PDA

View Full Version : Take a look at this boat !



champ
07-23-2010, 08:09 AM
57420I know it's not a Donzi, but a lot of people think it looks like one. I've had this boat all summer and it runs real sweet. (maybe that is how the sixteen got its name) It is registered as a 17' and was made in 1966. The original power came from Holman Moody, but some of it has been switched out over time.
..... so I couldn't help myself when I found and bought the second one that is a project boat. This one was made in 1967, and it did give me some mising parts I needed.
What I don't know or can't find is any history on it, and was hoping other members of this forum could help.
Regardless of what I ever find out. I have a piece of history, actually two.

BlownCrewCab
07-23-2010, 08:14 AM
Do you know the Brand Name? is there a HIN # on it?

champ
07-23-2010, 08:27 AM
Hull # is 09106814. The title say's it is a Champion. But no numbers have been found on the boat itself. If I knew where to look that would help a bit.

BUIZILLA
07-23-2010, 08:48 AM
I can help out a bit.... my next door neighbor growing up had one... his was a dark blue hull/white deck and white interior/4 cyl Volvo, he bought it new

I went to the factory in Opa Locka Fla when his was being built, the warehouse was just west of 27 ave in an industrial section a few blocks north of Ali baba Ave.... i'm not sure how many were made, but this was in the 66-68 time frame, my friends was a 67 I think... his dad had a dark blue/white/white 67 or 68 Caddy conv and the boat matched the car.... there were some V8 versions, there is a guy close to my house (Gary) that has had one since new, and still has it stashed in his garage next to a perfect 69 Yenko Camaro, his is a V8 version and I heard is still like new..

Champ also was working on a 22 mold late in 68 or early 69 and may have made less than a handfull of those... that 22 was suspiciously close looking to the 22 Donzi we know today...

champ
07-23-2010, 03:41 PM
Thanks for the info. that is a bit of help ... and the company was called champion ? Doing an internet search the word champion is all over everything else and I could be looking for years.
Both of my boats are V-8's and the red one still has what I believe is the original 302.
I still would like to know more though.....

BUIZILLA
07-23-2010, 03:55 PM
they didn't build many 17's.... I don't think they survived past '70ish, if that... don't know anything else other than that... your not going to find anything..

champ
07-23-2010, 06:54 PM
Thanks again.
I guess I know now as much as I will. What has been fun is showing it off, both on the water and the trailer too.
I also think these 17's are similar to the Donzi 16 and the thunerbird jr. too.
If anyone else has one, post your pic's.
.....so now do I have to post to the (other boats forum) or will you guy's let me in the Donzi side?

realbold
07-24-2010, 08:34 AM
Both of my boats are V-8's and the red one still has what I believe is the original 302.....
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I dusted off my brain and it told me in 1967 it would be a 289.

champ
07-24-2010, 12:28 PM
.... can anyone tell me their thoughts on 289 vs.302 ?

realbold
07-25-2010, 11:22 AM
.... can anyone tell me their thoughts on 289 vs.302 ?
Only difference I know of is the 302 has a slightly longer stroke:
3" vs 2.870" for the 289.

motorcity
07-25-2010, 09:13 PM
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I dusted off my brain and it told me in 1967 it would be a 289.


You are correct, Ford didn't come out with the 302 until 1968.

champ
07-26-2010, 06:21 AM
I would like to restore this boat to original vs. the other one (blue) which is modified, The blue one has a 351 W in it.
Would the performance of a 351 and a 289 be tremendously different?
How about value wise?

FlatRacer, aka BarrelBack
07-26-2010, 01:11 PM
I found these pics on this site some years ago. No other info., sorry.

Enjoy,
Eric

FlatRacer, aka BarrelBack
07-26-2010, 01:14 PM
One more.

champ
07-26-2010, 09:05 PM
Thanks for the added pic's. Now to find out how many are still floating around.

bertsboat
06-13-2011, 10:53 AM
Bert, I saw the comment from Jim Haas .His memory is not so good. Our boat had a six 6yl Volvo and ran 52Mph in the old days. Not very fast for today but quite remarkable for back then with a Volvo drive without trim. In 1968 I took 3rd place in the Gold coast Marathon. Not to shabby for a Volvo. I know for a fact he did not own anything that could touch it .Teddy also raced one with a soaped up small block and a v-drive with open headers over the transom.. It was a 16' also It ran around 80-85Mph.That boat disintegrated during one of the gold coast marathons. I later owned a 17' one with a small block corvette motor .It was a 327 375hp with 202 fuelly heads .The boat ran about 60-65Mph .It would of run a lot faster if the motor mounts were better and it had a Mercruiser drive with trim and the option to run the new style propellers. They made 4 different boats back then that were all pretty cool .The champ , The formula, S-18 and the Baby Donzi. All four were real cool boats. I would not mind any one of them now. The S-18 and the Champ had a pad for the boats to sit / rum on and typically be a lot faster than the rest. Fun hearing about the old stuff. Feel free to pass my comments on if you like. If I could see a picture of the boat in question i am sure I could identify it. They were all unique in there own way. Have a great day. Kirk

Mikego427
06-27-2011, 09:44 AM
I owned one of these back in late 60's early 70's. Light & fast, with a 289 and Volvo outdrive. It was skyblue with white and had sky blue pleated seats. They had been sold out of Freeport NY, and I had seen a few of them around. Some had 6 Cylinder engines. I saw one in Ocenaside NY that was Black with White and I believe he had a 454 with a Jet drive. A lot of fun!

Gary S
06-27-2011, 09:48 PM
The first letter in the Holman Moody serial number will tell you what the original engine was, D was a 302. B was a 289. My boat,not a Donzi, was built in December '68 with a 289 and has been changed by a PO to a 302. Seems like even tho Ford made the change over to 302's,HM was still using up 289's

reward
08-06-2011, 01:19 AM
I have an original champ 16 that I purchased in 1967. It was made in Miami. The owners name was something like Charley Gouliani??? The factory burded down I think in the late 60's. great boat. Still get compliments every time on the water.

h2ojerm
08-23-2011, 07:10 AM
Anyone have more pics available of these boats?

Thanks
Jeremy Boughman