Boat Buzz

Hello, I'm Russ, the new kid on the block here, just joined. I acquired a Chris Craft from my uncle and am a bit confused on what I have. My uncle has owned it for about 40 years and its always been garage kept. There is no title as Nebraska did not issue titles for boats in the 40's and 50's. I am in the process of trying to title and register it in Washington state and would to have my ducks in a row before I approach the DMV.

As near as I can tell the Hull ID number is D171799 as stamped into the stringer.
The engine is a KBL #53232 with triple Zenith Carbs.

It looks exactly like a 17ft Deluxe Runabout, but my limited research indicates those serial numbers start with an R not a D. Any ideas on what model and year I have? Any help is appreciated!

I'd guess it's a runabout (rocket) 1953 number 99 in a series of 243. Looks like they may have stamped 17 to designate length twice. Not part of the hull number. Nice Boat!

Russ,

I agree with you that it appears to be a 17' Deluxe Runabout. Somebody stamped a D instead of R which would make the serial # R17-1799. Since they made a total of 1880 of them through July 1950, it would make yours a late 1949 or early 1950. You should have the instruments in the center of the dash which was a change around 1948.

I have Serial #1191 which also came with a KBL #50717 and was delivered in January 1948 so those numbers make sense. The windshield brackets and the cast aluminum Carb shroud also ID it as a 17 Dlx.

When the Chris Craft archives at the Mariners Museum in Virginia re-open later this year, you can send for the build sheet package which gives all the info on how it was built and when and where it was initially delivered.

Good Luck

Denis D

When you register it, go to the oldest clerk as the younger ones go by the book

Denis D wrote: You should have the instruments in the center of the dash which was a change around 1948.
Denis D

Yes, the gauges are in the center of the dash and it has the aluminum carb shroud. My uncle swears it is a 1947 and his son says a 1950, looks like the young'ns right.

Doug P wrote:When you register it, go to the oldest clerk as the younger ones go by the book

I have a girlfriend from the past in the business and we still like each other, so . . . . .


Thanks for the answers, cant wait to get started on her. Shes been stored for the last 7 years, so needs a refresh, but looks to be in fair to good shape. HA ! We all know how that story runs out. I'm going to have LOTS of questions as I'm not new to boats, but this is my first woody.

Looks like you have a nice boat there to work on. Welcome to the CCABC!

If you are in wash. and not yet a member, please consider joining the antique and classic boat society. Western washington is pnw chapter. they have a web site. There will be lots of people to help you.

Post a better shot of the bow and top of cutwater. Also look on engine cylinder head for a casting date. It will be like photo. September 1, 1955. would be in a 1956 boat

drrot wrote:. . . . look on engine cylinder head for a casting date. It will be like photo. September 1, 1955. would be in a 1956 boat

Head casting is 3/12/51.


Will try and get better bow picture soon.

Not a 1953 Rocket runabout.

Rule that out.

Mark

Contacted the Mariners Museum, here is their reply,

Thank you for contacting the Chris-Craft Archives at The Mariners’ Museum Library.

Although currently inaccessible, the Museum is still moving forward with plans to build a new Library to house the collections, including the Chris-Craft archives. Although the collections remain in deep storage, we are currently working to make the majority of our books and archives available to staff perhaps as early as summer, 2018. (Specially designed compact shelving will need to be installed in the gallery where the collections material is stored, and the rare and fragile material in myriad boxes on hundreds of pallets will need to be relocated temporarily and then returned, unboxed, and shelved. Nothing about this process is easy or fast, unfortunately.)

Updates will be posted on our website-- http://www.marinersmuseum.org/library/#chris-craft --as they become available. We have some hull cards scanned ( 562 out of 119,000) but if you provide your hull number, I could look.

We greatly appreciate everyone's patience, and look forward to being up and running in the near future and working with our Chris-Craft researchers again.

Jim Hooker
Chris-Craft Services
[email protected]