TOPIC: Just aquired - Chrysler C-486 Commodore Cruiser

I just picked up a Chrysler C-486 Cruiser. It was sold as a 1973 but after doing some research I believe that mine is actually a 1974 or 75 model.
There does not seem to be very much info on the internet about these boats.

From what I could find these seem to be the largest boats made by Chrysler. Its 23' long with a 96" Beam. They were made from 1968 to 1977 but the styling of the cubby windows and the decals on the sides of my boat did not occur until 1974.

Does anyone have the following?...

1. Serial Number Information (mine is 731061691595)
2. Where I could locate an Owners Manual
3. Were is the Serial Number located on the engine? (I believe mine is a 318 V8. It has a "Super Bee" air cleaner.

Thanks!

Mark

Very nice, she's a big girl for sure. I'm a Mopar guy at heart and have a 1968 Dodge D100 truck that my Pawpaw bought new. My truck has a 318 V8 engine. Would love to see a picture of your boats engine and air cleaner. Happy Boating!!!



My truck at the cabin with my Hobie Cat H16 in the background.

Here is a picture of the engine. (The carburetor is off at the moment being rebuilt).

Cool looking boat! Parts are getting harder to come by for Chrysler marine engines. If yours turns out to be okay I would run it, but if it goes south I would swap it for a GM small block.
Larry

That's a cool engine. The valve covers have Super Bee III on them. My Brother-in-law has a 2014 Dodge Charger Super Bee, can't wait to show him those pics, always kidd him about his car not being a "real" Super Bee like the '68 to 70 models.

Great find, sorry I can't help on the owner's manual.

Bob

That boat is really rare and as for parts for the motor they are easy to find through the guys at The Chrysler Crew which I am a member of too. I have several chrysler outboards myself but no small block stuff. I know Dave has a bunch of stuff. If that motor ever goes down or if you want a upgrade get a 360 or 340 from a conqueror that will make a huge difference in power. The 318s are just bullet proof motors. I would NEVER put a GM motor in a chrysler boat. It would be a nightmare to get it to work anyway. Chrysler boats are unique to themselves. I have a chrysler charger, Conqueror, 154 courier,

If the hour meter is to be believed then the engine only has 250 hours on it. If that is the case then it should have tons of life left in it. I will know more next week after I finish rebuilding the carb and giving it a tuneup.
I have attached a few pictures of the stern drive. Anyone know its brand and model number? I cant find any numbers on it...maybe I don't know where to look. I need to know the correct lubricate to use in it.
I have found a few modifications to the fuel system, fuel pump wiring and bilge pump. My first priority it to restore these system to their original configuration and then to drain and evaluate the fuel tank.
I'm not sure where the fuel tank is located and how accessible it is if it becomes necessary to remove it.
Hopefully a fellow owner will have some info to share.
I appreciate all of your insights. Thanks!
Mark

Here are a few pictures of the interior. Check out the shag in the cubby. Yeah baby!

Ok Get a hold of Dave off this site for info on your boat. All the brochures are there too so check that out.

Contact Franz for parts and info on engines and drives. IF you have problems let me know I will help ya out.

Thats one Beautiful boat BTW What a score. I do not know of another one in existence so you may have the only one left alive.

www.chryslercrew.com/

TheToyBox wrote:

Thats one Beautiful boat BTW What a score. I do not know of another one in existence so you may have the only one left alive.

Do you really think it is that rare? They made them for several years. I would think that there are others.
I'm sure its too much to ask if anyone has production figures for these boats. I will ask Dave to see if he has any info.
Thanks!
Mark

I have a post card that has Chrysler boats and motors on it and I think this boat model is pictured on it, along with other models. The post card was included with the owners manual when the truck was bought new and is still in the original plastic cover with the owners manual and is in the glove box of the truck you see pictured a few replies back. I will get a picture of the post card this weekend and post it up on here.
When I was a kid we had a 1966 Lone Star Medallion II that had a Chrysler 55 horse motor. I remember Dad letting me drive the boat a time or two. We had that boat for many years.

Mark,
I totally forgot to add this last night about the year of the boat. The serial number really doesn't mean a whole lot from what I have learned about the chrysler boats. What you can do is look at the block to see what size the motor is. IF its a 318 it will be cast into the block above the starter. Also on the other side you will find a clock looking thing case into the block and sometimes there stamped too. This is the production date of the block or engine. I have several mopar engines around here so let me know if you need help. I have been building mopar race motors for 30+years for our drag cars so trust me when I say parts are easy to find. Now the date code will tell you the year of the boat because the engine was made the year before as a rule.
Bob

That's a very common Volvo Penta AQ series drive. Should be a metal tag near the transom shield with numbers and letters that probably have either a 27 or 28. That would designate a 280 or 270 outdrive. Plenty of available parts around.

craigjudge wrote:

That's a very common Volvo Penta AQ series drive. Should be a metal tag near the transom shield with numbers and letters that probably have either a 27 or 28. That would designate a 280 or 270 outdrive. Plenty of available parts around.

I really appreciate the info about the stern drive. I have looked all over it but cannot find any tags or stamping's.

Very nice find and very nice boat. Though I do not have a Marine engine, my 35 year old 318 car motor has run every year since new...never a problem starting or running...over 120,000 miles and towing about 1,800lb boat trailer and about 2,000lb covered 4 place snowmobile trailers over 20,000 miles and still towing. My street engine is a bit mundane with a carter 2 barrel...always wish I had the power of a 340 or 360...especially like the power of the marine engines. My friend's 1977 correct craft had the 318 I believe to have been like 255hp...I think my street smog motor is only around 140hp. I think one day I need to drive to Rochester and pay for a few hours of "The Toy Box" Doctor's time and knowledge of Mercs and Mopars. His knowledge seems so vast, perhaps I may not be able to afford what he is worth. Sure enjoy hearing the bits and pieces that I try to learn along the way.

Well...it looks like the engine is a 340CI. I dont know the year yet but I should have it figured out tomorrow.
Once I get it on the water I will decide if the power is sufficient. If not I think I will supercharge it.

Gee thanks mark. Ya I am kinda a mopar nut lol I am no Doc more like a Mad Scientist MUUUHAAAA!!!

SOrry I didn't get back to you till tonight. I did some research and the superbee III was a 340 and 340 is cast into the side of the block. Now as far as supercharging it, I would strongly advise you don't do it. First off you would need to spend about 10 grand on the motor to handle even 10lbs of boost. Plus that drive won't handle that much HP. Most aftermarket blowers exceed 10lbs more like 12 to 20lbs. I have worked on and built a bunch of Blown engines for racing and street. I learned a great deal from Mel Riggs regarding marine supercharged motors, Mel ran Mercurys offshore racing. I mostly have worked on Blown 502s in a marine app, All marine blown engines need inner cooler systems too so a auto supercharger like you have shown won't do anything but rip that 340 apart. SO what I am saying is enjoy it as it is. That 340 will put out 280hp give or take if its in good shape. I would guess your top speed at about 38 to 40mph and thats movin for that ol tub.

Here is a pic of my 850hp street blown 440 its going into a black 70 charger yet this fall.

Here are a few pictures of the block casting numbers. What can you tell me?








I forgot to take a picture of the numbers stamped on the front pad. I will do that tomorrow.

Mark

Ok thats what I need to see. The -340- in the casting number means its a 340CID and Date code on the block would be refered to as a 68 block But it was cast June 28th 1967. Now they cast many blocks and prebuilt countless motors that were crated up to go into marine apps. IF it was a car this motor would have been in a 68 GTS dart for instance. However being its a marine block the date code means very little as to the year of the boat. But this means when you need parts you tell them you have a 68 340. Now I will tell you that the 68 340 is the best block to have do to the high nickle content which made it very strong. Racers go gaga over them so you have the best of the best. Also this is a steel crank motor too so there pretty much bullet proof. Now this goes for all marine engines on what I am about to say next. People ask me all the time can I put a car or truck motor in there boat and I tell them no it will not live long. Here is why. First off the marine blocks are cast thicker in the main journal area to make them stronger for continued RPM. Which leads me to this part. Car and truck motors are designed for sustained RPM at 2500 to 3000rpm and marine apps are 4500 to 5500rpm so the engine balancing is totally different. Also load is different too. Marine is constant load and auto is on and off load. Ie varied speed and shift points in auto. Marine is full load and sustained RPM. As for using this info to figure out the year of your boat you can't really go by when your motor was made as chrysler made tons of engines and crated them up till they were needed. This has been talked about widely with the guys in The Chrysler Crew. Still the best way to determine the year of your boat is title info or brochure pics. Look at little details like logos and styling and do your best guess. I had a heck of a time figuring out my Charger boat and thats how I did it. It was registered with the wrong year. Keep this motor stock or it will eat that drive up. I will tell you, if you are hell bent on making more HP it will only cost you more money in broken parts down the road. I know there is a hotter cam that is offered for the Conqueror III Jet model that jacks up the RPM but that boat is way lighter and your boat is heavy so you need a torque motor not a high rev motor. I hope this helps ya.
Bob

Here is a pic of a bit of a sleeper marine 340 in a hotrod 79 dodge truck, lol Ya its mine. Going 750hp 440 next with NOS so I can get into the 9sec range. 12sec is way to slow for me. I forgot to add this comment. You can put a marine motor in a car but not the other way around. Marine 426 hemi X Blocks were used in Nascar by Richard Petty and also by Sox and Martin racing. Last picture is my 426X block in my 70 charger, Petty Block and Sox and Martin aluminum Heads.

And now you know why his handle on here is "The Toy Box" Lol. Very useful information, makes me want to break out my late 60's Hot Rod magazines and search for Mopar engine builds!!!

Hi Bob,

I really appreciate the great info about the engine. It sounds like it should have suitable power as long as it is in proper tune and performing to original specifications. Once I get it on the water I will focus my performance attention on finding the best propeller size.

Any idea what is the correct lubricant for the Penta outdrive?

I was hoping to have the engine running yesterday but I found many electrical wires that have been modified in the engine bay and at the helm so I am spending time to get it all corrected. I wish I could find a wiring diagram for this boat. I would save me a lot of time. Right now I have to trace each circuit manually. I can do it...it just takes more time.

I will post another update later. Thanks!

Mark

Marty I figured you would be having a peek at this post lol The Toy Box is the name of our shop and it changed to that some 20yrs ago when a good friend and nabor Tim came up to get his boat worked on. HE was also a snowmobile and car nut too. His comment about our building that day forever changed our name. First off it was, back then, a big square box of a building. Second his comment was that it reminded him of his toy box as a child with one exception and that was it had every man sized toy you could ever want for real. Harley, Boats, motors, Muscle cars/drag cars, trucks lifted or lowered, tractors, Polaris vintage sleds exc. I actually bought a 76 polaris Tx 340 from him that day too. SO It just stuck and its just a man sized toy box that everyone that visits can be a kid again.

Marty don't bother going back and learning the old way of building a motor a lot has changed in 30yrs. Back in the day if we could make 1hp for every CI we thought we were gods. Today with the advance of technology you can exceed that easily. When I started drag racing the top fuel guys were making 1500 to 1800hp and today funny cars make over 8000hp.
Here is more up to date reading for ya. Affordable and spot on HP build.
www.hotrod.com/articles/how-to-build-a-440-chrysler-short-block-for-the-race-track/

During my research of this boat I found that a hardtop was an available option.



I would really like to have a hardtop but I know that finding an original would be next to impossible. That means I need to make one.

The problem is that my shop is not really set up for fiberglass manufacturing and I really don't have the time. If any of you forum members are in Colorado and would like to build a top please contact me.

Thanks!

Mark

Patience Mark lol your going about it the right way. I don't think there is a manual for what you have to do, so keep doing what your doing. I would bet that its propped correct so watch the tach. Minor things like changing intake and carb could be a benefit down the road but best get it wet first. Gear oil is just 85/90 old school. Check with Franz on the chrysler crew yahoo group. Good group to join for parts and knowledge.

I may have a lead on a top or a glass guy in your area. Camper tops are way nicer, less weight and easier to store. The coolest thing you could do is put in transum exhaust and let that 340 breathe and rumble. Again I know people that can make that happen.

I am out of here time to go boating they lifted the no wake today.
WHOOO HOOOO!!! I have a new toy to play with.

Mark
I forgot to mention to check the water pump impeller located on the right side of the motor. I would bet its cooked, Watch your engine temp very close if you don't replace it. I would replace it before even thinking about putting it in the water. they get stuck and when you fire them up it rips them apart. I took one out on my 312 Chris Craft Stinger and it almost cost me a 502 motor. I have the same type of pump.

TheToyBox wrote:

I may have a lead on a top or a glass guy in your area. Camper tops are way nicer, less weight and easier to store.

I really want to duplicate the style of the original top so I dont think a camper top will work. If you know of a good fiberglass guy in or near Denver please let me know.
Thanks!
Mark

I tried to get a photo of the numbers stamped into the front of the block but I could not get the camera in there so I had to settle for writing the numbers down;

DW34022590314
340
77768J

Hopefully you can give me some more information about this engine.

While I was working today I noticed that one of the block drain plugs had been removed. I assumed this was done by the previous owner to drain the block for winterizing. I replaced the plug today.

It appears that there is a drain plug on each side of the block. Are these the only two or are there other locations I should look for?

Mark

If you look at the attached photo you can see that both of my exhaust manifolds have a large amount of some kind of epoxy painted in the center.

I have a bad feeling that this engine was once frozen and the manifolds cracked. I have not put water in the engine yet so I don't know if they leak but even if they don't I would feel better with a new set.

If anyone knows where I can find a set please let me know.

Thanks!
Mark

I will try to answer most of this.

Engine Numbers
D= 1968
W= Water tested
340=cid
22500314= Production number
77768J= no real explaination but could be related to the heads, the 68 could be year J was common for the 2.02 valve head. In automotive apps the J was cast on the outside of the head.

There should be drains on the manifolds too on the bottom. IF it was not properly drained that is why they cracked or from to much heat then cold water hitting them happened too. Now finding a good set of manifolds would be tuff and that goop on there is JB weld. A common fix from back yard mechanics. IF you send them to me I can weld them but not that big of deal if they don't leak leave them go. Water pump impeller rebuild should be on your to do list after first fire up. oh and yes there is plugs on both sides of the block so make sure they are in before fire up. DON'T try to use muffs to feed this thing water for fire up. Put it in the water at a boat launch and leave it on the trailer.

You have not talked about the carb yet other than it was off. IF your rebuilding it I would like to know if its a AFB OR AVS. AVS will have a door over the secondaries, Ie Air Valve Secondaries AVS.

Now on to the glass top. Big boat scrap yards is your only hope to find one. I have some connections so I will get the word out but I am sure there will be a silent moment fallowed but laughter. IF you had a used one I could pop a mold off it. I make Polaris PDC hoods here at the shop so I can make stuff. BUT I have a Buddy Mark that lives in Denver and he has a Span boat I sold him, he had it restored some place out there. He did it the right way with all new gelcoat so that would be the guy you need to find. Regardless that top is going to cost you a fortune to make so used would be cheaper. Count on it being trashed and needing restoration. I will call Franz, Dave and Mark tomorrow.

Again I can NOT STRESS THIS ENOUGH INSPECT THAT WATER PUMP. UNLESS YOU KNOW IT WAS FIRED UP IN THE LAST 6MO. About every offshore boat I work on has junk impellers from sitting. When I fire them up I try to prelube them with waterpump lube so they don't start dry. When I rebuild them I lube them with Vaseline. they spin really fast and get hot quick.

XJS Motors wrote:

Here are a few pictures of the block casting numbers. What can you tell me?

I forgot to take a picture of the numbers stamped on the front pad. I will do that tomorrow.

Mark

Here is a link to the actual block casting numbers and about 1/2 way down the list you will find the numbers you posted above.
www.rosevillemoparts.com/reference_castingnumbers1.php

Thanks for the warning about the pump. I will take it off and rebuild it prior to starting the engine.
This boat was last on the water about 3 years ago so it may not be too bad but I agree with you that its not worth taking the chance. I will also replace the thermostats and any questionable hoses.

As for the carb...its a 6212S AFB. It has the weighted butterflies over the secondaries. I have already completed the rebuild and reinstalled it on the engine.

(These pictures were taken prior to cleaning and rebuilding)





Thanks!
Mark

I too have recently purchased a Chrysler C-486 with matching Chrysler trailer. It has the optional hard top. I can give you measurements of it of you like. The guy I got it from sold it to a kid who never paid him so he got it back and found the kid was working on the inside of the boat ripping out the foam because he said it was squishy. Has the 340 motor . No heads or intake. Thinking about getting some 308 heads for it . Your boat looks way better. I'm going to restore this one and get it back in the water .

My Chrysler C-486 has the factory hardtop and twin Volvo 4 cylinder engines, great for the ocean. The owner's manual that I got with it is sort of generic, not specifically for the C-486 but covers all the Chrysler boats from that year. I like the hardtop but the wooden struts supporting the top don't really match the style or look good.

If your still interested in measurements on the hard top for your boat let me know. 775 Six two two 7999 and leave a message because I don't answer unknown phone numbers. I realize it's this post is an old one but I have just picked up one like yours except mine is a fixer upper . Has the hard top sink fridge combo and tables . Oh !! Matching Trailer too !!!

If your still interested in measurements on the hard top for your boat let me know. 775 Six two two 7999 and leave a message because I don't answer unknown phone numbers. I realize it's this post is an old one but I have just picked up one like yours except mine is a fixer upper . Has the hard top sink fridge combo and tables . Oh !! Matching Trailer too !!!

I agree about the wooden struts. Looked kind of like a last minute thing they just slapped on to finish it. At least you have the owners manual. I did get some 8 track tapes and a player. Still trying to track down more info on mine. Yours looks like it could scoot right along . Pretty sweet with 2 motors !!

good article