alljet
11-22-2001, 07:55 PM
I'm the guy who has the 16ft 383 Mopar V-drive that's been featured in so many topics over the past few years. I traded Tm racer for it over a year ago. I've had a busy summer in the marine business, but now that the snow's about to fly here in Michigan, I'm back on the Donzi project. The two confusing things about the boat are the powerplant and the lack of a tranny. I got a velvet drive with the boat that I'm about to put in, but after reading what Brownie had to say about "crash boxes," I'm beginning to wonder if that's how the boat was fitted out originally. If so, I don't want to put the velvet drive in, and would rather keep it original. Right now there are two Morse side lever controls - one for the throttle, and one for the Casale V-drive that just engages and disengages it (when the engine is off!).
Here's the other strange thing: I had been told the 383 was not original, but then I find in the archives from last June correspondence about another 16 ft V-drive with a 383 (apparently it needed manifolds). So there must be at least two of these things out there, because mine definitely wasn't the one in the June ad. Mine also has a 1976 Arizona VIN (which I assumed was not the correct date of manufacture), but the one in the ad was also a 1976. I wonder what year mine really is? I've always thought it was a late 60's or early 70's boat.
The Donzi is just about ready to go, but I'd sure like to find out about the tranny before I go to all the bother of shortening the drive shaft, finding a different starter, etc.
Thanks in advance! I'll post pics soon.
Here's the other strange thing: I had been told the 383 was not original, but then I find in the archives from last June correspondence about another 16 ft V-drive with a 383 (apparently it needed manifolds). So there must be at least two of these things out there, because mine definitely wasn't the one in the June ad. Mine also has a 1976 Arizona VIN (which I assumed was not the correct date of manufacture), but the one in the ad was also a 1976. I wonder what year mine really is? I've always thought it was a late 60's or early 70's boat.
The Donzi is just about ready to go, but I'd sure like to find out about the tranny before I go to all the bother of shortening the drive shaft, finding a different starter, etc.
Thanks in advance! I'll post pics soon.