1950 18-foot Chris Craft Riviera - Snake Mountain Boatworks

The following is our playlist of videos for our 1950 18′ Chris Craft Riviera preservation. Click on each to view the video, or the title or text below to watch and read detailed write-up on the video.

Today we launch what truly will be among the most challenging preservation projects we’ve tackled to date.
This very original 1950 18’ Chris-Craft Riveria is slated for a major rebuilding and then finishing process. She retains her original Chris-Craft KL flathead six engine and Paragon transmission, as well as what appears during our intake inventory to be all of her hardware, but all that is for another day.
As is illustrated by the clip, her worst problems exist including and between the gunwales.
She arrived with deck planking stowed in her bilge and deck framing lashed to her hull with zip ties, but none of the screw holes line up, so we are surmising that what we have is some sort of marriage of two boats. And, since the engine hatch is not correct for a RIV, we suspect that at least some of what we have comes from a different model Chris.
Today is for stripping her out so we can begin rebuilding her decks, covering boards and the like.