1952 Duracraft Sportsman

[m casey stock]

Re: 1952 Duracraft Sportsman

Not sure if they'll pull the bracket off the starter, but they might:
Evil-bay classified

Seems there may have been a design flaw in the bracket, lots of cracked starter bracket hits.....

Thanks, I sent them an email. You never know. I need a starter too, but I really wanted to buy a new one. I'm leaving my pull start system intact, so taking a chance on a used starter would not be too big a risk.

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: 1952 Duracraft Sportsman

Might try Laings too, they sell used parts, but you have to call to see what they have.......

About that new thread, not yet. Soon though.

I'll let you know about the cowl. A similar 35 cowl may be a better 'fit' to a smaller boat. The 50 cowl is HUGE & likely can't be fully tilted forward, 'splashwell' trim is in the way.

Keep up the great work on the Duracraft. Did you need to resto the steering wheel? I may have missed it. The FG donor steering wheel button looks good.

 

[m casey stock]

Re: 1952 Duracraft Sportsman

I did strip and repaint the steering wheel. It was actually the first thing I did, it sat in my office all painted up pretty waiting on the boat to catch up to it LOL.

I think that whatever old cowl I use it will need to be cut to fit, so it is really more of a matter of finding a style that I like.

I actually have a Lark 35, but its too big for the boat (size wise, not HP) and mail box looking, it just doesn't match the curves of the boat.

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: 1952 Duracraft Sportsman

Need to go w/ an older Lark:

 

[m casey stock]

Re: 1952 Duracraft Sportsman

Maybe

 

[m casey stock]

Re: 1952 Duracraft Sportsman

Okay So I haven't taken any pictures of my 88 Johnson 25 because it's just run of the mill. Other than it's really a nice low use clean unit, but here is a picture of one that's dirty but otherwise like mine.

Do I leave it alone in it's nice clean original state?

clean off the old decals and install some like these nice blue ones that match the boat?

Or go real crazy with things and do this cowl modification I've been toying with?


I've pretty much decided against using the Lark because it just doesn't look right on the DuraCraft. Been thinking about maybe trading it for a different older motor that would be a better match.

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: 1952 Duracraft Sportsman

The more period correct cowl, on a modern lower:

Use a period correct color on the whole motor & it'll go great w/ the boat. That Evinrude color on the cowl you cut & pasted would look pretty good on the whole motor & hanging on the transom.

A fair # of vintage motor cowls could be co-opted. I'd probably try to find a 30-35hp cowl & base plate, might give you a little more room to fit it to the lower leg.

Would removing some of an existing cowl (to make it smaller) be easier then adding to 1 that won't quite fit/cover the modern powerhead & etc?

I don't know how much I've got in the extra Fat50 cowl, but I do know that just about 50% was shipping. I think it'd be too HUGE looking on both the boat & the lower leg of your 25. It kinda looks big on it's current home

 

[m casey stock]

Re: 1952 Duracraft Sportsman

Well, my thoughts are to take the cowl and cut off the top leaving the rim that seals and latches the cowl down and cut and fit the donor cowl to fit on the original lower rim, glassing it on from the inside. I need to actually put my hands on some old cowls and do some measuring. I'm not really wanting to pass anything off as something vintage, I just want to give the newer Johnson an older look. Something different that will look like it belongs on the boat, even if it doesn't actually look like a particular vintage motor. I thought about even just taking the chrome off the Lark and mounting it to the 88 model along with maybe the rear "screen" panel that has Lark on it, but taking the Lark badge off and putting an old Johnson badge on it. I already have a couple old seahorse badges I can put on my creation.

 

[Pmccraney]

Re: 1952 Duracraft Sportsman

I tend to a favor a cowl modification, even if it will involve some additional work... I know its not technically a vintage motor (and, thus, might qualify for our iboats term of endearment - i.e., a "frankenrude"), but that boat is too cool/vintage to have a run of the mill motor on the back of it. Just my .02. (unless you are going to throw a brand new e-tec or something on the back of it).

 

[m casey stock]

Re: 1952 Duracraft Sportsman

Ha ha, no money for a new e-tech so the vintage cowl mod will have to do, unless I can trade the Lark for something vintage that will match the Duracraft's lines better.

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: 1952 Duracraft Sportsman

Based on the way the hull turned out, you'll get something to hang off the transom that looks GREAT.

Since you've got another boat to use, the Sportsman can stay a trailer queen for now :watermelon:

Keep an eye out on flea-bay, cowls come up pretty often.

There was a 35hp Golden Javelin cowl over the weekend. BIG$$$ and I like to think that I'd pass on 1 of those cowls. If only so someone w/ a Golden Javelin could buy & use it on their Javelin. But we'll see.

 

[m casey stock]

Re: 1952 Duracraft Sportsman

I see our Buddy over over on FC has a 58 Lark on the back of his DuraCraft and it really doesn't look that bogus. Maybe it's the dual cockpits, I don't know. I also don't know what that particular DC is rated for. I know you said it was like yours, what is the max HP for your DC?

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: 1952 Duracraft Sportsman

50hp:

I think it's a 1959 35hp cowl only on a '58 35hp everything else.

 

[m casey stock]

Re: 1952 Duracraft Sportsman

50hp:

I think it's a 1959 35hp cowl only on a '58 35hp everything else.

Thats interesting, almost the same weight rating, but twice the HP limit. The transom must be beefed up some.

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: 1952 Duracraft Sportsman

I see our Buddy over over on FC has a 58 Lark on the back of his DuraCraft and it really doesn't look that bogus.

I think it's a 1959 35hp cowl only on a '58 35hp everything else.

I meant David's DC has a Lark & it's a 1959 cowl on a 1958 powerhead & everything else 35hp. AND I think it looks GREAT!

BTW there's another DC @FC.net. I just mailed him a 1958/9 cowl handle off 1 of my FatFifty Johnson 50's. That motor has jumped to the front of the line to get running. Because the DC jumped too.

 

[64osby]

Re: 1952 Duracraft Sportsman

28 hp evinrude

Just a thought. But a late 50's JohnyRude would be awesome.

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: 1952 Duracraft Sportsman

a late 50's JohnyRude would be awesome.

Yep, this is a far piece but WITH a Javelin , wonder where it'll end up $$$$.....

 

[m casey stock]

Re: 1952 Duracraft Sportsman

Yep, this is a far piece but WITH a Javelin , wonder where it'll end up $$$$.....

28 hp evinrude

Just a thought. But a late 50's JohnyRude would be awesome.

I like both ideas, but I have neither one in my arsenal :grumpy: I'm working on the Ol' Lark 35, but not so much to use on the DC but to either sale or trade for something a little smaller in size (not necessarily less HP) maybe I can work something out with the late 50's Johny/Rude owner

 

[m casey stock]

Re: 1952 Duracraft Sportsman

Okay guys, finally an update, sorry for the long delay. I've gotten all the wiring complete and tucked away under the gunnel. Installed a vintage ignition switch and a modern safety kill switch, lighting switch and horn button. I have a nice vintage trumpet horn but can't find a spot that I like to mount it, so I just have the wiring stubbed and tucked under the dash for now. I completed the electric start conversion to the 88 Johnson 25 while leaving the pull start option intact, installed a vintage relay box and new battery box, I had to modify the cowl base plate to get the throttle to work properly, but I think it turned out nicely. I'm still wanting to do the vintage cowl modification but decided I would make sure I like the 88 Johnson's performance before I went to all that trouble, so that is why I moved forward with mounting it to the transom. Plus....I really really really would like to give it a splash before winter hits. All that is left is to get my seat cushions and back rest cushion made and installed, but if the weather is nice before I get that done, I think I'll just have to manage without those and go ahead and get the bottom wet!

 

[m casey stock]

Re: 1952 Duracraft Sportsman

A few more at a different angle.