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View Full Version : Survey: Alternate Shifters (Brownie?)



FlatRacer, aka BarrelBack
12-15-2007, 10:27 PM
DonziFreak and I have been trying to figure out when Donzi installed the painted recessed type shifter in lieu of the much more common flush mounted type. We're trying to see if the presence of this type of shifter, or of the cutout left behind if it was replaced, could possibly be a clue to a boat's approximate build date.

In pouring over the pics of vintage Donzis on this site and eBay, I have seen this recessed shifter on 16' and 18' models, and even in Donzi sales literature. In addition, I've seen many boats, including my own, that are fitted with the flush mounted Morse type on either a stainless or a wooden plate (approximately the same size as the hole left by the recessed shifter) rather than being mounted directly to the ****pit side. Having owned Donzis with both types of shifters, I can attest, at least in my case, to the balkiness of the recessed shifter. I wonder if it could be that customers complained about these shifters, and dealers would then retrofit the flush mounted shifter on a plate to cover the hole as a warranty repair? Perhaps Brownie could shed some light on this (?)

Could those of you who have either this shifter, or the flush mounted type on a plate or a board, and know the build date and/or hull#, please reply to this post so we can get a better idea of when this shifter was being installed?

Thanks,
Eric

FlatRacer, aka BarrelBack
12-15-2007, 10:40 PM
Pics of recessed shifter:

DonziFreak
12-15-2007, 10:49 PM
I did some thinking, which usualy doesn't end up good....but!

Is it possible that they stopped using these because it may have been easier to use the flushed morse shifters for both power/drive combos instead of just the ford/volvo combos? I don't see a reason why they wouldn't have been able to just flip the assembly....but maybe there was something that didn't allow for it?

BERTRAM BOY
12-16-2007, 10:39 AM
I really think that you guys are thinking about this WAYYY too much.

I believe it's because of parts availablity. For example, 1967 instead of using balsa or foam core they used a thicker layup 'glass layup and PVC reinforcement. Then, for no apparent reason, switched back to balsa coring.

The same goes for clamshell vents. They make look the same, but if you look closely and measure them with a pair of calipers, they are NOT the same. They used different suppliers.

I don't think you are going to be able to date the boat by its shifter. Look for a hull number or an engine number.

DonziFreak
12-16-2007, 11:47 AM
I can't find any hull numbers and we repowered the boat back in the 70's and again in the 80's with a Crusader 350......any numbers that could be attained from the engine bay or the original block are long gone.....

BERTRAM BOY
12-16-2007, 12:33 PM
Can you post some pics? Do you have balsa or a foam core? Are there any numbers on the outdrive?

DonziFreak
12-16-2007, 02:36 PM
The original outdrive was a 200, and it was swapped out in the 80's for a 270 when we dropped in the 350...... As far as the core, I would have to check with calipers, which I won't be able to do until next weekend at the earliest.... What kind of measurments should I be looking for? And is there anything in particular I should take pictures of?

FlatRacer, aka BarrelBack
12-16-2007, 08:19 PM
I really think that you guys are thinking about this WAYYY too much.

Well, it was snowing outside when I wrote the post, and wintertime usually makes me a little batty.......................................... but then again, I'm not the one running around measuring clamshell vents with calipers either! LOL!

Merry Christmas, Cliff!
Eric

BERTRAM BOY
12-16-2007, 08:23 PM
Well, it was snowing outside when I wrote the post, and wintertime usually makes me a little batty...........................................bu t then again, I'm not the one running around measuring clamshell vents with calipers either! LOL!
Merry Christmas, Cliff!
Eric


Ya got me Eric!!!! That was pretty damn funny.......