Moonshine Baby  E-54

Dallas Kremer - Moonshine Baby E-54
The hull was built by Rich Hallett.
Best I can tell Dallas raced E-54 from 1957 to 1960.



Dallas R. Kremer



E-54 Moonshine Baby
1957 Melbourne, Kentucky

Del Kramer, of Bellevue. Ky.. driving his 280 Cu. In. Hydro “Moonshine Baby" E-54 during the course of the September 8th Melbourne, KY regatta to will the Great Lakes Divisional Championship at a speed of 70.097 mph. Switching from the 135’s to 280’s has proved worthwhile for Del during the ’57 season.




Great Lakes Regional Championship Trophy for 280 class at Melbourne, KY 1957



In the pits St. Pete 1958



Dallas Kremer - Moonshine Baby E-54.
Saint Petersburg, Florida - 1958
Photo courtesy of Brent McLean




Preparing the Rich Hallett built hydro for the 1959 Orange Bowl Regatta in Miami, Florida with a new enclosed rear canopy cockpit built by Dallas Kremer.
Chief Mechanic for the boats was P.T. "Red" Barrington (right) and Cliff believes that’s crew member Bill Bohart on left.
Other members of the Moonshine Baby team were Bob Hoh from Dayton, Kentucky who also worked on the engines and is a well known Harley mechanic
and Cliff Wartman who crewed from 1955-1964.
Photo courtesy of Cliff Wartman.



"Red" prepping the Chevy 265.
Photo courtesy of Cliff Wartman.

 
Moonshine Baby E-54.
Saint Petersburg, Florida 1959
Dallas said this was the only race he ran the hydro with the enclosed cockpit cowling.
He stated that driving it was uncomfortable and sounded like he was driving inside of a bass drum.
Photo from of Charles Marshall photograph collection



Dallas obviously liked working with fiberglass and boat in the photo has a new fin on the rear cowling.
Tom D’Eath told me that he thinks Dal ran this boat for two summers and never lost a race.


Moonshine Baby E-54 crewmen
Crew member Cliff Wartman stated, "Far right with the hat of course is Dal. 
Short sleeve coveralls is I am sure Gil Phipps. The fellow in the short sleeve shirt by Gil is Les McGraw. Not sure of the other two".



Moonshine Baby E-54 and MissFit S-14 (Gil Phipps)
Illinois bound in 1959


Another pic by of the dual hydro trailer in front of Davies (boat builder) home.
Photo courtesy of Cliff Wartman


From the 1960 NKBC (Northern Kentucky Boat Club) Harvest Regatta Race Program has this neat pic
Racing hydros by day and tuning it up at night. Does it get any better than that?






Moonshine Baby owned by Dalla Kremer of Bellevue, Kentucky will be one of th racing boats that ill be at Melbourne, Kentucky for the Northern Kentucky Boat Clubs Regatta. Moonshine Baby is a 280 cubic inch Chevrolet powered hydroplane and will be trying for it’s eight trophy, not having been beaten in competition this year. On Saturday dallas will also try to get in the inclusive 100mph Club by going 100 miles per hour through the measured mile.

Photo courtesy of Phil Kunz




Ed Barko driving at Cincinnati 1960
photo courtesy of Phil Kunz

When Ed Barko was driving E-54 at the New Richmond, Ohio race he was thrown out.  While in the water he was hit by another boat and lost part of his arm below the elbow.
Dr. Linss (O/D of the Briarhopper boats) was at the race and attended to him until the ambulance took him away.



Race Driver ’Critical’ Hydroplane driver Fred Benzinger, North College Hill, was in critical condition at Our Lady of Mercy Hospita] Monday with a ruptured liver suffered Sunday during the running of the Thirty-seventh Annual Speed Boat Regatta at New Richmond. Benzinger’s boat, a 225-cubic-inch hydroplane, was hit by-one driven by Ralph Manning, Ashland, Ky., both pilots being thrown into the water. Manning grabbed the injured man and held his head above water until Mac Wiefering, another pilot, reached the scene. Benzinger was placed on Wiefering’s boat by Coast Guardsmen and taken to shore, then rushed to the hospital. A crowd estimated at 10,000 saw Paul Bauer, Deer Park, win the 48-cubic-inch championship over eight other drivers. Dal Kremer, Bellevue, took the 280 cubic inch title, Harold Morrison, Middletown, was first in the 136 cubic inch class, while Ed Barko, Allen Park, Mich., won the 135-cubic-inch race. Ron Musson, Akron, was a double winner, capturing both the 225 and 266 cu inch races. George Byers, Columbus, was first in the seven-litre contest. Dr. William P. Lings, Highland Heights, Ky., took second place in the 266-cubic-inch class and third in the 280 class.
Newspaper article from 1957 Aug-18 race at New Richmond


Dal sold the E-54 Hallett, then Jim Moore and Dal built a 7-Litre. They purchased a set of Ted Jones 280 cu in plans and modified the
design by adding 3’ to the boat length (to 19’ LOA). Moonshine Baby H-54 started racing in 1961. Web page here for that hydro.

Dallas sold the E-54 boat and it campaigned under the name Ineta Belle E-54 (owner unknown) then Mr. Trophy E-54 by Carl A. Ward & Wilbur Leiberman (sp).

Ineta Belle E-54
E-Course, Michigan 1961
Boat name it campaigns under is changed after Dal sold it. However, it looks like Carl Ward driving.
 If someone knows owner, please let me know so I can update this photo caption.
photo courtesy of Phil Kunz


 
Mr. Trophy E-54
1963
Carl Ward of Lima, Ohio
photo courtesy of Phil Kunz


Mr. Trophy E-54
Photo courtesy of Phil Kunz.

Any info on this boat or it’s whereabouts (last lead was it was last seen possibly in Wisconsin), please contact the webmaster.

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