[Trueoo7]

Well this is kinda long but I think you'll find it worth reading....Here's one of those found it in a barn stories. Back around 1980 I worked for UPS. While delivering packages one day I spotted this shell of a boat, with no motor on it, in this backyard on a trailer, and on the side was painted "JAMES BOND 007 CHASE BOAT". There was a guy raking leaves so I got out and asked him why it said that on the side. He replied that it was the boat that was used in the movie LIVE AND LET DIE and asked if I wanted to buy it. He said it was the boat that did the jump over the police car. At this point I'm thinking SURE...... anybody could paint that on the side of a boat and try to pass it off as the original. It had no cover on it and there were about 5-6 potted plants sitting on the bow lined up from the nose up to the windshield. There was absolutely no way this boat looked like it was cared for like you would expect something of this nature to be cared for. But I decided to check it out anyway.

I climbed up in it and there was at least 1' of leaves on the floor. It only had one seat positioned in the middle of the boat as well as the steering wheel. There was also a plaque on the dash with a serial number which I burned into my memory. He told me it was his friends who had worked on the movie and was now dying of cancer (the reason for selling it). He was storing it for him since he lived in NYC and didn't have anyplace to keep it. Despite its horrible storage arrangement it was in great condition (luckily fiberglass doesn't rot) I told him I'd get back to him.

I went immediately to a phone and called up GLASTRON in Austin TX (makers of the boat) and asked them if I gave them a serial number, could they tell me who bought the boat when it was brand new. It took about five minutes, but the lady came back on and said it was bought by an IAN PRODUCTIONS and as you may know IAN FLEMMING produces JAMES BOND movies. So needless to say I knew I had something. I then went to a video store and rented the movie to see if it looked the same and was indeed the one that had jumped the police car.... which it was.

I obviously bought it and later found out all kinds of info on it. The man who had cancer, turned out to be the executive producer of the movie and signed a letter of authenticity on letterhead (which had elaborate pictures and artwork) he had left over from the movie. Theres a picture of it in the Guiness Book of World Records (back in 72 or 73) for the longest powerboat jump, of its time, which was 110'. It took off of a greased ramp with a stainless steel prop attached to an Evinrude 135hp motor at 62mph and flew over the car. Since it was a V bottom boat they had to install the seat and steering wheel in the middle so it would not lean one way or the other when it hit the jump They also screwed two pieces of oak to the underneath on either side towards the back so when it hit the ramp it stayed straight (like a tricycle). Those pieces were still on it when I bought it.
I put the exact same motor on it and used it for about 10 years.Talk about drawing a crowd. Everytime I towed it, launched it, docked it, people would want to know why it said that on the side which ended up in sometimes long conversations. I ended up selling it to a collector and it now sits in a museum somewhere over in England. (at least I used it)

This is the part that amazes me to this day. I was about 13 years old when this movie came out in 1972 and back then the design of boats where horrendous. Absolutely no thought as far as design or styling or looks....kind of like a VW. They got you from point A to B and were very practical. Now if your a fan of James Bond movies you know they always have the latest and greatest vehicles and gadgets and I can remember sitting in that movie theater and watching as that boat appeared on the screen, all sleek with its swept back windshield and fast looking demeanor, just sitting still.... like a Ferrari, and thinking....If I ever get enough money to own a boat I want it to look just like that.....NEVER... EVER... dreaming that I would one day own THAT boat.

Anyway thats my story. The first 4 letters of my last name starts with TRUE hence the screen name TRUE007.
Oh, as for what I paid and sold it for....lets just say its similar to the VW vs Ferrari scenario above and that was before EBAY was in exisitence.