Need Help-Newby!

Antney, You really should post some pictures but here's what I can tell you without seeing it;
The boat didn't come from the factory with the V8.
Engines weren't installed with cradles in the 50's just mounts lagged to the stringers.
It didn't have air horns. WWII surplus electric auto horns were mounted under the deck.
Full instrumentation with the exception of a gas gauge is the norm no matter what engine is in it.
The cigarette lighter was added.
The foot throttle was added.
The engine dog house made from teak isn't original. Teak was not used. this was made to cover the larger V8.
CC didn't use decals in the 50's. Any hull tagging would have been painted.
The factory ski pull would have been a pylon with a ring and finger in the middle of the boat.
The "V" on the transom sounds like some chrome decoration left over from a Century brand boat.
The hull ID plate if it is still on the boat will be on the port side vertical rib near the forward seat.
Someone has done a real hack job on this boat!
The reason you can't find info on the way your's is equiped, is because it didn't come that way.
Hopefully there isn't any fiberglass on the wood hull. If there is, plan on a total down to nothing everything disassemble restore. How are your woodworking skills?
Don't forget pictures!
The most compleat information on the boat will be on this site in the ref. section with the old catalogs. Bob Speltz's books have the same pictures. CC had a plant fire and all records are gone from the early years.
Is the boat a single or double plank bottom?

trash this hull, save this engine

I'm curious about the V8. Was the marine conversion done by a marine engine company? It would have some name on it. If done by a previous owner, it would have been built up from components. Is the prop LH or RH? (a RH will turn clockwise going forward looking from the stern) I don't know of a company building up that engine for marine. CC started using V8's around 1960 and those engines were Interceptors using Ford blocks.

Is it something like this on the transom?

Correction the engine runs counterclockwise from the stern...T

Can't wait to see pics of this.

Ant...Wow, even if it isn't original!

Brainard...does it hurt to carry all that info around?!!?   LOL

we are fortunate to have you!
Greg

Hello, I sent some pics as the boat came out of storage to Dank, I'll get some more this evening of the boat with the upper and lower deck removed and the engine. Also, I need a good source to purchase the Mahogany plywood for the deck if anyone has a source, Thanks, Tony

very interesting, keep us posted!

Antney, You have got yourself a big project boat!! This boat came up not too long ago and I commented on it but even doing a search I can't find the thread. My major concern is the bottom has been fiberglassed. People doing this to a boat are covering up a problem with a temporary fix. At best it may last a couple seasons but the worst is you have given the boat a death sentence because the hull will now rot (quickly) under the glass. The glass is too thin to add any structural strength to the hull and if there is any hull movement (always is on a bad bottom) it will crack and come off. Polyester resin doesn't bond to wood very well. I have a close wood boat friend who's son got a Atom and dropped a 289 in it. The bottom was bad so he glassed it. This by the way was not recommended by my friend.(the father). Well the boat lasted less than 2 weeks on the water because the fiberglass cracked and water got under it while the boat was underway and a big portion of the glass came off a long with some of the bottom. After the boat almost flipped, it went to the bottom. There wasn't enough bouyancy from wood to support the 289.

The bottom must come off your boat. Now I know why you haven't answered my question on weather the boat had a single or double plank bottom!

You are a long ways from getting plywood for the deck. If you want to restore this boat the correct way I will be more that happy to help. If you want to just do a quick cosmetic on it I am not.

Thanks for the info, I'll have to do some thinking about what I'm going to do with this boat. Is it worth restoring? Structurally it appears to be a solid foundation. I don't want to get into a $10K project. Perhaps a little more info is needed on the costs associated with doing this. I don't mind doing the work, I have the time, it's justifying the expense. I get a kick out of saving things like this for future generations, thats why I restore cars (Retrobuilt.com) shameless plug? Thanks again for your help.

Hello, it has a clutch setup and a bellhousing, they are in the pics that got posted. it appears to be a forward and neutral position lever no reverse? I'm trying to get prior registration information to see if the P has any significance, plus I can't find a hull plate or number yet. Then hull appears to be thicker than 1/4? The cost does seem to bad at all. Is this boat unique enough to mess with or should it be scrapped for parts, I haven't seen many of these around? Thanks, T

Go for it Ant!

Antney, The correct paint scheme is still up in the air since we really haven't determined if it is a cutomized Hot Rod Special or a Atom but is most likely a Atom because of it's hull tagging. If you do any paint stripping, be careful to note the bottom layer of paint or varnish as this may turn out to be the only thing to go on. I would however safely say that the bottom was red and most likely the floor too.

I do have big issues with the engine! Besides it not being original, a ACBS point deduction, reducing the value of the boat, too much power and weight for the hull, having to use a non original dog house, it is not a marine engine. I would be very worried about it's overall reliability as well as it safety. Antney, it doesn't even have a marine trans with reverse! Back in the 50's there were little garage shops making these so called marine conversions for auto and truck engines and that is what you have including the original dry truck clutch with the shaft adapter. All the thrust of the prop pushing that boat is going through that aluminum adapter plate with what looks like 1 bearing on it. I wonder if there is even a trust bearing in it?
Now we go on to the safety factor of that engine! If you have any gas fumes I would be very concerned because I don't think the distributor, generator or starter are marine. Unless you come up with some documentation that this boat was some kind of a very specialized say racing boat in it's day then the engine in my opinion needs to go. If you did find out that the boat had a special purpose then it would be a museum piece for display!

The instrument cluster is original but the gauge on the left and key switch are add ons. Oh, also what looks like a home electrical wall switch!!