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Thread: 1963 Century Coronado

  1. #1
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    1963 Century Coronado

    Although this is not at all in line with Donzis or other deep V hull boats, I thought I would show the link. I just saw this one for sale. I had the same year Coronado with a Chrysler 413, but without the hardtop. The aircraft type throttle is really cool. Mine sounded and rode awesome for what it was. Really cool boat with lots of passenger room! I am really shocked at how cheap this one is advertised - a giveaway in my book. Bill

    http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1963-...item4aaa507340

    PS Check out the chrome on brass horse head lifting rings, the remote spotlight, and the rear flag pole/anchor light with its chrome on brass fittings - all too cool!!

    1971 Donzi 18' 2+3
    1985 Eliminator 23' Daytona Offshore - Kevlar hull
    1988 23' Donzi CC F-23 with 250HP EFI Mercury OB
    1989 28' Team Warlock Offshore - single 548CID/600HP
    1990 23' Warlock Offshore - single 525HP
    Bill from Denison, TX - Lake Texoma

  2. #2
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    A remarkable deal! And Bill, remarkable restraint on your part!

    “Oh right, because you walked into strippers discount warehouse and said ‘Help me showcase my intellect.’” - Archer

    Bill
    Grand Rapids, Michigan
    1985 Donzi Criterion SS
    1967 Donzi 16 Ski Sporter, C16-409, Has a new home!
    38' Carver Aft Cabin
    1968 Sea Ray SRV 180 w/1975 70 hp Evinrude
    10" RIB w/15 hp 1984 Evinrude

  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by Just Say N20 View Post
    A remarkable deal! And Bill, remarkable restraint on your part!

    Quite honestly, if it had a trailer and was closer, it would be mine. The one I had was one of the most memorably best boats I ever enjoyed. I bought mine from a very wealthy man in Dallas in about 1983. He had sunk a ton of money into it and it did not run right which did not scare me off the good price. It turns out that two of the push rods were bent and it also needed the valve lashes adjusted on the solid lift cam. It ran like a Swiss watch after I corrected the problems. Great boat!! I still remember taking 3 friends out for a cruise when we got caught in a really bad thunderstorm about 15 miles from our harbor. Mine had the bimini top so we stayed relatively dry as we had lightning bolts hitting around us and breaking through the huge waves - not one of my smartest boating days, but the Coronado did not let us down - Bill

    1971 Donzi 18' 2+3
    1985 Eliminator 23' Daytona Offshore - Kevlar hull
    1988 23' Donzi CC F-23 with 250HP EFI Mercury OB
    1989 28' Team Warlock Offshore - single 548CID/600HP
    1990 23' Warlock Offshore - single 525HP
    Bill from Denison, TX - Lake Texoma

  4. #4
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    Here is a picture of the one I had beside my friend's 1972 Chris Craft XK-19. Bill

    1971 Donzi 18' 2+3
    1985 Eliminator 23' Daytona Offshore - Kevlar hull
    1988 23' Donzi CC F-23 with 250HP EFI Mercury OB
    1989 28' Team Warlock Offshore - single 548CID/600HP
    1990 23' Warlock Offshore - single 525HP
    Bill from Denison, TX - Lake Texoma

  5. #5
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    Real deal

    If I didn't have so much on my plate I too would have it behind my truck and out in the bay this Holiday week end. That is a steal. Looks real clean. The seats, the engine. All looks like a great deal.
    Just my take. And you could put it on your credit card.

  6. #6
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    My uncle owned two of these Mahogany Century Coronados back to back in the early 1960s.
    Very sporty inboards.
    I believe they cost around $8500. +/- in 1960's money when new.
    They were also once advertised in boating magazines of the day as~~~

    "The World's Fastest Production Speedboat" !

    He had one with a Chrysler Hemi & the older one with a Cal Connell Cadillac V8 race engine .

    Both were hardtops~~~
    One had the hardtop on tracks that slid aft about two feet from the windshield.
    The other had gullwing style blue/green plexiglass T-top panels that were removable.

    The dash instruments & controls looked like they were right out of a typical 1960's auto. The throttle & shift control looked like an auto shifter.

    I often wonder if these two mahogany classics still exist ?

    He still owns a third early Fiberglass Century Coronado inboard with a 1970s Chrysler Inboard. It also has a fixed hard-top.
    It has been sitting in long-term storage in NE Philly for 25+ years.
    It sits on it's original wooden shipping cradle bolted to a home-built trailer.

    I believe he would sell it for very reasonable money ?

    They are great boats but the mahogany bottoms are only single ply strip planking with batten style seams that tend to leak heavily as they age & dry-out.
    Replacing a bottom is a big pain in the butt.

    Still they are a classy boat to own.

    I will always remember him telling us little kids to go up & sit on the bow so the boat would plane better with a half dozen adult folks on board.
    The stern tended to dig-in with many people on board.
    Last edited by silverghost; 04-19-2011 at 02:39 AM.
    "BENCHSEAT 18" ~~YellowJacket~~ project owner~
    1929 Chris~Craft 28' Tripple Cockpit Mahogany Speedboat / A-120-A 845 Cu.In. 375 H.P. Chris~Craft V-8 racing engine.
    24' American Skier
    Super Eagle 454 HO Skiboat
    1991 454 SS Chevy Super Sport Pick-up for towing my "Toys".

    There is no such thing as going too fast ~ ~~
    OR~ Being too old~ for a new "Toy"!

    Brad Hunter
    Huntingdon Valley Pa (Just outside Philly)~
    Ocean City NJ
    silverghost1926@msn.com
    215 947 4676 (PA Home)

  7. #7
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    Unbelievable! It didn't even sell at the $10K starting bid. Maybe it has some unmentioned problems or there is just a lack of interest in these older Coronados? This one is almost 50 years old - hard to believe! Bill

    1971 Donzi 18' 2+3
    1985 Eliminator 23' Daytona Offshore - Kevlar hull
    1988 23' Donzi CC F-23 with 250HP EFI Mercury OB
    1989 28' Team Warlock Offshore - single 548CID/600HP
    1990 23' Warlock Offshore - single 525HP
    Bill from Denison, TX - Lake Texoma

  8. #8
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    fwiw, Century is the featured marque this year at Keels and Wheels in Seabrook. April 30-May 1st.
    24' Nova Sprint 1971
    You are what you drive!

  9. #9
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    The Classic Mahogany boat market has really tanked in the last few years.
    Only the very rare & high-end boats are selling for any serious money in this very soft market.
    Century boats have never brought the prices of Chris~Crafts, Hackers,GarWood, etc.
    There are also a lot old Coronados around still today. Suppy & Demand.
    If, & when, the economy turns around~~~the prices & sales will pick-up.
    "BENCHSEAT 18" ~~YellowJacket~~ project owner~
    1929 Chris~Craft 28' Tripple Cockpit Mahogany Speedboat / A-120-A 845 Cu.In. 375 H.P. Chris~Craft V-8 racing engine.
    24' American Skier
    Super Eagle 454 HO Skiboat
    1991 454 SS Chevy Super Sport Pick-up for towing my "Toys".

    There is no such thing as going too fast ~ ~~
    OR~ Being too old~ for a new "Toy"!

    Brad Hunter
    Huntingdon Valley Pa (Just outside Philly)~
    Ocean City NJ
    silverghost1926@msn.com
    215 947 4676 (PA Home)

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