Need help to ID this boat model.

So my uncle recently passed away and left behind a boat that has been offered to me. I need help getting it ID to find out more about the make and model. I have been told he purchased it in the late 70's and the make is Hustler. The pictures are not great so any info at all that can be offered will help.

I considered them about the same level as VIP, Tidecraft, Terry, etc...There were a lot of little boat builders in Louisiana and east Texas back in the 60's to the 80's. Mediocre quality, poor finish, and a whole lot of wood used in the boats. Most of them have, will have, or have had transom issues. I would pull it out, get in inspected structurally and mechanically, and set a very modest budget for restoration and do not go over that number.

I have never had a boat before so im guessing that a whole lot of wood is bad since it can rot? Also the boat is free so what would you consider a modest budget to be?

That boat was a pop off of the Skeeter Metro. A lot of ole timers loved them. Wood is ok as long as it didn't get wet or saturated, then rot could start.

If the motor runs and has a title it's worth more than what it is costing you, I like the weed guard on the tm

Its been stored in the garage so maybe rot wont be an issue. Anyone with possible ideas on its model please let me know.

Any thoughts on this damage on the bottom?

MIC: HSL Status: Inactive
Company: HUSTLER BOAT CO Company Official: JAMES M LEE
Parent Company: Parent MIC:
Address: PO BOX 5975 City: BOSSIER CITY
State: LA Zip: 71111
Country: Phone: 3187422796
Fax: In Business: Thursday, August 24, 1972
Out of Business: Friday, January 28, 1983 Date Modified: Friday, January 28, 1983
Type: Outboards, Open Motorboats, Jon Boats


Additional Address:

If there's no rot and there should not be since it's been stored all this time, check for any fiberglass cracks, get the motor running and go fishing. The fish don't care what it looks like. I bet you can get it running cheaper than buy another one.

Run tha TX numbers thru Parks & Wildlife........

Just ran the numbers with tx parks and now have the year it wad made but still no model.

There should be a serial number stamped into the fiberglass on the right side of the transom. The first two numbers would be the year it was made and then the serial number. I think they were doing that back in the day.

My next trip to the boat i will look at the transom

Will be on tha "title" which ya gotta have before ya invest a dime in it. Without that its worthless........jmo

He will have to apply for a title because boats that old were not titled when new.

Johnny

Got more info on the boat. The title was found and it says its a 72 Hustler Wildcat. Only when i google nothing comes up matching this boat picture wise.

Anyway more pics were taken can anyone advise me of this crack on the bottom of the boat. If its bad or not so bad. It about 3 to 4 inches long.

Also sorry for all the questions but what would be considered a modest budget for a boat like this? Just to get it running again.

I disagree tommy I've owned two metros and that hull isn't even close ,that's a early 70's model ' and I'd say its rare to see that boat with a console ,I believe it was converted to wheel because of the different color gel coat, that hull came out around the same time as the metro but its shallower and has none of the same lines,all boats then had wood,no boat made in that era was of the same quality as boats today, including ranger and skeeter

Few more pics added.

Caught a lot of fish out of my dads old Hustler. It was 16' with a 50 horse Mercury. I cracked the hull on it in Flat creek on Palestine, patched it myself and was fishing out of it again the next weekend. Good ole boats imo

IMO, It all depends on what you're comfortable with and how far you want to go with it.

I am going to say this as nice as I know how: "It will cost way more than its worth"

Patch it with marine Tex....put a couple plugs in that Chrysler... Sea foam the dog out of it and fish it on small water until it sinks..... Garage sale seats....maybe a 100$ trolling motor....just fish....it'll be fun....the people that can't just fish unless they're in the best and brightest are missing something

The hull looks like many of the manufactures of that time period, Kingfisher, Terry, and Top Tenner are the ones that I can remember. This hull design was the next evolution of the bass boat after the original Skeeter submarine boat. I owned a Kingfisher 152 which was a 15 ft with stick steering of that type hull design. There was a Top Tenner that went over the spillway at Tawakoni and suffered remarkably little damaged for what it went through. I believe that Top Tenner bought the boat back from the owner and displayed it at every boat show and dealership in the country to promote their brand.

I have a 72 tarpon I'm restoring and I'll say when I'm through,oh what memories that will bring back, what price can you put on that