[d.laudermilch]

Hi everyone,

first time posting here, though i've been reading alot. i may finally be buying a v-drive flat bottom, which i have wanted since i was a kid! when i was a kid my dad lived on wolverine lake in michigan, and there were a number of flat bottoms around there in the late 70s.

so, i found a 1965 Howard for sale. i haven't seen it in person because it's far away, but i'll make the drive if it's worth it. what do the experts think? see these pictures and note the spider web cracking on the dashboard, and also the condition of the one stringer that's visible. does this look ok?

i'm a fairly good mechanic and can fix most anything, but i wonder if i can run this boat for the summer of 2021 without doing much of anything. owner says the motor runs good. mopar 440 bored .030 over. ported heads. 727 trans. 10 degree casale v drive.

-David

 

[snoc653]

A lot depends on what can't be seen in the pictures. The far left board for the pedal mounting is shot. It will need to be replaced. Will it last a year? maybe. More concerning is the front fuel tank. Is it fiberglass? If so and if they put modern fuel in it, the ethanol in the gas has probably done a number on that tank. It might already be leaking or it might be about to start. I wouldn't risk it. There are a lot of other boats closer to Michigan that are for sale and are probably in a lot better shape. Unless it is a steal of a price and you are going there anyway, I'd pass.

 

[d.laudermilch]

Thanks for the reply. things like the far left board don't bother me. the fuel tank as well is replaceable, but that is very good info, thanks. the owner is asking $5k. do you think that's a good price? it seemed good to me, he has a difficult time to sell due to his location.

 

[poncho]

Unless that boat has the rarest Mopar engine ever made it is not a 5K boat. I'm the last one on this board to bad mouth any one else's ride and i'm not doing that.
What Snoc said was right on the money, most of us have been there and done that.

 

[sintax]

Thanks for the reply. things like the far left board don't bother me. the fuel tank as well is replaceable, but that is very good info, thanks. the owner is asking $5k. do you think that's a good price? it seemed good to me, he has a difficult time to sell due to his location.

I'd say that boats name is right on the money!

5k seems to be about double what i'd expect to pay for that. If you're super serious about this, I'd really look in southern Ca or Az for a boat. They seem to be much better cared for and "done right". Sure you'll have to make a road trip to make it happen, but its better than dumping 12k into an 4k boat.

 

[Mouzer]

bow tank n a flatty........flattys have gone up and fewer are out there...think i bought out the market over the last 30 yrs lol.....check the floors and stringers for delam thats the money look for soft spots in the floor where the glass is not stuck to the wood floor .looking at 2500 to 4k for floors and stringers for any boat......


dragboatcity.com
dragboats unlimited.com
craigslist
boattrader

 

[d.laudermilch]

Thanks everyone for the feedback, i think you've saved me some heartache. as much as i wish this was a good deal, it obviously isn't. if any of you see a better deal on a v-drive flat bottom let me know, i'm in the market! my max budget is 7k, which maybe isn't much. and one major criteria, the boat needs to have more than two seats.

thanks!

 

[sintax]

Thanks everyone for the feedback, i think you've saved me some heartache. as much as i wish this was a good deal, it obviously isn't. if any of you see a better deal on a v-drive flat bottom let me know, i'm in the market! my max budget is 7k, which maybe isn't much. and one major criteria, the boat needs to have more than two seats.

thanks!

Another Schiada....

'67 Flat this time Motor was rebuilt 2 years ago and only has 20 minues on her She is a tad banged up from years and years as a river boat. Im going to slightly clean her up, but keep it how it is and have some fun with her! Previous owner had her for 35 years. Him and his wife are...

www.riverdavesplace.com

1967 Schiada Flatty - boats - by owner - marine sale

Turn Key!!! FOR SALE $8,999. Located in Parker, AZ https://www.riverdavesplace.com/forums/threads/another-schiada.199517/ The previous owner had the motor rebuilt and only ran the boat for 20...

losangeles.craigslist.org

Its a few bucks more than you're wanting to spend, but i'm sure if you wave 7k at him he'd take it, seats 3!

it even has some racing history and is an OG checkerboard schiada boat. It sucks because prices are so damn high right now on everything. I'd guess things are 60% inflated based on where they were just 3 years ago. Its hard to get into anything decent for cheap.

 

[d.laudermilch]

not bad! =)
i'll start looking in earnest around CA and AZ.
definitely want to get something in the next two months.

 

[d.laudermilch]

Hi Everyone,

many thanks for the advice earlier. there are a lot of boats out there but not many that fulfill these criteria. 1. four seats 2. needs to be useable as-is and 3. under $7000.

i've been looking and found another potential boat, in Lake Elsinore, CA. 1969 Miller ski flat, new 468, mild cam, tunnel ram, dual 650s, no trans, nice crank, dimple rods, it now has a through-transom exhaust. only two seats but he has other seats in a single/double arrangement he'll give me. i would use the double seat as a pattern and convert the single seat to another double. he wants $6500. says the paint is great and the hull is great. it's a heavier layup. i spoke to him on the phone, seems to be a real decent drag boat guy with a stable of flat bottoms. he has glaucoma and can't race anymore. the pictures are incomplete so i'm waiting for better pictures.

long drive from Lake Elsinore to Wisconsin where i'm at, but he said he's moving to Missouri now and could transport this boat along with the rest of his and we'd share the transport cost.

lol, reading my post this sounds like a lot of work, don't know why i get a good feeling about this boat. what do the experts think about this one? better pictures coming.