Does this kind of horse power sounds right for this engine?

[HamrenDan]

Hello,
I am HamrenDan..New to this list and hopefully a Donzi owner..I just put a down payment on a 1990 23ft sport. Here are some of the details.

460 c.u. COBRA 535 cam, 9.5:1 pistons, molley harded push rods, roller rockers. Runs strong! New ignition system (MSD6-A). 500 HP.

The gell is a little faded, but I am sure i can polish it up pretty easily. It needs to be cleaned up, but the engine has been rebuilt using the parts listed above. Outdrive was removed and serviced with a new throttle cable. Prop is stainless looks good. The hull didn't look to have a single scratch on it.

The owner said that the hour meter just ran and ran (much faster than it is supposed to) Does anyone think 9600 hours on a boat of this vintage is A) alot, B) possible or C) go get the stringers looked at??

I am new to owning a boat, but I have driven my dads boats on Lake Tahoe for years (76 classic, 88 Crossbow 33) So I tried asking all the right questions maybe there is something i missed.. Thanks for your input

HamrenDan

[Tidbart]

Welcome HamrenDan,
Can't help with the HP, but somebody will chime in.

9600 Hrs is an astronomical number, can't be correct 300 hrs a year is alot for most boating seasons.

Wouldn't hurt to have a survey done on the boat. May save you thousands in the long run. My guess is one would cost $200-$300??

Hope it works out for you.

Bob

[MOP]

Another Hi & welcome to the board! The 500HP sounds a bit ambitious it takes quite a bit to get more than 1 HP per cu, the 460 was a decent engine as is the King Cobra drive. Parts for both are becoming scarce, the hours sound like he may be telling the truth. Have you done any price comparisons, curious what he wants $$ wise. If you do decide to go forward Tidbart is right get a survey, have the surveyor do a compression check and get engine and drive oil samples. Boats are a very expensive hobby, a bad buy can sour you on boating. I hope you get a good deal and join the ranks of us Donzites

Phil

[HamrenDan]

I am paying $10k for the boat, which i feel is a heck of a buy, considering that it only needs cleaning up.. I am not really worried that its not 500 horse power, I was mostly looking to make sure that the boat was mechanically sound. The PO has a friend that works in a boat shop that does all of his work for him. Supposedly the engine was built for high performance, and reliability. The only thing that needs to be done to the engine is a exhaust manifold gasket. One side was replaced, and now the other side is leaking. I can do alot of things on my car, but I have much to learn about boating..

Thanks for all the replys, and I think that its a good idea to have it inspected.
Thanks for letting me know about the 9600 hours thing too.. I thought it sounded very high, but wasn't completley sure.

Hopefully this summer ill have the wavy hand painted Donzi logo rubbed off, and a proper mirror Donzi logo in its place. Ill have lots of pics for you guys of Wiskeytown, and Shasta lake, and maybe a trip to Tahoe for some off-shore like boating.

again thanks for the help!


HamrenDan

[HamrenDan]

I was researching the model, and I am guessing that it is a GT230. However the picture in the mo
Its a 1990 23 ft. There is a picture on the model list does not match the other GT's. Its a pic of a cruiser. So with that said.. can someone confirm that this is indeed a GT230.

Also, is this the Donzi Red (RED/ DONZI FIREMIST/ CHAPARRAL) that i was reading about in the Gel thread? Its fadded in this picture, so imagine it darker. I am pretty sure its the original gel.

And which white is that?OFF WHITE/ BREWERS,??? BRITE WHITE/ PRO SPORTS,??? or WHITE???


Thanks again

HamrenDan

[Lenny]

Good looking boat. Yes, the proper DONZI would look better.

Z-23 would be my take on this boat.

[Ranman]

I think it's a Z 21 sans the porthole myself...

[MOP]

For 10K if it checks out grab it, there two in my area very nive looking boats.

Phil

[txtaz]

Just a question, Doesn't the hull number give year and model?
Wes

[HamrenDan]

Does DMRZA look like a Hull #??? If not where can I find that. Hey Lenny you really cleaned that photo up good!

[Lenny]

Upper right of transom at hull/deck joint...DMRZ is the beginning, we need the rest. :)

[Tidbart]

I think Randy is correct.
A Z23 is the deckboat.
Here is the GT230

http://adcache.boattraderonline.com/6/1/7/76529517.htm


b :biggrin.:

[Cuda]

Sleek looking ride! :cool:

[HamrenDan]

Dmrz269e990 Thats the numbers ..

any takers??

[EricG]

It's a Z22 (They renamed the Z21 in 89). I didn't know that they kept making that boat into '90, but by the hull # it sure looks like it. With that hull number, it's got to be one of the last of the hull made. The '88 I had was #176, so at #269, this is getting late. I always figured about 275 total.

With the side exit exhaust, mine was increadibly loud underway with just a 350, with the bigger 460, it's going to sound GREAT!

Good luck with it. I love my 18, but I miss my 21 sometimes...they are great boats.

-EG

[EricG]

Hull# DMRZ269E990

I just went and found my old Z-boat serial number research. This is the latest hull# by 25 - the previous was #244 made in March '89 as an '89 model.

This was made in May of 89 as a 90 (e = March, 9 = 89, 90 = model year).

Are you sure the number doesn't start with "DMRZA" - as the A delineated the 21/22 z boat? If not, it wouldn't be the first time the hull number was missing a digit...but it's definitly that hull.

A = Z21/22
B = Z21 Bowrider
C = Z25
D = Z29
E = Z33

EG
- Yup...I'm a geek.

[HamrenDan]

DMRZA you are right.....

Wow Thanks for looking that up for me.. Its always nice to know what the heck i am buying.. Anyway you guys are a wealth of information, and I appreciate all the effort into helping me. I post to a number of enthusiast sites on a regular basis, so after my learning curve maybe I can help someone else!.

HamrenDan :sweden: Hey wheres the Norwegian flag? Ohh well I am half Swede ( the BAD Half)

[Barry Phillips]

Welcome Harmen, a friend of mine has a 30 foot Blackwidow which had 2 460s. I think he mentioned once that the motors were making 360 HP. I am no expert on OMC set ups, plus you motor could have been modified at some point. I think 500hp is optimistic because Mercruiser off serveral 454s over the years with hp rateings from 300hp to 385hp, the last 454 offered before fazing in the 496mg and 496HO, 375hp and 425hp respectivily. Lastly the 502 was rated at 415 hp.

[BUIZILLA]

I am pretty sure the 460 was rated at 340 FWHP.

JH