1976 Spirit of Miss America

by **Raymond Duheme** » Thu Dec 29, 2011 2:12 pm

I have purchased a 1976 Chris Craft called the Spirit of Miss America 2 x 350 chevy's offshore race boat. does anyone have any information on this boat.

by **Chad Durren** » Thu Dec 29, 2011 4:48 pm

Looks like an 8 Meter with a custom paint job. Do you know if it was raced in your area?

by **Chad Durren** » Thu Dec 29, 2011 4:51 pm

I wish I owned the "HUSTLER" and lived in a yellow Pizza Hut by the water.

by **Captain Nemo** » Thu Dec 29, 2011 4:55 pm

I don't have any information on the boat other than it's wayyyy cooool.

by **Horstuff** » Thu Dec 29, 2011 7:59 pm

Chad Durren wrote:I wish I owned the "HUSTLER" and lived in a yellow Pizza Hut by the water.

by **Raymond Duheme** » Thu Dec 29, 2011 11:55 pm

From the papers that I received with the boat it was originally registered as the Spirit on Miss America and was supposedly built for the president of Chris Craft for the Bi Centennial in 76 after that the boat was on tour and then sold for around 69K (I have the original bill of sale) in those days that was a lots of money because and normal 8 meter was costing around 20 to maybe 25K. according to the gentlemen who sold me the boat I was told the president also rode in the boat that day ??? I work on cars a lots but not on boats so this is my 1st restoration on a boat. I have re-power it with 2 x 350 punched to 383 as the engines that came with the boat were shot I do still have the exhaust manifolds that have the motor serial number on them but they are not in the best of shape. what I really need is to find someone who makes boat headers for SBC. to answer this boat was not raced that i know of. I appreciate any and all help that anyone can offer

by **Chad Durren** » Fri Dec 30, 2011 7:57 am

Sounds like a special boat indeed. I wonder if a trip to the Mariners Museum is in order. Al, do the archives include the 70's? Surely there would be some documentation on this boat if the story holds true.

by **Raymond Duheme** » Fri Dec 30, 2011 8:06 am

I will give it a try and see if I can find out anything more than what I already have thanks for the guidance

by **JimF** » Fri Dec 30, 2011 9:48 am

See Ebay

If this link doesn't work, look at boats for sale under Chris Craft. This might be faster than a Century Arabian!

by **Wood Commander** » Fri Dec 30, 2011 10:22 am

Jerry Conrad's (ex Mariner's Museum Archive Library Curator) book "Chris Craft the Essential Guide" does have info on fiberglass models up to about 1977-80 or so. I'm sure that he used the archives for his research material so I think it's safe to say that the Mariner's Museum archives do go up to that point.

Cool boat. I notice that it is still using a hull number sequence quite similiar to the old Thompson/Cortland/Corsair Division/Lancer seqquences. I wonder if it was built in Cortland, NY? This would have been just before or about at the very beginning of the switch from Lancers to Scorpions.

by **Raymond Duheme** » Fri Dec 30, 2011 11:08 am

I have added a couple more pictures

by **Raymond Duheme** » Fri Dec 30, 2011 11:09 am

I have added a couple more pictures

by **Chad Durren** » Fri Dec 30, 2011 11:20 am

I love that the throttle is this highest point on the boat. Was there a kilo of white powder hidden in the bilge?

by **Al Benton** » Fri Dec 30, 2011 9:46 pm

Some of these were built for racing. It was a production model in '75 & '76. The Miss America is the very boat that Jerry Conrad included in The Essential Guide on page 666 showing the 8 Meter specifications. I am sure there must be other information for this boat in the MM collection, including the original Miss America photo (Photo #PI-8583).

Raymond, call The Mariners' Museum Library, Cris-Craft Collection, 757-591-7785 and see what else they have on this boat.

by **Raymond Duheme** » Sat Dec 31, 2011 11:18 am

Al
thanks for the info and I will surely call right after the new year start up
Again Thanks
if you have any questions that you may made need to answer please ask

by **Don Danenberg** » Sat Dec 31, 2011 8:23 pm

Chad,

Real working boats had painted waterlines much higher!

by **Don Danenberg** » Sat Dec 31, 2011 8:32 pm

Also painted all 'Midnight Blue', no chrome...

How can they do that?

Turns out, the "CRIME PAYS", in Gold Leaf on the transom..,
Had to do with the local owner of the 'burglar alarm' company.

Go figure?

by **Thommyboy** » Sun Jan 01, 2012 8:00 am

The Cortland, NY plant closed in 1974, so this boat was not built there.

Andreas

by **quitchabitchin** » Sun Jan 01, 2012 9:06 pm

I agree with the comment that it looks way cool.

by **jfrprops** » Mon Jan 02, 2012 12:55 pm

on the pic in the early ad, check out the "dude" in the cockpit....check the shirt....I think the gal on the dock is saying..."bubba....the shirt...are you s---ing me???".

John in Va.

by **quitchabitchin** » Mon Jan 02, 2012 3:48 pm

She is definately trying to decide if she needs to drink one more beer before she get's on his boat. Cool boat though.

1976 Spirit of Miss America

1976 Spirit of Miss America

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