Just brought a box of old River pictures home from the River place.

[76 Hondo]

Labor Day 1971 dock is at the Arizona Shores Motel, Gene and Toby’s that skinny guy is still my best friend but he tips the scales at about 350 now

 

[charred1]

Rad!

 

[76 Hondo]

First guys playing poker at Overton Beach, Lake Mead 1975, then bring home the Hondo, May 1978,
Times at Echo Lodge, stopped at the Echo Bar and backed into my camp spot a little to deep
Camping at Water Wheel and fell in love with the Lower River.
Good times and coffee at the Lost Lake store.
Last dropping the Hondo into a 8 acre private lake I built at a community in Buena Park in the 90’s.

 

[sintax]

looks like better times to me!

 

[boatdoc55]

View attachment 1152428 View attachment 1152429 View attachment 1152430 View attachment 1152432 View attachment 1152436 View attachment 1152433 View attachment 1152434



First guys playing poker at Overton Beach, Lake Mead 1975, then bring home the Hondo, May 1978,
Times at Echo Lodge, stopped at the Echo Bar and backed into my camp spot a little to deep
Camping at Water Wheel and fell in love with the Lower River.
Good times and coffee at the Lost Lake store.
Last dropping the Hondo into a 8 acre private lake I built at a community in Buena Park in the 90’s. View attachment 1152435

I thought I recognized those couple of pics from WW. I don't know how you got that spot under the tree. I thought our group had dibbs on it all summer. I've got a pic of one of my best friends daughter sitting up in the tree pouting that she didn't get her way on something. She sat up there all fricking day until dark and then was too scared to stay up there into the night.
Good times were had in those years, 79- 85 I think, until the injuns through us out.

 

[76 Hondo]

I thought I recognized those couple of pics from WW. I don't know how you got that spot under the tree. I thought our group had dibbs on it all summer. I've got a pic of one of my best friends daughter sitting up in the tree pouting that she didn't get her way on something. She sat up there all fricking day until dark and then was too scared to stay up there into the night.
Good times were had in those years, 79- 85 I think, until the injuns through us out.

My group had the 4 spots around the big tree from 76 or so until they did away with water from spots, then we moved up to 4 spots in the new front. Stayed until 91, when they went all mobiles no camping.
Moved to Lost Lake and now dealing with the Indian BS there

 

[hman442]

Great pictures, I'm sure they were great times

 

[jetboatperformance]

Epic pic's

 

[warpt71]

Good stuff

 

[74 spectra20 v-drive]

Is that a 427 Cammer !! Awesome pictures and that hydro is freaking rad!!!!!

 

[Backlash]

Awesome thread!! Please post up some more pictures when you have a chance!!

 

[76 Hondo]

More fun times late 70’s at Water Wheel Resort

 

[76 Hondo]

Lost Lake, knee boarding on the wet grass, Party Time, Head Hunter’s Beach!
Launch time? And the famous Spoon man

 

[TCHB]

I remember these days with our van and 18ft Sanger. Good times!

 

[Wheeler]

View attachment 1146379 View attachment 1146380
Labor Day 1971 dock is at the Arizona Shores Motel, Gene and Toby’s that skinny guy is still my best friend but he tips the scales at about 350 now

Great photos! Thanks for the memories!

 

[RIVERMANBEN]

View attachment 1152428 View attachment 1152429 View attachment 1152430 View attachment 1152432 View attachment 1152436 View attachment 1152433 View attachment 1152434



First guys playing poker at Overton Beach, Lake Mead 1975, then bring home the Hondo, May 1978,
Times at Echo Lodge, stopped at the Echo Bar and backed into my camp spot a little to deep
Camping at Water Wheel and fell in love with the Lower River.
Good times and coffee at the Lost Lake store.
Last dropping the Hondo into a 8 acre private lake I built at a community in Buena Park in the 90’s. View attachment 1152435

Is that a 427 Cammer !! Awesome pictures and that hydro is freaking rad!!!!!

Is that the “ Putting On The Ritz” hydro at Water Wheel? I remember seeing you at waterwheel back in the day. I remember one time you showed up in a limo. Fond memories of the lower river and water skiing and barefooting our brains out. Wish I could find all my old river pics.

 

[RIVERMANBEN]

Is that the “ Putting On The Ritz” hydro at Water Wheel? I remember seeing you at waterwheel back in the day. I remember one time you showed up in a limo. Fond memories of the lower river and water skiing and barefooting our brains out. Wish I could find all my old river pics.

Sorry the reply was for @76 Hondo

 

[WYRD]

More fun times late 70’s at Water Wheel Resort View attachment 1164096

Raise your hand if you've ever fallen asleep on one of these...

 

[76 Hondo]

Sorry the reply was for @76 Hondo

Yes, that was Putin on the Ritz, supposedly bought with pyramid money

 

[74 spectra20 v-drive]

This is looking up river from the corner at Big Bend would be late 70's.
Boats are:

• Mid 60's Gaylord with the added splash guard and small block Chevy, this boat belonged to Ken Meyers of B&K boats as well as Bill Van Setten and Don Buma. For you old Bellflower guys if you remember Bills Tire on Alondra, that was Bill Van Setten.

• Early 60, I believe 61' Howard this belonged to Richard Dyt. Talk was always that this was Howards first all glass boat but I never verified that and dont know enough of Howards history to argue. It was chopped when it came out of the mold, the owner wanted lower free board. Was built specifically as a show boat, painted by Junior, had a Keith Black built stroked 392, a ton of one off parts built by Don Buma. in the show days she sported a polished 6x2 cross ram, that was ditched when it became a ski boat and my pop was pissed... he did the tuning and polished that Ram It was always pulled to the show and displayed with a 63' Split Window Vette in matching red. (Richards brothers car) Unfortunately this boat burned to the water, engine was saved along with gear box and several parts. I remember my Dad cutting the transom off in our garage back in the day. The transom did make its way home recently and is now on the wall of the original owners Son up in Modesto area.
  
  
  
  
  

 

[lenmann]

This is looking up river from the corner at Big Bend would be late 70's.
Boats are:

• Mid 60's Gaylord with the added splash guard and small block Chevy, this boat belonged to Ken Meyers of B&K boats as well as Bill Van Setten and Don Buma. For you old Bellflower guys if you remember Bills Tire on Alondra, that was Bill Van Setten.

• Early 60, I believe 61' Howard this belonged to Richard Dyt. Talk was always that this was Howards first all glass boat but I never verified that and dont know enough of Howards history to argue. It was chopped when it came out of the mold, the owner wanted lower free board. Was built specifically as a show boat, painted by Junior, had a Keith Black built stroked 392, a ton of one off parts built by Don Buma. in the show days she sported a polished 6x2 cross ram, that was ditched when it became a ski boat and my pop was pissed... he did the tuning and polished that Ram It was always pulled to the show and displayed with a 63' Split Window Vette in matching red. (Richards brothers car) Unfortunately this boat burned to the water, engine was saved along with gear box and several parts. I remember my Dad cutting the transom off in our garage back in the day. The transom did make its way home recently and is now on the wall of the original owners Son up in Modesto area.
  
  
  View attachment 1210187 View attachment 1210188

Yikes, is the bent rudder related to the fire or just ornamentation?

 

[Eliminator21vdrive]

More fun times late 70’s at Water Wheel Resort View attachment 1164096 View attachment 1164097 View attachment 1164098 View attachment 1164099

I love looking at the surroundings, is that a Datsun b210 ? lol

 

[76 Hondo]

I love looking at the surroundings, is that a Datsun b210 ? lol

Good eyes, could be, notice the tent we all started River trips poor!
The GMC van was mine 3/4 ton small block 400, AC cruise control with a 12volt Playcool swamp cooler on the roof, I was up town with that set up

 

[Wheeler]

This is looking up river from the corner at Big Bend would be late 70's.
Boats are:

• Mid 60's Gaylord with the added splash guard and small block Chevy, this boat belonged to Ken Meyers of B&K boats as well as Bill Van Setten and Don Buma. For you old Bellflower guys if you remember Bills Tire on Alondra, that was Bill Van Setten.

• Early 60, I believe 61' Howard this belonged to Richard Dyt. Talk was always that this was Howards first all glass boat but I never verified that and dont know enough of Howards history to argue. It was chopped when it came out of the mold, the owner wanted lower free board. Was built specifically as a show boat, painted by Junior, had a Keith Black built stroked 392, a ton of one off parts built by Don Buma. in the show days she sported a polished 6x2 cross ram, that was ditched when it became a ski boat and my pop was pissed... he did the tuning and polished that Ram It was always pulled to the show and displayed with a 63' Split Window Vette in matching red. (Richards brothers car) Unfortunately this boat burned to the water, engine was saved along with gear box and several parts. I remember my Dad cutting the transom off in our garage back in the day. The transom did make its way home recently and is now on the wall of the original owners Son up in Modesto area.
  
  
  View attachment 1210187 View attachment 1210188

Great pix! Thanks for posting them!

 

[Wheeler]

View attachment 1164101 View attachment 1164102 View attachment 1164103 View attachment 1164105 View attachment 1164107 View attachment 1164108 View attachment 1164109
Lost Lake, knee boarding on the wet grass, Party Time, Head Hunter’s Beach!
Launch time? And the famous Spoon man

Keep the pix coming! They are great!

@old rigger

 

[old rigger]

This is looking up river from the corner at Big Bend would be late 70's.
Boats are:

• Mid 60's Gaylord with the added splash guard and small block Chevy, this boat belonged to Ken Meyers of B&K boats as well as Bill Van Setten and Don Buma. For you old Bellflower guys if you remember Bills Tire on Alondra, that was Bill Van Setten.

• Early 60, I believe 61' Howard this belonged to Richard Dyt. Talk was always that this was Howards first all glass boat but I never verified that and dont know enough of Howards history to argue. It was chopped when it came out of the mold, the owner wanted lower free board. Was built specifically as a show boat, painted by Junior, had a Keith Black built stroked 392, a ton of one off parts built by Don Buma. in the show days she sported a polished 6x2 cross ram, that was ditched when it became a ski boat and my pop was pissed... he did the tuning and polished that Ram It was always pulled to the show and displayed with a 63' Split Window Vette in matching red. (Richards brothers car) Unfortunately this boat burned to the water, engine was saved along with gear box and several parts. I remember my Dad cutting the transom off in our garage back in the day. The transom did make its way home recently and is now on the wall of the original owners Son up in Modesto area.
  
  
  View attachment 1210187 View attachment 1210188

Cool stuff! From the pic I'd swear that Howard has a wood deck?

This is the shop, rather a cluster of shops, where that Howard was built. Would love to have that '62 hard top.

A view from the rear of the property looking towards Lakewood Blvd. Sorry, not shots of Howard little shop but it would have been on the left side of the pic. To the right, Genes mufflers, an old friend of my dad owned it. He was a Bellflower guy, Keith christensen, my dad a Hollydale guy. As kids when ride out bikes here and just hang out, watch the muffler shop install Bellflower exhaust on the cars, go in the front building and dream of someday buying a set of reversed chrome wheels. hahaha much simpler time.
Keith retired decades ago to Havasu. Last talked with him maybe 4-5 years ago and bought some of his t shirts. Hope he's ok.

A

 

[74 spectra20 v-drive]

That rudder was a different event, underwater tree stump but same boat I forgot my Dad had that tucked in there. The Howard does have a Wood Deck, my reference to glass was that the bottom was a glass boat not a wood hull.

My Dad stopped going to Parker in the early 70's just too many people, Hot and they discovered Kings River in 71' and really never went anyplace else. My first memory of Parker was in 84' or 85' 7th grade I believe. We made an October trip there and my mind was blown...first there was water (if you know Kings River you get that comment) and holy shit this place is huge. I know my Mom has a ton of river picks from the 50's and 60's but I cant locate them...

Attached is a pic of my Dad's Cracker Box, this was a Champion Hull but he and My Uncle Walt built the Mahogany deck. It's got a 401 Nail Head, he told me that the air scoop held down the top of that deck, pull the scoop and that raised portion lifted off to gain access to the engine. This was probably of the last trips with the Cracker as he went in Partners with his buddy on the SpitFire and he needed a family boat in 65' he had 5 kids and two more were coming, look close at the picture and you can see two of my siblings are stuffed in that Crake., our flat bottom was a kick ass family boat and a lot more room that than Steam Pot had.