Post by emron on Oct 29, 2021 10:17:28 GMT 12
When the RNZAF was setting up the Historical Collection he loaned it to them. I was at Woodbourne at TCPC at the time (early 82) and was asked if I wanted to restore the engine which was a TTS.
With a bit of occaisional help from F/S Brian Selwyn I stripped it down and removed the surface corrosion, had the Elotroplating Bay re-chrome and re-nickel all the shiny bits and I repainted the rest. It was green originally but I was told to re do the exterior in the hammer glaze silver.
For one person it was quite a task, being such a large engine, but by August 82 I had it completed and ready for display.
It later went to the Museum at Wigram and apparently (from what I was told) Richard didn't like the way it was displayed and removed it to the Wearable Arts Centre at Nelson.
I was a bit suprised to see in the recent photo that the exhaust stubs and prop have been painted white, as you can see the stubs were nickled and the prop stubs polished and lacquered..
The three photos show it as received and following it's face lift.
“Press” 13-January-1953
SPEEDBOAT RACING
TWO SOUTH ISLAND
TITLES CONTESTED
(New Zealand Press Association)
BLENHEIM, January 12.
Two South Island speedboat championships were held on the Wairau river, Blenheim, on Saturday, in conjunction with three Marlborough championships.
Results:--
South Island 225 c.i. Hydroplane Championship (five miles).-- Tempest IV (D. Hall, Marlborough) 1, Flak Too (R.L. Shuttleworth, Lake Rotoiti) 2, First Fling (J. Robinson, Marlborough) 3. Time, 5min 2sec.
....
Flak Too was built in 1951 and initially powered by a 100h.p. flat-head V8 Ford Special. Racing in the 1952 season, Dick took the Unlimited Unrestricted Championship at New Brighton. Maybe he was already thinking that a Sabre powered “Tiffy II” could take on Tempest IV and the Open Class Allison powered Redhead and Susan Leigh II and break some records.
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