My Butler

Yearjoy · #1 (**permalink**) 07-30-2003, 12:27 AM

Getting my car legal was a real nightmare. (See my post 11-10-2001) I am happy that it is done and love to drive the car whenever I don't have to take the kids to school on the way to work in the morning.

I like the idea of an Arntz/Butler Forum; there was not much information about them.

At one point I had a phone number for Ron Butler in Bakersfield, Ca. (which I have lost) But when I did get a chance to talk to him he confirmed that he did build the car I have for a gentleman in Las Vegas. Whose wife hated it and traded it in for a Ferrari.
The dealer sold it to a Casino owner who put it in his garage for 10 years then sent it to HOC where I bought it.

It is a great car and I have loved hunting Vipers in it. There is nothing better then the look on the face of a 'GQ' looking yuppie in his 3500-pound doorstop, when you are passing him going from 3rd to 4th gear laughing. It’s a beautiful thing.

Fred Douglass · #2 (**permalink**) 07-30-2003, 12:53 PM

...congratulations! I have had similar experiences (new Corvette got the "treatment" from me, 1 hour into my ownership).
I am now in the midst of a major refit ("deBennetizing" Ron Barsamian's red Butler #5 of which I am the happy 3rd owner!). When I discovered that there were more than 97 Butlers still on the road, I conceived of a "Butler Boys" site, but lacked the compootah skills necessary to create one! Others (far more capable of doing so), "launched us"! HOO-rah!
Welcome and keep the stories coming!

RallySnake · #3 (**permalink**) 07-30-2003, 03:43 PM

Yearjoy,

California DMV can be very frustrating. But you have to remember that they're just people. With the right attitude you CAN win them over. I invite the manager of the Van Nuys DMV to local events. He's got a '55 T-Bird.

Fred,

I, for one, would like to hear more about your proposed upgrade. The 408 is a replacement engine?

Paul

Fred Douglass · #4 (**permalink**) 07-30-2003, 07:55 PM

....I'm trying to knock together a "Baby Gar"---a 19-22' retro water-rocket. "Gentlemen's Racers" from the 1930's were hitting 65-75 mph. My plan is to get enough c-fiber from a Rhode Island boat builder and lay up a little jewel with set-backs on the topsides. Quarter-inch mahogany goes into these set-backs or in-lay spaces above the water-line and across the decks. It'll look like a vintage wooden boat, including plumb bow, chrome-steel cutwater and transom stop. In goes the tuned 351C---and awaaaaaaaayyy we go! Good winter project---terror on the 'igh seas in the summer of '04!

Fred Douglass · #5 (**permalink**) 07-30-2003, 08:10 PM

...yeah, the 408C IS an upgrade---I'm keeping the 351C, and (after a little beefing up) I'm going to put it in the afre-mentioned mahogany rocket!

Jamo · #6 (**permalink**) 07-30-2003, 11:48 PM

You're putting "my" motor in a rubber ducky?

Can't wait to see that boat! Sounds like the ones I told you about that make it to the Tahoe Regatta.

G.R. · #7 (**permalink**) 07-31-2003, 12:10 AM

No Jamo not a rubber ducky a mahogany and poly c ducky

Fred-- that will be one awesome boat--love the looks of those Gars--got a couple of originals up here--one 22' w/ a caddy v-12 circa 1931--cool boats--talk about a "water Rocket" w a 351C--

Fred Douglass · #8 (**permalink**) 07-31-2003, 07:28 AM

Good to hear from ye! Yer assolutely correct, re the Tahoe speedabouts..and now (thanks to you)...I think we have a name for the boat!!
God's truth: I wanted a stonkin' engine, and the rebuild quotes I was getting made a "straight up" 408C for Suvvin' Automotive sound like an attractive alternative. All told, the "new motor" is going to set me back far less than I thought! It's here and it looks good---we're going to bench-fire it (low rpms).

To allayuz who expressed interest in the "aquatic cobra":

The boat idea came from a visit to Jamestown, R. I., where I saw yards and yards of "pre-preg" carbon-fiber in DUMPSTERS!!

A little asking around and I realized it was essentially to be had for the haulage. I don't want to name the builder, that would cause at least two problems: (his reputation and "my" c/f sheets--which could then "grow legs" and be anybody's) The rest is simple---lay out ring-frames, bulkheads, stringers and the like. Build a "male mold" and then lay up the carbon---it doesn't need to be heated, and that's a blessing. Since we will "indent" the entire hull and deck above the waterline and coat it with a veneer of mahogany and nobody's the wiser---until an engine hatch is opened. Big plus is the carbon construction. Another is the 351C wh/ winds like an air-drill. Put an oversquare prop on it---and "only the brave..." as we used tosay...

It's a winter project. Not stipulating WHICH winter, because I'm into two home repairs and anopther boat refit...

It will be nice to reproach the obscenely-rich Marion (Mass) yachtie crowd (with whom I race); I can either show up in the land cobra or the water one! They're stuck in Bahstin Whalers and/or M/B-Audi-Volvo contrivences! One if by land--two if by sea!

Fred Douglass · #9 (**permalink**) 08-05-2003, 02:03 PM

"messing about in boats" as much as I!

Go to my Photo Gallery sometime and you'll see a yellow 12.5-ft."Crackerbox" with a truly horrifyin' 500+ en-gyne to it! I needn't tell you that, on starts, the steersman is hiking out to port and the other guy pretends he's on a side-car motorcycle! That little poker-chip is composed of a few 1/4-inch slabs of Bruyzeel (Sp.?) Marine-tek draped over and above the motor-mounts. Without engine? 145 lbs. dry! A SICK boat--truly sick. It keeps pace with Jeff Magnussen's twin-RR Gremlin replica GarWood Gold-cup boat. I think it will out-accelerate most Corvettes and some cobras---up to 85 mph, whereupon they have to stop an dip the seat-cushions overboard!

"My" dream-boat will have tumblehome that will make those "barrel-back" Chris-Crafts look staid! I'm going for 7-foot beam astern at the waterline, tapering up to 3 feet at the deck level! Plumb bow (26 feet away), gold-chrome cutwater and ditto stern trim. Going to try for 500 "square" on the 351-408 rebuild. 14x25 Koenig two-blade prop. All I gotta do is hang around Winnnepesaukee on Race-boat weekend and then go to what I call the "crash auction".

Oh, by the way, Mark Mason has: 1) just bought a Cobra, 2) the largest collection or RR Gremlin.Merlin blocks in the Northeast and 3) made many calendars with his meticulously-rebuilt "Baby BootLegger" (1926 Crouch Goldcupper---or something like that). It was rebuilt at Breuce Barnard's Quisset (Cape Cod) Boat Yard----Falmouth High School (where I used to work) took the Hispano Sueza WW I fighter-plane engine over to New Bedford to be walnut-shell blasted to strip the paint---wild stuff. Mason predictably skipped out on the final bill!!

I think the 408C will get a 1990-2300 lb. boat outta the water pretty easily. Don't hold yer breath on this project, though---I'm still working on launching my 30-ft cutter for "ricin'" as Ron Butler would say.....

Cheers,

RallySnake · #10 (**permalink**) 08-05-2003, 04:24 PM

Fred,

Now, I'm really glad I asked. It is apparent that you are having too much fun! I think I'd put the 408 in the watersnake and the 351 back in the roadsnake. Boats have to overcome so much more drag and propeller losses. The carbon fiber idea is very interesting, what a concept! I wish I could help out with that project.

Have you ever thought about building a "Soling" type sailboat? I remember a Popular Science article years ago about a sailboat that had wings instead of sails. Now that would be a great way to use some carbon fiber!

Paul

Chifo Jr · #11 (**permalink**) 08-05-2003, 04:55 PM

Yearjoy:

Welcome to the family! I see you are fairly local to me as well. I am just putting the finishing touches (ie: trying to get my motor running cool enough to keep combustion limited to the inside of the motor) on my Butler. If your in need of anything let me know as I stay in regular contact with Ron. Perhaps some day we can meet up for a cruise...

Pete

Fred Douglass · #12 (**permalink**) 08-06-2003, 08:42 PM

Symmetrical-foil sails have been used on the "Little America's Cup" catamarans for years. They have to start with a totally symmetrical wing (unlike an airplane) and then trick it up with spoiler-flaps, elevator flaps, etc. which work BOTH sides! Something that would drive Rutan nuts!

Actually, these sails have rarely been made out of carbon fiber---mostly Mylar and simialr translucent exotics. As for me, I've got a 30 ft cutter which I'm gonna launch next year (after 15 years of "poppit yachting" while I raced on other peoples' boats). And the retro motor boat is going to depend on keeping my "supplier" convinced that the contennts of his dumpster are worthless and "unworkable". Ain't so!

I'm more interested right now in "relaunching" the BUTLER!