Itwasthewinningestunlimitedhydroplaneinhistorydrivenbythegreatestdriverofalltime.BillMuncey’sfamousAtlasVanLinesnicknamedthe“BlueBlaster”won24racesfrom1977to1981includingthreeGoldCupsandtwoNationalChampionships.DesignedbyJimLucero,itwasconsideredthemostinnovativeandspace-ageraceboatofitstime.Builtfromlightweighthoneycombaluminum,theRollsMerlinpoweredboatwaslightonitsfeetandcouldout-cornereveryhydroplaneitcompetedagainst.Butthe“Blaster”wasalsofragileandcouldbeahandfultocontrol.ButBillMunceyhadtheexperienceandmasterfuldrivingskills,andalongwithcrewchiefJimLucero,kepttheboatwinningforfiveseasons. TragicallyBillMunceywaskilledinOctober1981whentheAtlasblewoverwhileleadingthefinalheatoftheWorldChampionshipinAcapulcoMexico.FollowingtheaccidentthewreckedAtlassatinthebackoftheshopwhiletheteamcarriedonwithanewhullforMuncey’sself-appointedsuccessorChip

Hanauer.In1983,theSmithsonianrequestedtohavetheboatrepairedandbroughttoWashingtonDCtobeexhibited.InSeattle,thecrewwenttoworkonthebrokenhullandinashortperiodoftime,performeda“cosmetic”restorationontheboatincludinganewpaintjob.ThegleamingAtlasonceagainlookedlikeacham-pion,asitsetoffonthecross-countrytriptoitsnewhomeinthenation’scapital.

In1987,the"BlueBlaster"camebacktotheNorthwestandwasdonatedtothenewUnlimitedHydroplaneHallofFameandMuseumlatertobecometoday’sHydroplaneandRaceboatMuseum.Theboatwasusedforstaticdisplaysandparadesbutspentseveralofthenext23yearsinstorage.Astheboatcontin-

uedtodeteriorate,themuseumanditsvolunteersmadethecommitmenttorestoretheAtlastoits1979configuration,itspinnacleseason.Thelongdebatebymuseummembersandfanstowhethertheboatshouldeverrunagainwasfinallyresolved.TheMunceyfamilywerejoinedbyformerAtlascrewmemberswhoallsaidthatBillMunceywouldnothavehaditanyotherway.Hewouldlovetoknowitranagainandwouldhaveconsidereditanhonor.AllagreeditwouldbeafittingtributetoBill….toletthousandsoffanswitnesstheBlueBlasterroaringacrossthewateroncemore.

The Hydroplane and Raceboat Museum Presents

"Blue Blaster"

2010-2014 Restoration of Bill Muncey's Atlas Van Lines

Thisone-hourvideodocumentsthefour-yearlongprojectcompletelyrebuildingtheboat.Thankstothegeneroussupportofenthusiasticdonors;individualsandcompanies,themuseumcompleteditsmostcomplexrestorationtodate.Acoregroupof10volunteers,ledbyDonMockwerejoinedbydozensmorewhoworkedthousandsofhours.Theteamtookadvantageofthemuseumsvastarchiveofphotos,filmsanddrawingstorecreatetheboatasaccuratelyaspossible.TheyalsohadtheguidanceandadviceofsomeofthesportstopdesignersandcrewmembersincludingDixonSmithandJimLucero.ThevideoalsoincludesrarefootageofBillMunceyandthe"BlueBlaster"fromthelateseventiesandearlyeighties.

Part 1.FirststepsoftherestorationprojectasthecrewbeginsthedemolitionprocessinJanuary2010.Thedeckandcowlareremovedaswellasthecosmeticover-sheetingrevealingthetruedamagefromthecrashandnearly30yearsoftimerestingonitstrailer.Significantcorrosioninthehoneycombaluminumwasdiscoveredandrequiredbothsponsonstoberemovedaswellaslargeareasofthebottom.Thecrewbegancreatingnewhoneycombairtraps,sponsonframesandbottomsections.Andthehugejobofrepairing,cleaningandsandingtheinte-riorofthehullgetsunderway.Theboatisturnedupside-downforworktobeginonthesponsonsandbottom.Oncefinished

andsprayedwithprimer,theAtlasisflippedbackover.

Part 2.Thecockpitandenginecowlstartstotakeshapeaswellasthesteeringsystemandpaintingoftheinteriorcom-partments.Also,aRollsRoyceMerlinengineistest-fittedforshaftalignmentandsystemlocations.Withtanks,pumpsandhosesinplace,thedeckbattensarefittedandthe¼”plywoodsheetingisadded.WorkonthewingassemblytakespriorityasanolddamagedWinstonEaglehorizontalwingisresurrectedwhileverticalfairingsandA-framesarerestored.Also,ChipHanauerandEdwardMunceydropbyforaconversationabouttheproject.

Part 3.Thedeckiscoveredinfiberglassfollowedbyweeksofsandingandshaping.Deckhatchesarefabricatedandfitted.ManycoatsofprimeraresandedasthecrewgetstheBlasterreadyforthepaintingofthebottom.Nextit’stimetodothede-tailworkonthecowlsandprepthehullforitsfamoustwo-tonedbluepaintscheme.Withitsfinalwhitepaintapplied,theboatandcowlsaremaskedforthedarkblue,thenlightbluepaint.ThecomplexRollsMerlinenginealsobeginstotakeshapeinthemuseum’sengineroom.Therudderassembly,alongwithseveralcomponents,arereadytobemounted.Andtheiconic“Atlas”graphicsarepaintedonthehullalongwithBillMuncey’snameaddedtothesideofthecockpit.

Part 4.Therestorationcrewtacklesthefinaldetailsoftheprojectincludingthewindshield,mirrors,instrumentpanelandtheelectricalsystem.Thepaintispolished,wingsmountedandalltherunninghardwareisfittedtotheboat.Earlyin2014,thecrewturnedtheirattentiontothehugejobofrestoringtheoriginalAtlastrailerusedfrom1977-79.Hoursofpaintandrustremovalwererequiredaswellaslotsofmetalcutting,grind-ingandwelding.Eventheaxelsandwheelswerereplaced,hydraulicsreworkedandallnewwiringadded.Andfinallythetrailerwaspaintedinitsoriginalcolorsandfittedwithnewbunkstosupporttheboat.Withthe“BlueBlaster”backhomerestingonitstrailer,itwastimetoinstalltheengineandfinalsystemsandplumbing.Then,forthefirsttimesinceOctober

1981,aRollsMerlinengineisfiredupintheAtlas.Thesuccessfultest-firesendsthecrewintohighgeargettingtheboatreadyforit’sfirsttimeinthewaterinover30years……..atestrunonAmericanLakesouthofTacoma,Washington.

Part 5. Thelonganticipated2014SeattleSeafairweekend.Fourlongyearsofhardworkculminatesinthere-christeningandrunningtheboatinfrontofthousandsoffansontheshoresofLakeWashing-tonandwatchingonTV.WiththeMunceyfamily,andformercrewmembersonthedock,theemo-tionalceremonyisfollowedbytheroaroftheengineasChipHanauerblastsawayfromthedock.TheBlueBlasterisonceagainonthecoursewhereBillMunceywonfourstraightracesin1977-80.ThenextdayChipandtheAtlasarejoinedbyDavidWilliamsdrivingthe1980RollsGriffonpoweredMissBudweiserforathree-lapexhibition.RidealongwithChipasviewedfromtheGo-Procameramountedonthewing.Andfinally,underperfectblueskies,Sun-day’sperformanceoftheBudandAtlaswasthebestoftheweekend.ThebroadcastfromKIROTVsaysitall.Theperfectendingtoanepicproject.

Get your copy today!The Hydroplane and Raceboat Museum's latest video:

"Blue Blaster" 2010 - 2014 Restoration of Bill Muncey's Atlas Van Lines

Order Now! $20.00

http://www.thunderboatstore.org/blue-blaster-restoration-dvd/

Hydroplane and Raceboat Museum5917 South 196th Street

Kent, WA 98032206.764.9453