January 24th was departure day, Butch Bailey, Jerry Lawrence and I headed out: destination McHenry, Illinois. Butch Bailey is the son of 50's and 60's racer Elmer Bailey. The elder Bailey fielded 225 hydros Ballyhoo and later Trailblazer. The Ballyhoo won the 1960 Calvert Cup with an 18 year old Gene Whipp driving. Jerry Lawrence fielded a 280 Blue Max in the late 60's and early 70's with Jerry Scheidt up. Forward progress was slow due to Butch's (ex-police officer) desire to stop at every donut shop we passed.

The effort Butch has exerted in finding this old boat could be an article in itself. His interest in finding the boat started at a vintage gasser meet in Thompson, Ohio. A BS session brought out his history as a boat racer. Bill Tracey recalled that his brother-in-law had owned a hydro at one time. The search was on!! Ads were taken out in the local newspaper followed by a mailing to all local marinas. A deluge of calls came in from those wanting to sell raceboats that turned out to be just pleasure boats. He was prepared to drive up and post his search in all local auto parts houses when the call came in.
 
 

The owner of “Kief's Reef”; a local riverfront watering hole, knew of the boat and also the owner Tony Shivey, she was sitting just 1 mile away. Contact was made and negotiations began. Shivey was the second owner since she had been retired from racing. Her decline had begun prior to his ownership. Pancho Draheim traded a 1955 Century runabout for the Miss Dream Girl and ran her half a dozen times that season on the Fox River. Other interests and health problems beached the boat and soon major repairs were needed.  The Swede Stromstadt engine was sold to a nostalgia drag racer.

Tony Shivey is a motor head with varied interests and this project caught his eye. Without any previous woodworking experience he replaced the deck on his father's 1942 Chris Craft barrelback runabout. He thought there would be time for the hydro. Trying to minimize the deterioration, sponsons and mechanical components were removed and stored indoors. The remainder was tarped and left outside.

This was the scene upon our arrival…wind chill -15. The main hull was opened up and the large debris removed. The ravages of time and weather had taken their toll. If the bottom of the hull hadn't been sheeted in aluminum everything would have fallen thru to the ground.

The sponsons were loaded into the engine compartment and the whole boat was wrapped in many layers of shrink film. Duct tape was added and the whole unit bound to the trailer. Wheel, tires and lights were made ready for the return trip.

L to R: Jerry Lawrence, Butch Bailey, Pancho Draheim, Tony Shivey's father

L to R: Tony Shivey, Butch Bailey, Pancho Draheim

We all warmed up in Tony's house and Butch presented both Tony and Pancho with photos and an engraved plaque documenting their ownership of the hydro.  All were amazed when the Miss DeSoto's history was revealed. Both Tony and Pancho have a genuine attachment for this boat and are excited about the prospects of her restoration. Pancho is still searching for the 392 hemi engine. The whole crew went to dinner at Keif's Reef where Butch presented a photo to the owner as appreciation for making the call. It was long day; 6:00 AM Friday to 3:30 AM Saturday, but more than worth our small effort. Now the work begins!

Frank Byers driving Miss DeSoto. (Photo by Phil Kunz)   History: Miss DeSoto