A lot Of Tunnels Out There

[RonShaw]

Ok So the XTR has always been the latest one, That was the only one that I ever had sent to me by Gary P. So Lohring got the mold then A.L

Yea,thats right.........B&M LeeCraft built the boats for several years until BIll Berdzar passed..........Eventually the molds went to Alfred Lanza and he is still building the boats today.....

I believe the XT460 is the most successful RC tunnel ever to be built......The boat was introduced in 1985 and has won at least one National Championship in some organization every year since then......

26 years is one hell of a run.........

http://www.leecraftracing.com/home.htm

Rod,

Kudos. I have said it before and I will say it again. That design no doubt changed tunnel racing as we know it today. If you look at all of the successful manufacturers and their tunnel designs, they all in some way or another have used some of the design advances you and Tommy started on the LeeCraft 460. It's because of this fact, Jimmy Johnson will tell you as well, that the LeeCraft 460 Tunnel will ALWAYS be competitive in RC tunnel racing........

 

[RonShaw]

Rod, that's right. I sold the molds for the XT-460 and XTR-21 to Alfred several years ago. I sold the XT-120 molds to a fellow back east who modified the hull. I don't remember his name or know what happened after that. I believe Alfred's site still has the Hazelwood XT-120 mods posted. If not, I can send them to anyone who is interested. No one is officially making any epoxy glass boats anymore, though. It's just too time consuming for what you can charge.

It was Leecraft old home week at this year's NAMBA Nationals. I met Richard Hazelwood, Joe Monahan, and Bobby Tom again after years. Alfred won A Mod with an XTR-21, and Frank Crockett won B Mod with an XT-460 followed by Alfred also with an XT-460. At the banquet I even talked briefly to Doug DeWitte, my favorite all around racer and D Cup winner. However, that's another story.

Lohring Miller

Lohring,

I would love to know who has the XT120 molds you sold. I sold mine in the early 90's when I bought an XTR120 from Tommy. Now I wish I had it back..... That design was not enough for the 20 mod class but I believe would be the perfect hull for B Stock. B Stock wasn't really a class in IMPBA back in the day but now it would be a different story. I would love to get my hands on one of those hulls just to experiment with........

 

[Bob Kensill]

I bought three boats from Tommy Lee when retired from racing. They were the 21SAW boat,The 45SAW boat and the 45 Oval boat. I have made several 60+ mph passes with the 21SAW boat and one 70+ mph pass. All these passes were made with a "home made" Picco X3 outboard. I have made several 74+ mph passes with the 45SAW boat with a K&B .45 outboard and one 80+ mph pass with a "home made" OPS 80 outboard. I have not tried the 45 Oval boat at record trials yet but I was tied for first place, with one round remaining,at the 2011 WTC but jumped the start in the final heat and had to settle for second behind Jay Halbreder. I recently picked the 21 Heat Racing hull from Darrin Jordan to make my collection complete.(or did I ?). I have tested the 21 boat with a Novarossi 35plus21 and it looks very promising. Please note the "home made" Mac .67 outboard on the 45 SAW boat. I plan on breaking the 80mph barrier this fall. I also have a "home made" Rossi 65 outboard to try on this boat.

 

[Slideblues]

Thanks for posting the pics Bob,

SAWeet collection.....

Gene

 

[RonShaw]

Bob,

Thanks for sharing your thoughts, and a little history, to an old Tommy Lee Fan!!!! I also appreciate you sharing the pictures as I had heard about this boat but never saw the pictures. I believe John Equi was the one trying to describe it to me years ago. Hopefully you will bring it out again next year. I would like to see it first-hand!!!........

 

[RonShaw]

I bought three boats from Tommy Lee when retired from racing. They were the 21SAW boat,The 45SAW boat and the 45 Oval boat. I have made several 60+ mph passes with the 21SAW boat and one 70+ mph pass. All these passes were made with a "home made" Picco X3 outboard. I have made several 74+ mph passes with the 45SAW boat with a K&B .45 outboard and one 80+ mph pass with a "home made" OPS 80 outboard. I have not tried the 45 Oval boat at record trials yet but I was tied for first place, with one round remaining,at the 2011 WTC but jumped the start in the final heat and had to settle for second behind Jay Halbreder. I recently picked the 21 Heat Racing hull from Darrin Jordan to make my collection complete.(or did I ?). I have tested the 21 boat with a Novarossi 35plus21 and it looks very promising. Please note the "home made" Mac .67 outboard on the 45 SAW boat. I plan on breaking the 80mph barrier this fall. I also have a "home made" Rossi 65 outboard to try on this boat.

One more thing, those look like the same pipes I still run today, John Equi's pipes. Is that correct?

 

[Bob Kensill]

I purchased the "Equalizer" pipe business from John Equi several years ago. I still make them when I have time,but I like to make custom pipes to fit specific engines. I am not a big fan of the "one size fits all" theory. I will be racing the 45 Oval boat at the IMPBA Nats in August. The turning ability of this boat is unbeleivable. If you get out front,it will be impossible for anyone to pass. My best description of driving the boat is that is like driving a slot car.

 

[Ron Zaker Jr]

Does anyone have a picture of the back of that boat? Maybe Bob will chime in. I tried a fin on my 460 with a 67 K&B but it wasn't enough. I would like to see the size fin he settled on and the placement. I mounted mine in line with the tunnel on the starboard side of the transom.

I'm pretty sure that fin was traced off my 20 Hawk with added depth. Double bends 17 degrees each.

 

[Ronald van Essen]

I know that the very old Dumas Hotshot -21- with the straight front-had a similar fin, only went on the inside of a sponson

Thanks for posting the pics and letting us know Bob.

Ronald

 

[John Knight]

The Prather 21 tunnel (I ran one from 1991 to 1995) had a turn fin mounted on the right sponson, along the edge of the tunnel, about 2/3rds from the front tip. A sharp booger and it helped turn the boat. The fin depth was about 3" and had a slight inward angle.

 

[RonShaw]

I purchased the "Equalizer" pipe business from John Equi several years ago. I still make them when I have time,but I like to make custom pipes to fit specific engines. I am not a big fan of the "one size fits all" theory. I will be racing the 45 Oval boat at the IMPBA Nats in August. The turning ability of this boat is unbeleivable. If you get out front,it will be impossible for anyone to pass. My best description of driving the boat is that is like driving a slot car.

Bob,

That's great to know. I have his 20, 40, and 60 pipes. I need a 90 for open tunnel. Can you help me with that?

 

[Ronald van Essen]

The Prather 21 tunnel (I ran one from 1991 to 1995) had a turn fin mounted on the right sponson, along the edge of the tunnel, about 2/3rds from the front tip. A sharp booger and it helped turn the boat. The fin depth was about 3" and had a slight inward angle.

Thats the same turnfin as on the old Dumas Hotshot I was talking about.

 

[RonShaw]

The Prather 21 tunnel (I ran one from 1991 to 1995) had a turn fin mounted on the right sponson, along the edge of the tunnel, about 2/3rds from the front tip. A sharp booger and it helped turn the boat. The fin depth was about 3" and had a slight inward angle.

John,

I think all of us tunnel guys from years ago started with a Prather. Top Flight fuel proof paint. Remember the screw down lid, foam tape, vaseline? Never could keep that radio box dry!!!....hahaha. I was talking to Mic yesterday and I think he had a Prather early on too!!!!

 

[XtremeRcBoats]

Back in 2000 when I did my internship in Nashville I also visited the speedtrials in Huntsville twice and saw Tommy race that 45 tunnel, man that thing moved. I also bought a xtr21 tunnel from Tommy back then, were very nice 2 visits.

Here are a few pictures I took back then:

Also found a movie of his record run:

Video

 

[RonShaw]

Back in 2000 when I did my internship in Nashville I also visited the speedtrials in Huntsville twice and saw Tommy race that 45 tunnel, man that thing moved. I also bought a xtr21 tunnel from Tommy back then, were very nice 2 visits.

Here are a few pictures I took back then:

Also found a movie of his record run:

Video

Wow Paul. Those are great pics of the tunnel master himself!! Can you post those on the "Outboard tunnel pics from the past" thread in the outboard forum as well? I posted a pic of Tommy on the drivers stand with his wife calling for him back in the early 90's. I took the pic with my cell phone from my album. You can also see John Otto and Karl Sturm on the drivers stand as well on the opposite end.

 

[RodneyPierce]

HOLY COW!!! I have never seen a tunnel zing through the corners like that!! Thats nuts! Rod, or Bob, what is the angle on the bottom of that boat??

 

[XtremeRcBoats]

I added some more pictures and put them in my gallery: https://www.intlwaters.com/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=1125

The video was taken by Mike Hoffmeister.

I'll also post them in the other topic.

 

[RonShaw]

I added some more pictures and put them in my gallery: https://www.intlwaters.com/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=1125

The video was taken by Mike Hoffmeister.

I'll also post them in the other topic.

Thanks Paul. This is awesome!!

 

[SayMikey]

I added some more pictures and put them in my gallery: https://www.intlwaters.com/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=1125

The video was taken by Mike Hoffmeister.

I'll also post them in the other topic.

Other guy was Rich Zimmerman did Bill take you to Beauregards BBQ we still go there today

 

[XtremeRcBoats]

I added some more pictures and put them in my gallery: https://www.intlwaters.com/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=1125

The video was taken by Mike Hoffmeister.

I'll also post them in the other topic.

Other guy was Rich Zimmerman did Bill take you to Beauregards BBQ we still go there today

Thanks, i forgot. Changed it in the description.