aex

An OSO member , StephenA , is in possesion of the old Finish Line Chris Cat and commencing a restoration . The boat was numbered C-5 out of New Jersey and ran the North East circuit .
Steve is looking for some photos of it in its heyday .
Any help out there ?
Steve , I'll bet Jeff at Freeze Frame has some stuff for you .

TGC-32

Actually, Jimmy, the C-5 "Finish Line" Chris-Cat began it's life as ANOTHER "American Express", out of New Jersey, owned by a car dealer named Bob Molinari, if memory serves me. It was VERY fast for it's day. Joe Calabro bought it sometime around 1989 or so. It was an open cockpit, three-seat boat and Joe, like you, turned it into a two-seat canopy boat. (I have way too much Chris-Cat trivia and, apparently, way too much time on my hands!)

I almost took that boat on trade shortly before Joe bought it. The previous owner was fed up with racing and just wanted out of the boat. I still regret not doing that deal!

Tom Caruso
Total Marine

aex

Tom , you would know .
I guess there were actually 4 American Express , mine , Joe's , and one from Texas that were Chris Cats and then one high deck 32 Superboat .
I've got a great picture of yours at home I'll post next week and I think I have the Superboat on my work computer , if I do I'll throw that up today .
Not only was the Finish Line fast , they ran great in the rough .
Reghards , JIM

aex

Here you go , three v8's .
I ripped them from the website .
http://www.superboatonline.com/24.html

StephenA

AEX, TGC-32,
I appreciate your help in getting me some info on the boat. This is a project boat that I purchased 10 years ago to restore. Needless to say, it has been SLOW going. I am pretty much doing all of the work myself, with limited time. My goal is to keep a race boat look / feel with some pleasure ammenities. I have a pair of arneson 1600s going on the boat that will be coupled to 468s with aluminum heads. I have removed the canopies and had to remove the stringers and bulkhead in the engine compartment due to some rot and delamination ( bulkhead ). Transom was solid, and has been filled and painted on the outside. I have the bulkhead laminated and ready to go back in the boat. Then I can install the new stringers as well. I am also installing new aluminum tanks to replace the bladders.The boat is tucked in a corner and when I get a chance, will post some pics.
I purchased the DVD of Luhrs / Linder last winter which shows many of the old Chris race boats. Pretty cool DVD if your into these old boats.

aex

Proceed with caution ! Talk to Luhrs/Linder about the Arnesons .
There was a Chris , Spirit of Miss Liberty with Arnesons and I believe some sort of drive or steering failure caused the death of both pilots in a race in Fla.
Arneson are great units but if my recollection is correct I'd hate to see you make the same error or encounter the same failure .
These guys will know and I'm sure very willing to advise in this critical matter .
Where can I buy the dvd ? I've got George's # should I call him or does Luhrs have a site where he sells them .
Let me know . Thanks .
Post pictures !

StephenA

[QUOTE=aex;2683331]Proceed with caution ! Talk to Luhrs/Linder about the Arnesons .

Thanks for the advice. I already know Luhrs position on the Arnesons, so I wont even go there. I am very familiar with the drives and have no doubt that they will work for me. I was not interested in bravos, speedmaster 3, 4 or 5s and wanted a drive that would hold up. Therefore, this is the route that I have decided to go. I know there is another OSO member who has done almost the exact setup that I am planning ( but with a little more power ) and he loves the drives on the Chris Cat.
I think that I bought the DVD on the historic race boat site that is occasionally referenced here ( HORBA, or something like that ). I will check into that.

BUGSY

I Beleive The Boat Originally Was Called "American Spirit" Red Chris Cat Owner Bob Molinari, Own's Hilltop Nissan, Hanover N.j.

I've Got Pictures From " Freeze Frame " Helicopter Shots.
Boat Was Painted From "Brush Stuff By Pooch" The Guy Who Also Painted Jesse James For The Lavins. RIGGED AT KURT'S

StephenA

It looks like the original gel coat was red, so that would make sense.

StephenA

AEX,
Yes, I bought the DVD on the HORBA web site. There are even more old race and race boat DVDs to choose from as well.