In need of a classic Scarab decoding
 

Hello everyone, My Name is Brian and I am new to Offshore Only. I have recently bought a 1986 38' Scarab project. I will post some pictures, some of you may have seen it on ebay for sale.
But my question is, can someone help decode the serial number? I have attemped to get in touch with Wellcraft but their automated phone send you from customer service option to account receivable and only to leave a message.
Trying to find out what the model is, if it is constructed from fiberglass or kevlar and if the X dimension is higher with offshore motor mounts verses stock mounts?
Looking forward to get this project completed so I can run with you guys and gals on the west end of Lake Erie. (Just can't seem to keep up with a cabin cruiser) Thanks for your help!

Post some pics of it,I'm sure someone here knows the history an most of the specs. Good luck with the project.

Wellcraft is basically out of business. Even when they were open, they were not very helpful. Genmar Marine (Irwin Jacobs) which was the last ownership group, didnt have anything to do with the Scarabs of the 80's. Wellcraft only made replacement parts for any given model for a few years, then most owners went out on their own for parts. Your best bet is to post pics and let the OSO boys help you out.

Here it goes, trying to upload pic. I'll get better daylight pic later.

It looks like a 377. Most had staggered engines. If it has staggered engines it will plane effortlessly and ride extremely well. Good luck, it looks like a nice boat.

PLEASE CONTACT ME WITH THE HIN NUMBER AND I CAN HELP WITH THE INFO YOU LOOKING FOR
[email protected]

No, it doesn't have staggered engines. I bought without engines but the bellhousing tab suggest that it had 330hp 454's, It appears it was born with offshore mounts (front & mid plate ) but the mid plate was never attached the the stringers. Using the mid plate as a spacer is this common? Should the mid plate get attached to the stringers? The engine bay is unmolested so I beleive there wasn't any other type of mounting. This weekend I put in a mock engine setup and there is no clearance between the carb/flame arrester and the hatch, unless they used a 1" flame arrester. From pictures of other boat around the same age, it seems that this engines and drives sit higher in the hull. I am wondering if that is because it has offshore mounts? Thanks

Most All Had Front Racing Mount With Rear Trans Supports The Mid Or Rear Engine Mounts Were Only Used On Staggered Motor Or Forward
This Boat Was Built With Trs And 400 Or 420 Hp 454 Cid

377 Scarab
 

what is the centerline of the drive cutouts? Staggard Scarabs ran approx 21" apart with the staggar a full 42-48". Putting them in the way they were originally designed makes plenty height for them.
Where are(were) the side windows? above the gunnel?
Also, I had one and moved the rear hatch doors up on and angle to match the perimeter rail area. This gives plenty room for blowers if you want.
Hope it goes well. Posr more pics of the inside bilge and cockpit//helm and I may be able to help more.

Horizonal center line for the outdrives is 36 1/2". The vertical height is what appears to be higher then others I've seen pictures of.
The better question you asked was cabin windows. I say this because the cabin is unmolested and shows no signs of any cabin windows or any work that may have been done to fill in said cabin window. So if all these hulls come with some sort of cabin window, then I'm sure they where not fill in properly.
I'll post picture taken from this past weekend when I installed a mock engine combo.

Post the HIN # and it will tell the model

hull # is WELP0718C486. Expertinboats has given some of the break down. I have to get inside and do some digging to see if its kevlar or fiberglass. What can you tell me? Thank you Brian

I am pretty sure the kevlar scarabs have KEVLAR stamped under the HIN.

Kevlar is bright yellow. It's not hard to see. Somewhere inside the boat where there's ne paint or gelcoat.

I highly doubt its a kevlar layup. I think that was only on the 38 KV's.

I attached pictures from the cabin you will see a black panel with 8 chrome screw covers, behind them are speakers. Below them are grey hinged storage doors, inside them is a narrow storage compartment that is finished and original. The interior would of had to of been totally removed to install these back panels. Now, the gentimen that I bought this boat from he only had owned it for less then year (based on the bill of sale) and the picture on his web site the boat had a black and red strip below the rub rail. So I would say that this boat didn't ever have cabin window or they had been removed very early in its life. Is this possible? I'm the forth owner and the second owner did nothing with it and the third owner painted it.

Yes, it is fiberglass and non stagger engine configuration. The current mystery is no cabin windows and which model. Expertinboats says, it was build in 1984 but was sold in 1986, based on the hull #. I think I need to track down owners one and two so that I can fill in the blanks. Thanks Brian

Hi Brian,

I know the thread is old, but did you finish the Scarab project? Do you still own it?
Would love to ask you a few questions if you still have it.

The thread starter hasn't been on OSO since 2013

i figured i'd give it a try.