chris craft 8 meter project
 

I have a chris craft 8 meter project sitting at my shop. Has new transom and engine bedders. This is a beautiful boat and I hate to get rid of it but I have 4 other boats and no time for this one. Come make offer. Don't know how to post pics but I can email them 727-992-0467 Ryan Boat is located in Port Richey, FL

They are cool boats, Here is one from Lake St Clair that I here will be at our Old School Reunion II June 20th..

What is the story on about the Chris Craft 8 meter? I have not heard about this model. When were they made? Was this the precursor to the 390 Stinger?

They have a unique cockpit set up, the helm is in the back seat.

These were made around 1975 in a limited production, long before the Stinger. They had a good and bad short history in offshore racing. The Bad,, the first death in offshore racing happened on Lake St Clair, Walt Burns was killed in the Maverick, CC owned by Steve Baum. The Good, new safety rules came out of this tragedy, and Steve made the 32' Maverick race boats from this hull. [Maverick & Miss Gallo, Break Out]

Do you still have the Chris Craft 8 meter project for sale ?

/Lars, [email protected]

The hull lines look VERY similar to a 36' 1968 Chris Craft Corvette my family used to have.

Our understanding is that the '68 was a 1 in 5 prototype for offshore racing. It was 36' long, 27 deg bottom, 12' beam and twin 427 Fords. It was all mahogany, but had nearly identical lines to the Maverick S-7.

The story we got from an old boy that worked for Chris Craft in the 60's was the boats were designed with the help of Jim Wynn. Of the 5, 2 recieved fiberglass cabins and 427's, and 3 were flat deck and set up to race. Not sure how true that story is, but it is all the information we have.

We know that hull design was used in later years, but no other specifics.

I would love to know any more history you may know about these boats.


**** Edit: Looks like some info has turned up in recent years, sorry for the thread hijack - http://www.chris-craft.org/wiki/index.php/Corvette ****

A friend and I bought the 8 meter hull mold from Chris-Craft when they auctioned off everything when the Holland Michigan plant shut down. It had been sitting out in the field right-side up and full of water (and ice) in the winter for several years. it was in bad shape, but we were going to make it big in the boat building business! Well, it never happened and eventually the mold was destroyed. Still kinda bummed that something didn't come from the failed venture.

Shawn

I sold my 24 excalibur and decided to go on with the project. The top cap was butchered and rotten so I tossed it. Now it will be a hot rod center console with a 496 and bravo set up. I will post pics throughout the project.

Excellent! I would enjoy seeing your progress. Please keep us up-to-date with pics.!

Thanks,
Shawn

Last one built 1976 Hull #38
 

I have the last one built in 1976 - Hull number 38 - In my research over the years I have discovered that this hull was designed by Don Aronow - I would like to find some sort of provenance to support this information - anyone here ever find this info?

I found this beauty of a boat in in 92 sitting on a ramshakled bunk trailer with 96 hours on meters and missing an engine, with drive where engine should have been... sitting in a 'junk' yard! (guys junk piles back yard) - i got the engine that was there to run, with the fuel that was in the tanks, after sitting since 1979 - yep - sat for 13 years - try that with today gas!

For years i had seen blips of yellow thru a fence... then one day i finally went to the house rang the bell - no answer - the house was piled to the ceilings with junk - it was obvious no one lived there - i went to look at these yellow 'blips' i had seen for so long tru the fence - indeed it was a boat - i lifted up the very weathered cover and saw... chris-craft - my heart skipped a beat - WOW - looked around the boat there was a hole where the drive should have been for the Port Side... -- so ran back to my car - got pen and pencil - got the hull numbers and the DNR license tag numbers - went to the DNR building to get the owner of record - mailed a letter - telling of my interest in the boat -- a few years go by... i get a phone call - ....so you wanna buy my boat? this weathered and tired voice says to me... WHAT??? i was confused -- i had completely forgotten about this wonderboat --- and the rest as they say is history...

what is better that a boat with a story??? telling the story!

http://www.philtheflorist.com/images/P9150002.jpg

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._5517841_n.jpg

Welcome to the boards... and what a fantastic story. The boat looks great, and from the pic, she seems to run as well. Got any more pics and details? Were nuts for the details here. Just love the fact you brought an old girl back to life, and put her back where she belongs... on the water.

Darrell.
What engines and drives are ya runnin' ?

Hi Darrell - and everyone

this boat was optioned out well

the seats are on spring loaded shock absorbers.... :)

has twin 300hp 350's best i can figure they were 'vette' engines

the cam in the good engine had huge (wide) bearing races and seemed much more sturdy than the aftermarket cams

i speked out parts to match - the pink rods - forged crank - same cam etc to build out the missing engine...

then i changed the heads to dart heads, changed the intake to edelbrock performer RPM's... still using the quadrajets -- did some work on them and re-metered them

then finally dumped the dial point mallory dists... for MSD systems

this MSD change over by far made the most gain on performance in coming out of the hole and top end... - on a good cool day she spins 6200 rpms running volvo ultras 27 piutch 64-66 mph by my hand held gps

this boat really goes -- and is allot of fun - gets a fair share of attention - I have more photes - just have to round them up!

Please send more pictures! I have one of these aswell Im restoring!

Who's drive'n in the 2nd pic?:eek:

Way cool ride!!!!! we need more pics

x2:eek:

350 FLV's / volvo 280 drives with volvo ultra props that i upgraded with dart heads and performer rpm intakes...

i have the original bill of sale - and much of the paperwork - boat is well optioned - has floating seats - still has unbroken windscreen - deck rail that i removed... (have rail)

I have decided to put the boat up for sale -- I have owned it for many many years - it is time for a new - good home - Any interested parties - PM or email intoitall AT yahoo.com

price ?????????

1975 Chris Craft 8 Metre
http://detroit.craigslist.org/mcb/boa/3690536260.html

"FOR SALE BY PRIVATE OWNER OR LOOKING TO TRADE THIS RARE/ANTIQUE BOAT FOR A PONTOON BOAT OF EQUAL VALUE (17.000- 15.000) AT LEAST 22-24 FOOT IN LENGTH and LARGE PONTOONS.
1975 Chris*Craft 8 Metre -Hull # ORAZ-27-010, there were only 38 of these made and only a few of these boats are in existence. . This is hull # 10- 7'10" beam- 32" draft. 5,225 lbs, 26' 10" has a slender deep vee hull, with deep red metal flake finish which is factory. The boat was garage kept for 25 years and we acquired it in 2004 and has been kept in a hoist since, never left in the water. the deck has a small hatch opening. Full cabin with cushions and 70's shag carpeting. Seating is a departure from most traditional interior layouts with the passangers riding in front of the driver. Volvo 270 speedmaster drives and are bulletproof. Powered by 2 Chevy original blocks 350 4 bolt with bow tie heads, bow tie intake and MSD ignition. Mercury Lab racing clever props.(15x23 3 blade stainless) I have the Powerboat magazine from 1975 that featured this boat, I also have the build sheet and information from the mariners Museum. No trailer.
This boat handles amazing and cuts through the roughest chop on the lake.
Please only serious offers.."