Retro Crestliner Discussion Forum

Dave E · Joined: 01 Feb 2009 Posts: 6 Location: Des Moines,Iowa

I just found a original 58' 17' Explorer today. Only one I've come across of this style with the seat backs intact. Everything is there except the adjustable top. I had been looking for a flyingcrest, like the one our family had when I was growing up. This one was in too good of shape to pass up. Only drawback was that someone had cut a hole in the dash for radio. This boat was set up for a merc , probably a 6 cylinder dock buster judging from the controls. Too bad I don't have a 6 to put on it, but will either put one of my mark 58's on it or most likley re fit it to one of my omc's. I'm sorry I just sold my 59 fat fifty johnson, would of looked great on it.
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56'Voyager,54'commadore ,55' bucaneer,59' Alumacraft,54'Duracraft,61'Naden,Dozens and Dozens of outboards.

lvflyncrest · Joined: 20 Jul 2009 Posts: 34 Location: Dubuque, Iowa

Hey way to go on getting the Explorer!! I also grew w/Flying Crests.. my dad had '58, I was lucky enough last year to pick up a '59 Flying Crest in really good shape and restored it.. they are a great boat.. you in essence have a Flying Crest there.. alot of times Crestliners would not come in w/the name plate on, and the only difference between the Flying Crest and Explorer is the tops.. the Flying Crest was a canvas top, and the Explorer was Crestliners first foray into fiberglass, too bad it didn't come with the fiberglass top.. you'll love how they handle, i got mine out this past summer 5-6 times, that one has on it a 50h.p. 1961 Merc on it.. I'm looking for a 60-75 h.p. Evinrude.. thats what our boat had on it and it just flew!! I'm also an Evinrude guy.. good luck with the restoration, if you get a chance post some pics!! Pat
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pj

'59 Flying Crest

Dave E · Joined: 01 Feb 2009 Posts: 6 Location: Des Moines,Iowa

Thanks pat. My dad's flying crest was a 59 also, and was out fitted with a 61' 75 hp johnson. We used it up until I was out of college. We had it at our cabin in northern Minn. We lived up there from june through aug. , parents were teachers, so we basically moved up there for the summer.That boat probably had thousands of hours on it. The cabin is on an island, so it was our car. I will probably run my mk 58 on the explorer for the time being, although I mainly run omc's for the bigger motors. Dave
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56'Voyager,54'commadore ,55' bucaneer,59' Alumacraft,54'Duracraft,61'Naden,Dozens and Dozens of outboards.

Homer · Joined: 08 Oct 2010 Posts: 5 Location: Dade City, FL

I've noticed that many owners use vintage motors. With my '58 Flying Crest I got the original super sea horse 50 but I want to cruise the St Johns and Hillsborough Rivers and I wonder how reliable and would the range be as good as a new motor. What I'm thinking about is getting a new Evinrude 50 and keeping the old motor for shows.

OutBdNut · Joined: 27 Mar 2005 Posts: 593 Location: Minnesota

The 50 HP V4 Johnsons/Evinrudes (made only in 1958 and 1959) are argueably the biggest gas hogs ever produced, so going far with them requires multiple gas tanks.
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These "Fat-50" motors were reliable, and have a really cool sound, but, with any motor over 50 years old, reliability depends a lot on how it has been maintained over the years, and it will need more TLC than a newer motor. If there is ethanol in your gas, the motor needs to be reworked to withstand it (gas lines, tank, fuel pump, and carb).
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These old V4s are really heavy, but so are the new 4-strokes, and Evinrude E-tec 2-strokes. The 50 HP Evinrude E-tec weighs 240 pounds! I think that's about the same as the old V4s. Both the E-tec and competing new 4-stroke engines will use a lot less gas then the old V-4 "Fat-50s", with the 4-strokes using a bit less than the E-tec, but the e-tec, being a 2-stroke, will give you more low end torque for faster planeing, and pulling out skiers.
I think those E-tecs are really fine motors - good choice!.....but...Watch out for sticker shock when you price a new one!
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If I were to use the boat a lot, I would not use an old V-4 50HP. Your idea of swapping motors for shows is good, and some of us have been known to do that, but keep in mind that it's not just setting the old motor on for shows. For the total "look" to be right, the remote throttle and shift as well as the old dash-mounted ignition switch and choke button need to be swapped when the motors are swapped. The Fat 50 has it's starter solonoid in a metal box approx 6 inches square, mounted near the motor, inside the boat. The fat-50 needs brackets bolted to the boat to hang it on, not sure what the E-tec 50s need for mounting - maybe just a couple of bolts?? but it's more stuff to change out - and probably more holes in the transom. There will be some steering hookup differences too. To swap 240 pound motors, you will need a couple of strong people or a "cherry picker" - these are the engine hoists sold for pulling motors out of cars - not overly expensive, but another big thing to store - the legs on mine fold up.
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For all that trouble of swapping motors for shows, I'd set the old Crestliner up with an old motor, and keep it that way for show and short runs; and get another boat/motor for the long, trouble-free, economical cruises....but that's my opinion, and everyone has different concerns, like room to store another boat, cost, etc.
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Next summer, I'm planning on removing the 1976 35 HP Johnson from my 1957 Commander12, replacing it with either a 1956 30 HP Johnson or a 1958 35 Evinrude (I hope to make one good 35 run out of the 3 I have) that are sitting here asking to be used. It's a bit hard to get myself to make this switch because the 1976 that came with the boat when I got it runs so darn good!
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Let us know what you decide and keep the pics coming!
Dave
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57 Commander 12 Custom Deluxe 550
58 Commodore 14 Speedster (modified)
58 Cadillac Riviera 14 split deck
Dozens of old outboards

OutBdNut · Joined: 27 Mar 2005 Posts: 593 Location: Minnesota

Opps - in my last post, I may have been wrong about the V4 50 HP motors needing transom brackets to hang them on - it's been a lot of years since I've paid attention to that. I know that all the OMC V4s from 60 HP on up (from 1960 on up) hung by two brackets bolted to the transom. Not sure if the 50s needed these brackets or if they had conventional transom clamps.

Dave
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57 Commander 12 Custom Deluxe 550
58 Commodore 14 Speedster (modified)
58 Cadillac Riviera 14 split deck
Dozens of old outboards

grousehunter 61 · Joined: 06 Mar 2010 Posts: 19

OBN, would those motors be the 35 big twin ???? I am looking for the medallion that goes on the left side of the motor and the one for the front of the motor.

OutBdNut · Joined: 27 Mar 2005 Posts: 593 Location: Minnesota

grousehunter 61 · Joined: 06 Mar 2010 Posts: 19

Thank you sir, will do..