1973 Sutphen Sport Pacer

[gtguy1094]

Hey Everyone. I have a 1973 Sutphen with a BBC in it. I have been digging and digging but they seem to be VERY rare. as in google cant even find many pics.
i'm in the process of a resto but I am mainly wondering about the value of this boat. i do not want to be completely upside down in the restoration meaning I dont want to put 10k in and it be worth 2k. the engine alone has about 5k into it in go fast parts. I'm less worried about the motor. i can get most of that money back.

any help or insight would be appreciated.

 

[Sean]

Tough call. the easy answer is it's worth what someone will pay. That's just not easy to judge. The Sutphen is a cool boat but, you need a real performance guy to know what it is.

The simple truth is that when you restore a boat (if you do it right) you will never get out near what it cost you... so, you'd better enjoy it as you WILL be upside down. Parting it out is the most common way of recouping your investment as this will get you closer to your start point than selling your newly saved baby complete...but, it'll break your heart.

The Sutphen has to compete with other "go fast" boats and some that have a more recognisable name or pedigree (Donzi, Formula, Bertram etc...). So as a fresh, proper and complete restoration with very few hours on it, I'd place the boat in the low $ 20,000 range. After a season or two you can cut that to $ 12,000-ish. A nice survivor is sub $10,000 (more like $8 -8,500) with a complete but needing restoration at $5-6,000. A drive-less hull is around $2,500 if it is in nice shape and most hardware with a gutted one at $1,500. A really tough bare hull $500 - $1,000.

Depending on how much of the work you do yourself and how wild you go on things I would estimate the costs of a proper restoration between $ 25,000 and $ 40,000 (I've seen some at much more like $65,000+) and then you still need to add the cost of the boat itself.

Now consider buying a new Mastercraft X2 (with the Ilmore V8) wake board boat.... $110,000 and it still depreciates. Well, I guess the restoration to have the boat you want looks pretty good now, huh.

 

[Sean]

Tough call. the easy answer is it's worth what someone will pay. That's just not easy to judge. The Sutphen is a cool boat but, you need a real performance guy to know what it is.

The simple truth is that when you restore a boat (if you do it right) you will never get out near what it cost you... so, you'd better enjoy it as you WILL be upside down. Parting it out is the most common way of recouping your investment as this will get you closer to your start point than selling your newly saved baby complete...but, it'll break your heart.

The Sutphen has to compete with other "go fast" boats and some that have a more recognisable name or pedigree (Donzi, Formula, Bertram etc...). So as a fresh, proper and complete restoration with very few hours on it, I'd place the boat in the low $ 20,000 range. After a season or two you can cut that to $ 12,000-ish. A nice survivor is sub $10,000 (more like $8 -8,500) with a complete but needing restoration at $5-6,000. A drive-less hull is around $2,500 if it is in nice shape and most hardware with a gutted one at $1,500. A really tough bare hull $500 - $1,000.

Depending on how much of the work you do yourself and how wild you go on things I would estimate the costs of a proper restoration between $ 25,000 and $ 40,000 (I've seen some at much more like $65,000+) and then you still need to add the cost of the boat itself.

Now consider buying a new Mastercraft X2 (with the Ilmore V8) wake board boat.... $110,000 and it still depreciates. Well, I guess the restoration to have the boat you want looks pretty good now, huh.

Okay, I didn't read this was a jet boat... It is probably worth a bit less than stated above and downgraded again if it's a lake boat vs. a Sutphen that can handle bigger water.

 

[Chris]

Sutphen's are pretty neat boats - still around too.

As Sean said, I don't believe there is much money in restoring boats, unless you're running a shop and doing if for others, it's mostly a labour of love.

I'd love to see some pics!

-Chris

 

[gtguy1094]

I can agree its a definitely out of love. but considering I only bought the entire package engine boat and trailer for $2K; I'd like to kind of break even at the end. I went through the motor and its worked. Like you put this in a camaro and it would need to be tubbed. the boat is a fiberglass, jet, lake/river boat however she holds up well on the bay on a good day. it can take some chop but not much.

let me give the photos a shot im just going to upload them all them in chronological order:


Boat nearly how i got it:








Floor damage from improper storage (yes my fault, guilty as charged):




New plywood over new bolted and fiberglassed pressure treated stringers:


Fiberglass Sealed and protected floor ready for carpet:




Motor after yank out:




Motor almost ready to reinstall:

 

[gtguy1094]

I just like being able to say "I did that" I've done a ton of custom motorcycle work with fiberglass so I'm not afraid to touch the boat. From what I can get from Sutphen (in Florida) it was built in NJ for a guy in Brooklyn, NY as a jet drive with no motor. i cant get a total # built that year or they wouldnt tell me.. not sure they claimed they dont keep tabs on that # but how would a boat company not know how many they built??


anyway. bottom line is its something that not a lot of people have and its old/simple so I love it.

 

[Sean]

It's always great if you can do the work Yourself. 2k was a good price for what you have. I don't think its going to be on the list of collectable boats but, it certainly is an the list of very cool boats.

Remember my comments were directed at a proper OE type restoration. With that in mind you can make a runner out of her for less but, I still don't think you will break even.

 

[nathan]

cool boat!! hope the rebuild completes smoothly!

 

[Chris]

Awesome.

Thanks for sharing.

I'll look forward to seeing the finished project.

-Chris

 

[gtguy1094]

some new pics and a vid.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dgXA8voDAmc&feature=youtu.be

youtube of engine running and revving. not a big deal to most but i thought this engine was shot. she took a lot of work to get right again.


adding an old nitrous kit that I had "laying around".. before you call me crazy I've done the research. I dont plan on doing anything extreme that could grenade the boat or motor. most likely just a 50 or 75 shot. I just want to use the parts I had in the garage.






and this is the part that I love. I've never seen a "corkscrew" style speedo before and the fact that its an 80 MPH speedo factory is pretty cool too.

 

[Sean]

That is seriously Badass!

 

[Chris]

Sounds nice!

Gotta love the sound of a lumpy cam.

I'll look forward to seeing some water shots and videos.

-Chris

 

[Peels]

NIIIIIIICE!

we were watching somebody again last weekend with a flat bottom jet. man did it sound cool...

but...Im quoting you here.... "JUST" a 50-75 shot?

most likely just a 50 or 75 shot

youll 'JUST' be making more hp in ONE CYLINDER, than in my whole motor.

I love it. rock on.