76 challenger brought back from dead

[endabran]

Picked her up about this time last year and got the sawzall out was originally a twin boat.
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[endabran]

282005282006282007282008

[endabran]

Motor on it presently is a warmed up 2.4 200 so im only getting about 67,this winter im gonna hang a shiny new 300xs on it but im worried about making a bad decision on the lower unit torquemaster vs sporty.
So lend me a hand here i have that cle 1 inch below the pad am i going to be able to run that tm that high or should i go sporty and jack it to the moon

[endabran]

Curious about a offshore mid as as well, jacos only offers the os mid with a sporty. Ps that stringer was before I cut the angle lol

[Fast Shafts]

Looks GREAT!!! Did you do all the work yourself? If you don't mind, how much was this hull? Based on a total rebuild, I hope it was cheap. Congratulations.

[goneby]

Ran my 76 challenger 300xs w/ fleet master bobs nose cone pro ET prop 85 mph,sport master will do fine.

[milkdud]

very nice.

[Trimmed Out15]

Great job, boat looks great, was in goneby's his ran good with the xs

[Donat]

Great restoration!!! Where in Mi u run?

[endabran]

Got the hull for 2600 with good running 2.4 mariner and cle.i did everything except spray the awl grip ,felt I was at capacity for chemical ingestion lol. I'm still really torn on the mid and lower ,I want that beefy loud offshore leg,but from everything I've gathered from this forum seems it could be a better handling faster rig with the torque master.If worst came to worst I could send it to Titus for a cone no?

[endabran]

We run around anchor bay and all the rivers and shipping channels around algonac little boat town with decent history.Chris craft ,ocean express ,sunsation started and for most part are still here.
Donat just curious what have u settled on as far as engine height and setback on your rally

[aaronmt73]

I would think that the sporty or a coned tqmaster would be the best.Ive run our Velocity with a tqmaster to 83.5 and there may be a bit left.I drove a friends Velocity same motor etc but with a sporty and much prefered the tqmaster.I think the ideal set up would be a coned tqmaster from JC or Titus.I would imagine your boat would be significantly faster then ours simply because the weight.We have a 300xs non offshore and prefer simply because its less in the boat.

[berzerko]

I've got goneby s challenger now with a yami on it, with no real set up 75, just haven't had the time real nice resto endabran, some more pics of it running

[Donat]

Set back is 14". I haven't measure the hight since I run jack plate until my peasure drops below 10 psi. but its well above pad. If you are getting 300xs I think You should go with sporty. I run 79 rev limit at 5850(it was 25" motor originally) 27 pitch trophy. If I flashPCM or upgrade powerhead I'm definitely getting sporty or nose cone my torque master

[mikeylarge]

Sportsmaster, Offshore mid, Single piston offshore clamp... YOU WON'T REGRET IT

[dnelson964]

All these boats vary in weight and weight distribution which will make a difference in set-up and best results with what. I would weigh the boat first so we then can give better information going forward. I would also center as much weight as you can in the boat.

Happy to see another Challenger saved. :thumbsup:

What is the hull Vin # ?

[Bobbyclam]

Nice job ....
where did you purchase the boat ?
i had a white one in the 70s that had twins on it that iam trying to find!

[endabran]

Yea seems none 2 are the same nelson,zerko over there with a 200 at 75 wtf? but i think a added substantial weight with all the doubled up 3/4 ply and 1708,but doing that its a beast running with much larger rigs in nasty water.
Bobby im in MI purchased in clinton twp.Boat was originally cream gelcoat, twins, no stamped numbers on the hull i could find but the Hin on the title is cgc00120376

[dnelson964]

You have a very early built boat.....

Numbers would have been etched up high on the starboard side of transom. Many of them get repainted and it gets covered up.

I would go with the TM and close up the top 4 holes.

[mikeylarge]

You have a very early built boat.....

Numbers would have been etched up high on the starboard side of transom. Many of them get repainted and it gets covered up.

I would go with the TM and close up the top 4 holes.WHY??? Boat should run past 90, sportsmaster with a sweptback skeg/torque tab is the way to go......

[endabran]

I feel 90 is the ragged edge for these hulls,took jamescole like 2 plus feet of setback to get his there,hull gets kinda flighty already with 12" in large water with a 2.4.Titus chopping the sporty down always a option as well.

[euro scott]

The Shadow I restored and rigged with a 300 XS would only run about 84.. I had 10 inch set back and a 6 inch jack, spinning a 26 Hydromotive 4 blade OT, that was the best running prop I could find and I tried them all..

[endabran]

That thing is mighty sexy imo best looking 21 sob ive ever seen.

[endabran]

Did more accurate testing today 62 on gps with passenger half tank gas,23 pitch tempest,1/2 below pad,5700 rpm so the slip is legit just need the rpm's

[dnelson964]

Did more accurate testing today 62 on gps with passenger half tank gas,23 pitch tempest,1/2 below pad,5700 rpm so the slip is legit just need the rpm's

Since the hull has a full core you could have saved some weight and just used 1/2" ply. The 3.L motors have more torque and can get them flying better while 14"- 21" setback is not uncommon to help with lift.

Your speeds sounds about right with your present setup. A HOSS HPD or a Turbo lightning might help lift it better overall and give alittle more speed.

[tux974]

All these boats vary in weight and weight distribution which will make a difference in set-up and best results with what. I would weigh the boat first so we then can give better information going forward. I would also center as much weight as you can in the boat.

Happy to see another Challenger saved. :thumbsup:



:iagree:, very good info!
GL on the project, they are great SOB boats :thumbsup:

[tux974]

WHY??? Boat should run past 90, sportsmaster with a sweptback skeg/torque tab is the way to go......

Mikey, that is real optimistic!!! I think that boat will be a low 80 at the very best, unless he guts it totally.

[endabran]

Me and a buddy of mine were debating on that 3/4 full floor and its 1708 over and under the whole thing, fu%^er probably weighs 200 pounds lol.I also went over kill on the knee's pad to deck,inch and a half thick :D
282345282346282347 with some setup and a stock lower id be near 70 i think, beside's I'd rather be in a beast than a tater chip

[berzerko]

Yea seems none 2 are the same nelson,zerko over there with a 200 at 75 wtf? but i think a added substantial weight with all the doubled up 3/4 ply and 1708,but doing that its a beast running with much larger rigs in nasty water.
Bobby im in MI purchased in clinton twp.Boat was originally cream gelcoat, twins, no stamped numbers on the hull i could find but the Hin on the title is cgc00120376
Who said it was a 200 ?.... I also think 90 is overly optimistic with a 300, more like 85

[berzerko]

Me and a buddy of mine were debating on that 3/4 full floor and its 1708 over and under the whole thing, fu%^er probably weighs 200 pounds lol.I also went over kill on the knee's pad to deck,inch and a half thick :D
282345282346282347 with some setup and a stock lower id be near 70 i think, beside's I'd rather be in a beast than a tater chip
very similar construction to mine, 3/4 floor, similar style knees, I also have tie bars and transom plate
heres a link to the rebuilding of transom well
http://www.screamandfly.com/showthread.php?266440-challenger-splash-well-removal

[endabran]

Well now i know why u have the smiley next to yami 200 lol

[dnelson964]

200 lbs in these boats could be another 4 to 5 mph.. A good full cored hull that the challenger has, the 3/4" is over kill. But if you want a rough water boat to go thru anything that will do it.

When James redid his boat he took '260' lbs out without weakening anything and added 2 more small knees.

[endabran]

I hear ya nelson hindsight is a real bitch,nothing horsepower cant fix.Cause that floor isnt coming out for a long long time would need a backhoe or a wrecking ball

[tux974]

endabran, like to make a suggestion on your small washer/plates for your engine or setback mounting bolts.
I would either do 2- 4" wide min for each 2 upper & lower bolts or 1 large for all 4 in 3/8" aluminum to distribute and help support your weight evenly. Those little plates will eventually dig into the transom especially with the weight of a 3.0L

[vnemous]

George Linder confirmed that my challenger was one of the first but I dont remember my vin starting with cgc. I will have to look. I will have to go thru my Anything Challenger thread to find it. I will wait till a rainy day:D

[berzerko]

Cgc is definitely the hin for the LI boats krg for the jersey ones

[vnemous]

well there you go I believe mine was built in jersey.

[dnelson964]

I hear ya nelson hindsight is a real bitch,nothing horsepower cant fix.Cause that floor isnt coming out for a long long time would need a backhoe or a wrecking ball

Wrong, quick work with a Saws-all. ... Been there done that. :D

[endabran]

True true , if the bank doesnt come thru for me this winter that will prolly be the route i take.They have 3/8 marine ply at menard's could make it strong with the glass and small bulkheads

[endabran]

Well berzerko wins 82 so far with no backseat and alone 27 solas scorpion (T1 copy) even with the bottom 12 inch setback little more motor height and i think you were dead on 85 if im lucky320319

[joneill]

Keep us posted, what rpm?

[berzerko]

need more info…. set back how much trim, engine ht. rpm ?

[dnelson964]

Keep us posted, what rpm?

I'll guess 6150 RPM ? Is that the 300xs limiter ?

[Turborr]

Gotta surface that sporty for more speed. If you are running even with the hull you would be faster with a fleet or a torquemaster. Got to get that bullet out of the water for more speed.

[endabran]

Hard to look down very very nose high with this prop,but i believe 6200 6300.Not dead sure but i think 6400 it'll warn u lil beeps then 6500 it'll somewhat guardian mode if u hold it

[endabran]

Gonna put a go pro on the lower just barely get that tip out of the water then maybe ill get it to beep:cheers:

[endabran]

320547getting there,same motor height to 29 psi still do deep.made a conscious effort to look at the tach as well was 6100 maybe tapping 62

[endabran]

Dont understand the slip numbers,it calculates to -1 ????????????

[dnelson964]

Dont understand the slip numbers,it calculates to -1 ????????????


1.75@6200, 27 pitch......9.48 slip.