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Donzigo
04-12-2006, 07:07 PM
Just for kicks & grins, here's an interesting story about my 1989 Z-33.
It was a left over Donzi from the Genth era and was shipped up to Lake Lanier, Ga, to Holiday Boat marina, their dealer at the time. It sat there for a year, then was titled to a land developer on Lake Lanier. It seems that there was no money changed hands and I don't have that part of the story; but, it was shady for sure. The guy moved the boat to Fisher Island, Miami, where he was developing things. Then he shipped it to Belize, Mexico, where he was also doing business. But, he couldn't get the boat in the country, papers not right or something. So, he found an official who said if he could ride in the Donzi in a May Day parade on the Donzi, it could be processed in. The Donzi was covered with flowers and full of people going down the street in a parade. After a year or so, the guy wanted to bring it back to Miami; but, since it didn't come it properly, the authorities wouldn't let it be loaded on a ship. It sat at the dock, covered up, for 2 years, awaiting permission. Finally, it came back to Miami, where Jim Mement, a boat broker in St. Pete, bought it. It was in bad shape and the engines were rust; so, in 1999, he put new 454's in the boat. Jim sold it to Al Kussey. Al had teenage daughters, who said the boat blew their hair too much; so, 3 years ago, Al sold it to me............

joel3078
04-13-2006, 09:39 AM
My 1990 Black Widow has an interesting history also. I got lucky and bought my boat from the original owner. He purchased it in 1993 as a brand new boat. This particular boat spent the first part of it's life as a model/promo/photo-shoot boat. Oldsmobile used it to promo their new Oldsmobile Bravada SUV. I have the pictures and brochures of the Olds add and the flat bed truck/trailer that hauled the boat in for the photo add shoot.

After this, the boat sat at a dealership in Ohio for a couple of years. The dealer had a hard time selling the boat back in 1993 as the market was tough like it is now. Also back then, buyers had to pay additional luxury taxes. Adding to the history of the boat sitting for it's fist two years was an issue with the 1990 version of the electronic distributerless ignition that did not work well. The To make things right for the original owner, OMC & Donzi ponied up for a new 1993 Chevy 454 King Cobra engine and outdrive in 1993 to make the original owner happy. This is why a 1990 boat has a 1993 powertrain in it. This Widow has spent it's life as a trailer boat in storage and was on Lake Erie in Ohio on occasional weekends. Typically the boat was run for a couple of hours and then tied up in front of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with other boats. Come Sunday, the boat went back on the trailer and back into storage. The original owner's wife was scared of the boat so it did not get run at high speed very much. The original owner and his wife were getting closer to 60 years old so they sold me the Black Widow. They also sold their house to move south and get away from winters.

MOP
04-13-2006, 11:56 AM
Them thar boats sound more like Gad a Bout Wicked women then boats! Hmmmmm maybe thats why they call them :She's & Her's" :biggrin.: :biggrin.:

joel3078
04-13-2006, 12:23 PM
I always thought it was the constant dumping of money into them. Certainly follows the she/girl/woman thing in real life. Spend hundreds, you get to go for a ride or two. Spend thousands, you get to go for many rides. Spend too many thousands, and she takes you for a ride. :jestera:

MOP
04-13-2006, 05:34 PM
LMAO!!! I know that is why I am so poor these days!

M.O.P.