As if I didnt have enough projects on my plate... July 22, 2007, 08:13:32 PM ...my father drops this off. It's an ancient 18' aluminum boat with a 60-horse Evinrude:My uncle owned it and gave it to me for doing some work to his other (much bigger) boat. I wasn't even expecting it, and to be honest, I'm still not sure I even want it. The engine doesn't run, but my uncle claims it used to but has been sitting for ten years. In this pic you can see where my uncle had started stripping the paint off, and the non-working 60-horse Evinrude. It's not seized, so hopefully it will run without too much effort: The hull seems solid, but the electrical and mechanical controls are all FUBAR (the steering cable is completely seized). The seats are also missing:Needless to say it won't be plying the lakes this summer - the boat has to wait in line behind the T-Bird, truck, and house. Even the trailer is in hard shape. The galvanized frame is OK, but the springs are rustier than any set of springs I'd ever seen - I can't believe my father even towed it up here like this. In case any of you have ever doubted the power of Nova Scotia salt, I present exhibit A:...So even if I decide to get rid of it I have to fix the springs on the trailer before I can even tow it anywhere. Thankfully springs are like $15 a side at Princess Auto. The real sharp eyes among you might even notice that the wheel is on inside out - the valve stem is facing inward, and the offset is all screwed up. My uncle is a real genius like that... Quote Selected
As if I didnt have enough projects on my plate... Reply #1 – July 22, 2007, 08:30:36 PM I love boats! That spring amazes me. Quote Selected
As if I didnt have enough projects on my plate... Reply #2 – July 22, 2007, 08:31:22 PM I haven't ever seen leaf springs deteriorate like that. Quote Selected
As if I didnt have enough projects on my plate... Reply #3 – July 22, 2007, 08:57:30 PM Quote from: Ifixyawata;162680I haven't ever seen leaf springs deteriorate like that.I have:hick: (thanks to the Chicago Department of Transportation) Quote Selected
As if I didnt have enough projects on my plate... Reply #4 – July 22, 2007, 10:27:02 PM Quote from: Thunder Chicken;162677 the valve stem is facing inward, and the offset is all screwed up. My uncle is a real genius like that... "Bah!! no matter it's round, just throw the thing on there!!" my grandpa was just like that!! Quote Selected
As if I didnt have enough projects on my plate... Reply #5 – July 22, 2007, 10:39:06 PM Mercury OptiMax 225 4stroke FTW!!!!! Quote Selected
As if I didnt have enough projects on my plate... Reply #6 – July 22, 2007, 10:53:40 PM man... talk about a lot of work. i dunno if i'd wanna keep it either. only good thing there is the trailer frame and the hull.but if it were going to be a project? 5.0HO inboard jet (like ski-doo's) with custom interior, hot feet (pedals instead of hand throttle) and stripped and repainted... cant forget fins in the bottom for sharp full throttle carves.i wish i still had pic's of my uncles boat... all decked out and has a 350 220+hp jet set up. looks similar but doesnt have such a deep cut hull and is fiber-glass. my uncle is the kind of guy that has the harley, the boat with an inboard 350, 3 ski-doo's with more CC's than a volkswagon and the ever ongoing 3 car garage. (did i mention the hot tub in the back screened in porch, pool table in the dining room, huge freakin tv with balcony seating... yeh, he's not rich at all, semi-retired, workaholic?) Quote Selected
As if I didnt have enough projects on my plate... Reply #7 – July 23, 2007, 11:12:06 AM Quote from: Thunder Chicken;162677I wasn't even expecting it, and to be honest, I'm still not sure I even want it.I'll take it off your hands for a similar price to what you payed. I'd call that a good haul. For the sake of $50 at princess auto for the trailer, and probably close to that to fix the cables and wiring, I'd say you've got a hell of a deal. Getting the outboard going shouldn't be that big of a deal. It's like fixing a wet lawnmower. Quote Selected
As if I didnt have enough projects on my plate... Reply #8 – July 23, 2007, 11:29:00 AM Quote from: Jim_Miller;162716"Bah!! no matter it's round, just throw the thing on there!!" my grandpa was just like that!!Yup mine too... Hell in the '60/70s we use to bolt the wide pattern VW wheels on backwards... Could get some big shiznit on 'em(compared to the 5.60x15 originals)... Been down the beach a many times in a old '60 with the wheels flipped running 9.00x15sTom Quote Selected
As if I didnt have enough projects on my plate... Reply #9 – July 23, 2007, 03:43:28 PM Quote from: oldraven;162798I'll take it off your hands for a similar price to what you payed. I'd call that a good haul. For the sake of $50 at princess auto for the trailer, and probably close to that to fix the cables and wiring, I'd say you've got a hell of a deal. Getting the outboard going shouldn't be that big of a deal. It's like fixing a wet lawnmower.Like fixing a big, three cylinder, two-stroke wet lawnmower Proly more like fixing a skidoo (and probably about as reliable, too). I'll feel a lot better about it once I hear that engine running. I might try to make that happen this weekend.As for seats, I'm thinking I might try to find somebody junking an old van with vinyl captains' chairs and bench seats... Quote Selected
As if I didnt have enough projects on my plate... Reply #10 – July 23, 2007, 05:35:27 PM What? No Raven Leather TC seats? Carmen, you're slipping.How about ditching the Evinrude for something a little more appropriate? Quote Selected
As if I didnt have enough projects on my plate... Reply #11 – July 23, 2007, 10:30:53 PM Quote from: oldraven;162894What? No Raven Leather TC seats? Carmen, you're slipping.How about ditching the Evinrude for something a little more appropriate?If I could find a set of raven leather TC seats I certainly wouldn't be putting them in a boat!As for the engine swap - it'd be cool to drop a TC engine in, but that would take money away from the Thunderbird project, and that's much more important. I suppose once I do the 351 swap into the 'Bird I'll have an extra 5.0 lying around... Quote Selected
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