Hello All!
I found a good "deal" on a boat...(that's sort of like "hold my beer and watch this")...
1977 Century 180 Raven. Alpha One with a Mercuriser 238 (GM350).
Boat is I excellent cosmetic condition and has been stored indoors. It was winterized last fall...new trailer...new bimini...excellent upholstry... So I go to look at it "$2500 obo." We get it in the water and it won't trim down. When you push the trim button the voltmeter drops, but nothing happens (doesn't go up because it is all the way up already). So we pull it out and I got a set of muffs. I figure that if it starts and shifts with the muffs on we're in business. Key doesn't do anything. When I jump the lugs on the starter it spins but doesn't engage the engine. The owner is like "I'm so embarassed. It worked fine in October when we had it winterized. I've been trying to sell this thing...how about $1000 takes it..." I balked and walked away.
First of all, I figure...worst case scenario...the trailer is worth $4-500. I could sell the motor and drive for $500...it's worth $1000 in parts. If I fix the starter and sort out the power trim pump I could be on the water for around, maybe $500 or so. If it really goes like the seller says (and the marina verifys they winterized it) it should be good to go. I just about did the deal when I say a separate, wired, on/off switch...the seller said that this is "a neutral switch, just in case..." This tells me maybe they've had shifter cable trouble in the past. Maybe it's a sign of other trouble.
What would you do? I'm an aircraft mechanic and the trim pump looks like a breeze...it's just a 2-way hydro pump with some solenoids. The starter spins, it probably just has a sticky Bendix that needs the "hammer treatment." The old Chevy 350 in there should be reliable...right?
If the shifter is bunk then I forsee the summer boating season come to a quick end. It's not like some marina is going to "squeeze me in" and have the work done in a week. I don't mind the expense, even if I just go for the whole bellows, gimbal, shift cable job. Again, opinions from the experts on this? Should I just forget about it? I see a few 4 and 6 cylinder boats around here for $3-4000...but I just love those old V8's....
I found a good "deal" on a boat...(that's sort of like "hold my beer and watch this")...
1977 Century 180 Raven. Alpha One with a Mercuriser 238 (GM350).
Boat is I excellent cosmetic condition and has been stored indoors. It was winterized last fall...new trailer...new bimini...excellent upholstry... So I go to look at it "$2500 obo." We get it in the water and it won't trim down. When you push the trim button the voltmeter drops, but nothing happens (doesn't go up because it is all the way up already). So we pull it out and I got a set of muffs. I figure that if it starts and shifts with the muffs on we're in business. Key doesn't do anything. When I jump the lugs on the starter it spins but doesn't engage the engine. The owner is like "I'm so embarassed. It worked fine in October when we had it winterized. I've been trying to sell this thing...how about $1000 takes it..." I balked and walked away.
First of all, I figure...worst case scenario...the trailer is worth $4-500. I could sell the motor and drive for $500...it's worth $1000 in parts. If I fix the starter and sort out the power trim pump I could be on the water for around, maybe $500 or so. If it really goes like the seller says (and the marina verifys they winterized it) it should be good to go. I just about did the deal when I say a separate, wired, on/off switch...the seller said that this is "a neutral switch, just in case..." This tells me maybe they've had shifter cable trouble in the past. Maybe it's a sign of other trouble.
What would you do? I'm an aircraft mechanic and the trim pump looks like a breeze...it's just a 2-way hydro pump with some solenoids. The starter spins, it probably just has a sticky Bendix that needs the "hammer treatment." The old Chevy 350 in there should be reliable...right?
If the shifter is bunk then I forsee the summer boating season come to a quick end. It's not like some marina is going to "squeeze me in" and have the work done in a week. I don't mind the expense, even if I just go for the whole bellows, gimbal, shift cable job. Again, opinions from the experts on this? Should I just forget about it? I see a few 4 and 6 cylinder boats around here for $3-4000...but I just love those old V8's....
