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pics of 1955 37' Corvette and Commander

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LaBob
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pics of 1955 37' Corvette and Commander

Post by LaBob » Mon Mar 22, 2010 1:40 pm

Sure would appreciate any and all pics of said boats which I need for my next models...
Bob

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Post by Wood Commander » Tue Mar 23, 2010 8:04 pm

Bob, just my opinion, but............ Do the 1954 36' Corvette instead, unless you have a significant reason to do the 37'er. Less "beak" in the bullnose and better looking front cabin window treatment make for better looks in what is otherwise pretty much the same boat.

I have seen in person 1953 35' Commanders, and 1954 36' Commanders and Corvettes (the Corvette is based on the Commander), and a 1955 37' Commander, and pictures and sales brochure images of 37' Corvettes. To me, the 1953 35' Commander is the best looking boat, followed by the 1954 36'ers. The 35'er has a sleeker look, the 36'er looks a little like somebody stuck an air hose in a 35'er and blew it up and looks slightly more like a beach ball. The 36' Corvette has extra features that make it still a very neat boat.

The 37' Commander I saw in person was one of the few Chris Crafts that left me cold. And it's not really hugely different than the older 36'ers. It has the same "fat" look as the 36'ers along with too much added beak that made it a 37'er. And on SOME models, the larger square front cabin windows just doesn't do it for me.

I hope no 36' and 37' Commander/Corvette owners are reading this!
Bret

1953 35' Commander "Adonis III"

1970 23' lancer project

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Ken Miller
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Post by Ken Miller » Tue Mar 30, 2010 9:52 am

You've kinda touched on something I have wondered about. I have always thought that the stems looked different, even from boat to boat within the same model and length. I'm sure they were all made from a master pattern for each model, it just seemd like one boat's stem had more curve (more diagonal, less perpendicular) and some looked like they had less curve (less diagonal, more perpendicular) even within the same model.

I didn't know if this changed from production year to production year (within the same model), but your explanation that they stretched the nose to add an extra foot of length explains things. Thanks.


Ken Miller.
1951 Chris Craft U-22-1705 "Miss Cynthia"

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Post by Ken Miller » Tue Mar 30, 2010 5:23 pm

Hey, Brett, l@@kie here:

http://www.antiqueboatamerica.com/ab_li ... atId=29098

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1951 Chris Craft U-22-1705 "Miss Cynthia"

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Post by Wood Commander » Thu Apr 01, 2010 12:23 am

I've got several drawings from The Mariner's Museum for the 34', 35' and 36' Commander hull lines, and offsets and tonnage. One drawing has the 34' and 35' (including the 34' Double Cabin Flying Bridge cruiser) hull plan that shows the outline for the stem and forpeak of both the 34' and 35' versions.
Another drawing shows the 35' and 36' stem and forepeak versions. There are also notes detailing the changes and materials added to morph the hull into the next size. On some models this can sometimes includes more "layback" of the transom too.

On the 34-35'ers, the drawing shows the original chine line at the bow as it rises up out of the water before it meets with the stem, and on the 36'er this line rises a little quicker and higher. Both versions are shown in the offsets.
I'm also pretty sure that there is an additional sheer plank added to the 36' hull. And the triangle bow cap is larger. Otherwise, the hull shape, underwater hardware and powertrain was the same among most of these particular boats.
Bret

1953 35' Commander "Adonis III"

1970 23' lancer project

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Pics of 1955 37' Corvette

Post by LaBob » Mon Apr 05, 2010 10:14 am

I have purchased the plans for the 1955 37' Corvette which inclues the same hull as the 37' Commander. the only diff between the 1954 36' corvette is the extending the bow at the top to obtain the 37'. However, since there were only 10 of these hulls built I chose the 37'.
Still looking for pics of either 36' or 37' (I do have the sales brochure)
Sure would appreciate any pics or leads....
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Bob
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Pics of 1955 37' Corvette or Commander

Post by LaBob » Mon Apr 05, 2010 10:24 am

Please. Come on guys,,know someone has to have one or a 36' 1954...
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Ken Miller
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Post by Ken Miller » Mon Apr 05, 2010 4:40 pm

1951 Chris Craft U-22-1705 "Miss Cynthia"

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Post by LaBob » Fri Apr 09, 2010 11:25 am

Ken, I need certain details which generally don't show up on general pics of boats. Such as rail detail, etc so I need someone w/one of these fine boats..
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Ken Miller
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Post by Ken Miller » Fri Apr 09, 2010 12:27 pm

There is a '54 36' Commander at our local state park. I will be there in a couple of weeks for the first launch of the season. Would that help?

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1951 Chris Craft U-22-1705 "Miss Cynthia"

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somebody!

Post by LaBob » Fri Jun 04, 2010 4:47 pm

Somebody has to know someone who has one of these fine boats!!!!! :(

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Darn

Post by LaBob » Sun Jun 13, 2010 4:24 pm

This is a first! First time I have not been able to get some help on pics... Even 36' or the 42'??????
Anyone????????

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Post by Wood Commander » Sun Jun 13, 2010 6:23 pm

There will almost certainly be two 1954 36' Corvettes at the Chris Craft Rendesvous in Port Orchard, WA this July, I'm pretty sure it's the 9-11th, the weekend after the July 4th holiday.
One has a black hull and the other is white. They usually dock side- by- side. You can find out about the rendesvous by googling "2010 Chris Craft Rendezvous Port Orchard, WA"

I've got a few pictures of these boats, but they are on my old computer over 2000 miles away from me. I am using my freind's computer at his house where I am temporarily staying as I get settled in to my new surroundings in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area.

There is a possibility that I may be making a trip back to Washington in time to attend the rendezvous. If I can I will try to take some pictures.

Oh, and I do have some pictures on my old computer of Keith Collona's 1955 42' Corvette, the only one ever built. I have been aboard this boat and it's an interesting story, confirmed by Jerry Conrad, late of The Mariner's Museum.
Bret

1953 35' Commander "Adonis III"

1970 23' lancer project

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Post by Wood Commander » Sun Jun 13, 2010 6:32 pm

And- Ken, I enjoyed the link about the 37' Commander for sale with the gutted interior and no engines. I can tell that was a six sleeper (C6S 36 _ _ _), because the main cabin entry door, hatch cutout and steps are in the middle.
The 4 sleepers (C4S 36 _ _ _)and the Corvettes had the cabin entry moved over to the Starboard side and had a couch along the main/aft cabin bulkhead with the main entry and steps on the Starboard side instead of length- wise V bunks on the Port side and the Dinette on the Starboard side with the middle cabin entrance.
Bret

1953 35' Commander "Adonis III"

1970 23' lancer project

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Bret

Post by LaBob » Mon Jun 14, 2010 1:32 pm

I have found a guy in the Club directory who owns one of these beautiful boats and he has agreed to let me aggravate him and get pics..Wa is a little far from New Orleans to go to get pics, but if you should go , please ask them to contact me or get their email addys...Never enough info for a retired engineer.. LOL
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Post by LaBob » Mon Jun 14, 2010 1:33 pm

Love to know the story of the only 42' built!!!!!!hint... hint...

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Commander

Post by LaBob » Mon Jun 14, 2010 5:16 pm

Oh although I have a connection for my Corvette, I would still love to find a connection for my next project, the Commander.......
:lol:
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rdapron
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Post by rdapron » Mon Jun 14, 2010 6:17 pm

What year and size Commander?

rob

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Commander

Post by LaBob » Mon Jun 14, 2010 8:38 pm

Seeking info on 1955 37' commander. Actually looking for a contact I can aggravate about next year when I am ready to build them since I am up to my neck in Corvette right now.. LOL

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tom king
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Post by tom king » Tue Jun 15, 2010 1:18 pm

These folks should be able to get you pics of any Commander you may want:

http://commanderclub.com/

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Bill Basler
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Post by Bill Basler » Tue Jun 15, 2010 1:22 pm

Oh Tom...they don't do wood very well!
Bill Basler

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rdapron
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Post by rdapron » Tue Jun 15, 2010 1:27 pm

Bret is our resident Commander expert. I would be very surprised if he could not produce documentation and pictures. Re glass Commanders, yep, Paul would be your guy.
rob

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Post by Al Benton » Tue Jun 15, 2010 2:23 pm

Well, for Paul P. you may want to visit the Chris-Craft Commander Forum, Inc. These folks acknowledge the Chris-Craft Antique Boat Club and include a link to our website. The other group (CCCC) doesn't.

Al

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Post by Wood Commander » Tue Jun 15, 2010 4:31 pm

pick the 35'er (Commander)......pick the 35'er...... pick the 35'er...... (or the 36' Corvette)

If you build it they will come................

er, I'd be happy to help out if I can, I'm just a little crippled computer and information- wise right now due to my recent move. Everything is kind of in limbo for me right now. I'm typing this on my freind's computer, in his house. I'm kind of his "squatter" right now until I get things settled in a little better in my new area over the next several months. Strictly for logistical purposes, I'm not even changing my address for a while yet as my wife will not be joining me until an unspecified, later date.

As for the 42' Corvette, it's an ironic fact that one of the most plentiful and famous wood model kits made featuring a Chris Craft cruiser was the Sterling Models 42' Corvette. This may have been partially due to it's size, being 48" long by about 13" wide.

But the actual boat never went into production. Keith's boat is the prototype and the only one ever built. It has two different hull numbers, and I believe that it started out life as a 42' Express Cruiser before being built as a Corvette.
It was apparently changed several times before it's end form was finalized. And evidently Chris Craft either didn't like the way it turned out, or they just didn't think it would sell well enough to continue on with it. Actually, I don't think any of the Corvettes were hot sellers, even though they are cool boats.

I was attending a symposium at The Mariner's Museum when I met Keith and Jerry Conrad. Keith told me he had a 42' Corvette and I was intrigued, having never heard of one, or even knowing about the Sterling model at that time.
As Keith told me about his boat, I wondered how much stock I could put in this story. But we were in The Mariner's Museum Research Library with then curator Jerry Conrad (also the author of "Chris Craft- The Essential Guide")standing right there with us and a part of the conversation. Jeryy injected into the conversation the difficulty they had in finding Keith's Hull Card for the Corvette, explaining all of the engineering change notes they had found. Later, when The Essential Guide was written, a special note was made concerning the 1955 42' Corvette and it's lineage in the 42' Express Cruiser. Whereas the 36-37' Corvettes trace their lineage to the 36-37' Commander soft top 4-sleepers.

36 and 37' Corvettes were soft- top boats, even though there may be some with optional hardtops. But Keith's one and only 42' Corvette has a hardtop. This differs from the Sterling model which is a soft- top.

35', 36' and 37' Commanders and 36' and 37' Corvettes shared the Hercules/Chris Craft JXLD/MLR 145hp powerplants with Paragon transmissions and the same underwater gear, while Keith's boat had (I believe) 354 Chrysler Hemis.

I was lucky enough to be shown aboard Keith's Corvette and given a tour back then during the symposium years ago. The boat was moored only about 30 minutes away from the museum at the time. Keith had been doing some small minor restoration work on it and had it it in very nice condition.
Bret

1953 35' Commander "Adonis III"

1970 23' lancer project

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Post by LaBob » Tue Jun 15, 2010 5:03 pm

Thanks!!!! Glad you took time to share that..

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Post by Wood Commander » Tue Jun 15, 2010 7:17 pm

Bob, I have a very stubborn streak in me that wants to build a very special trailer for my boat. Among other things I want to try is for the trailer to be a "U" shaped design, with at least some removable cross frames. This is in order to leave the interior of the trailer (not counting the three trailer axles) open for backing the trailer around the boat to lift it up and move it away.
Using the design of the yard trailers at my marina as design inspiration, I think I have figured a way to roll and lift the boat up high enough to make it able to be moved snd trailered. I shouldn't have to have the entire interior of the trailer open to make it work the way I want it to.

If I can make a successful trailer design, I can avoid the high costs associated with having marinas lift, move and set the boat on the hard. I could also have the freedom to keep it at places other than at a marina.

So this is where you come in. I would absolutely love to have you build one of your superb models of my boat, but I doubt that I could afford it anytime soon.
But perhaps I might be able to see if you could build me just an unfinished hull with all of the correct shapes in 1" to 1' scale for me so that I could build actual, changeable model mock- up trailer designs. I'm sure that my design will need many different changes and variations before I can truly figure out if my ideas can work or not, and having an actual hull model would take the guesswork out of the trial and error phase.
What would you think of that idea?
Bret

1953 35' Commander "Adonis III"

1970 23' lancer project

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Post by LaBob » Tue Jun 15, 2010 7:44 pm

Bret,
Gee, just when I was going to ask you more questions about the 42'... Like did it have teak or mahogony decking?? King plank?
I am going to assume you have the 35' Commander..LOL
I think you have a interesting idea there. Although I fail to see how you could load and unload it but that is your challange, not mine. I could possibly build a scale trailer from your drawings also.
I am in the middle of two 37' Corvettes right now and going on vacation to get away from the oil in La marsh and visit the oil on Fl beaches the latter part of the month thru the 6th of July.
Do you have the line drawing? I can build the hull from those. Oh, also would like the shop drawing to place struts, shafts, rudders, and stuffing boxes. I would have 45 hours time in it (completeing the frame drawings, keel drawing, frame cutting, glueing, shaping the bow, planking) and need to figure my material cost which is easy to do should we pursue. It would be a rough hull, not finished, not pretty, I would probably leave the upper bow part unfinished and if you show it to anyone, you can't tell them who built it!!! I would be embarassed. LOL
We need to talk more.
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Post by LaBob » Tue Jun 15, 2010 8:04 pm

Just thought of a possibly very large problem.. I know the CC museum doesn't have the line drawings for the 36' Commander from previous correspondence w/them..At least they don't know they have it if they do.. Personally I think the 37' is the same boat w/bow slanted forward. No idea about the 35'...U need to check first..

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Post by LaBob » Tue Jun 15, 2010 8:48 pm

Bret, rethinking this entire thing. There are guys who build model hulls using a CAD computer program, and make glass hulls from the program. (I know it is sinful to make a plastic hull for a wooden boat) No props, stuffing box, rudders, struts. They can do it a lot cheaper and faster then I can. I can try to put you on a couple if you like. My best guess is about $300 plus shipping for these guys, but that is just a SWAG..

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Post by Wood Commander » Tue Jun 15, 2010 9:08 pm

OK Bob, that's something to think about.

Strange, I don't know why they wouldn't have the 36' Commander drawings, I've got lots of stuff for my 35'er and for the 1957 32' Commander I used to own, and that I helped you with when you were building that model.
I know one of my lines drawings for my 35'er shows the additional 36' outline and higher chine rise.
Actually, I think I might even have a 36' Commander drawing, I've even got some for the 1954 35' Sportfisherman which was actually a 36' Commander hull with the transom flattened out and I think the shear break moved a little farther aft if I remember correctly.
And the cabin was shortened and the helm moved forward for a larger aft deck on the Sportfisher, but it was a 36' Commander hull.
Unfortunately I am seperated from my drawing collection as well and cannot take a look at what I actually have on the 36'er for certain.

Once again, I'm going off an old memory, but for at least my 35' Commander, I think the folder from the drawing vault at the museum was #89.

I also can't remember for sure, but I think the 36' Corvettes that I saw were setup with teak main aft deck and teak for the small deck aft of the aft cabin. And I think the foredecks are mahogany without a king plank, but I can't say that for certain. If I get to the Rendezvous, I'll try to remember to check on that stuff.
Bret

1953 35' Commander "Adonis III"

1970 23' lancer project

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