Leo Bentz, Ski Nautique and Boat #1

Jim,

Yes, that is odd. Not matching on the width between the stringers? 

Leo ok'd either of the Stewart Warner gauge sets, the common white pointer, black face and chrome surround or the "wings" style, which one do you guys think? I'd assume the regular style would be more accurate over the "wings

https://www.stewartwarner.com/products/green-line/

I favor the Stewart Warner chrome bezel / black face / white graphics and needle.  Many of the early boats built by Correct Craft didn't have a fuel gauge, but rather a direct-reading mechanical gauge on the top of the fuel tank and a plexiglas window in the rear deck.  My '65 (which I bought from Leo) even had a light under the rear deck so that you could read the gauge in the dark. 

Can anyone tell me why I cannot type a reply on this new site unless I choose and emoticon first? 

Gary, now that you mention it, I remember discussing the light with you.  In those days, I don't think there was such a thing as a           pre-assembled wiring harness in the boats.  The guys installing parts in the boats would get in the boat with a bunch of spools of wire and wire components as they installed them.  And none of them would have questioned the reason for that light, their job was to install it, window or not.  When the fuel fills dropped straight into the tanks, a dowel rod in the boat was superior to any fuel gauge available, and it would still be that way if they hadn't put all they twists and turns in the fill hose.

BTW, I have been making daily drives past the old factory where your boat was born to watch the progress of the demolition of the building.  I had hoped to get some photos of the signs painted on the outside of the building, but the track hoes got there first.  Sort of sad to see it go, but it certainly wasn't accomplishing anything.   

I still don't understand why this page won't let me type anything unless I select an emoticon first.

Gary, I'll have to go look at Google Earth and see what you are looking at.  Are you inputting 5717 South Orange Av 32809?  To my knowledge there never has been a Publix in that area, but there once was a Winn Dixie to the north on the east side of Orange Av. That is the address. The building across the street I believe has the same windows that the factory had, but it is not part of CC. There were in fact offices across the street, but that building was demolished soon after they moved to the new factory.  It was once the Pine Castle Hotel, and when W.C. Meloon bought it there was not enough headroom on the first floor to build boats, so he tore out the raised wood floor and built boats on the dirt floor below.  After WW2 they needed storage space for all of the cast part forms that they had built for the military boats, so a loft was added above the dirt floor.  Later, after the first part of the factory was built across the street, the first floor was replaced and it was turned into offices.  Trouble was t  The upstairs was W.C. and his wife's residence.  Soon they needed more storage space, so a loft was added over the dirt floor. Trouble was that when they replaced the wooden floors, the loft had taken away headroom,so anyone over 6' had to duck when walking through, or risk being cut on the head due to the home-made sheetmetal air conditioning vents that in the ceiling.  I have a scar as evidence. 

Riley wrote: Weren't those older boats 2 3/8" exhaust?

You are absolutely correct.  Does anyone know where I left my brain?  I think I've lost it!!!

Pete I don't think the issue is the width of the stringers and I'm pretty sure if Jim looks back in the service records I sent him he'll find that the plywood floor was replaced after the PCM engine was installed in 1996.  I would imagine the plywood was cut out to accept the new location of the pcm motor mounts and that's why the Interceptor mounts don't want to fall right in place.  That's just a guess but I know the floor has been replaced.