Alumacraft R-6

[John Wist]

I found a 1959 (I think) alumacraft R-6 (on the transom tag) boat in a barn and was wondering if anybody had any information about it. It has a closed front deck, windshield, center steering, 1959 Evinrude 18HP motor. It has the original transom with all the tags. I was wondering if the front seat would have came with a back? Boat is in real good shape and will be a great winter project. I have never seen one before and haven't had much luck finding information online.

Thanks,

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: Alumacraft R-6

May have had seat backs, but w/ out pix of the interior, hard to say for sure.

Any chance it's a K-6 instead of an R? It certainly looks bigger then 11' 7", the specs for a 1959 R:

Or an FDR-6 and the FD isn't easily seen:

Which looks a lot like your's and seems to be about the 'right' size:

Quite a bit of info here about Alumacrafts.

Great looking boat, I'll gladly tag along if you decide to rebuild her. If you do rebuild/rehab her, start a resto thread in the Restoration forum & post a link here to it.

Congrats & welcome to iboats

 

[John Wist]

Re: Alumacraft R-6

I found a 1959 (I think) alumacraft R-6 (on the transom tag) boat in a barn and was wondering if anybody had any information about it. It has a closed front deck, windshield, center steering, 1959 Evinrude 18HP motor. It has the original transom with all the tags. I was wondering if the front seat would have came with a back? Boat is in real good shape and will be a great winter project. I have never seen one before and haven't had much luck finding information online.

Thanks,

I checked the tag and its a R-6 rated at 18HP. Ill take a picture of the bench seats this weekend. The front bench has a bracket on each end of the seat that I don't know what its for. I assumed it might have been a seat back bracket. If it had seat backs I would like to make then look original. Do you know if they made a lot these? I have had no luck even finding pictures of one these. Its a neat looking boat and I cant wait to get it on the lake this summer. Hopefully I will have it done by then.

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: Alumacraft R-6

I checked the tag and its a R-6 rated at 18HP. Ill take a picture of the bench seats this weekend. The front bench has a bracket on each end of the seat that I don't know what its for. I assumed it might have been a seat back bracket. If it had seat backs I would like to make then look original. Do you know if they made a lot these? I have had no luck even finding pictures of one these. Its a neat looking boat and I cant wait to get it on the lake this summer. Hopefully I will have it done by then.

It's 11' 7" long? It looks longer then that, but in 3/4 perspective, it probably just looks longer the 12ft.

If it's tagged an R & rated for an 18hp motor, I guess it is an R model:

But yours doesn't appear to be a split cockpit (or dual cockpit):

The R seems to be a 1958-59 only production model, so I'd expect there to be few examples left:

That only makes it rare, but not particularly valuable, or highly collectible. It might attract interest from someone who had 1, or used the 1 their grandfather had, but many vintage tin boats aren't highly sought after, unfortunately. Doesn't mean they aren't great boats, or that they don't deserve the chance to plow water again, just that few command high prices.

From the 1959 ad (unchanged from the 1958 ad) it appears to have always been a bare aluminum finish, but no seat backs. The brackets may have been added at some point. Post up some more pix. We're like 3rd graders: WE LOVE PIX of boats

If you don't mind me asking, what'd you pay for her? With trailer & motor? Or no OB?

Always enjoying seeing 'rescued' vintage boats, and you found a nice one, thanks.

 

[John Wist]

Re: Alumacraft R-6

It's 11' 7" long? It looks longer then that, but in 3/4 perspective, it probably just looks longer the 12ft.

If it's tagged an R & rated for an 18hp motor, I guess it is an R model:

But yours doesn't appear to be a split cockpit (or dual cockpit):

The R seems to be a 1958-59 only production model, so I'd expect there to be few examples left:

That only makes it rare, but not particularly valuable, or highly collectible. It might attract interest from someone who had 1, or used the 1 their grandfather had, but many vintage tin boats aren't highly sought after, unfortunately. Doesn't mean they aren't great boats, or that they don't deserve the chance to plow water again, just that few command high prices.

From the 1959 ad (unchanged from the 1958 ad) it appears to have always been a bare aluminum finish, but no seat backs. The brackets may have been added at some point. Post up some more pix. We're like 3rd graders: WE LOVE PIX of boats

If you don't mind me asking, what'd you pay for her? With trailer & motor? Or no OB?

Always enjoying seeing 'rescued' vintage boats, and you found a nice one, thanks.

I paid $600 for the boat, motor and very nice trailer. The motor is an golden gubalie with electric start. Runs great just needs fresh paint which I can do. I'm not to concerned if its worth a lot I like the boat and plan to use it. We have a place on a large inland lake in Michigan and I think the boat will be blast. With that motor it should move out real nice. I have 1961 18HP Johnson on a 14 mirrocraft that weights much more then this boat and it goes about 25MPH. My be the boat not a 1959 do you know anyway of checking the year? All the tags are on the transom but I don't see a year. Thanks again for the help. I post a picture of 1961 mirrocraft and Johnson, this also has the closed front bow. I didn't have a picture of the front of the boat. Plan is finish the alumacraft and sell the mirrocraft with the tiller motor.

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: Alumacraft R-6

You should feel guilty

$6oo for a running Golden Jubilee motor, a cool old boat AND a good trailer, is just shameful. If you'd like to unburden your soul, I'll gladly take it all off your hands, for what you've got in it.

You know, if it'll help you out, and keep ya in the good graces of the tin boat gods Just here to help :watermelon:

This is about all you can do to hopefully find an accurate ID of model & year. If there's a paper trail (old registration or a title) it's often inaccurate, because many are dated based on formerly easy to trace motor model & serial #'s. W/out access to the internet and old brochures, it was incredible difficult to ID boats, but NAPA & marine service places had LOTS of info about motors. My 1960 Glastron FireFlite was ID'd as a 1957, which it clearly isn't based on 1957-60 Glastron brochures, because the motor was a 1957.

If there's no evidence of a different motor ever being installed on the Alumacraft, and the trailer looks to be the original trailer (those can often be traced easier then the boat too) it is all circumstantial evidence that the boat's a 1959 too.

Some maker's also only 'registered' the year of SALE of the boat originally, not necessarily the year of manufacture. Some of those are based on the sale to a dealer, others to the original buyer. The -6 could be a series designation or the 6th R boat built/sold. My 1957 Duracraft has a 5 digit serial # stamped on the transom, several others that own the same boat have a 2 stamped just above their serial #. No one really knows why, but being present on several different boats indicates that it was deliberate & done at the time of manufacture or sale. In the case of my Duracraft, when ever a boat was finished, no matter which model, recieved the next # in the serial # sequence. Make estimating where in a production run of my Duraflite, mine was made.

The FG library also has a library of trailers if you want/need to know whose trailer it's on. FG Library, on the right side of the page, just under the boathouse bulletin list.

Post up pix of the Alumacraft when you get time, the more the better. The info here may help someone else ID theirs.

 

[John Wist]

Re: Alumacraft R-6

Nothing on the registration for this boat and trailer is not the same vintage title says its a 1968. My mirrocraft has the year on it. I looked at the transom and it looks to me that this is the original motor to boat but who knows. I'll take a picture of seat bracket on the seat and post it tomorrow. I guess it doesn't really matter I'm going to replace all the wood, do a complete tune up and paint the motor and bring back the old finish. Not sure about the windshield it has some spider crack but might polish out and look fine. Everybody who looks at loves it. I had it in front of the cottage when I picked it up and some guys stop in and offer to buy it on the spot. I gave up looking for a feather craft they either all beat up or asking some crazy amount. From what I have the read the vintage alumacraft crafts are very solid.

 

[John Wist]

Re: Alumacraft R-6

I added a picture of the bracket on the front bench seat. There is one of these on each end of the seat. Any body know if this could be a bracket for a seat back?

 

[John Wist]

Re: Alumacraft R-6

I added a picture of the bracket on the front bench seat there is on each end.

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: Alumacraft R-6

This:

Doesn't look like a seat bracket to me......

 

[John Wist]

Re: Alumacraft R-6

I didn't think so either. Any chance you would have a picture of an original bracket. I have access to a machine shop and could fabricate the brackets to look original. If not I might just change the wood and go without the back.

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: Alumacraft R-6

Not 100% but these brackets look like yours could have been braces after all:

Because they're from a 1956 Alumacraft Deep C:

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: Alumacraft R-6

That may be enough detail for your machine shop to make a set.

Being able to fold the seat back flat may or may not be important

 

[John Wist]

Re: Alumacraft R-6

Thanks, this does make me think that it had seat backs that can fold. I'm sure I can do something very similar as shown. I like the idea of have a seat back the boat is small and I've some back issue so its more comfortable to have them.

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: Alumacraft R-6

Good luck, if you fab a bracket assembly, post up some details & pix.

 

[John Wist]

Re: Alumacraft R-6

Will do. I'm gathering all the parts I need first, decals for the boat and motor, the white oak for the transom etc. hope to have it totally done late spring. Thanks again for all your help.

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: Alumacraft R-6

your welcome

 

[Krichbourg]

Re: Alumacraft R-6

Nice find! Did you find the serial number for this boat? On my Model R and on lots of Alumacrafts, the serial number is stamped on the knee brace at the transom. If you have that, send the number to Alumacraft and they will tell you what you have and when it was made.
Good luck.

 

[John Wist]

Re: Alumacraft R-6

I didn't look there. I will check this weekend as soon as the weather breaks. Is yours an R-6 if so does it have seat backs? Its a cooling looking boat I cant wait to start working on it.

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: Alumacraft R-6

BTW: Another nice vintage Alumacraft was added this week:

1951 Aluma Craft Model R