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1976 Spirit of Miss America

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Raymond Duheme
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1976 Spirit of Miss America

Post 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.
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Chad Durren
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Post 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?
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1952 CC 18' Sportsman
1969 CC 19' Commander Super Sport

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Chad Durren
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Post 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.
1952 CC 18' Sportsman
1969 CC 19' Commander Super Sport

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Captain Nemo
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Post 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.
Boats are to be made of wood, otherwise, God would have grown fiberglass trees.

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Horstuff
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Post 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.
:lol:
1948 27' Super DeLuxe Enclosed Cruiser

Raymond Duheme
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Post 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

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Chad Durren
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Post 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.
1952 CC 18' Sportsman
1969 CC 19' Commander Super Sport

Raymond Duheme
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Post 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

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JimF
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Post 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!

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Post 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.
Bret

1953 35' Commander "Adonis III"

1970 23' lancer project

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

I have added a couple more pictures
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Raymond Duheme
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Post by Raymond Duheme » Fri Dec 30, 2011 11:09 am

I have added a couple more pictures
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Image

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Chad Durren
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Post 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?
1952 CC 18' Sportsman
1969 CC 19' Commander Super Sport

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Al Benton
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Post 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.
Al
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Raymond Duheme
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Post 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

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

Chad,

Real working boats had painted waterlines much higher!

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Don Danenberg
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Post 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?

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

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

Andreas

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

I agree with the comment that it looks way cool.
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jfrprops
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Post 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.
1980 Fairchild Scout 30
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1954 Whirlwind deluxe dual ckpt 16'
1921 Old Town Charles River 17' (founding Captain, James River Batteau Festival)

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quitchabitchin
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Post 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.
FLASH1969 Chris Craft Cavalier Ski-230 HP 327Q

CCABC Board of Directors Member

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