Crazy Priced Feathercraft On Ebay? Wait? mmmmm

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Rare Feathercraft Meteor

Thanks to fellow Woody Boater Rob Schantz for making us aware of this little aluminum jewel on ebay. I am not sure if its Robs boat or who is selling it. But clearly the seller is a feller that loves old boats. Now at first quick glance, you think, WHAAAAAAAT? 15K for a feathercraft? WTP? Thats What The Price!

WAIT AGAIN.. Where is the outboard

But keep looking? Oh! Wait? Keep looking, you can actually feel your brain starting to shift. Thinking, mmmmm???? Ya know, the price might be kinda fair. Hydro fair?

OH! An inboard?

A Paragon conversion! OH HELL YA

I mean the more I look, my drool machine is starting to act up. I have no control.. My bid finger is twitching. I mean I wouldnt change a thing. Just park it like it is. AHHHHHHHH. Wait? What?

Great shot

So, is it crazy priced? Even the seller agree’s btw. Read the desription. Who ever is selling this, I like this guy. He is right up front with it.

1948 Feathercraft / Paragon Meteor

While my intentions were to have this restored, which still may happen, I’ve been tempted with a prewar Chris Craft and looking at possibly selling this gem. The Meteor is the rarest of all Feathercraft Boats as they were initially prototypes with an inboard engine. There were 12 built, Paragon of Chicago making the conversion from outboard to inboard. This one is powered by an Atomic Four 25HP. Two others reside in New Jersey. I found this one in a barn near White Lake, Michigan where it was used by a wealthy dentist from Chicago. Now it’s in my shop in Grand Rapids. Price to own is set at $15K, expensive yes, but its rarity and completeness is something you just don’t see. If I don’t find a new home for it by June, it’ll get restored. Just throwing it out there.
43 replies
  1. Greg Lewandowski
    Greg Lewandowski says:

    Well I learned something today. Never new they made an inboard. Rare, unusual and unique but not my thing. I wish him luck on the sale.

    • NR
      NR says:

      It is his place. Two things. One, it is close to my sons house. Two, he found it in White Lake which is were I am right now. So close but yet so far. Just brought our boat up for the summer. If summer ever arrives. Temp this morning 30.

      • Matt
        Matt says:

        HA, I knew I liked this seller. Bob is a great guy and totally gets it. It’s worth the drive from anyplace on the planet to visit his shop.

    • Dennis Mykols
      Dennis Mykols says:

      YEP, I know that building in the background. Great guy, did a nice restore on my 1959 Merc 50, that was on my Lake n Sea

  2. Jim G
    Jim G says:

    Wonder how slow it was. You have a 25 hp 4 cylinder inboard weighing around 400 pounds or so. When the outboards had a 30 to 40 hp hanging on the rear weighing maybe 150 pounds.

    Also the quality of the metal work on the conversion is not near the quality of Feathercrafts work. You can see it in how the metal of the center and rear deck was just crudely bent over and riveted.

    Last. Is it worth more then a regular outboard Meteor? Maybe if it was actually done by Feathercraft. But what you have is 1 of 12 that were converted by a company not affiliated with Feathercraft. Not an actual Feathercraft inboard made by Feathercraft.

  3. John F Rothert
    John F Rothert says:

    Really cool find but like Jim I scratch my head at the power…or lack thereof. That thing may well squat and slog…?? Cool way they did the conversion though.

    Just remember the great thing about Feathercraft boats is that they are saving wildlife…fish can hear them coming from miles away and avoid the hook!
    Buy the thing…
    John in Va.

  4. Scott K
    Scott K says:

    Cool little boat, but I question the performance relative to a light weight 35hp outboard.

    If the new owner has a sufficiently high level of OCD, they just might get close to how nice Chad finished his.

    • Dane
      Dane says:

      If the 1956 Johnson 30 was available in 1948, They might not have been experimenting with inboard propulsion.

  5. Mark in Ohio (sometimes da U P)
    Mark in Ohio (sometimes da U P) says:

    Did not know that Feathercraft made an Inboard. Great find! I’m staying away from this one, my nephew lives in White Lake. It would be too easy to pick up. Im thinking a turbocharged modern 4cyl. as a replacement engine. 10 times the hp 1/2 the weight. You gotta love classic aluminum!

  6. Bob Shapton
    Bob Shapton says:

    Ok, for starters, thank you to my dear friend Rob Schantz and Matt Smith for posting this. As mentioned I’m reluctant to sell it based on rarity but we’ll see what happens.
    Research and folks in the know suggest there were 12 built, of the 12, 2 are with a collector in NJ, one of his is complete the other, no so much. There were variations as well, large ribbing along the sides, stability sponsons and fins. All bear the Paragon name plate. The 2 in NJ show signs of this. There were 3 engine options, 2 versions of the atomic four from Universal and a Graymarine 4 cylinder.
    As far as the suggestion that’s it’s not a Feathercraft is false, the actual ad states “an affiliate of Feathercraft Co, Atlanta Georgia” and the Meteor Feathercraft/ Paragon is one of the same. These were prototypes converted by Paragon in Chicago. The shown Meteor is the only one existing with the Paragon Boats plate.
    The previous owner mentioned an attempt by the Museum of Science and Industry to acquire the boat for display based on its Chicago connection but that never came to fruition. It’s unique and beautiful as all Feathercrafts are. It also comes with a super rare Holesclaw Roadster trailer, not really practical but cool none the less!

  7. Steve Anderson from Michigan
    Steve Anderson from Michigan says:

    Very cool boat! It looks like it might have hit a log and split the bottom. Did it submerge the engine? I am assuming that engine is shot, but who knows, they are typically indestructible. I hope it gets restored, either by Bob or the new owner!

  8. Bob Shapton
    Bob Shapton says:

    Bottom is super straight, no splits or openings. The lower stem is pushed in and has buckled the port side a bit. The individual that will do the restoration if it doesn’t sell sees nothing scary about this restoration which really put me at ease.

  9. Randy
    Randy says:

    Well, all the original ‘fasteners’ seem to be there so we won’t get dragged into endless discussions about Reed and Prince, slotted, square head, phillips, etc. — if there is such a thing for rivets.

  10. Mark in Ohio (sometimes da U P)
    Mark in Ohio (sometimes da U P) says:

    You are a good salesman Bob. I’m working hard to keep my finger off the BID button.

  11. floyd r turbo
    floyd r turbo says:

    What a straight forward restoration that would be. Yank the motor for rebuild, pressure wash the bilge, get your body hammer and dolly out and tap out some dings and fix the bottom repair mentioned and Boom, boating. Well, there’s the polishing and you won’t get that done by hand. There’s an aluminum machine polisher airplane maintainers use with multiple grit pastes, like sanding wood, from coarse to fine, used to polish her up. You’re going to look like a fireman on a steam locomotive who shovels coal so you might want to hire that out. I have a 1951 36′ aluminum Spartan RV (like an Airstream) so polishing metal is the bane of ownership.

  12. briant
    briant says:

    How does one use this boat and not just get layers of skin burned off? Is it not just like motoring about in a toaster oven?

    We had some friends that had a flat bottomed plastic boat with way too much metal flake in the paint and that thing got as hot as a pancake griddle.

    Everyone would dunk towels into the lake and then drape it over everything – to get in and to ensure that you didn’t scorch your back while seated. With all the yelping and cussing and kiddos crying….

    There was a new Colbalt in the driveway PDQ.

    • Mark in. Ohio (sometimes da U P)
      Mark in. Ohio (sometimes da U P) says:

      They make very good sound deadening and heat insulation now days. It is thin and lightweight. It is used a lot in building of street rods just sayin.

  13. briant
    briant says:

    oooh, classic aluminum boat porn on WB. Perhaps the start of a long term relationship….

    No creepiness and no one gets offended. That wasn’t so hard.

  14. Jimmy
    Jimmy says:

    Feather Craft listed these in their brochures from 1951-1953. In their ads they had no center deck like this boat and only listed them as being available with Chris Craft B engines.
    Feathercraft.net has brochures for every year.

  15. Steve Anderson from Michigan
    Steve Anderson from Michigan says:

    Bob, in picture 13 it looks like there is a puncture wound of some sort. I think I am not looking at the picture right. I thought it was down by the keel. Is it up by the gunnel? Port side midship?

    • Bob Shapton
      Bob Shapton says:

      Yes, that’s correct. This is a result of that wonderful Holesclaw Roadster trailer over the years. It’s a small gash, around 3 inches surrounded by some dents. No metal missing. She needs some work but like I mentioned, a Feathercraft restoration expert had no problem with it.

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