New Donzi Owner GT 21 Twin

[extrmach]

Hello everyone!
I just bought a 1974 Donzi 22 Classic named "Damn Donzi!", with a Rollf tailer. It is yellow with a black strippe and lettering. It has twin, 6-cyclineder, inline, Volvo engines (280, i think) with a Volvo 270 outdrive.
I am trying to find more information on this particular boat and i am having a difficult time doing so.
Where can i look up the hull #?
Where is a good place to look for parts? (other than this site of course)
Is there any place i can get info on the engines and outdrives? maybe a manual? i couldnt find anything on the volvo penta website.
where can i find the true value of this boat now and once restored?
I just need to put paint on it and install the outdrives. then it will be complete!
Thanks for your help!
Allen

[DonCig]

Welcome to the registry. I hope that I can see your boat next year at one of our events.

Sincerely,


Don Tamm

[BUIZILLA]

Hi, it's probably a 21GT you have, with twin 170hp Volvo's. If it has 3 carbs, they are 170's for sure.

Good Luck, Jim

[Greg K]

Definitely sounds like he's got himself a twin 21 GT. We all remember this one... http://www.donzi.net/forums/showpost.php?p=227982&postcount=1

[extrmach]

Wow, thanks for all the help gentleman. And the pics are inspirering.

[olredalert]

-------Posatively a 21GT!!! I have never seen a 21 GT with this configuration though. The indent in the transom to flatten it out is the first such indent I have ever seen on a 21GT or for that matter any "classic" DONZI. There is or was a 24 El Pescador near here with twin Volvo 6s. The owner of that boat had them rebuilt. Im not sure of all the circumstances but he told me that the rebuild costs were high. Too high in his estimation. Im sorry but I cant put you in touch with him as I have lost track of the boat and owner........Bill S

[extrmach]

I will get some more pics up shortly. I have to replace the tires on the trailer. By the end of October I will have it on its way to be painted in Idaho. (I bought this in Iowa).
HIN# G21GT69 (According to the state) I keep forgetting to double-check it with the boat tags.
The "story" that I heard from the original owner is that this '74 was one of a few made for the Miami boat show that year. So I am hoping that it is rare!
Also, my good luck, the motors where just rebuilt (says the owner). I still have to do some closer looking but he gave me the cylinders that where in there originally along with a few other parts.
I am looking for a windshield
And again you guys are great! Thanks for the help.

[extrmach]

okay i have some more photos.

[Morgan's Cloud]

Getting it back in shape should keep you busy for a while .... No cutting corners please ! !
Out of curiousity , I'd be interested to see an engine room photo showing how they plumbed the exhaust on the stbd engine so that the exhausts came through transom on the inside of the transom shields . I don't think it would have been that simple ... a few 90 deg bends and trying to clear the steering arm etc .....
Good luck with it , the GT21 has always been one of my favourites .
Steve

[Lenny]

Nice find. The transom on the GT21 has a very pronounced radius to it so I can see the modification being required prior to the boat being layed up in the mold by simply inserting the flat area into the transom portion of the mold and going from there. Definately a custom job. It had a windshield at one time obviously and the deck hardware arrangement looks pretty much typical. Does your glovebox door have the word DONZI embossed in it?

The number on the later boats was on an aluminum foil decal on the lower console side portion. It should be there if intact. You have hull number '#69 as they didn't depict the model year when numbering these boats.

Mine was hull #45, had the decal still too, and it was a '72. Yours being 1974 and hull #69 seems correct for the timeframe.

Here is what I "had"...

http://www.donzi.net/photos/Lennys'_GT21.jpg

Have fun with her, looks like you got a NEAT boat. The numbers on the motors should match up to something as well so you might want to research those.

[Jerry Eisele]

Welcome!! You may try some 1500 wet sand paper on a small spot and then some compound. It might surprise you, how the color comes back. Good luck, on a nice boat.:eek:

[Pismo]

Convert it to a single engine. It would ruin the historic value and coolness but would be such a better boat. So tough to do tho.

[BUIZILLA]

it needs a pair of marinized Vortec GM 4200's with DPX's..........

:)

[JimG]

Beautiful! Great find. Keep it original...

[extrmach]

Okay an update.

The boat will stay all original except for the paint, maybe, still undecided.

Lenny, do you know where I could get a windshield? Yes it does have DONZI embossed on the glove box and I did find the sticker underneath the glove box and to the left of the foot well, on the center console. I haven’t been able to read it in good light yet but will make another attempt soon since I have it outside now.

I found a lot of good info about the engines online and I was lucky, the previous owner bought a Volvo shop manual and parts catalog.

[Morgan's Cloud]

Despite all that , I still can't see how they hooked up the exhaust outlets so that they both exit between the trans shields !
Just a heads up here .... I ran a pair of the identical engines in one of pop's previous boats for 14 years.
Not a penny put into the outdrives except for oil changes. The engines though , compared to the comparable US versions , Merc and OMC 165hp in line 6's , are a bit highly strung because of smaller displacement and higher operating RPMs. Volvo , along with their customers ,discovered a back pressure in the exhaust manifold that caused the exhaust valves to burn and the heads to crack between the valves. This was rectified with an 'Exhaust backpressure relief valve kit' that was retrofitted to the engines after repairs were made. I can't see it in your pics , but it looks like a piece of hose that runs from the top of the exhaust manifold to the inner trans shield. If your Volvo owner's manual is current , it ought to show up in there so you know what to look for .
What a great project you have there !
Steve