Please, if you have any info to share on this boat let me know. I don't know too much about the old Champs so feel free to post over on the Resto board.
I am going to separate the top cap and check some things out. Looks like the top cap was just screwed down to the floor and attached at the rub rail.
If anybody has done this please shoot me an IM or post what I need to do to make this project move along easier
Thanks!
http://www.bbcboards.net/zerop...58915
That's great!! Lots of folks have done restores...posts here iin the Champ forum as well as some work shown in the Restoration forum. Please post pics as you go!!!
Not sure if they used just screws on the 1980's Frank, They may have bonded it too with sikkaflex (sp) that will take some work to separate the cap and hull if they did that. Good luck!
Champion Boats was founded by John Storie in 1976. It was located in Mtn. Home Arkansas. He began making tri-hull boats in a small shop just outside of Mtn Home on Hwy 5 North (across from the old "water whip"). Around 1977 he wanted a bigger/faster/better boat in a v-hull style so he sent my grandfather (a salesman) to a Skeeter dealer in Texas and had him buy a plain old gel coat Skeeter Wrangler. They brought it back, ripped it apart, splashed it adding some of this and that and Storie had himself a V-hull. Aparently it was changed so much that while it was related to Skeeter you could hardly tell in terms of performance and ride. Storie wanted a rig that was fast, smooth ride and a DRY ride hense the Champion arrow and flaring of the upper hull (this kept you from getting sprayed). Pops said that they wedged the rear of the hull to save weight but soon realized what it did in terms of performance and kept it. This was the begining of the 86 inch beam Super V's most notably the 16'8. The 16'8 took off like wildfire and that rig sold very well for years. Think the 16'8 as the flagship for Champion. The 16'8's were 150 rated and just ran like hell fire for that time frame. I was told this was around the time when Mercury went from inline 150s to V6 150's. This was back when 65 mph was just screaming. They went from a 150 rating to a 140 rating when HP went from the powerhead to the prop. My father (rigger then later gen manager) had a early 1977 (4th out of the mold) 16'8 that was orange, Gramps had one that ws banana yellow and black, Storie's was black and I think Bill Pace had a blue metal flake one. It was a real sight for a little fella to see all those boats banked at the Champion BBQs at Cranfield. There's still some what of a cult following for the 16'8 in NW Arkansas. I have a lot of memories in dads old 16'8. We lived out of that orange popsicle for a long time on Norfork and Bull.
Can't wait to see your retro. From your previous work I think you have it covered.
Pat should be along shortly to fill you on performance/set up.
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