1940's or 50's, 60's ??? aluminum runabout

[m casey stock]

Re: 1940's or 50's, 60's ??? aluminum runabout

View attachment 143976

Okay....looked through all the Fiberglassics.com Aluminum pictures and still no matches, again I really loved looking at all the cool boats.. I'm still searching for a source that gets into the really old aluminum boats, I don't know how far back the manufacturing of aluminum runabouts goes?

 

[m casey stock]

Re: 1940's or 50's, 60's ??? aluminum runabout

Any one have old pictures of McKenzie brand boats around 1959? My son has one and we are researching it too.

 

[silver_bay]

Re: 1940's or 50's, 60's ??? aluminum runabout

It's not a handle I've seen before, and the "rib" under the deck doesn't look familiar either.

I'd be very surprised if it was an AeroCraft.

 

[m casey stock]

Re: 1940's or 50's, 60's ??? aluminum runabout

The rib under the deck is actually a curb for the shelf that goes up to the bow. I've seen similar ones but none exact. I'm wondering if it's not one of thier first runabout models? Around 52?

 

[m casey stock]

Re: 1940's or 50's, 60's ??? aluminum runabout

Anyone have pictures of Duracrafts from the 50's?

 

[1973Chieftain]

Re: 1940's or 50's, 60's ??? aluminum runabout

http://www.feathercraft.net/catalogs.html

Here are some catalogs back to '48

 

[m casey stock]

Re: 1940's or 50's, 60's ??? aluminum runabout

thanks Chief,
I am thinking it is a 1952.

 

[m casey stock]

Re: 1940's or 50's, 60's ??? aluminum runabout

Wow, this is hard!!!

 

[silver_bay]

Re: 1940's or 50's, 60's ??? aluminum runabout

Earlier, I wrote:

I'd be very surprised if it was an AeroCraft.

I may yet have to eat my words. I was trying out the latest revision of the program to pick a random AeroCraft photo for the home page at http://www.ultimate.com/aerocraft-boats/
and one popped up that was unfamiliar. I clicked on it to see what page it came from, and this slapped me in the face:



from the page at http://www.ultimate.com/aerocraft-boats/0301/index.html

It's one of the fancier models, and the only one I have for that model/year (which I think may be 1956).

 

[m casey stock]

Re: 1940's or 50's, 60's ??? aluminum runabout

Does indeed look a lot closer than any others I have seen so far. I think mine may be an older, less fancy version. I noticed from some of the other pictures that the transom is riveted in place where mine is welded and my gunwales over hang the sides by an inch, but the styling is close enough that you can easily see where the 1956 model could have evolved from my model. But I feel pretty sure it's a Duracraft Duraflite.

 

[TruckDrivingFool]

Re: 1940's or 50's, 60's ??? aluminum runabout

Dang, it was just there! Here goes again View attachment 143977

I'm bored and looking at old pics tonight and it just struck me - I think you have your biggest clue right there. Not only the handle but what looks like the complete absence of a nose piece. Is there anything there at all? Does it look like there may have been? Every tinny I've ever seen has some kind of plate on the nose

 

[TruckDrivingFool]

Re: 1940's or 50's, 60's ??? aluminum runabout

Close but I don't think so 59' Feathercraft Ranger

There's alot of differences but 56' Duracraft and another the construction looks very similar. .

I'll also retract my statement as I have now seen a number of tiinnies w/o a nose cap but they are fewer than those with.

 

[m casey stock]

Re: 1940's or 50's, 60's ??? aluminum runabout

The 56 looks soooooo close, it even has the gunwales hanging over the sides, I sure wish I could see the rear of that one, can't tell if the transom is welded on or riveted, can you? It looks to be a little more fancy than mine, but pretty darn close! Thanks Everyone for continuing to look! I think we are getting real close in this.

 

[m casey stock]

Re: 1940's or 50's, 60's ??? aluminum runabout

Found this while internet searching Duracraft, Still not an exact match, but I feel certain that it is a duracraft or at least built by them here's a link http://www.flickr.com/photos/42827912@N02/sets/72157622474331872/ It shows a little blue boat with overhanging gunwales and a welded transom.
No date on it though.

 

[TruckDrivingFool]

Re: 1940's or 50's, 60's ??? aluminum runabout

Ya that seriously looks like it, I think you have found your maker.

 

[MH Hawker]

Re: 1940's or 50's, 60's ??? aluminum runabout

mmm I looked a bit and found a 57 aerocraft with that stern.


http://www.ultimate.com/aerocraft-boats/0083/index.html

 

[m casey stock]

Re: 1940's or 50's, 60's ??? aluminum runabout

Went out boat part hunting. I was able to track down the guy the PO bought my Duracraft from ( as a hobby he fixes up middle aged fishing glass boats) I thought he might have a windshield or something along those lines I could use. Well....when we got there, he actually had another whole tinny with trailer. It's a StarCraft I feel sure, has an airplane looking bow handle that I have seen before but I can't find it again (you guys have been there before I Know) anyway, long story short, It now belongs to my son ( LOL ) I didn't get any small parts for mine, but was able to buy a nice running 25HP 88 model Johnson for my Duracraft (the PO found a label that stated that was the max HP for it, I don't know what he did with that label, painted over it? scraped it off?) We paid $800.00 for all of it, and my son is going to pay me back $200, so $600 for a nice running Johnson 25HP and a real good deal on the boat for him. I think we did good. I'll try to get pictures soon. Does any of you remember seeing the airplane looking bow handle I'm talking about? It actually has little wings and everything. I'm positive it is a McKenzie because I've seen one with the same exact steering wheel as his, but we would like to put a model and a date to it (I still don't have that for my Duracraft ) His also still has both of the ID tags on the inside of the transom, tacked to the plywood on either side of the motor, so if it gets down to it I can run those to get more info. but would love to show him a picture of one like his fixed up to keep him motivated (he's 17 and easily distracted).

 

[m casey stock]

Re: 1940's or 50's, 60's ??? aluminum runabout

Update on progress


I'm actually further along with the stripping, I took these to show the original paint design. I may incorporate some of the same patterns in my new paint job, but it won't be red and white. I actually talked with Kim Ward yesterday (one of the owners of Duracraft boats, son of one of the original founders) and it was a fun talk, he had a blast remembering things about the old classic runabouts. He told me that mine is a Duraflite and that they do quite well with a 40hp on them, I chuckled and said "I bet" He told me back then there where no ratings on them and you did whatever you wanted, and the design could for sure handle more than a 25hp. I told him my serial # is 133887 and he said "that's an old boat" that coming from a pretty old man LOL early 50's was still a best guess. Anyway, more pictures to come.

 

[alex basson]

Re: 1940's or 50's, 60's ??? aluminum runabout

I've seen one like this somewhere, but I have no clued of it's age. should be nice when you are done.

 

[m casey stock]

Re: 1940's or 50's, 60's ??? aluminum runabout

Thanks, I seen a few too, some almost identical, but never a solid "year made" attached to them. i've seen only a few with the same bow handle but many with the Duracraft airship handle (on up in to the 60's) I'm thinking the handle is from before they came up with the handle with Duracraft on it. Thats why I'm thinking its from the earlist years of production.