I stumbled on this Tahiti, a flat bottom Tahiti from 1966? 

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/boa/526736467.html

then he calls it a jetboat  there isnt a clear shot of the back of the boat, but it sure looks like a v-drive to me.

I saw that too on my tri-weekly search for old Tahiti's on craigslist.

Not a Tahiti, looks like a Buck Smith. I had a Smith a few years ago, a wood decker, but the hull was identical to this one. The transom's a dead ringer.

Buck Smith was one of the guys out of Bakersfield that started and organized drag boat racing back in the late 50s. His boats were also sold as 'Spico' hulls. I actually had dinner with him one night about 10 years ago, cool guy. Sometimes in old Hot Rod mag articles about drag boats, he'll be mentioned as the guy that blueprined the bottom on so and so's boat, he knew his chit.

He made his fortune not in boats though...he invented the chopper gun. 

definately a v-drive ... you can see the water pump on the back of the engine (which means the engine is in backwards  )

I was goin off the elbows on the logs as a giveaway . Good eye brian .

-beerjet-

Old Rigger,
Here is a couple pics of a friends Spico from years ago. Not sure what year. Sorry about the thread jack Rod.

Beautiful Boat that is a 1966 Spico have one almost like it mine has a snorkel tach on hood and no hood cleat also had a flat seat panel over v drive and two small rear facing back seats but has that same fiberglass seat back and pleted upolstery. Twin gas tanks etc.  Mine came all the way to Michigan from California had a 409 Chevy with the Edelbrock exhaust out the back etc I built it to the gills with 12-1 slugs duall Afbs Isky Roller etc Now is going to blown Endurle Injected 427 Chevy with Nitrous.

Welcome to SCJB 

I don't know if you noticed that this thread is over 3 years old.   Most of these people are no longer regulars (or have been banned).

Feel free to start another thread with pics of your float 

Moters backwards and you can see cav plate I would say v drive