Photo’s Of Suzy’s Rebirth. A Classic Boat Moment For Sure.
Look at that trailer, the top.. All there.. Dang
On Friday I received some amazing images of our beloved Suzy, the Go To Woody Boater Boat. Fellow Woody Boater and CSI investigator Frank Miklos found a series of images from the original barn find of Suzy, in PA along with many other boats. It’s one thing to hear about a barn find, but to see images from that day tell so much more of the story. Like seeing images of your family from years ago that you have never seen. These images have opened up a treasure chest of things for me. Like, It had a soft top. I saw it on the original hull card, but we have not been able to find it. You can go to the Boat Buzz story on that.. Here… these images also tell me that the boat was used for water skiing, note the skis, ladder, and goofy mirror.. WHICH the two holes in the windshield are now explained.. A huge thanks to Frank for digging these up.
Note the cool plastic numbers. I wonder where I can find some of those.. And the mirror.. Dang Double dog dang
Note the mirror again
Inside the cubby. Note the skis, look almost un used? Ladder
180 hours.. She now has 220... After 7 years.. These imges were taken in 2005
That monster motor. 430 lincoln..
That perfect 100% orginal interior. Amazing stuff.
I could kiss frank for sharing these with me. You will be able to see Suzy in all her glory at this years Sunnyland show. Wooohooo, only 2 months..
Matt
Great shots that fill in a lot of history on Suzy. If you find any info on the soft top, please let me know. I want to put one on my ’57 20ft. Continental that I am currently restoring, but have been unable to find any design details or specs. Mariners museum only have drawings for the optional hard top. I got the top brackets with the boat, but have to duplicate the frame and canvas.
Greg
Greg what windshield do you have on your 1957 continental 20… Three different ones were used… The normal continental windshield that was very raked…. the Holiday windshield and the 58style were on the very late 1957s…
I have an original covering from one that had a Holiday style windshield… I do not have the frame but I think a friend has a tracing of the frame…
These soft tops are tough and easy. Anyone can remake them, the issue is that you need to find a pattern. I have a pattern from Bill Mack who has a soft top that was never even opened. So its a time capsule as well. My hope is to find the original one to the boat though.. So we are spreading the word..
That is funny… I have the same boat (1959) that also has the ski mirror and the missing soft top!
HA, very funny.. That darn soft top. On these boats its a must have for sure.
I know how cool it must have been to find the photos!
It has motived me to check about some pix of my cruiser that a fellow that owns the marina she was in for years has promised me, at least twice, over the years.
I need to get on the hunt for those.
John in Va.
Suzy wasn’t technically a barn find….she was actually an aircraft hangar find!
Well, that changes everything.. HA.. Frank is going to send snaps from all the other boats.. Amazing stuff.
I will be bringing a 1956 23′ Continental down to Mount Dora this year with the original convertible top frame. I am sure that is will not be as wide as yours would need. You are welcome to take measurements and photos if you like….
Does that mean if we can find someone with a similar length Century (20′ or 21′) that we can have a “Shootout” in Dora?
thanks so much, I hope to have this made by then to protect us from the sun there
Texx, would this one do?
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Gc6vdWbB2ZY/THk54rWBuyI/AAAAAAAAAnU/-tqfp_u5RcM/s1600/A+Regency+Carved+Mahogany+Cellarette+early+19th+c+of+sarcophagus-form.jpg
The owner is willing to trailer her to Dora.
Oops. I’m sorry. Wrong box above. This is the one the owner can bring.
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-v6QUCxfIEf8/TXbuqtujFcI/AAAAAAAAApA/HyKACIMobWQ/SN3I1639.JPG
This box is way more seaworthy than my boat when I 1st found it. Which reminds me to give him a call to freshen things up a bit.
Battle of the boxes. What a fun shoot out. A big bulky sportsman an a century.. Any other tanks out there?
The 23′ Continental will not be too competitive, after all it’s just a Chris Craft!! Go figure! My 1966 Coronado would be more in the ball park competition wise. As for the Hornet, me thinks I should start tuning now!
Frank I have the same boat & just had to replace my Lincoln 431 after 50 years of service.
I hope you have a big enough lake, she likes the waves & rides really well in the bad weather (not without the soft-top though) & I never get wet unlike my plastic boat experiences.
This is the untimate family boat as its big enough to hold everything you’d ever want.