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I have been interested in boating ever since I was small growing up and spending the summers on a lake in Michigan. At this young age, I stood on shore in amazement watching Dick Austin, Ken Pangborn, David Hahn, test and run their high performance race boats across the lake. The images are burned into my memory. They did not know the impression they were making on us kids. To emulate them, my brother, uncle, and neighbor kids found my grandfathers old green Mercury Mark7 in the boathouse and bought a $20.00 plywood hydroplane. We would see who could go the fastest. We flew at 15MPH! They could not touch us. In fact they would not even try. We wore out that old Mercury. Well, we all have to grow up. Not all of us can race boats for a living, so... I became a DENTIST. Many years later, I went home and found the old green outboard as we left it, in pieces in a box. I collected the pieces with feelings of guilt for leaving the trustworthy old motor in that condition. I joined the ANTIQUE OUTBOARD MOTOR CLUB, made connections for parts and learned how to get the motor running again. The process of restoring this old motor has introduced me to a world of friends whom each hold an incredible wealth of knowledge. I have since restored and run a 1958 SWIFT 'BIG D" Mercury 55H, Krier "D" hydroplane MOD44ci(Quincy 4 Pipes), 1970's 15' Allison racing hull 99ci Evinrude Strangler, 1950's reproduction Len Lupton 13' 6" Sid-Craft runabout Mercury 66ci Super Marathon Quincy midsection Speedmaster Foot. Several years ago I found the set of Quincy 4 pipes and built the 44ci motor around the pipes. Later, I found the Quincy midsection and built the six cylinder on it. First came the Quincy parts, then the motors. I had a lot of help. Dale Burton, and "The Great Lon Stevens", have done more then help me with my projects, they have inspired me. They and O.F. Christner, were, and still are visionaries. Quincy welding's parts and vision have taken on a life of their own. Thank you! "
David Liebetreu
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