TOPIC: New Boat 1963?

Just picked up this 1963 18ft (make/model?) Boat. It has a Grey Marine Fireball 327- 188 in it. Other than that I know nothing about the boat. I plan to restore over this upcoming winter. Any information on the make/model etc would be appreciated. Looking forward to tacking my first older boat restoration (redid a 1979 Charger jet boat, but completely different animal!)

Welcome aboard, glad your here. Unfortunately I don't recognize that hull but it should be a fun restoration. There may be some surprises under that vinyl on the decking so be ready for some possible rot. Striping the pain off the hull should also give a betetr idea of what your up agaist hull wise. Also a notorious area for rot on wood boats is the lower corners of the transom so check it close from inside. I want to say the hull looks like carvel style planking only because of the wavy sections. I doubt it's plywood but it could be, with some bad frames that are curving in where it looks to be 'bent' inward like large divets. Once you strip it, it will show mroe. Post some pics of the interior once you have the seats removed and side panels off. Ask any questions you want we're always ready to help. Congrats.

Bob

The lines are similar to a late 1940s Century...not at all like any other 1963s I've seen. Just about all 1960s wooden runabouts have transoms that curve out at the top, not in. Are you sure of the year? Anyway, it's a damned nice looking boat but you'd better start looking for good exhaust manifolds, exit pipes, donut gaskets and that weird collar they used to hold the two together. I had one of those engines and I had a hell of a time with the manifolds. The side draft Carter YH carburetors can be problematic as well. I got a marine downdraft intake and got rid of the YHs. Lastly, mine had a Leece-Neville alternator. It took me MONTHS to locate a voltage regulator and when I did, it was about $175! If I had it to do over, I'd dump it and go with a GM 1-wire alternator. Well anyway, best of luck with the project. If all else fails, you can always go with a small block Chevy.

Thank you for the input. The title states 1963 18ft and that is all. Of course there were no titles in Idaho in 1963 so that could have just been someones guess. It really could be anything. Ill have to pull the engine block numbers and see if that can help identification at all.

I'm planning to start striping the interior out this weekend so Ill post up more pics.

I'm not sure on the make of the alternator, actually a generator (ill have to look) but it does have a new generator, water pump, and regulator in the box. It looks like someone put new heads and gaskets on it (the heads are still clean cast and exhaust ports have not carbon buildup. There is also a engine gasket it that came with it and it looks like just the head and intake gaskets were used.

The Engine number is S7439, Iv have been trying to find a way to look up the serial # with no luck. Anyone know of any resources?

Looking forward to the project and im sure ill have lots of questions along the way!

Thanks

Great looking boat. You may know this, but that engine is not based on a GM 327, it was an AMC engine.

Looking back at the pics I don't know that the engine is original. The pipes out the back definitely are not, they were added to the original or that engine is a transplanted V8. Transom is awefull flat for any of the usual woody builders so it may actually be home built or from plans maybe.. either way it's going to be a fun project!

Bob

kind of looks like a Higgins to me ?
but I don't know if they made boats in 63 ?

Bob...You might be onto something about it being homemade from plans. Obviously, it's a plywood boat. I think it might be a 1960s build of a 1940s design. As such, any engine could have been employed. The AMC 327 is a good engine that delivers 225 HP. It just has lousy marine exhaust manifolds and there are zero performance parts available, aside from a four barrel carb and intake manifold.

Since it's a "no name" plywood boat, I'd be tempted to convert it to a rear seat racer and install a fully exposed big block Chevy with eight exhaust pipes pointing skyward...great lines, power, speed and noise! Hell yeah!