Formula Junior

[F Jr]

Hi Iam new to this site and I hope these questions have not been asked before. Does anyone know how many formula jr were built and for how many years? Iam in the process of restoring one and have been unable to find much imformation about them. Has anyone done a registry to see how many boats are out there or to get owners together on the webb? I think they started with #101, but if anyone has an earler number let me know.I would be intersted in hearing from anyone having one of these boats

 

[Cuda]

There is a member on www.donzi.net that has one. His screen name, oddly enough, is Formula Jr.

 

[Woobs]

They were designed in 1964 by Walt Walters (and Jim Wynn) based on the 17' Wynn Mill II wooden race boat. There may have been a couple of test mules produced at that time however, they were generally produced between late 1965 and early 1969 to the tune of somewhere around 150 boats.

This hull design was originally to stay with Don Aronow and not be included with the sale of Formula however, it was included in the 1964 sale to Thunderbird Boats. As a result the Wynn/Walters team designed the Donzi Ski Sporter 16 (aka Sweet 16) along the same principals and from the same "test" data to achieve a totally different design that shares no dimensions with the F Jr.

in 1964 Formula Jr. Production was delayed so that the backlog of Formula 233 orders could be built and delivered thus allowing Donzi to hit the market with their 16 first.... and the rest is history.

I'm not sure of the numbering sequence however, I know 104 and 119 are 1966 builds. (see tags)

 

[Revkev6]

They were designed in 1964 by Walt Walters (and Jim Wynn) based on the 17' Wynn Mill II wooden race boat. There may have been a couple of test mules produced at that time however, they were generally produced between late 1965 and early 1969 to the tune of between 150 to less than 200 boats.

This hull design was originally to stay with Don Aronow and not be included with the sale of Formula however, it was included in the 1964 sale to Thunderbird Boats. As a result the Wynn/Walters team designed the Donzi Ski Sporter 16 (aka Sweet 16) along the same principals and from the same "test" data to achieve a totally different design that shares no dimensions with the F Jr.

in 1964 Formula Jr. Production was delayed so that the backlog of Formula 233 orders could be built and delivered thus allowing Donzi to hit the market with their 16 first.... and the rest is history.

I'm not sure of the numbering sequence however, I know 104 and 119 are 1966 builds. (see tags)

woobs, I'm not sure on the serial numbers. I don't have anything to prove otherwise though. as I said on donzi.net my year code was either mistyped or transcribed on my dataplate (can you imagine that today!) instead of 65 or 66 it says 56. my hull number is 109. I'm not sure if they reset the hull number every year or if they kept going. can anyone else comment on what formula's convention was at this time?? I have had discussions with some who think that the numbers started with 100. I have spoken with a gentlemen out of tulsa named howard who has 3 jr's, all 66's # 126, 160 162.

 

[Woobs]

Well, as we've recently discovered all serial #s do not start with 100.
I wonder if 56 ( we have uncovered a few like this) means built in 65 as a 66 model year? Afaik, the # resets every MY.

Also, I read last night that the Jr. was produced to 1971. Owen (Formula Jr. on .net) has actually seen this boat.
As for the startup... there may have been a prototype or test mule before the sale but, all production boats came after the sale. I found an Aronow interview where he says Formula is sold (for a price he is happy with) and they have the 233 with a huge order bank and the moulds + plans for the Jr. as they were just about to go to production.

 

[Revkev6]

Well, as we've recently discovered all serial #s do not start with 100.
I wonder if 56 ( we have uncovered a few like this) means built in 65 as a 66 model year? Afaik, the # resets every MY.

Also, I read last night that the Jr. was produced to 1971. Owen (Formula Jr. on .net) has actually seen this boat.
As for the startup... there may have been a prototype or test mule before the sale but, all production boats came after the sale. I found an Aronow interview where he says Formula is sold (for a price he is happy with) and they have the 233 with a huge order bank and the moulds + plans for the Jr. as they were just about to go to production.

Woobs, have you seen the 1969 mercruiser test on the "formula F1700"?? this was a new 17 foot model. I don't doubt that the Jr was produced sporadically after the 68 or 69 model year but the 1700 used new hull molds as it has a square stern.

 

[Woobs]

Yes, the F17 was a totally new boat... IIRC, designed also by Walt Walters.

I have read many places that the Jr. was only produced until 1969... and that it was only produced 3 years... and there was only 150 made. No doubt they are rare but, 150 Who knows? Even Formula has no idea. 3 Years? Well 1964 to 1969 is 5 years, to 1971 is 7 years. 1969 the last production Year? I think I believe Owen (who is a very knowledgeable , and fanatical Jr aficionado) When he says he actually saw one that was made in 1971.

I think you have to consider the source of any of this information. If not an eye witness or, proven with some kind of backup then I wouldn't take it as gospel. As you and I are digging through all these old posts and finding new information as well as coordinating old reports, we have the best chance of setting the record straight. We have already discovered the serial # anomalies with proof. Unfortunately, there are vey few (if any) boats still in their original configuration. So, we must piece things together from multiple examples and figure out what changes occurred and when.

I remember researching my 1965 Donzi Ski Sporter and the history was no more clear or straight forward.

 

[Woobs]

Yes, the F17 was a totally new boat... IIRC, designed also by Walt Walters.

I have read many places that the Jr. was only produced until 1969... and that it was only produced 3 years... and there was only 150 made. No doubt they are rare but, 150 Who knows? Even Formula has no idea. 3 Years? Well 1964 to 1969 is 5 years, to 1971 is 7 years. 1969 the last production Year?

Okay, some clarification as I have been reading/researching a lot lately...

All production Jr.s came under the Formula era when production started in the fall of 1965. (There may be a "test" boat or two used for R&D purposes but, this is unclear - i.e. no proof). The original mould was modified for a 1970 production boat (also with a square transom for an updated look) and mated to a new deck to create a new (updated?) boat while saving the company some $. This is a different boat than the F1700 seen above and only a few were made possibly as a stop-gap project for delays in the new 1700 program. This means the end for the Formula Jr. as we know it most likely came in early 1969. Therefore, total production = 4 years.

It is possible that reports of boats from after 1969 may be accounted for by their registration dates (and not their actual production dates) as the last boats were finally sold off by the dealers.

The estimate of 150 Jr.s built comes from Bilt-Rite interiors who manufactured these for Formula. It's still not a concrete number though. The majority of builds were in 1965 and 1966 (as the DONZI 16 popularity trend was in full swing) and tailed off to 1969. I have been told that the tumblehome transom was considered "old & dowdy" looking and out of date styling-wise at this time (67-69). As Donzi was able to increase 16 production and meet the market demand with their square stern 16, the Jr.s sales suffered.

 

[afratki]

Wow, I really like the look of this boat. Woobs, is the one you pictured representative of how they originally looked or has it been "modernized"?

 

[Woobs]

... is the one you pictured representative of how they originally looked or has it been "modernized"?

The red/white boat pictured above looks very close to factory original.

The throttle shifter and steering wheel look to be changed. The side grab rails may have been added and the fuel tank fill may have been moved from starboard to center.

 

[Woobs]

found a 1970 Formula 17 for sale from the Jr. modified hull program. Modified stern (remove tumblehome in favour of a square stern) and new deck (bowrider).
https://www.facebook.com/groups/222...26608550761719/?sale_post_id=1226608550761719
It's easy to see the same hull lines when compared to the blue Jr. picture.

 

[John Settle]

Better late than never.....I have hull # 130

I picked up my TFJr in 1992. Hull #130. It came out of Naples, FL. Dark blue hull with white deck and blue stripes.

They were designed in 1964 by Walt Walters (and Jim Wynn) based on the 17' Wynn Mill II wooden race boat. There may have been a couple of test mules produced at that time however, they were generally produced between late 1965 and early 1969 to the tune of somewhere around 150 boats.

This hull design was originally to stay with Don Aronow and not be included with the sale of Formula however, it was included in the 1964 sale to Thunderbird Boats. As a result the Wynn/Walters team designed the Donzi Ski Sporter 16 (aka Sweet 16) along the same principals and from the same "test" data to achieve a totally different design that shares no dimensions with the F Jr.

in 1964 Formula Jr. Production was delayed so that the backlog of Formula 233 orders could be built and delivered thus allowing Donzi to hit the market with their 16 first.... and the rest is history.

I'm not sure of the numbering sequence however, I know 104 and 119 are 1966 builds. (see tags)