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TOPIC: A Home for the Supercharged V12

A Home for the Supercharged V12 5 years 7 months ago #139501

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I've been looking for a home for the V12 and finally found one. I ran across this and pounced on it: 1954 Chris Craft Riviera, the semi-rare 20' model. I got her for a good price but I have to drive about 750 miles one way to get her but what the hell. Good deals are where you find them. She needs a lot of work but she's complete and that's a big deal. Vintage Chris Craft parts aren't cheap. I'm going to do some serious remodeling in order to convert her into a racer...which will drive the Chris Craft purists nuts! Anyway, here she is: (bad photo but you get the idea)



When I get finished with her, she'll look something like this:

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Mentor to the unenlightened!

"Never allow logic to interfere with a boat purchase." - J. S. Hadley
"Vintage quality beats new junk every time." - J. S. Hadley
"Anything supposed to do two things does both of them half-assed." - J. S. Hadley
"Success makes...

A Home for the Supercharged V12 5 years 7 months ago #139505

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Love it! Just my opinion...With all due respect to a purest, isn’t it still better to re do things your way, save it and make it amazing rather than letting another hull rot away with no love and then one less hull in existence? I am pretty sure between the quality work you do and that crazy cool motor should draw plenty of interested onlookers... especially if the hatch is open! Nice find. Don’t forget to keep us posted on the road trip story.

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A Home for the Supercharged V12 5 years 7 months ago #139513

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Jan, that is super cool. Resto-mod-sleeper. Pull up next to a CC purists on the water and give 'em the stink eye, then smoke 'em. :evil:

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A Home for the Supercharged V12 5 years 6 months ago #139717

Wow, how did I miss this. Did you get it yet? So your going to do a complete cockpit change to the back?!?!!??

Bob

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A Home for the Supercharged V12 5 years 6 months ago #139819

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Got it! LONG trip from northern NJ but worth it.

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Website: NautilusRestorations.com

Mentor to the unenlightened!

"Never allow logic to interfere with a boat purchase." - J. S. Hadley
"Vintage quality beats new junk every time." - J. S. Hadley
"Anything supposed to do two things does both of them half-assed." - J. S. Hadley
"Success makes...

A Home for the Supercharged V12 5 years 6 months ago #139822

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Looks like great bones. Also nice trailer and I see it has the windshield brackets in place. A friend had to go to great pains to cast a missing windshield opposite corner. I can’t wait to see this rig. That engine is one way to make that boat feel light on the water. Glad you had a safe trip! What is your wild guess estimate of time to re-do this boat while also keeping up with everything else in your busy life?

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A Home for the Supercharged V12 5 years 6 months ago #139826

Excellent, now to find the time for it eh?

Bob

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A Home for the Supercharged V12 5 years 6 months ago #139836

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I'm going to remove all the fittings tomorrow. On Friday, I'm going to pull the engine. We'll flip it on Monday so I can work on the bottom...which actually looks pretty good. I'll be working on it in the evenings. While I have summer weather, I'll remove all the top planking and we'll test-fit the V12 and then pull it back out. Then I'll reframe to racer configuration. When cold weather arrives, it will come into the shop where I can get serious about the "restoration." My plan is to have it done by this time next year. If not, I'll deny that I wrote this.

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Website: NautilusRestorations.com

Mentor to the unenlightened!

"Never allow logic to interfere with a boat purchase." - J. S. Hadley
"Vintage quality beats new junk every time." - J. S. Hadley
"Anything supposed to do two things does both of them half-assed." - J. S. Hadley
"Success makes...

A Home for the Supercharged V12 5 years 6 months ago #139837

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The resulting speedy sleeper will prove to be a good test for the finish products you use... are they rated for Mach 1? Sounds like I need to make a plan myself and then take note about how your ambition gets things done. Would you take it to that big Florida show if you got it done by then? Isn’t that sometime around Early March? I would consider saving up for a trip to see it as I have always wanted to see that wooden boat show. Is that lake Dora ??? Or something like that?

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A Home for the Supercharged V12 5 years 6 months ago #139840

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Yes, that show is at Mt.Dora, FL and hosted by the Sunnyland chapter of the ACBS. We went once a few years ago...great show. However, going to shows costs money...about $1,200 that time what with travel, meals, hotels, tolls, etc. We like to travel to the Far East and South Pacific and that takes money so we seldom attend shows unless they are day trips. Anyway, I'd consider taking the racer to Dora...I'll have to see.

Oh, I came up with a name for her. This ought to drive the Chris Craft purists nuts!

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Mentor to the unenlightened!

"Never allow logic to interfere with a boat purchase." - J. S. Hadley
"Vintage quality beats new junk every time." - J. S. Hadley
"Anything supposed to do two things does both of them half-assed." - J. S. Hadley
"Success makes...

A Home for the Supercharged V12 5 years 6 months ago #139841

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Hey Jan, Anyone ever tell you your throat looks like a water pipe? :woohoo:
Nice name by the way....

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A Home for the Supercharged V12 5 years 6 months ago #139844

Nice name, yeah the CC purists will have a fit! lol

Bob

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A Home for the Supercharged V12 5 years 6 months ago #139847

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Logistics had to be a pain. That trailer looks different from your original picture.

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A Home for the Supercharged V12 5 years 6 months ago #139851

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The trailer it was sitting on in New Jersey was just some non-fitting piece of junk the owner had in order to move it around the farm. I dragged my trailer up there and we loaded the boat onto it with a backhoe. The trailer was left to me by the owner of the 19' Dee Wite we restored after he bought a new aluminum one. It fits the Riviera perfectly. I'll jazz it up so it doesn't look so ugly.

The Riviera is exactly what I was looking for and I like everything about it...except for the dead cat mummy in the bilge. More surprises to come, I'm sure. There always are.

Fittings came off today, engine and interior out tomorrow.

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Website: NautilusRestorations.com

Mentor to the unenlightened!

"Never allow logic to interfere with a boat purchase." - J. S. Hadley
"Vintage quality beats new junk every time." - J. S. Hadley
"Anything supposed to do two things does both of them half-assed." - J. S. Hadley
"Success makes...

A Home for the Supercharged V12 5 years 6 months ago #139855

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Dead Cat! That's classic in itself, I've found lots of dead mummified mice, snake skins etc but never a cat. What I really like is finding the extra tools in the bilge(s), rusty pliers, wrenches, screwdrivers, fishing equipment.
Post some pics when you feel comfortable doing so. It's going to be fun watching this.

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A Home for the Supercharged V12 5 years 6 months ago #139860

Yeah want to watch this one as it goes.

Bob

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A Home for the Supercharged V12 5 years 6 months ago #139864

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This should be interesting! Post updates! Good luck!

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A Home for the Supercharged V12 5 years 6 months ago #139868

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Here's a shot of the stowaway:

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Website: NautilusRestorations.com

Mentor to the unenlightened!

"Never allow logic to interfere with a boat purchase." - J. S. Hadley
"Vintage quality beats new junk every time." - J. S. Hadley
"Anything supposed to do two things does both of them half-assed." - J. S. Hadley
"Success makes...

A Home for the Supercharged V12 5 years 6 months ago #139869

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Looks Egyptian.

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A Home for the Supercharged V12 5 years 2 weeks ago #141556

That is too cool! I will be looking for one soon- I was lucky enough to score a marine converted Hudson six over the weekend. I think it would be easier to convert a boat than to build one... maybe.

Nice score. Looking forward to the progress updates!

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