IMPBA The "Black Book"

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Doug Smock

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 27, 2007
Messages
951
Hey Fellas,

At a recent race in Andersonville Ga. John Equi and Bill Zuber presented me with the oldest (as far as we know) official documents that the IMPBA possesses, The "Black Book"



It is my understanding that this book is the first official record book and contains all of the old records prior to the introduction of the electronic timing equipment.

It is my intention to go through this book and get these records archived and uploaded on the website. Just a way to preserve our history, and in a way, honor the individuals that forged the way for us.

I'm looking for, pictures, OLD rule book(s) prior to 1970 or information on the classes, stories, contact information for IMPBA members that were active and took part in the record trials back in the day, ANY AND EVERYTHING!!

Here are a few teaser pics to hopefully get some conversation started.

Please post here or contact me via PM or email [email protected]

Admins, would you pin this for me for a little while?

Thanks all,

Doug Smock

IMPBA National Records Director

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What a nice piece of IMPBA history, and It's in good hands! I know Doug will do the "Black Book" and the documentation in it justice. Good work man!

Later,

Mike Ball
 
Doug,

That's some cool stuff right there. There are some great names listed in that old book.
 
Great for you to take this on Doug, thanks a bunch!
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I remember the first year our electronic timing equipment came in and the old bomb site records were archived. IIRC Ed Baker held the D(45) Hydro record at 107 and change.

I also remember trying to set up the timing equipment at one of the first electronic record events in Ottawa, Canada in 1986. All the sensors were powered by 24v at the time and we had 6 car batteries for juice! The next year Tom Daniels of the Oakland Wolverine MBC ran events in Flint, MI and we've been back there ever since.
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My pleasure fellas,

Cool stuff Terry!
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The last D Hydro record in the book is Ed Baker. He ran 96.983 mph.in Oct. of 82. Unfortunately, we didn't document where the records were set at that time.

Ed's 107 was recorded with the new equipment?

How many sites were we using at that time?

Any chance you have a picture of the bomb sites?

I have the old console in the shop.
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I'll have to clean it up and take some pics.
 
We at Huntsville held the first time trials with the new timing equipment . Gene Taylor ran the first passes with a F-hydro. Later that day I ran my F-Hydro and set the first F-hydro record on the new equipment . It did not last long I think it was about 78 mph. The new equipment showed we were not going as fast as we thought we were going. If you could go "80" on the bomb sites you were "strolling ". WhenI made the left to right pass the boat blew off right at the sensor but it caught the boat any register the time. I was running a Rossi 80 with a K&B carb in I believe a Pinkerton hydro or a Climax hull. Enough Musing. Doug have fun with the BOOK
 
My pleasure fellas,

Cool stuff Terry!
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The last D Hydro record in the book is Ed Baker. He ran 96.983 mph.in Oct. of 82. Unfortunately, we didn't document where the records were set at that time.

Ed's 107 was recorded with the new equipment?

How many sites were we using at that time?

Any chance you have a picture of the bomb sites?

I have the old console in the shop.
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I'll have to clean it up and take some pics.

Thinking about it now I think the 107+ was a one-way pass that was highly questionable at the time. IIRC Ed set most of his records at a site in the Baltimore area, don't recall the name of it but there might still be a survey on file.

I'm pretty sure the Wolverine MBC was fairly active at Flint but believe it slowed down after John Bridge passed, John Beardslee or Jerry Betke would know better. I also remember the Indy club being very active at Dandy T lake and hearing about Don Pinkert setting many records down in FL somewhere.

Don't have any pix of the bomb sights but did see them used at a Nats in Indy in '81 and MI in '83, everyone entered ran both SAW and Oval then so you needed dedicated people to pull it all off!
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When Pris was named IMPBA Secretary and we went down to Florida to get all of the IMPBA stuff, we found this records book after we got back. I had a friend with a warehouse to store all of the IMPBA material that wasn't needed in the office. There was a lot of material that just wasn't needed and a lot of it was thrown away ( did we really need to keep 25 " Roostertails" from March 1988 ? ). This records book was obviously an important link to our history. I am glad that it is still around. When Doug has finished studying what is really in the book I hope that it is returned to the IMPBA Secretary for safe keeping. And yes, there is a LOT of big names in that book that tell a story of who did what when and how fast the boats were going back in the day! If anyone ever saw any of Ed Baker's boats run at that time it was just unbelievable how fast they really were. He was so far ahead of his time.

Dick Tyndall
 
Hi Dick,

Rest assured that the book will make it's way to the IMPBA secretary as soon as I get these records archived and saved electronically.

I have several emails out in hopes that I can find pictures and other information to go along this.

Doug
 
A few years ago, I had John post results of old Internats on the Roostertail. If we are going for keeping IMPBA history, shouldn't it be posted on the IMPBA site? I have results from '75, '76, '77, '78, '79, '80 (?) and 1981.

All from write-ups of Model Mags who covered the event. Even a few Indy Unlimiteds and Southern Gentlemen Regatta's.
 
A few years ago, I had John post results of old Internats on the Roostertail. If we are going for keeping IMPBA history, shouldn't it be posted on the IMPBA site? I have results from '75, '76, '77, '78, '79, '80 (?) and 1981.

All from write-ups of Model Mags who covered the event. Even a few Indy Unlimiteds and Southern Gentlemen Regatta's.
Absolutely Jim,

I know Chris and Lynne have been gathering that information as they have gone through the files from Huntsville.

[email protected]
 
The Logghe brothers and I traveled to Maryland one year to run the SAW and OVAL at Pusey Pond. I was doing props for Jim Stewart, Fred Gimbal, Tom Daniels and Ed Baker at the time. I'm thinking it was the early 80's. Ed ran over a 100 mph on the old bomber sites but wouldn't accept the record because he didn't think they were accurate. Their engines were the first I'd ever heard triple stage on the pipe. Ed's .40 boat that ran over 107 did it on an Octura 2.4 that was nearly stock.

The first printed IMPBA printed rulebook was printed at the Lake Shore High School print shop sometime in the early 70's. That's the school where I worked teaching machine tool metalworking and welding. John Bridge asked me if I could get it printed at a good price the rest is history. We printed a number of them there but I don't recall how many. As a side note: Lake Shore graduates includes former IMPBA secretary Kay Betke, former IMPBA President Pat Kelly and D2 Scale Director Tom Kelly.

Thanks, John
 
When Pat Bridge retired as IMPBA Secretary she passed all of the old records to my wife Kay Betke. When Kay retired from the position no one at the time was interested in keeping or storing the records. So I boxed them up and they found a place on the storage room shelve for over 20 years. They have resided there until last Saturday when I gave them to the IMPBA President. Hopefully the information in the box will help unravel some of the past history of IMPBA. I have been an active member of IMPBA since 1967. Though I haven't actively raced for the past couple of years I still enjoy building and repairing boats for my son Mike and grandson Rob. I still attend most of the IMPBA races in District 2 and hope to go with the kids to Hobart and Evansville this year.

Jerry Betke IMPBA # 2120
 
When Pat Bridge retired as IMPBA Secretary she passed all of the old records to my wife Kay Betke. When Kay retired from the position no one at the time was interested in keeping or storing the records. So I boxed them up and they found a place on the storage room shelve for over 20 years. They have resided there until last Saturday when I gave them to the IMPBA President. Hopefully the information in the box will help unravel some of the past history of IMPBA. I have been an active member of IMPBA since 1967. Though I haven't actively raced for the past couple of years I still enjoy building and repairing boats for my son Mike and grandson Rob. I still attend most of the IMPBA races in District 2 and hope to go with the kids to Hobart and Evansville this year.

Jerry Betke IMPBA # 2120
Way KQQL Jerry, great finding lost treasures.
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Good stuff guysB) .

Still looking for rule books and pictures from back in the day.

Thanks fellas!
 
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