Recently, I was going through old emails when I ran across this picture my Uncle sent me back in November 2008. I’ll let him tell the story:
Have any of you ever seen this boat? It was heading downstream on the Miss. between LeClaire and Cordova a few weeks ago. Note the vintage VW Rabbit on the barge too. I’m sure Tom can ID the model year, plus all available options. The superstructure looks a lot like one of the old Kahlke boats from Sunset Marina [ED: Kahlke was a local boatworks in Rock Island that built many different kinds of boats, including the W.J. Quinlan paddlewheeler that used to cross the Mississippi between Rock Island IL and Davenport IA up to the late ’40s/early ’50s]. If you look close, you can see the name “Lilly Belle” on the pilot house.
I can’t be certain due to the distance, but I believe this is a German built pre-Westmoreland, PA Rabbit. Cool idea, just dock and drive away!
It’s a 1978 diesel with automatic, AM/FM radio, and the deluxe coco floor mats! 🙂
Just curious, Tom; what exactly makes it look like a German one vs. a Westmoreland one, from this distance? My eyes must be getting old.
Just guessing, actually.
I’ll bet it’s the paint color (Iberian Red?)
Not bad. Reminds me of the barges in European canals that often have a car stashed on the rear deck and a crane to lift it ashore. Normally just a typical hatch but I did see one that was a new Mercedes C class sedan when I was in Bruges a few years ago.