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boxy
05-23-2000, 08:07 PM
As much as I'd love to drive to Florida to visit GeneD, I've found a boat closer to home. I've got a few questions, and hopefully the collective talent of this board can help me out.
The boat is listed as a right hand drive 1972 Classic 18, with a Chevy 350, and a Volvo-Penta 185. It also has a windshield. So here are the questions; Has it been repowered, with a new drive ? (I'm fairly sure it has) What is a Volvo-Penta 185 ? (he says it has power trim) How difficult is it to remove the windshield, and repair the deck ? Should the strakes run to the bow as far as Steve Marr's '72 18 in the registry ? (Is that a speedmaster on his 18) The final question I have is fueled by the owner's declaration that Don's original design was taken from an Italian speedboat; What is the quickest way to spot a knock-off ?
Thanks for your help !!


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boxy
mailto:sboxma@sprint.casboxma@sprint.ca</A>
Smuggler's Cove
Ontario

GeneD
05-24-2000, 07:25 AM
Boxy babe, don't believe a word of that old wive's tale about the Donzi being an Italian design.
It's bunk.
Don, in collaboration with others, came up with his own stuff.
As far as Steve Mar's boat, holy smoke! I just looked at it and that is without a doubt, a Blackhawk Drive. Wild looking eh?
I'm a bit taken back by the yellow transom and the red hull sides.

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GeneD
007
Melbourne, Florida

PaulO
05-24-2000, 07:35 AM
Boxy,
I can take a shot at some of these. First, yes the strakes run all the way to the bow like Steve's. I assume you are asking this question because the one you are looking at does not. Everything Donzi I have seen have a similar strake design. Steve's drive appears to me to be a blackhawk drive. I believe this to be a Mercruiser performance drive that had some quirks and a short production run. Never heard of a Volvo 185. Everything Volvo that would coincide with the production years of these boat are 200 series 270, 280, .. anything with power trim had a "T" suffix. Look at HLSM.com for drive identification. Sounds like some strange discrepencies. Look carefully.
Paul

PaulO
05-24-2000, 07:46 AM
Oops forgot the deck question. I assume you are asking because the coring is shot and the deck is soft? If that is the case, you need to pop the deck off ( pop probably infers it to be a simple jobn which it is not) cut off the inside layer of glass exposing the balsa core and replace the core with balsa or, perhaps, a newer material.
Paul

OceanCommotion
05-24-2000, 09:35 AM
After seeing those pictures and not knowing a darn thing about the Blackhawk, I have an observation and a question. First, that is one nice looking drive. Secondly, I noticed the lack of thru-hulls on that boat; is the exhaust run through the prop on that?!?

boxy
05-24-2000, 09:54 AM
Thanks for the answers guys, Paulo you are right, in the first picture I saw the strakes don't appear to run as far forward as most of the 18's I've seen, as for the deck question, I don't know if it's soft, but it does have a butt-ugly windshield I'd like to remove. I'm wondering if the original Volvo motor/drive combo may have been a 185 HP motor and maybe that's where the 185 is coming from. (my Regal's merc feads Alpha 4.3 LX)
Thanks again

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boxy
mailto:sboxma@sprint.casboxma@sprint.ca</A>
Smuggler's Cove
Ontario

Francis O. Saffell
05-24-2000, 07:39 PM
The Magnum Missle is a copy of an italian design but not the Donzi 16. The 16 was a slightly altered Formula Jr designed by Jim Wynne when Aronow owned Formula.

boxy
11-03-2000, 12:16 PM
Well we've had our first few frosty mornings, most of the boats are put away, and the above boat still didn't sell. It's going to need some work, and the owner is going to have to show that work in his price, if we're going to work out a deal.

I need some ballpark numbers guys, it needs a complete interior, the deck will have to be popped off and the deck/hull joint repaired (the rubrail was replaced with angle L AL, and the pooling water has kicked the sh*t out the joint), it will need a new rub-rail, all of the railings are missing, the dash is currently a piece of AL with the gauges bolted to it, the hand brush and roller paint job will need to be re-done,(and some moderate surface work, no huge holes at least) and finally the engine will have to taken out, the bay cleaned up (it looks like it was sprayed with car undercoating material) and the motor re-rigged (it curently looks like everything was blasted into the compartment with a big ass snowblower.

I know it's a long list, but it's going to be a long winter, anything that requires more sweat, than dollars, a guess at man-hours would be great.
Thanks

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boxy
mailto:sboxma@sprint.casboxma@sprint.ca</A>
Smuggler's Cove
1000 Islands
Ontario

boldts
11-03-2000, 12:42 PM
I can give you a cost estimate on the interior. I replaced the interior in my 18' Classic last summer. I went to the original maker of the interior. Their name is: Built-Rite. (Spelling may be wrong) They are located down in FL. I'll have to look up the phone number if you want it. Just to through in my 2 cents worth, if your thinking of doing the interior in steps, I wouldn't. I don't want to put any bad wishes on anyone, but the owner Built-Rite is getting up in years. He and his wife do all the work themselves. He does not have any sons to pass the buisness on to. When I found this out, I went ahead and did mine complete. You will however need to save your pedistal mounts which get bolted to the bottom of the seats. Cost delivered to my home in OH was in the $1,500 to $1,800 range. I'll have to dig out the invoice to tell you the exact amount. Good Luck on your project.

OH Scott

olredalert
11-03-2000, 12:49 PM
Boxy, Man,that 18 sounds like it needs a whole lot of work.I really hope that the price reflects the needed work.At the moment it sounds like he really ought to give it to you!There are guys here that can give you a better idea than I about actual price,but a boat that needs everything!!!The winter isnt long enough,believe me!..........just.......ol red!

boldts
11-03-2000, 09:11 PM
For anyone interested, I did spell the company name wrong. Here is the address and phone number if anyone wants an original interior for their Donzi.

Bilt-Rite
Rt. 1 Box 514-9
Macclenny, FL 32063
904-259-4807

Danny
11-03-2000, 09:20 PM
Boxy,If you pass on the boat and it's in Ontario or close I wouldn't mind looking at it. Still have one boat in the water , the weather on Georgian Bay has been fabulous this past week.
Danny

Rob
11-03-2000, 09:49 PM
Boxy, this thing sound pretty rough. I know Donzis don't grow on trees up there in Ontario, but I think I would look for a boat in better condition. Unless you are as talented as GeneD at getting deals on parts, you will end up spending much more restoring a rough boat than you would if paid more for a boat in good original condition and cleaned it up. Even if you have to travel quite a bit to pick it up. Contributors to this board are spread out all over the country. Probably most any boat you could locate would be near enough that one of us could scope it out for you. That's how I bought my 16. I live in Missouri, but the boat was north of Ft. Meyers, Fl. I called an old friend of mine and asked if he could check it out for me. When he gave it a clean bill of health, I had the confidence to send the owner a deposit check ,and we did the deal. If you can't find anyone close, hire a marine surveryor.

Or just buy Rick R.'s Genuine Risk. Even if you have to take out a loan, I will guarantee you will be far, far ahead in the long run.

boxy
11-04-2000, 08:28 PM
Rob, I know what you are saying about restoring boats vs restored boats. My dilemma is that if I buy a restored boat, I've got to sell my 19' Regal, but if I restore an older boat, I can keep both of them. Our daughter just turned 1, and she already loves boating, and I don't want to sacrifice her fun, because Dad wants a go-fast Donzi.
The boat I am looking at is certainly rough, but it is still a running Donzi, the current owner had it on the river in front of my house this summer, and if I had to guess, I'd say it ran in excess of 50 mph.


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boxy
mailto:sboxma@sprint.casboxma@sprint.ca</A>
Smuggler's Cove
1000 Islands
Ontario