TOPIC: Is It a Formula? - Thunderbird? - Something Else ?

Picked up "Big Bird" a few months ago and still trying to ID. The cradle has a Formula by Thunderbird script on both sides and the last owner said it was an old Formula race boat but cannot find anything to back up the claims.

I found this on the Thunderbird page:

At what could be considered the peak of Thunderbird's expansion some strange managerial thinking took place. RACE BOATS. Winning boat races would1 good publicity. So various hulls were acquired from various sources and expensive engines were bought and handed over to 'specialists' for 'tune up' and then installed in a special section of the shop

Unfortunately no one at Thunderbird had any experience of larger inboard boats let alone race boats. So. Generally these efforts were a disaster. They consistently refused to win races and seldom finished the course.

Finally Thunderbird had quite a collection of these efforts but no publicity. What to do? Why of course, fix up the boats and then invite anyone who looks like a big shot to show up at firm's expense, loan him a boat and enter him in the next race. Then there should be some publicity about the big shots and maybe one of them will actually finish a race.

Then on down there is a part about Don Arranow being a part of the early years. It has a nibral center fin wich is nearly deteriorated off and the V drive. There are two "saddle tanks" and much of the harware has been changed to a modern type.
Check out the stern with the flair back and then cuts into the flat surface - I have not found anything like this yet. Any direction would be great.
Check out video - Thanks for your help.

Video:

I would bet the guys on S&F could give you some info.