaki uniforms pre-war and Matt’s research suggested he might be an aviator.

  9. Ed F.
    Ed F. says:

    We got dinged a full point for having the throttle lever in the wrong position in a 39 barrel back and it’s in the same position as the one in these pictures.

    • 72hornet
      72hornet says:

      I’m guessing either Clear Lake or Okoboji by the pictures as well. Can anyone identify the name on the transom? I will go through out maritime museum at Arnold’s Park upon my return to see if they may have any ideas. such a cool piece of history to uncover!

  10. Sherlock H.
    Sherlock H. says:

    Wild guess—Marine(shape of insignia on cap?) Aviation Cadet, khaki is and was worn by Navy and Marine, uniform may have been while on leave and only packed one uniform for casual and another for evening, address looks like military post office.

    Home on leave; ride in boat; send developed film to where I will be after my leave is over.

    As for me, back to my day job.

  11. m-fine
    m-fine says:

    Acording to “Google”

    “Khakis made their debut in the U.S. Navy in 1912 when they were worn by naval aviators, and were adopted for submarines in 1931. In 1941 the Navy approved khakis for on- station wear by senior officers, and soon after Pearl Harbor chiefs and officers were authorized to wear khakis ashore on liberty.”

  12. charley quimby
    charley quimby says:

    My guess is Army due to circular badge on campaign cap. The shoulder patch is Civil Affairs Holding and Staging CASA, which was established in 1944 to provide logistics support for captured countries, both European and Pacific Theaters. Set up sanitation, hospitals, food distribution, etc. CASA comprised of both Army and Navy personnel. CQ

  13. m-fine
    m-fine says:

    Nice ID of the CASA patch. Acording to Wikipedia, CASA was active from July 1944 through April 1 1946. That means the video was most likely shot in 1945.

    No one has found the boat yet?

  14. matt
    matt says:

    You guys continue to amaze me? I think the name on the boat is “ANDY” by the way. Which is a strange name for a boat unless it was named for a son before he left for the war?

  15. Bruce
    Bruce says:

    If the name on the transom is Andy, it’s a little off-center. It’s more likely Dandy or Candy, which would make a better boat name anyway.

  16. Rick Fangman
    Rick Fangman says:

    From the cells it’s hard to tell if its Okoboji or Clear Lake. I did notice the high banks which leads me to believe it’s Okoboji as Clear Lake is much more shallow and dish shaped. If anyone finds out please post. Wonderful find!

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