Ford Interceptor

Hello everyone, I am the proud new owner of a 1962 Correct Craft Compact Skier. The boat has been in storage for the past 14 years but is in basically very good condition. My first interest is to learn something about the engine and transmission. I see in the original literature posted on this site that the boat was available new with either an 85 hp or 100 hp Interceptor engine. I've always presumed that the Interceptors were Ford engines but maybe not. My boat is powered with a V-8 engine with Interceptor cast into the exhaust manifolds. It has two side draft carburetors. Can any of you give me any information about it? Any idea on where to purchase parts and manuals? Any help you can give me would be very much appreciated.

A compact skier with a v8, we definitely need some pictures on that if its an original combo its got to be exceedingly rare.
-Joe.

Hi Pete, Hi Joe, you guys are great! I knew there would be some experts out there. I'll get the information you mentioned off of the engine and trans and send in another post. Regarding pictures I have 4 that are imbedded in an email that I could forward to your email address, I don't have a clue how to included them in this post. Pete, I'm a bit of a purist also and plan to keep this boat as original as possible and yet have something that is functional. If I may I'll stay in touch with you guys. I'm experienced with Chris Crafts but this is my first Correct Craft. I haven't put a tape measure on the boat but I'm pretty sure it's smaller than 18'. The seller told me that it was sixteen feet And it says "Compact Skier" on the dash. I'll be posting some confirming information in a few days.

Regards

Hi Pete, I have an email that I can forward to you that has 4 pictures of the boat and engine. I would need your email address to do that and I didn't see it in your profile. I was a 4-year member of the Tahoe chapter of ACBS but dropped out a year ago because I'm into Chris Craft Cruisers and that group is all trailer boats. There was nothing there for me. I restored a 1960 32' Constellation and with your email address I'll send you a photo of that boat if you would like to see it.
Thanks so much for the help,

Bill

Hi Pete,

I presume you received the pictures I sent...any comments?

Bill, I got the pictures this morning and will post them here for others to comment on. As I mentioned in my return email, I've got the feeling that the engine isn't original but is period correct. That boat with that engine will be on the wild side!! Get it up and running, bring it to the GL reunion next year and it would run right next to all the "motor heads" !!

Edit: Bill, I'm having a real problem with the pictures!! Wrong image extentions and they won't upload on CCfan or photobucket! I'm working on it as my computer skills put me in the dangerous catagory!

Edit again!: Bill, I'm not having any luck with the pictures. I think it's because they came to me in the body of your email and not as attachments but I could be wrong. They won't save in my computer as jpg. files and I'm having problems changing them. Have you tried posting them on CCfan?

Kevin (hollywood), Thanks for the help! Now I need to figure out what I was doing wrong!

Man, those manifolds look like they would polish up really nice!!!!!

I just had another thought. My boat has two exhaust pipes because of the V-8 and if the "original" engine was smaller there would be only one. I'll look closer but I did look carefully at the transom when I was inspecting the transom to bottom seam and I didn't see where any exhaust holes were patched or new ones created. I can't wait to get the boat home to continue the inspection.

Bill, Joe is correct about any aluminum exhaust manifold. You also need to know that the cooling circuit that Interceptor used started with a dual impeller raw water pump. From there the cooling water went to the both sides of the engine (dual circuit) however there is only a temp sender and gauge on one side. If you loose the cooling on the other side you will not know it! It doesn't take long for the hot exhaust gases to burn through the aluminum. The manifolds are non existent.

Bill,

Congrat's on the boat!

Paul,

Hi Pete & Joe...I'm back. finally got the boat picked up and home in my garage. Here's some of the information that was missing from our previous conversations. The boat's title shows it as manufactured in 1962. The title shows the hull number as CS434. I have found the number M165 stamped into several of the wooden components such as the seat backs and under the fordeck so I'm curious about why there are two numbers. On the front of the engine above the tach drive is stamped Interceptor No. 1R 211583. The name tag on the transmission says Velvet Drive model
10-17-004. And then there is a serial number. The motor box is made from mahogany plywood, varnished on the inside and upholstered on the outside. I looked carefully and cannot see any left over holes, cut-out wood or anything else that would indicate that the engine was not the original. The transmission however is a different story. The mounts for the transmission which are also the rear mounts for the engine are slightly wider than the engine stringers. Because of this the bolts (they may be lag bolts) that pass through the mounts into the stringers are at an angle rather then straight up and down like you would expect. There are wedges under these mounts that don't match the type of wood used elsewhere in the boat so I'm thinking that perhaps the transmission has been replaced. So, with this information I hope you can help me learn more about my boat.

Bill, Take a look at the engine # again. I think you have some numbers missing. I think there should be more in front of the "R". It would be the equipment code and will tell what trans came on it from Interceptor. It does sound like something has been changed over the years. I have seen CC do some weird things but never put in lag bolts on a angle. The CS on the hull ID confirms that it is a Compact Skier. The upholstered dog house still bothers me and I think something was done there. It should be varnished plywood.

Bill, I just got back from Wisconsin and of coarse not too excited about work tomorrow but that is life for me at this point! I have the book out and the first thing is it seems that a previous owner has been doing some "hot rodding" with the addition of the second carb. The "A" states it is the 256ci. single carb (135hp). A "B" engine would be the 256ci. dual carb (150hp). The next "1" is the equipment code and says it came with the Dearbomatic 1:1 (not the Velvet you have - so you are correct that it has been changed out). It also has a Sherwood water pump, special engine mounts and Mallory ignition, The "R" is the RH reverse rotation. The "2" says it was made in 1962 and the next numbers are the actual serial # of the engine.
Bill, take a peek under the upholstery on the dog house!!

Bill, It was our ref. section that started me thinking it wasn't the original engine plus the length of the Compact would be more likely to have the 6 cyl. The 85hp Interceptor would be the Ford 144ci. and the 100hp would be the Ford 170ci.both in-line 6's.

You can get a manual for the engine at marineengine.com

Internal parts really shouldn't be a problem.