Last year of the real Donzi

[Peter Beck]

I have seen this statement before. "1985 the last year of the real Donzi" Can anyone explain what this opinion may mean. I have only owned my 1998 22 since February and now little about the history.
Peter

[Frank Civitano]

Peter. That was a remark made from a person who doesn't know what they are talking about! Donzi went through a bad period for a short time. The end of OMC years. The new Donzi's are a work of art, And with there 5 year from motor to hull coverage. I dont think there is another boat company that comes close. I dont think any other boat gets that WOW a Donzi! I wanted one when I was a kid! Thats a beutiful boat!

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Frank Civitano

[Barry Phillips]

Peter: The last real DONZI has not been
built yet. Don Aranow created
Donzi Marine in 1963 and sold it in 66,
he did not enjoy running a boat manufacturing
company as much as he liked development and
raceing. The 18s and 22s where brought to
the market in 1967 at which point the
company had been sold, Although Don had
stayed on as president and consultant for
a short while he had already created Magnum
Marine and raceing Magnum Donzis. So for the
purist I suppose the last real DONZI was
built in 1966. Since 1963 DONZI Marine has
had may parents some better than others
with one constant, the 18 & 22 Classic series
DONZIs have been in continuious production
all that time. To OMC's credit they brought
back the Sweet 16 which had been out of
production for 10 years. I think Don would
bee proud of how far DONZI has come with it's
new models in recent years because he never
stood still.
SO-SLO

[Forrest]

Barry, the 22 2+3 was a product of the early eightys, which makes it a "modern" classic; however, the GT21 and the like have an almost identical hull and were the predecessors to the more modern 22.

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Forrest

[This message has been edited by Forrest (edited 06-13-2000).]

[GeneD]

You know, who hasn't heard that line of crap before?
Personally, I'm no OMC guy. I'd rather own a kayak.
NO, that is not really true.
But there were some bad years at the factory for sure, but they have come out of their slump and pulled ahead to be a world leader in performance boating. It's only right!
Right?
As JimmyC says, take chances and run with sissors. What ever that means?!?!?!?!?
I'm dying for a good posting here, you know...something I can sink my teeth into. Nothing has come up lately. I'll just have to embrace whatever we got going on now huh?

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GeneD
007
Melbourne, Florida

[CDMA]

All Donzi's are UNreal

[AVickers]

Speaking of setting a pace... have you seen the latest Donzi? The 45ZX????

What a rig!

My two cents (backed up by NADA pricing) places a low point, but obviously not the end of the line of Donzi (or on the the 22 Classics, at least) at the time OMC began installing Big Block Fords w/ dog-type Cobras in them. With the end of that period -- 1993??? -- they went back to MerCruiser and it's been up, up, and away ever since.

Did OMC not have a Small Block Setup that would work in a Donzi? I ask 'cause it seems that even when owned by OMC, small-block Donzis had MerCruisers in them.

[Kenn]

There are original classic Donzi's and there are new classic Donzi's.

Sometimes the new classic outshines the original.

In the case of Donzi Marine at the present time, they all work very hard at making Donzi the best boat ever.

"Nice Boat" !


Kenn http://206.150.187.82/ubb/wink.gif

[This message has been edited by Kenn (edited 06-13-2000).]

[RickR,GroveCity]

The best quality 18 I have ever seen was a 1987. It had chrome over brass or stainless hardware (like all the early models) and VDO Blue Line instruments.
I almost bought it but then I drove a 1990 18 with a 454 http://206.150.187.82/ubb/eek.gif

I have a 1995 American Holdings 22 Classic and a 1990 OMC 18 Classic at the lake sitting next to each other.
I agree OMC made some poor quality drives early on but;
The OMC (built in Goshen Indiana) has SIGNIFICANTLY better fit, finish and rigging, also the 90 OMC King Cobra drive, is smoother, shifts better, and has much better steering than the 95 Bravo.

Avickers
1989 was the last Ford and dog clutch King Cobra). The OMC SBC and BBC started in 1990 along with the good King Cobra(Cone Clutch)


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RickR mailto:riggerb@aol.comriggerb@aol.com</A>

[AVickers]

Weren't both drives call "King Cobras?" With the dog-type unit having a flat top and the cone unit having a rounded-off top???

Was there a firm year-model cutoff in the line that it's safe to assume that your getting one of the good drives without actually having to inspect it???