1958 Century Coronado

rgilfert · 04-13-2012, 01:30 PM

When I was eight years old my Grandfather bought a brand new 1958 Century Coronado for himself (I put a couple of pictures of it in my "1958 Summer Vacation" album). It was truly "his baby"...and in an attempt to keep other family members from driving it (aka my Dad)...he bought a second boat with a small outboard motor for everyone else to use. He was only marginally successful with this strategy however for my Dad used to regularly take "the women" of the house (and myself) to Wolfeboro in it (from Melvin Village) on the guise of having to go food shopping. After my Grandfather passed away and when I turned 16 I was allowed to use the boat at will.....and the memories & stories I have about using that boat during the following eight years I could bore you all with for hours. Phenomenal opportunity & experiences that I'll never forget!! I'm not sure what the engine was that was in it. I know that it was a big block ... and I've been told that it might have been an early/prototype Ford 427 cuin motor but I don't know. I remember distinctly that it had dual 4 bbl carburetors and there was a sticker on each of the chrome valve covers that read "sodium cooled racing valves". Perhaps one of you might know the correct displacement and manufacturer of the block? Unfortunately the boat was sold in 1974 while I was in the Navy due to dry rot in the hull. Subsequently, and for many years the boat remained on the lake (I used to see it infrequently emerging from under the bridge leading from Wolfeboro's Back Bay)...but then I stopped seeing it all together. I sincerely believe that it might have been used as the "model" for Peter Ferber's early water color featuring a Century Coronado...only because it looked exactly like it (except that the painting had a chrome rear swim ladder in the rear..but that could have easily been added after the fact). In all of my years on the lake...I've never seen another one like it. Does anyone know whether the boat is still on the lake? I'd love to see it again....and reminisce!

04-13-2012, 01:30 PM	#1
rgilfert Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Bedford, NH / Rattlesnake Island Posts: 299 Thanks: 152 Thanked 227 Times in 57 Posts	1958 Century Coronado When I was eight years old my Grandfather bought a brand new 1958 Century Coronado for himself (I put a couple of pictures of it in my "1958 Summer Vacation" album). It was truly "his baby"...and in an attempt to keep other family members from driving it (aka my Dad)...he bought a second boat with a small outboard motor for everyone else to use. He was only marginally successful with this strategy however for my Dad used to regularly take "the women" of the house (and myself) to Wolfeboro in it (from Melvin Village) on the guise of having to go food shopping. After my Grandfather passed away and when I turned 16 I was allowed to use the boat at will.....and the memories & stories I have about using that boat during the following eight years I could bore you all with for hours. Phenomenal opportunity & experiences that I'll never forget!! I'm not sure what the engine was that was in it. I know that it was a big block ... and I've been told that it might have been an early/prototype Ford 427 cuin motor but I don't know. I remember distinctly that it had dual 4 bbl carburetors and there was a sticker on each of the chrome valve covers that read "sodium cooled racing valves". Perhaps one of you might know the correct displacement and manufacturer of the block? Unfortunately the boat was sold in 1974 while I was in the Navy due to dry rot in the hull. Subsequently, and for many years the boat remained on the lake (I used to see it infrequently emerging from under the bridge leading from Wolfeboro's Back Bay)...but then I stopped seeing it all together. I sincerely believe that it might have been used as the "model" for Peter Ferber's early water color featuring a Century Coronado...only because it looked exactly like it (except that the painting had a chrome rear swim ladder in the rear..but that could have easily been added after the fact). In all of my years on the lake...I've never seen another one like it. Does anyone know whether the boat is still on the lake? I'd love to see it again....and reminisce!

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