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dfinley3401

New member
I recently bought a Fairliner

I recently bought a Fairliner 31' cabin cruiser for a very good price. It was built in 1962 by Western Boat Builders in Tacoma Wa. The egines are Crusader Charger 250 's. I am having a hard time finding out anything about the engines online.

Doe anyone know where I might find maintenance manuals and parts for these engines??

Thankyou for your help.

Dave
 
"Bob, Thanks for the response.

"Bob, Thanks for the response. I had looked at that site but I didn't see my engine listed there. Am I to assume that the first listing for 1961+ engines will work?

Thanks for your help
Dave"
 
"Yup, that manual would work.

"Yup, that manual would work. Your Charger 250 series is actually a 250HP which is a Chevy 327 Cu in engine and that manual covers the 327 Cu in that is/was used by Crusader."
 
"Alright Don! That helps a bu

"Alright Don! That helps a bunch. I am really new to this, I bought a 31' cabin cruiser for $500. It needs a lot of work but if I can get the engines running, I can spend the summer catching squaw fish for the bounty and possibly fix it up.

Thank you for your help.

Dave"
 
"Dave..
If you bought a 31 fo

"Dave..
If you bought a 31 footer for $500.00 I would strongly suggest you get a "Marine Survey" done on the vessel, (if you have not already got one), before you start sinking money into a boat that "may" be unsafe or not "sea-worthy" or worse still, not worth sinking any money into a costly refit.."
 
"Don, Thanks for the advice.

"Don, Thanks for the advice. I am in the process of evaluating the boats sea worthyness. I am encouraged by the fact that I purchased from a widow. It was purchased by her husband for a project boat. He went into surgery for an eye problem and died on the operating table. She was paying $110 per month for moorage fees and needed to get out from under it.

Dave"
 
"[b]"Stay away from doctor

""Stay away from doctors...they can be bad for your health!"

Ayuh,...

Even talking to mine is Dangerous to my Financial Health...."
 
You guys had to bring that up

You guys had to bring that up NOW!! I go in for major neck surgery next week.

Thanks a lot!

Jeff
 
"Don't worry Jeff...They s

"Don't worry Jeff...They say the ride to the hospital is probably more dangerous than the surgery itself...if you are still ok after years of breathing chemicals and fumes and riding around in that boat in the picture, you have nothing to worry about. Best of Luck"
 
"The neck is a busy place. We

"The neck is a busy place. We're rootin' for ya. Hopefully, you will be asleep for the hard part, and have a quick recovery."
 
"Thanks all. I just hope the

"Thanks all. I just hope the surgeon isn't having what they used to say in the auto industry, a "Monday morning, Friday afternoon" day!

Jeff"
 
"Good luck Jeff, I will add yo

"Good luck Jeff, I will add you to my prayer list as well. In light of your comments about the surgeon, I will put him on the list also. Let us all know how you do.

Chuck"
 
"good luck jeff , i just got o

"good luck jeff , i just got out sun from complete knee replacement [too much hydro driving]forget the operation ,think of bottom painting
ray"
 
You had to mention "bottom

You had to mention "bottom painting"! My least favorite spring time job--that I'd LOVE to be doing right now.

Supposed to go down to zero or below tonight. Brrr!

Jeff

PS: Thanks for all the nice thoughts.
 
fred
i ran DSH two boys we

fred
i ran DSH two boys were ASH youngest lad ran JU & AU lots of fun and good memories.
 
"Sorry for hyjacking your thre

"Sorry for hyjacking your thread Dave.
Hey Mrpops,
Do you know Mark Whee..., or Larry Godsch..., a couple of DSH, DMH guys in the club?

JU & AU, you are old (not in a bad way), I notice that you jumped from J to A, & didn't mention AX. Are we talking about Martin 60s & KG4s?

248114.jpg

Here is a shot of my son running AX, with the B&H boys wondering "whats going on?" That boat loved the rough water.
He would come back in the pits, I'd pull the restricter plate, & he'd go right back out next heat and run ASH. A this time he was a little heavy for the AX class, but he had skills & experience.
But for the last couple of years, it's been strictly A Marathon for us , (Region 6)
248115.gif

son (above) & Me (below) A few years back.
248116.gif


(Still grabbing for good memories)

Fred 156-M (2006 Region 6 Rookie of the year)

."
 
"fred
i was from region 1.

"fred
i was from region 1. AX wasn't a big class ,we all ran kg4 in the A's,my time frame 1975 / 1983
ray"
 
"Dave, back to your original q

"Dave, back to your original question. If you are new to Crusader engines and to boating in general, you have stumbled upon a good discussion board. There are several qualified and professional mechanics (me not included) here that can and are willing to answer your questions. There are also a number of experienced owners who have been there, done that and bought the t-shirt more times than you can begin to think (I am included in this bunch). It is winter time. One of the good ways to learn is to go back over the archived messages here and see what troubles people have encountered and how they solved the problem. Come spring and you will be ready to jump in with both feet.

Good luck,

Chuck Hanson"
 
Thanks Chuck and to the rest n

Thanks Chuck and to the rest no problem hijacking my thread. I have had many on point suggestions and have enjoyed the off topic posts. This is obviously a group of enthusiasts and friends. I have been following several threads and I am having a ball.

Dave
 
"Thanks Dave
For your underst

"Thanks Dave
For your understanding.
248197.jpg

Sometimes we stumble upon other things that we have in common with each other, that weren't as obvious in the beginning.

Fred 156-M"
 
"Hey FF is there a crusader in

"Hey FF is there a crusader in that? You are right, I think most of us have more in common than the reverse. I think I have found a frendly place where I will have many hours of help, entertainment, and friendship.

Dave"
 
"Ha Ha Ha Dave.
It's the

"Ha Ha Ha Dave.
It's the 3400 on the left side of the screen has the 454/350 Crusaders (come on,, keep it straight).

That's my 15hp Johnny on 113lb. (with hardware) "A" (or "B")runabout. "A" is the class.
Mrpops referred to them as AU, earlier in time, the boats were referred to as utility boats.
You may notice that the engine isn't square on the transom, I had a lot of trouble that day."
 
"Hi Jeff. OK you got me going.

"Hi Jeff. OK you got me going.
For those of you who don't know, those 2 Youtube videos from Jeff's post are from a race we call "Top O ".http://www.marathonnationals.com/Welcome.html
http://www.irchamber.com/boat.htm
We race a round trip between Conway, & Cheboygan, Michigan, with a start / finish line near the south end of Bert lake. 87 miles of ..... potential danger.
That is me at 16 seconds & 2:24 of the first video.
its mostly fun & games in the rivers, but when the 25 foot boats are turning around to go back in, because its too rough out in one or the other lakes (at times, easily 2 foot chop) we do our best to push on. (in '07 I watched my son flip his boat 150 feet in front of me, in Burt Lake. He gave me the OK sign, & I raced on. There are rescue boats about every 1/2 mile or so).
Some racers stuff waves & fill their boat with water, some flip them in the lake, some flip in the river! Some fail to negotiate one of the many hard turns in the Crooked River & beach up on shore, or hit a steel wall & tear the side out of their boat (my son '07).
Thru out the 2 day event only about 70% finish.

248208.jpg


248209.jpg


Its grueling, abusive, & for a solid week after the race I swear " that's the last time", but, after you start walking like a normal person again, you realize that sharing things with your son, the competition, companionship with others, the crowds of people gathered on shore to watch, & cheer you on, & receiving a medallion for completing "The Worlds Toughest Outboard Marathon race", if the knees will let you , you'll want to come back next year.

Fred 156-M


--
Racin's done........all packed up.
Worn out from takin' boats up & down this seawall....
tired....hungry ... & all banged up.....
blew a lower unit...........fried a piston.......
didn't finish in the money.............
four hours home........got to be at work first thing tomorrow....

But HEY..........NEXT WEEK'S CONSTANTINE!
."
 
very good discription of the r

very good discription of the race fred. for the unknowing who watch and think its like a sleigh ride out there.
ray
 
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