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Ranman
10-31-2008, 08:42 AM
What's your take on the "Special" or "Limited" Edition Donzis? I was thinking about the newest 009 editions and that got me to thinking about the number of special editions Donzi has produced over the years. While each version is unique, I'm beginning to think that Donzi has watered down the concept by offering something collectable seemingly every couple of years. Are Special Editions really collectible if there are so many of them? Here's the list I could think of. Share your thoughts.

Testarossa (1987/1988)
LE (1987)
Blackhawk (1995/1996)
30th Anniversary (1996)
HP500 SE (2002)
40th Anniversary (2004)
Aronow Edition (2005)
Shelby (2006)
009 (2009)

glashole
10-31-2008, 08:52 AM
Obviously the idea of limited editions try to make the boats seem that much more exclusive

If they were going to do it they should change every year to be slightly different so as to say in 2008 this is the Donzi 22 much like older cars where you can tell the exact year just by the grill etc..

The only exception in my opinion to this would be the blackhawk

that could quite possibly be the coolest boat ever built :)

CHACHI
10-31-2008, 09:08 AM
The only exception in my opinion to this would be the blackhawk

that could quite possibly be the coolest boat ever built :)

Even more so if the Blackhawk didn't come in traditional black gel and gold hardware.

Ken

zelatore
10-31-2008, 09:12 AM
I would say things like the HP500 and the Blackhawk are worth-while since they offer distinct performance improvements. Most of the others are little more than 'bold new graphics'.

The latest Shelby's for instance: cool paint, new seats, a new hatch....just icing. Raised the X and added steering - good, but enough to make it a 'special edition'?

I always hate it when the car companies release a 'special edition' that's nothing more than BNG. Don't much like it with Donzi either. Put some meat on the table, please!

mattyboy
10-31-2008, 09:43 AM
Randy
you forgot the 25 anniv ;)


i think some are watered down and not all that rare and collectible due to numbers produced like the 40th ann and blackhawk but with low numbers like the GT /AE and SE 500 with less than 4 produced they have more value collectibility.

yeller
10-31-2008, 10:05 AM
What's your take on the "Special" or "Limited" Edition Donzis?The 40th as with other anni boats is a color combo only. Not special. Not made to honor the company, just an attempt to sell boats.

Zelatore, I do have to disagree with you on the Shelby. I think it's one of only a few truly special Classics made by Donzi. The others I can think of being the Blackhawk and SE's. The blackhawk had a hull, cosmetic and drive change. The SE had motor and graphic change. The Shelby could use more power to make it unique, but aside from that, almost every possible change was made short of modifying the hull.

Ranman
10-31-2008, 10:11 AM
The AE is an interesting one since from my perspective, licensing issues halted production and forced a name change. The few that made it out the door are almost like a mistake (a good mistake like errors on stamps and coins). For these boats to go up in value or at least stay stable, there has to be a market and someone has to appreciate the circumstances and result. Time will tell.

Also, I think the Blackhawks (LE and non-LE alike) deserve some additional recognition since there are actual design and structural differences (rocker hull, fuel tank relocate, BH drive, etc). The black and gold hardware are a bit passe, but they are special boats indeed.

zelatore
10-31-2008, 10:22 AM
The Shelby could use more power to make it unique, but aside from that, almost every possible change was made short of modifying the hull.

Hello? Mercury? This is John with Donzi Marine down in Florida, we're planning a limited edition of one of our boats and wanted to check price and availabilty on a batch of 100 525s...


How hard could it be?

(ok, yeah, I know about liability and price-points and all, but it's fun to dream, right?)

mattyboy
10-31-2008, 10:22 AM
The AE is an interesting one since from my perspective, licensing issues halted production and forced a name change. The few that made it out the door are almost like a mistake (a good mistake like errors on stamps and coins). For these boats to go up in value or at least stay stable, there has to be a market and someone has to appreciate the circumstances and result. Time will tell.

yes the AE/GT editions are exactly that the airmail stamp with the plane upside down yes a good mistake
IMO performance from the factory doesn't have the same value as limited productions (real limited productions) or production miscues do in rarity or collectibilty and value as the fastest boats are usually someone's brainchild Geoo ,MrX, and such

Randy there is also the limited production boats but i think that is a different category from regular production models revamped so to speak which is what i think you after the criterion vs the 22 vs the 22 40th ann i guess i mean limited production vs limited edition

Ranman
10-31-2008, 10:32 AM
Randy there is also the limited production boats but i think that is a different category from regular production models revamped so to speak which is what i think you after the criterion vs the 22 vs the 22 40th ann i guess i mean limited production vs limited edition

Yeah, I'm more or less talking about a model in which there is a "standard" version and then "limited" or "special" editions within that model. This seems to be most prevalent in the Classic 18 and 22 areas (with a few exceptions like the Testa Minx). Criterions, X-18's, Corsicans, etc are limited production models and not necessarily SE's or LE's and so not part of what I'm asking about here.

mattyboy
10-31-2008, 10:37 AM
yes you said it better

LKSD
11-01-2008, 10:11 AM
The AE is an interesting one since from my perspective, licensing issues halted production and forced a name change. The few that made it out the door are almost like a mistake (a good mistake like errors on stamps and coins). For these boats to go up in value or at least stay stable, there has to be a market and someone has to appreciate the circumstances and result. Time will tell.
Also, I think the Blackhawks (LE and non-LE alike) deserve some additional recognition since there are actual design and structural differences (rocker hull, fuel tank relocate, BH drive, etc). The black and gold hardware are a bit passe, but they are special boats indeed.

I agree.. :) Jamie

VetteLT193
11-01-2008, 02:30 PM
In my opinion... I think that any Classic without a stripe or two leads your eye to the wrong parts of the boat. to start off with, you look at the gap around the deck hatch instead of having your eyes lead down the boat.

For this reason, the testa's and Aronow's are my least favorite (besides the 009 which is just butt ugly)

The best looking is the Shelby... followed by the 30th/40th boats.

I love the color scheme of the SE boat, but don't like the tapering bow stripe. makes the bow look funny for some reason.

The LE boats never really did it for me either... black and gray blah.

of course, there is someone else out there that I'm sure feels 100% opposite of me... which is why they make them in so many different flavors to begin with.:wink:

yeller
11-01-2008, 02:59 PM
...and price-points and all, but it's fun to dream, right?)And that is why it is a dream. The 525 would make the boat perfect, but who would spend 100k on a 22?

The most valuable Classic IMO (besides any Don Aronow owned boat) would be Blueliners AE.

1) It's one of only 6 (7?) produced.
2) It's the only one with stripes.
3) It's the 1st Classic to ever have stripes that extend down the transom
4) It is the boat that inspired the Shelby boat.

mattyboy
11-02-2008, 07:41 AM
Vette

not all the LE boats were black and gray some were black and red
sometimes you have to take the special editions for what they were at that time and place

in the early days the hulls were mono colored they had all the same colored hull sides then the color over white came in and became the standard thru the 70's and 80's

so when the testa came out it was different being all one color then again some special editions are mandatory if you did a 25th ann and a 30th ann you are obligated to do 40th, and not all of these are just color graphics the 30th ann boats introduced the 2+2 seating in the 16 which would also be a milestone and a new model the 16 classic

now the factory also plays with stuff we had some different graphics appear like glasholes boat Most of this is marketing anyway it is not so much to honor anything but more to sell boats and in doing so Donzi has taken clues from us hence the ss letters on the shelby/gt/ae the prop logo on the hatch
the re introduction of a color like orange for the 40th

alot of the value is in the owners mindset seems to me owning an early eaton boat is really no different from owning a BH boat anyday your drive could fail and a replacement might be hard to find

also i guess everyone likes to have something that is not like anyone else's

everyone wants to be special ;)

boldts
11-02-2008, 10:30 AM
Matty to further your comment about us who like things different and rarer...... GO BLUE young man! You'll then own a Donzi that is probably only about 1 or 2% of all the boats built. BTW, Donzi will build you a Classic in any color you want. My blue 22 was a special order boat in a blue you won't find on hardly any other 22 Classics. It wasn't the dark blue, but more a medium blue.........Can't say how much I miss that boat!