"Old" Donzi ?

[Hoekie]

Im live in South Africa and have managed to find a Sweet 16. From what I have been able to see on the net it looks like it could possibly be a 1964/5 but Im not sure.
The boat has a V6 motor in it which I have not managed to find any reference to, in all the write-ups I have found, it is either a 4 cylinder Volvo or a V8 but no V6!!!!!
There is also no gauge cluster like on all the boats, on this one they are just straight into the dash.
Unfortunately the boat is 400 miles from where I live so I cant just go and have a look quickly, but I did manage to get some pictures of the boat, but they are apparently 2 years old!!!
Im trying to get some more pictures.
From what I have read about these little boats they are really something special so if this one is worth the effort Im planning to buy it but would like to keep it as original as possible.
Can anybody please tell me what the main items are I should be looking at so I dont end up with a disaster???
Attached are some of the pictures I have got.
Any comment will really be appreciated.

[RPD]

that engine is not original to that boat.

[Just Say N20]

The hull and deck look like they could be real DONZI, or a splash. The outside chine has the hook at the transom.

The engine hatches from that period didn't have a hump in them. The engine compartment vents are the wrong style, and if it is pre-1967, it has too many. There should only be 2 of them. The gauges mounted directly to the dash on a 16 also isn't correct, nor are the gauge locations. The fuel fill is the wrong style. Also, if it is an early boat, the front lifting ring location is wrong; it should be just in front of the fuel fill.

The grab rail on 16's is one large "U" shaped piece, not two separate sections. They original grab rail also ran to the back of the cockpit. These stop way short on the sides, and I couldn't see from the pictures any indication that there were holes in the deck back where an original grab rail would have ended.

An early boat should also have a vent in the vertical section between the floor and seat base, in the middle of the back seat. It would also have had a vent/light, or just vent, on the deck in the middle behind the engine hatch hinges.

The early boats came with small block Ford H/M engines.

This could be a splash that someone else put together, or it is one that someone re-did according to their tastes (V6 engine, 2-part grab rail, more modern DONZI logos, bubble hatch, etc.). I have never seen a side mount throttle installation like that either.

Pre-1973 boats from weren't required to have a hull ID in the fiberglass on the starboard side of the transom below the rubrail. They would most likely have had a number (my 16, built in April 1967 (thank you Matty) had C16-409 on the back side of the dash beneath the fiberglass, written in marker. It was also on the wooden block up in the bow where the "U" bolt for the trailer winch strap attaches) written in marker beneath the fiberglass cloth on the back side of the dash. Probably it will be upside down.

Given your location, you probably don't have a lot to choose from. If you are a purist wanting a Donzi, several of the things I have noted would make me wonder exactly just what I was buying with this boat. If you would be happy with this boat, then accept that it may/may not be a DONZI, buy it, and be ready to open your wallet to fix all the things that go wrong on ANY 40+ year old boat.

I can tell you all about that. :yes:

I would personally be careful paying a DONZI price for this boat, unless some pictures of DONZI hull numbers were provided.

[HOWARD O]

I was going to say to look for signs of things that used to be there. Like signs of where the old grabrail used to be. First thing I noticed was the odd hatch and like "Just Say N20" said too, the clamshell vents are of the wrong type. But while I was looking at them, something else about them didn't seem right and perhaps those of you with a 16 can confirm this, they look to be placed too far inboard. If this is true, then I would surely bet it's a splash (a copy) because that is generally not a feature that would be tampered with from original.

Cool boat anyway and it has promise for the right price and you're willing to do the work!

Pretty interesting!

[BUIZILLA]

that looks like a 225 V6 Buick, same engine that Rover used for awhile.... not that I know anything about Buick's.. :lookaroun:

also looks like an OMC outdrive, which would make it a 155 hp OMC setup

hull could be one of the Australian pop's..

[gcarter]

But if it's reasonably priced, mechanically, and structurally sound, who in SA would know the difference?

[MOP]

Jim beat me to the Buick stringer drive OMC package, I had quite a few in my marina great little motor. The electric shift drive is getting very hard to find parts for, but it should be Ok under the load of the 16 with the Buick.

[Forrest]

that looks like a 225 V6 Buick . . .

I'll second that (make that third) on the Buick V6.

OMC electric shift . . . ooooh! Not too difficult to fix, that is if you can find the parts . . . and they do break. In the early 1980's our shop repaired these all the time. Just make sure that you use the correct oil in that drive - if they even still make the stuff.

[Cuda]

that looks like a 225 V6 Buick, same engine that Rover used for awhile.... not that I know anything about Buick's.. :lookaroun:

also looks like an OMC outdrive, which would make it a 155 hp OMC setup

hull could be one of the Australian pop's..
My first boat was a 23 foot John Allmand with a 155 OMC Buick V6. It had a stringer drive where the whole engine would tilt. It was froze up when I got it. It's amazing what Marvel Mystery oil in the cylinders will do. I got it running. :)

[Hoekie]

I just want to thank everybody for their input I really appreciate it. Im trying to find someone who can go and look at the boat for me and then maybe look behind the dash to see if there is a number and if so what it is.
I have had some more contact with the current owner and he now tells me that he damaged the drive some time ago but did manage to fine a second hand drive to fix it, I do know that there are a lot of Volvo drives in the country and have been for many years, my Dad use to work for the agents.

Can somebody tell me what the Splash is and who made it so I can try to do some research on it, and maybe identify this little boat?

The one other thing I do know is that the Buick's were not very popular in SA so would find it strange if it was fitted locally, but again I will see what I can find out from the current owner.

Again thanks for all the comments They are really appreciated.

[Tony]

I believe a "splash" is a generic term for a boat meant to imitate a popular, name-brand boat. Another word for it would be a "knock-off". Companies would make the boats until threatened with legal action, then usually stop.

The Cobalt Donzi look-a-likes, and the Four Winns Unlimited (17 & 19), are a few that come to mind...plus the ones built in Canada whose name eludes me right now.

[Ed Donnelly]

Tony; The Sheppard Donzi's were licensed through Donzi.........Ed