Baller 2Valve Posted August 4, 2020 Baller Share Posted August 4, 2020 My buddy calls me up to ask if I can get an old boat started. Not knowing what it was, I stopped by and it's a 1961 Chris Craft Skier. Hasn't run in twenty years. We figured out that the points were closed up, no voltage to the coil, so therefore no spark. Went through all that and it cranked right up. What was weird is that it's a 283 Chevy, mounted backwards. Knowing my Detroit motors, I remember all SBC Chevy's having the distributor in the rear. But not this one. This motor has a tach drive where the rear distributor hole is and a Ford style distributor up front. And, the generator runs off a pulley from the flywheel. Crazy. Anyway, we plan to drop it in and run it through our course this week. Photos to follow. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller_ Jody_Seal Posted August 4, 2020 Baller_ Share Posted August 4, 2020 Thats the way Chris did it back in the day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller_ DW Posted August 4, 2020 Baller_ Share Posted August 4, 2020 Very cool, almost can call that a 'barn find'. Can you post a pic of the setup? @Jody_Seal - as you have some knowledge, did C-Craft mount the distributor off a custom front cover? Use a custom cam with a drive gear at the front? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller Jetsetr Posted August 4, 2020 Baller Share Posted August 4, 2020 Awesome beautiful boat....grab the Cypress Garden Combos and let her rip! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller oldjeep Posted August 4, 2020 Baller Share Posted August 4, 2020 There are some pictures here. Looks like the distributor is in the normal location for a smallblock - they just mount the engine backwards, run a pulley off the flywheel for the alternator and drive the transmission off the front of the crank. https://chris-craft.org/discussion/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=8039 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller Cent Posted August 4, 2020 Baller Share Posted August 4, 2020 Grew up with one of those. Still have a wood 1961 Maherajah. Enjoy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller Rich Posted August 5, 2020 Baller Share Posted August 5, 2020 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller Rich Posted August 5, 2020 Baller Share Posted August 5, 2020 I have a 1960 century resorter. It was a national tow boat. Skis great. Freesking is awesome. No wake no spray. I dont think it would be great in a course. Fun on the lake. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller Cent Posted August 5, 2020 Baller Share Posted August 5, 2020 I have a restored 1966 Century Resorter much like what Rich showed. Mine has AMC 327 and was also a boat used as a National rowboat. Fun to have recreationally. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bhaynes85 Posted August 5, 2020 Share Posted August 5, 2020 @2Valve that’s awesome man, wish I was mechanically inclined enough to get an ole girl like that running!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller 2Valve Posted August 5, 2020 Author Baller Share Posted August 5, 2020 @Bhaynes85 I love old "sheenery". Always amazes me how the Engineer's back in the day figured stuff out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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