27 starfire
 

What are the differences between an early 80's sport and and an early 80's starfire besides the name? Just wondering.

Re: 27 starfire
 

The Starfire had a raised rear deck and the Sport didn't. This is a Starfire.....

Re: 27 starfire
 

This is a Sport......with an original 280 TRS hatch.....

Re: 27 starfire
 

Sport with big hatch installed.......not original.

Re: 27 starfire
 

Sport with Volvo hatch.......and pad.

Re: 27 starfire
 

Another Starfire........

Re: 27 starfire
 

My Sport with non-original hatch to clear 320 EFIs....

Re: 27 starfire
 

Another Sport with non-original big hatch........not a Starfire.

Re: 27 starfire
 

Another Sport........with 280 TRS hatch......

Re: 27 starfire
 

Sport with original volvo hatch and pad......

Re: 27 starfire
 

And here is a Sport with what I believe to be a factory installed big hatch........probably an option.

Re: 27 starfire
 

I've got more but I hope this helps.......:)

BTW: I hope people don't mind me posting their photos......I'm collecting images for a web site someday.

Re: 27 starfire
 

That is the factory hatch, it had the Tempest engine package when new. You are correct sir! :D

Re: 27 starfire
 

That boat is Hairy Canary right?.........what color was it originally?.......it looks beige in that original photo.

Re: 27 starfire
 

Yes that is the Hairy Canary. The original color is bright yellow, the picture does not reflect that. Lucky Strike had that photo, he knew the boat when it was new (knew the original owner). Here is a clear picture of the engine box, my father repainted the transom, that is why the boot stripe is missing on the transom in these pictures, and not the earlier picture.

Re: 27 starfire
 

Aaron,

You are getting a nice collection of Magnum photos,
Have you been enjoying your Sport this Summer?

Smarty, was your Dad's boat the old "Rated X" that Bub Crisp had in the mid 70s?

Its interesting to see the drive heights on each boat.
Thank you

Jim

Re: 27 starfire
 

No, Rated-X was older than "the Hairy Canary", two different boats. My father raised the drives on his Magnum, to the rub-rail, now that you bring up drive heights. Interesting observation, my father wanted to raise the drives even further, there was one more inch to be had (even with the top of the rub-rail).

Re: 27 starfire
 

Thanks Jim......yeah I've got quite few more pics but most you have probably seen.

I have been getting out in the boat this year.....not as much as I'd like but enough to be out of gas money....:)

Re: 27 starfire
 

Smarty,

Thank you,, Wasn't sure about Rated X,, guess there were the two bright yellow Sports at the Shore/Bay.
If ,I remember correctly ,, have seen a couple of drive heights up into the rub rail. was alot of work to raise them.
I had mine bumped up 2 inches By Roger Munn when he had the new shop in Bricktown in the 70s.

Aaron,,, Great, glad that you are getting to enjoy your Sport this season.
I'm on hold for this season , as been doing some real estate shopping in Puerto Rico. Once that is done, will most likely get a Sport and ship it there to use.

Thank you
Jim

Re: 27 starfire
 

I had asked my father about Rated -X, he said that boat had SternPower Speedmaster outdrives (replacements for the Volvos). That was one strong running boat.

I remember a Barnegat Bay race where Rated-X, and Jolly Roger were running, they were some bad boats in their day.

The Hairy Canary always had TRS drives. I really like my father's new boat, but the Hairy Canary gave me many great memories.

Re: 27 starfire
 

another for ya sport with home made hatch

Re: 27 starfire
 

Hello Smarty,

I know Roger's Jolly Roger, had the SternPower Speedmasters with Big Block Chevys But I though that Bub's Rated X has Merc Speedmasters on it with Big blocks ,,I think it started out as Merc Tempest package and Bub switched it over to keep up with Roger, the other Sport that was fast was Boss Lady , The white Sport owned by Don Stall, for owned the Harley Dealership in Point. they were the 3 badest Sports around at the time.
At one time in the mid 70s there was about 6-7 nice Sports on the Bay.
I could never keep up with Roger,Bub , Don or Even Gary's Sports.
But it was fun to run around the Bay with them.
I got all of the hot trick Volvo stuff off of Roger's Boat when he converted to the SternPower Speedmasters. I also got a pair of special Volvo Speedos from Don Stall that were made from the guys from Mich. Wally Harper and the other Magnum guys that came out of Mich. had made a few pair of the Speedo lowers for Volvos with the help of the engineers at GM. They were smaller then the regular Speedos from Volvo.
They had some bad Sports out of Mich. in those days.

Its great to think back about all those days on the Bay. Was Fun days.
Who brought your Dad's Sport?

Thank you
Jim

Re: 27 starfire
 

The fella (Rick) that bought my father's Magnum knew the boat when he was growing up in that area (Brick). He liked it then so when he saw it for sale he wanted it. I am glad he bought it, and it is back in area where it started.

The one boat from Michigan, "Lil Smidgen" (I think I spelled the name correctly) was always one of my favorites boats, that boat always kicked ass in it class. (I also like the 29' Mirage "Wolverine", and the 35' Cigarette "Wild Turkey" from back in the day).

Was Rated-X, faster than the Jolly Roger back then?

My father had wanted a Volvo Speedmaster for his Cigarette (he bought the first 20' that Aronow made), because of suspected blow-out; he had the 20' Cigarette, and a 24' Pantera before buying the Hairy Canary. Sounds like your Magnum was a pretty strong runner - how did you like the Volvo Speedmaster lowers?

Re: 27 starfire
 

"Two Volvo drive boats are enough in one lifetime" - Lucky Strike

His Cig had speedmaster lowers and hot rod motors. The Magnum Sport had stock 270 Volvo's with 350 Crusader Scorpions. He constantly got beat by the 280/TRS boats.....by a big margin. After that, he never looked back and it was MerCruiser all the way.

Re: 27 starfire
 

i think that cigarette 28 is in mich i almost positive its the same one ,lucky any idea where the boat is know

Re: 27 starfire
 

No, the Volvos were no match for the TRS Mercs back then. As Lucky Strike Jr said, The TRS were a lot faster.
I was just starting out in sport boats and didn't know any better, and put money into Roger's old Volvo set up. I should have converted to Mercs back then. I also started off with the 350 Crusader Scorpion package and then went from there. I was no where near the speeds that Roger and the others were running, but my motors were stock 350 from Crusader.
I think that Roger's Jolly Roger was a little faster then Bub's Rated X,, not by much,, they were pretty close, all three of them I think were running in the low 80s back then.
Lil Smidgen was the class of the Sports back then, But they had a lot of help from the folks at GM as they all had some type of dealings with GM thru their businesses and got to work with a lot of the Engineers there.
they all helped each other.
Some did the design work on parts(Drives, shafts, etc) some the patterns, the molds, some the castings and tool and die machineing. they make 6 or so parts and they be the only ones with them.
It's nice to think back about the Jersey Shore in those days. it was a fun time.

Have a great Weekend and hope Ernesto doesn't mess up your weekend too much

Jim