1963 Lavey Craft Flatbottom

[lavey jr]

This boat was built by the founder of Lavey Craft himself, Alex Lavey in 1963. It was not only built by him but it was also his personal boat!

It is time for us to let this piece of Lavey history go and we would love for it to go to someone who has a passion for LAVEY CRAFT! This is truly a once in a lifetime piece of Lavey history

Asking price will be $5,000. All original pieces are still with the boat and are all included.


Short story... We acquired this boat many years ago and didn’t know what exactly we had. To us it was just an old Lavey Craft flat bottom. Shortly after having the boat, Al Lavey visited the shop and was in awe. He did a quick look over of the boat and told us, “do you guys know what you have here?” We said, “yes, an old Lavey flat bottom.” He walked back out to the manufacturing area of the shop and said, “you see that band saw over there? You see that drill press? You see that table saw? All of that exact equipment you guys still use today used to be mine back in the 60’s and it is the equipment that built this boat!” We couldn’t believe it... He began to show us all of the hand built steering system on the boat and all of the other hand built equipment on the boat and said he made all of it. Shortly after that he paused and said, “wait a minute... This isn’t the original paint... Scrape off some of this paint and I bet you the color will be metal flake indigo blue.” Our answer was yes sir whatever you say. So we scraped off some paint near the exhaust (you can see it in the pictures)... What do you know, it was the color he said! Al Lavey almost came to tears and told us that this boat was his personal boat! It was not only his personal boat but it was the VERY FIRST performance boat to ever be created from a mold structure rather than being hand built one off every single time. Not only was the boat built by him, but so was the trailer it sits on today!

 

[74 spectra20 v-drive]

GLWS, I laughed when I saw the name of the boat, my cousins Gaylord with 428 SCJ had the same name

 

[SD2Havasu]

Pm’d you. Alex’s family is interested in buying the boat.

 

[BIG MIKE]

Looks familiar. This one has a Holman and Moody 427 and a Mr. Ed trailer. Supposedly Mr. Lavey was building it for himself when a guy walked in and said he had to have it.

Original and now

View attachment 1027423

 

[guest hs]

Looks familiar. This one has a Holman and Moody 427 and a Mr. Ed trailer. Supposedly Mr. Lavey was building it for himself when a guy walked in and said he had to have it.

Original and now
View attachment 1027408 View attachment 1027423

What year?

 

[schweeng]

love the story you told..... nice find

 

[old rigger]

This boat was built by the founder of Lavey Craft himself, Alex Lavey in 1963. It was not only built by him but it was also his personal boat!

It is time for us to let this piece of Lavey history go and we would love for it to go to someone who has a passion for LAVEY CRAFT! This is truly a once in a lifetime piece of Lavey history

Asking price will be $5,000. All original pieces are still with the boat and are all included.


Short story... We acquired this boat many years ago and didn’t know what exactly we had. To us it was just an old Lavey Craft flat bottom. Shortly after having the boat, Al Lavey visited the shop and was in awe. He did a quick look over of the boat and told us, “do you guys know what you have here?” We said, “yes, an old Lavey flat bottom.” He walked back out to the manufacturing area of the shop and said, “you see that band saw over there? You see that drill press? You see that table saw? All of that exact equipment you guys still use today used to be mine back in the 60’s and it is the equipment that built this boat!” We couldn’t believe it... He began to show us all of the hand built steering system on the boat and all of the other hand built equipment on the boat and said he made all of it. Shortly after that he paused and said, “wait a minute... This isn’t the original paint... Scrape off some of this paint and I bet you the color will be metal flake indigo blue.” Our answer was yes sir whatever you say. So we scraped off some paint near the exhaust (you can see it in the pictures)... What do you know, it was the color he said! Al Lavey almost came to tears and told us that this boat was his personal boat! It was not only his personal boat but it was the VERY FIRST performance boat to ever be created from a mold structure rather than being hand built one off every single time. Not only was the boat built by him, but so was the trailer it sits on today!

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How cool is that!.

One of my dad's oldest friends was a Lavey guy. Owned 3 through the 60's until he passed away last NYE. He still had an 80's whaler Al laid up very light for him. BBC/Mercruiser TR, runs like stink but the bottom kept splitting. All his Lavey's were named "Sugar in the Morning", like the old song.

Not sure if you meant that this boat was the first one Al built from a mold or it was the first one ever built from a mold but Rudy Ramos was popping boats from molds as early as '59.

That's a screaming deal on this flat.

 

[rivermobster]

love the story you told..... nice find

+1

 

[BIG MIKE]

What year?

1972

 

[Clank123]

Just came across this.
More of the story.
This boat was found in the 90’s by a guy named Clyde Dedrick.
I did most of his boat work for him and he brought the Bushwacker to me after he bought it.
It was somewhat apart, minor stuff,
so I put it back together, went though the carb, ignition, water pump etc and got it fired on the hose.
While working on it and going over nuts and bolts, it was clear that it was no ordinary ski boat!
The rigging was hell for stout for the time period the boat built and to me it seemed like it was rigged for endurance racing. The rigging made that clear.
After I got it fired and checked everything thing for leaks, we took it down to Mission Bay and ran it.
Boat ran really well!
Took Clyde for a ride, then I took it out for a couple passes.
So I guess I’m the last one to drive it!
Great Boat!
Here’s where I remember things a little different…been a long time though!
In discussions with the owner I told him this boat has to have some competition history!
And if I was going to restore it, it would be really cool to take it back to that!
Well the boat sat for a number of years and Clyde, somehow he got in contact with Al and he confirmed it was his old boat. Clyde was convinced that the old Flatbottom should go back to Laveycraft and be restored.
Clyde took it up there and they eventually bought it because of the history.
Been a long time but that’s how I remember it.
Regardless, a lot of boating history right there…
I’d love to bring it back to it’s mid -sixties glory!
Dave

 

[Clank123]

Here’s a Lavey I’m restoring for the sons of their Dad’s old boat. Their father has passed and are building it in honor of him!
That’s the original Cross Ram 426 Chrysler Wedge still in it!

1967 in Parker

Present Day

 

[boatnam2]

Nice work Clank!

 

[Clank123]

Lavey Jr…sent you a PM. Pretty sure I have a buyer.

 

[74 spectra20 v-drive]

Lavey Jr…sent you a PM. Pretty sure I have a buyer.

Dave, I love the exhaust tips on the Chrysler, I have never seen one like this in person, my Dad tells a story every now and then about our neighbor Rodger Buckner, who had exhaust like this on his Gaylord, Rodger leaned into the boat one time and ended up with a burn ring on his forehead... I digress...
I am interested in these due to how the wedge exhaust exits and is really high, (assuming the 426 and 440 are on same platform) My nephew just picked up a 69 Hondo with a 440, super cool and clean boat out of Oregon. The problem is the dam thing is louder than a pro stock with the headers and he is looking to run some logs. it's going to be real tight getting them under the transom and how you rigged this one looks so cool and could be the ticket, Imitation is the biggest for or flattery. My question is assuming with not exiting the water thru the exhaust these are still pretty loud... I am assuming. Not afraid of noise just trying to keep him from getting flagged by every LEO he floats by, would this set up be slightly quieter than a set of Bassett Headers?
Thanks and another terrific job sir!

 

[OC Mike]

Here’s a Lavey I’m restoring for the sons of their Dad’s old boat. Their father has passed and are building it in honor of him!
That’s the original Cross Ram 426 Chrysler Wedge still in it!

1967 in Parker

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Present Day

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Very, very

 

[Clank123]

Lavey Jr…sent you a PM. Pretty sure I have a buy

Dave, I love the exhaust tips on the Chrysler, I have never seen one like this in person, my Dad tells a story every now and then about our neighbor Rodger Buckner, who had exhaust like this on his Gaylord, Rodger leaned into the boat one time and ended up with a burn ring on his forehead... I digress...
I am interested in these due to how the wedge exhaust exits and is really high, (assuming the 426 and 440 are on same platform) My nephew just picked up a 69 Hondo with a 440, super cool and clean boat out of Oregon. The problem is the dam thing is louder than a pro stock with the headers and he is looking to run some logs. it's going to be real tight getting them under the transom and how you rigged this one looks so cool and could be the ticket, Imitation is the biggest for or flattery. My question is assuming with not exiting the water thru the exhaust these are still pretty loud... I am assuming. Not afraid of noise just trying to keep him from getting flagged by every LEO he floats by, would this set up be slightly quieter than a set of Bassett Headers?
Thanks and another terrific job sir!

This set up was used in the mid 60’s quite often.
The water exits out the transom just like with headers.
It will be a bit quieter than Bassetts.
The 426 and 440s have the same exhaust location.
This look would be period correct on a 69 Hondo.
I say go for it!

 

[74 spectra20 v-drive]

Thanks Dave, I sent my Nephew the pictures and he digs it, he has a big cross ram for that 440 as well, I hope he bites , it would be very cool!

 

[Red Rocker]

Here’s a Lavey I’m restoring for the sons of their Dad’s old boat. Their father has passed and are building it in honor of him!
That’s the original Cross Ram 426 Chrysler Wedge still in it!

1967 in Parker

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Present Day

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So awesome! I was wondering what happened to Bad Enuff and the restoration. I remember the old thread from PB when they found it and got it back and I believe they also found their original 66 malibu wagon that pops use to pull it with. Love stories like this!!!!

 

[Clank123]

Thanks Dave, I sent my Nephew the pictures and he digs it, he has a big cross ram for that 440 as well, I hope he bites , it would be very cool!

Very cool.
This crossram needed everything from Carbs restored to linkage and fuel lines.
Just finished the adapters for the flame Arrestors.
If I can help in any way let me know!

 

[Clank123]

So awesome! I was wondering what happened to Bad Enuff and the restoration. I remember the old thread from PB when they found it and got it back and I believe they also found their original 66 malibu wagon that pops use to pull it with. Love stories like this!!!!

All true. Car is restored as well.
It’ll be awesome to see them together again.

 

[74 spectra20 v-drive]

Looks terrific, those air cleaners have become an expensive item, my Pop has those on a 69 Sanger with a Boss 9, as a kid i always wanted the bigger scoop but now realize just how cool they were!

 

[TonyFanelli]

This boat was built by the founder of Lavey Craft himself, Alex Lavey in 1963. It was not only built by him but it was also his personal boat!

It is time for us to let this piece of Lavey history go and we would love for it to go to someone who has a passion for LAVEY CRAFT! This is truly a once in a lifetime piece of Lavey history

Asking price will be $5,000. All original pieces are still with the boat and are all included.


Short story... We acquired this boat many years ago and didn’t know what exactly we had. To us it was just an old Lavey Craft flat bottom. Shortly after having the boat, Al Lavey visited the shop and was in awe. He did a quick look over of the boat and told us, “do you guys know what you have here?” We said, “yes, an old Lavey flat bottom.” He walked back out to the manufacturing area of the shop and said, “you see that band saw over there? You see that drill press? You see that table saw? All of that exact equipment you guys still use today used to be mine back in the 60’s and it is the equipment that built this boat!” We couldn’t believe it... He began to show us all of the hand built steering system on the boat and all of the other hand built equipment on the boat and said he made all of it. Shortly after that he paused and said, “wait a minute... This isn’t the original paint... Scrape off some of this paint and I bet you the color will be metal flake indigo blue.” Our answer was yes sir whatever you say. So we scraped off some paint near the exhaust (you can see it in the pictures)... What do you know, it was the color he said! Al Lavey almost came to tears and told us that this boat was his personal boat! It was not only his personal boat but it was the VERY FIRST performance boat to ever be created from a mold structure rather than being hand built one off every single time. Not only was the boat built by him, but so was the trailer it sits on today!

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Still for sale by chance?