First or Second Generation??????
 

So after all the pics I posted and the explanation on the missing bolsters, side marker lights, non skid on the deck, custom dash, wood trim removed from the door, and windshield design. Do you guys still think it is second generation or could it be first?

It is a 79 according to the hull number and title. Any guess as to how many were made in 79? I understand the issues with the second generation and the first but rough guess??

Re: First or Second Generation??????
 

I'm going to go with the windshield.....the second generation never made a boat with that type of windshield....they used some plastic look a like to the smaller sport windshield we used, but never with an aluminum frame.

We used the same company as Cigarette did, American Marine, Don set me up with the guy there, so everything would be the same on the bananas as the Cigarettes.

I will go out on a limb and say that your boat must be one of the last we made before we sold to the people making the second gen.

Congratulations....you have an original.

Re: First or Second Generation??????
 

So your original sport winshields were differant than my plexi winshield? What is the big difference between them?

Re: First or Second Generation??????
 

Did American also do th cabin door cabin hatch?
Mine is without either.

Any suggestions for cost effective replacements that don't break or fall apart?

Re: First or Second Generation??????
 

Thanks Top Banana !! That's what I was hoping for!

Re: First or Second Generation??????
 

Fruitta ....take a look at some photos of the 28 SS Cigarette or 35 Mistress with the low sport windshield....you will see that the plastic actually wrapped around the corner and then was joined to the side with a piece of metal back around the console area......the second gen windshields were made with one piece across the front and then joined at the corner itself with side piece.

Our original sport windshields were also done by American Marine as were Cigarette. Second gens were made in New England.

Dregsz....we will have new windshields, but they will be made to fit the new deck lines which will be different than the older ones.
American Marine threw out all the old patterns for both banana and Cigarette just a few years ago. Originally, we had to make them a mock up of the deck area and ship it down to them to be fitted to each windshield made...that deck section is long gone too, they told me.

So for the new deck we will be startng from zero again.

Doors were made from raw teak stock by our own carpenters at the shop....we had a teak hatch that was made in two versions, one was full size and the other was half size...one half of it flipped back and laid on the other half.

G-man asked about outboard vs IO...Mercury changed the line up of available engines from the 350 block with 280 horse to the 454 block with 330 or 370 horse. This completely chaged the price point for sales, not to mention balance of the boat. The 28SS that Cigarette made, had to cut holes in the engine hatch to fit the 454 engines in...you can see it in some photos.

A 24 banana with a 350 / 280 package was about 1 mph slower than the same boat with a 454 /330 package because of the weight...and the right driver could easily beat the higher powered boat in the rough stuff with the trim buttons.

Once we started offering the twin 200 outboards, a lot of people went that way, as the price was comparable with the new 454 and the speeds were much higher.

Re: First or Second Generation??????
 

[QUOTE=Top Banana]G-man asked about outboard vs IO...Mercury changed the line up of available engines from the 350 block with 280 horse to the 454 block with 330 or 370 horse. This completely changed the price point for sales, not to mention balance of the boat. The 28SS that Cigarette made, had to cut holes in the engine hatch to fit the 454 engines in...you can see it in some photos.[QUOTE]


If a boat is sold new, generally speaking they are going with a merc package and waranty.
Nothing wrong with that, but big motors from Merc cost a serious bundle.

If TB wants to save the wt, we could do a 500 hp or 600 hp 434 CI small block depending on solid or hydraulic roller cam and compression or a 700-800 HP Big block and the wt issue isn't as big a deal as it was back in the day since there is so much more power available.

The price between Biggie Motors dynoed big and small block aren't too far apart.
(about $3k between the 434 and 598 at retail, with the 540 and 572 slightly less, and we know TB ain't getting a retail price)

http://www.offshoreonly.com/esvon/page-6210.html

http://www.donzi.net/forums/showthread.php?t=41725

Re: First or Second Generation??????
 

Thanks Top Banana for all the info and history. Very cool. How many 24's do you think you produced in 79?