The Story Of Tru-Jen and the Masport Cup

[bry3500]

Ok..not exactly motorsport, but it's related and a great story.
Does anyone know the origins of the Ferrari V12 that powered Frank Gatland's Mystic Miss
http://www.suha.co.nz/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=51:the-story-of-tru-jen&catid=43:unlimiteds-downunder-&Itemid=71

[bry3500]

In July 1968 Knight set a World Speed Record on the Christchurch Estuary. His attention then turned to the most prestigious trophy in New Zealand powerboat racing, the Masport Cup. “Road Runner”, another Knight creation fitted with a Ford V8 engine sourced from circuit racer Paul Fahey....

[pallmall]

Oh, it is certainly motorsport. Used to go to all the races at Karapiro and Flat Rock and a few other places through the mid sixties. Mystic Miss with the Ferrari engine was by favourite.

[bob homewood]

Could you imagine trying to have a race at Flat Rock ,in these times.or Bottle Top Bay

[bry3500]

Nelson speedboat driver Doug Cameron stands beside the burnt-out wreck of the once-proud hydroplane, 'Miss Print IV.' The short life of the former national speed record holder (149mph at Lake Rotoiti in November, 1971) ended in flames in the same shed in which Doug spent thousands of hours building her. He had been working on the boat but went home leaving a battery charger connected. He thinks this could be the only cause of the blaze. A spark might have ignited the two or three gallons of fuel in the craft's tanks. Worth about $16,000, 'Miss Print IV' was insured for $10,000. Doug's previous boat, 'Miss Print III,' disintegrated when racing on Lake Karapiro in 1970, and Cameron broke his neck.
"That's it," he said, as he viewed the remains of 'Miss Print IV." "I've finished with speedboat racing."

[woody]

Peters boat that set the world record was Bel Air, powered by a Ford V6. Latimer Lodge that Peter owned was destroyed in the earthquake. Has been demolished and ready to build a new hotel.

[bry3500]

Lake Rotoiti Nelson !960s

[bry3500]

Lake Rotoiti cont'd

[bry3500]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJIBJoleaNo&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Vm3hDcV1UU

[bry3500]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04Reh5w8XIQ&feature=related

[David McKinney]

Ok..not exactly motorsport, but it's related and a great story.
Does anyone know the origins of the Ferrari V12 that powered Frank Gatland's Mystic Miss
http://www.suha.co.nz/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=51:the-story-of-tru-jen&catid=43:unlimiteds-downunder-&Itemid=71
I've got a note of it somewhere. It was specially imported (ie, not removed from an NZ racing car), either from the factory or from Luigi Chinetti in New York. I think it might have been a 410 (4.9 litres) but wouldn't swear to it

[bry3500]

I've got a note of it somewhere. It was specially imported (ie, not removed from an NZ racing car), either from the factory or from Luigi Chinetti in New York. I think it might have been a 410 (4.9 litres) but wouldn't swear to it
David - i was wondering ,initially, if it had something to do with the Morrari , as they appeared about the same time,,,but of course the Squalo was a V8 , not a V12,, I read somewhere that it was a 3.5 litre engine. Mystic Miss still survives and is in NSW somewhere, but now powered by a Chevy.

[pallmall]

Squalo was a 4.

[bry3500]

cheers Pall Mall :)

[bob homewood]

I've got a note of it somewhere. It was specially imported (ie, not removed from an NZ racing car), either from the factory or from Luigi Chinetti in New York. I think it might have been a 410 (4.9 litres) but wouldn't swear to it

David ,that is how it was told to me quite some time ago ,my informant who was very close to it at that time ,unfortunately has passed away in the last couple of years ,Frank Gatland was another "local " in our area and at one time he was also prominent in NZ gliding

[David McKinney]

Sounds as if your source might be the same as mine, Bob:)
Did Bill Stephenson (the man who built Pukekohe) have something to so with Mystic Miss?

[Neville Milne]

It seems to me, to be hard to think of 'Tru Jen' and the Masport Cup, without remembering Southward's 'Red Head'.
Certainly, Southward dominated the Masport Cup for a decade, as a fair and generous competitor.
Many of the race boats ( and cars) of that era, were built using surplus WWll materials, an area in which Len Southward ( later 'Sir' Leonard ) was very familiar. Along with Gillies and some others, Southward purchased tons and tons of surplus war materials...especially aircraft engines, which he would dismantle to recover scarce and precious metals....these providing the wherwithal to develop his first attempt at a seamless tube manufacturing machine.
The time I first met him, all of his rather random and eclectic collection of vintage ephemera was stored in an adjunct to a factory in the Petone area. he had approached the company I worked for to see if we could assist with providing or manufacturing replacement big end bearings for the GM-Allison V-1710 that resided in Red Head.
We could not, but we did look at machining the existing bearings. pinning them to the rods and then using inserts from, ISTR, a Ford Thames Trader Diesel. Finally, I believe, we signed an authorization in order that he could secure an Import Lic. to procure the correct replacements. I don't think, though, it was his intention to ever actually race Red Head again....possible he wanted to have the engine as a 'runner' for display purposes.
BTW..as I recall Bill Stevenson and/or his company, was closely associated with Slip Ray and Mystic Miss...and probably others since then.

Apologies for the digression(s)
neville Milne

[Rod Grimwood]

David: Bill Stephenson had a couple of other boats named the same that raced in Offshore. Bills late grandson Paul raced one of them before his untimely death from Meningococcal C which he contracted from a scrape while playing a pre season rugby game. Bill Stephenson, There is a man who sure put alot into alot of different areas, and was always a very approachable gentleman to have a chat with.

[pallmall]

Sounds as if your source might be the same as mine, Bob:)
Did Bill Stephenson (the man who built Pukekohe) have something to so with Mystic Miss?

Yes, but it is Stevenson.

[Rod Grimwood]

just picked that up, Da, Yea should know better

[Rod Grimwood]

Short bit from Offshore site and history " Amongst the first to make their a name for themselves is the sport was Ivan Boyce in the Rex Henry designed Tara Too, arguably the first true offshore boat every built in New Zealand. Boats like Bill Stevenson’s Mystic Miss, a triple Mercury powered Plylite 26, followed this, as did Formula, John Meredith’s super quick triple rigged Formula 233 hull.

[bob homewood]

Bill Stevenson from W.Stevensons is right ,bit more of a blast from the past there ,I worked with Rex Henry for a couple of years at Lees Marine ,and was in turn involved with Ivan Boyce ,when I worked for Keith Tulloch ,could add a lot more on this era when I moonlighted on the marine side of things ,building and dynoing engines etc ,but I will get my hand smacked for straying off the main subject

[bry3500]

Bill Stevenson from W.Stevensons is right ,bit more of a blast from the past there ,I worked with Rex Henry for a couple of years at Lees Marine ,and was in turn involved with Ivan Boyce ,when I worked for the Keith Tulloch ,could add a lot more on this era when I moonlighted on the marine side of things ,building and dynoing engines etc ,but I will get my hand smacked for straying off the main subject
Bob..I think I should get Steve to change the title of this thread....Antipodean Marine , or something like that... please feel free to digress.
I have some good links I would like to post about theThe E.G. Griffith Cup, the trophy for Australasian Motor Boat Championship Unlimited...

[bry3500]

Griffith Cup 1973 report

http://www.bindy.id.au/vulture/cup1973.htm

and 1972 entry list
ENTRIES: Stampede (defender), S. Jones and R. Saniga, Rolls Merlin 1600 ci, Vic.
Vulture (runabout), John Lewis, 350 ci Chev, Vic.
Jo Blo (runabout), Jack Bullen, 427 ci blown Chev, NSW.
Black Knight (hydro), Pat Hawthorn, 361 ci blown Chrysler, Vic.
Mystic Miss (hydro), Tom Watts, 327 ci Chev, Vic.
Exciter II (hydro), Tom Watts, 441 ci blown Chrysler, Vic.
Aggressor (hydro), Dave Tenny, 1600 ci blown Rolls Merlin, Vic.
Yogi Bear (SK), Pearson Bros, 427 ci blown Chev, ACT.
Voodoo IV (hydro), Bill Stokes, 307 ci Chev, NZ.
Slipray (hydro), E. Baynton, 301 ci Chev, NZ.
Air New Zealand (hydro), McGregor Bros, 364 ci Chev, NZ.
Assassin (hydro), Trevor Matthews, 392 ci blown Chrysler, Vic.
Villain (hydro), M. Langfard, 292 ci Chev, SA.
Redline (hydro), P. Wade, 427 ci Chev, Vic.
Wasp Two (hydre), D. Radburn, 330 ci Maserati, NSW.
Cheeta (runabout), L. Ramsay, 299 ci Holden, Vic.
Chevvy (runabout), L. Harris, 327 ci Chev, Vic.
Debbie Too (skiff), G. Graham, 427 ci Ford, Vic.

[bry3500]

1960's Merlin V12 powered thunderboat "Aggressor" back in the water and making a run after more than 30 years.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ub0hwAPiidM&feature=related

[bry3500]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0-AHHoluog&feature=related

[woody]

About 1970.

[woody]

V6 powered.

[Jeff]

Redhead on display at Southwards today

25005
It seems to me, to be hard to think of 'Tru Jen' and the Masport Cup, without remembering Southward's 'Red Head'.
Certainly, Southward dominated the Masport Cup for a decade, as a fair and generous competitor.
Many of the race boats ( and cars) of that era, were built using surplus WWll materials, an area in which Len Southward ( later 'Sir' Leonard ) was very familiar. Along with Gillies and some others, Southward purchased tons and tons of surplus war materials...especially aircraft engines, which he would dismantle to recover scarce and precious metals....these providing the wherwithal to develop his first attempt at a seamless tube manufacturing machine.
The time I first met him, all of his rather random and eclectic collection of vintage ephemera was stored in an adjunct to a factory in the Petone area. he had approached the company I worked for to see if we could assist with providing or manufacturing replacement big end bearings for the GM-Allison V-1710 that resided in Red Head.
We could not, but we did look at machining the existing bearings. pinning them to the rods and then using inserts from, ISTR, a Ford Thames Trader Diesel. Finally, I believe, we signed an authorization in order that he could secure an Import Lic. to procure the correct replacements. I don't think, though, it was his intention to ever actually race Red Head again....possible he wanted to have the engine as a 'runner' for display purposes.
BTW..as I recall Bill Stevenson and/or his company, was closely associated with Slip Ray and Mystic Miss...and probably others since then.

Apologies for the digression(s)
neville Milne

[Jeff]

These are radio controlled 1/8 scale hydroplanes , built and raced locally and throughout the world.
Built as faithfully as possible to the real boats plans and photo's and painted as correct as possible.
Materials include often spruce stringers and various thicknesses of marine plywood - the outer hull being covered by 1.5mm thick marine ply.
These boats are about 44inches long and run glo-plug marinised 2 stroke engines similar to model aircraft.
They really go quick and behave very much like the real boats.
An idea of scale is that the drivers in the boats are mostly the barbie / "Ken" doll ( with the plastic bump ) :-)
Note the kiwi boats : 2 versions of GP-5 Latimer Lodge ( P.Knight jr ) and Warwick Jones's "King Rat".
On the right is "Tru-Jen" , the later incarnation of the "Susan Leigh" in the 1956 Masport Cup film on this thread
Same boat - different paint job.
This 1/8 scale Tru-Jen was built by Wellington's Tony Rutledge , nephew of the builder / driver of the real Tru-Jen ,Harry Rutledge.
Tony has vivid memories of the boat and was lucky enough as a child to have a ride sitting on his uncle's knee ( ! ) aboard Tru-Jen at speed across Wellington Harbour.
With an Allison thundering behind you how could you ever forget it !
Just try that today..

25006

[rf84]

Another well known hydro was a craft (I think) named "Elray"? or similar. The name Jock Appleton comes to mind. It featured in a "Gillette" razor advertisement on TV in the mid to late 60's.
A colorful Hastings identity Morrie Dunn was killed in the boat while trying to set a new speed record around the Auckland area (Bottletop Bay?).
Dunn raced solo speedway bikes in the UK League but on his return visits to NZ in the off-season he would compete here. Dunn had a cat which would happily sit on the fuel tank of his solo bike and go for a ride. I can recall seeing this at one of our Raureka primary school galas in the late 50's when Morrie did a number of laps of the playing fields with the cat riding on the bike.

[bry3500]

Elray


Another well known hydro was a craft (I think) named "Elray"? or similar. The name Jock Appleton comes to mind. It featured in a "Gillette" razor advertisement on TV in the mid to late 60's.
A colorful Hastings identity Morrie Dunn was killed in the boat while trying to set a new speed record around the Auckland area (Bottletop Bay?).
Dunn raced solo speedway bikes in the UK League but on his return visits to NZ in the off-season he would compete here. Dunn had a cat which would happily sit on the fuel tank of his solo bike and go for a ride. I can recall seeing this at one of our Raureka primary school galas in the late 50's when Morrie did a number of laps of the playing fields with the cat riding on the bike.

[rf84]

Thanks bry. After a little more research I learned it was in fact Jock Appleton which is reassuring-my memory is still OK and not suffering too much from CRAFT yet.
He won the Masport Cup with Elray in 1960 and again with Elray 2 in 1965.
Maurice (Morry) Dunn was killed in Elray 2 in 1965 while attempting to break the Australasian water speed record. Can anyone supply a date or venue?

[bob homewood]

Bottle Top Bay ,Papakura was the venue ,I think that I may still have a photo with a date somewhere ,but it was in the first few months of 1965 for sure ,Morry was a member of the 100mph club at around 116 odd mph


Thanks bry. After a little more research I learned it was in fact Jock Appleton which is reassuring-my memory is still OK and not suffering too much from CRAFT yet.
He won the Masport Cup with Elray in 1960 and again with Elray 2 in 1965.
Maurice (Morry) Dunn was killed in Elray 2 in 1965 while attempting to break the Australasian water speed record. Can anyone supply a date or venue?

[Bryan]

Auckland library have this item in their catalogue

Record ID 34737
Source Auckland Scrapbook, February 1965 – July 1965 p 218
Location ARC Microfiche ASK AT DESK,

Abstract Maurice Dunn, of Auckland, is killed in a hydroplane, during an attempt on the Australasian water speed record.

Notes Includes illustration.

[Dave B]

I was luck enough to be at Rotoiti as a young fella when Tru Jen was out for a run on the lake. The sound alone will always be remembered

[Jeff]

I was at Auckland library this morning and decided to do a bit of newspaper research into the death of Maurie Dunn.
I found an article from the Auckland Star dated 29 May 1965 with a sub-heading stating :

" An attempt on the Australasian water speed record ended in disaster at Bottletop Bay , near Papakura, this morning, when a racing hydroplane corkscrewed and crashed at about 130mph, killing the driver"

It goes on to say " Maurice Leslie Dunn was 36 years old and a father of four from Richard Avenue, Papatoetoe.
He was a motorcycle speedway star and was a member of the 1960 NZ team that raced in Europe.
It is thought that the boat possibly hit an obstruction in the water, or possibly a patch of turbulent water unsettled the craft
The plywood hull of "Elray 2" shattered into fragments.
The incident occured just before 11am as "Elray 2 " , owned by Mr Jock Appleton, Manurewa , who was watching from the shore, went streaking across the bay for it's first timed run.
Eyewitnesses said the craft appeared to lift once, then again, and be caught by the wind.
It corkscrewed into the air, the driver was thrown clear but then hit by the hull and hurled across the water.There was little wind at the time although the weather was dull with intermittent rain.

Elray 2 , which raced for the first time last season ( 1964 ) cost between 1600 and 1700 pounds , and was powered by a Corvette racing engine

29 May 1965
Elray

[rf84]

Thanks for going to the trouble to research that Jeff.

[Kwaussie]

http://rnzaf.proboards.com/thread/11671/teal-evans-bay-wellington
There is a little bit of Redhead in this forum!

[shellsport]

Peters boat that set the world record was Bel Air, powered by a Ford V6. Latimer Lodge that Peter owned was destroyed in the earthquake. Has been demolished and ready to build a new hotel.

Bel Air 3 in fact , 2.5 V6 and 114 mph was the speed .

[shellsport]

This is Bel Air 3 , not the first . I recommend a book "The Boss" which his nephew loaned me , great reading Hec Green was his engine man .

[bob homewood]

Basically as I saw and said ,one of those days that is better to forget and move on,there is enough sadness in life without dwelling on it

I was at Auckland library this morning and decided to do a bit of newspaper research into the death of Maurie Dunn.
I found an article from the Auckland Star dated 29 May 1965 with a sub-heading stating :

" An attempt on the Australasian water speed record ended in disaster at Bottletop Bay , near Papakura, this morning, when a racing hydroplane corkscrewed and crashed at about 130mph, killing the driver"

It goes on to say " Maurice Leslie Dunn was 36 years old and a father of four from Richard Avenue, Papatoetoe.
He was a motorcycle speedway star and was a member of the 1960 NZ team that raced in Europe.
It is thought that the boat possibly hit an obstruction in the water, or possibly a patch of turbulent water unsettled the craft
The plywood hull of "Elray 2" shattered into fragments.
The incident occured just before 11am as "Elray 2 " , owned by Mr Jock Appleton, Manurewa , who was watching from the shore, went streaking across the bay for it's first timed run.
Eyewitnesses said the craft appeared to lift once, then again, and be caught by the wind.
It corkscrewed into the air, the driver was thrown clear but then hit by the hull and hurled across the water.There was little wind at the time although the weather was dull with intermittent rain.

Elray 2 , which raced for the first time last season ( 1964 ) cost between 1600 and 1700 pounds , and was powered by a Corvette racing engine

29 May 1965