Things to look for?
 

I have been lurking for a while now. And currently trying to sell my Prestine Wellcraft Nova and My Bullet comp hull w/ a 300x.
Besides all that after those sell I am looking to get into a 80's model Cigarette Cafe Racer for some reason they are my favorite. What might be some important things to look into with a Cigarette Cafe Racer from that era? Any pointers would be GREATLY appreciated and I know this is the place to come!

Thank you all again.

I would say if you r looking for an old cig like that look for your money disappearing from your wallet. .... lol

cracks in the corners of the helm. long cracks on the chines mid ship about a couple feet infront of the helm. and cracks on the side near the bulk head. the 80's cafes the tabs had litterally a lag bolt going into the transom. look for some caulk around the washer. i THINK it is the middle bottom one that is litterally lagged right into the stringer. they are known to rot there. pull the drain plug on the 3 screws if theyll let you, and pry around with a screw driver. lots of time moisture is trapped or the glass wasnt totally sealed and it will be soft from years of use.. other than that thats where most of the cafes "weak spots" are... but they are total sleds and run great !!! ive seen lots of good deals lately!!

link those good deals....

small hammer or s screwdriver is your friend...

So what's a late 80's cafe with 800 blower motors #3 drives, good paint but needs interior and full dash redo worth? Engines less 100 hrs since new.

Reason I ask, I was offered a deal earlier this week from a boat I looked at year ago

Probably mid $60k's

I think you're about 10k high, I didn't get that for my Very clean 92 Top Gun setting on a nice trailer with new rebuilt 500 EFI's.JMO

I sold my old 90' model, 50 hour - 750 HP N.A. motors, #3 drives, new paint and dash, good interior and trailer last fall for 54k. And it took me a year to get that number. Good Luck!

And that was a beauty of a machine.

not close to as nice as your boat. I had a thread about it last year, not sure how to copy thread link.

Here are some pics, interior needs help to say the least.
[IMG]http://i1289.photobucket.com/albums/...ps084b7605.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i1289.photobucket.com/albums/...psd450a5cf.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i1289.photobucket.com/albums/...pseec32cb9.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i1289.photobucket.com/albums/...ps0c453ee3.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i1289.photobucket.com/albums/...ps630d9e43.jpg[/IMG]

I'm thinking about selling mine. Has 750 hp 540's with blowers, imco scx2 drives, new blower hatch with scoops. Motors and drives have less than 20 hours. Needs paint, interior new in 2013, sitting on a triple axle myco trailer. Pm me your email address if interested.

Needing updating.... 35-40,000 is a realistic number in my eyes...

Wholly pinkish purple....:picard1:
Is that a rainbow going around the dash?

pics? I know of some people looking.

the paint is the hard part. itll be the perfect boat for a painter to buy and paint at his cost. but its tough because everyone is scared of these 25g paint jobs they hear about.

if anyone actually gets 60k for one I will buy them beers all summer lol anyone can ask what they want but realistic number of what someone will buy is different.

just for your own numbers. I looked a 93 (I think) carbon café. it was the new cabin style not bench seat. boat looked absolutely mint. brand new 502 efi's and swept back XR.s polished aluminum myco with drive guard. paint was beautiful and timeless. race hatch which was cool. sold for 40k this fall. I thought I was going to make him sweat it out over 5 grand and I called and said screw it ill be there this weekend and he said he sold it LOL boat was a great deal. BUT then you see people asking 65k for a boat with blowers that still is stuck in the 80's or a crappy wrap job and its been listed for 3 years... so I think for a nice café in todays market with warm reliable motors and good shape... 40-45k for run of the mill boats...boats like rebars will bring more because it is like buying a brand new 90's boat.

post hull side pics. I remember the boat just not the exterior. what are they asking for it?

Typo on my part. Meant to say mid $50k's. Looking at the photos I'd say more like low $40k's just because of the power and drives. if this was a TRS boat more like Mid $30k's

Did the OP get some help ?? seems your threads been Hijacked ................ a moisture meter will be your friend, good luck

Sorry if I derailed slightly but seemed right thread since new one was started about similar boat

So how much $$ to redo the cafe interior? Plus dash?

And 'if it had bravo's' it would get upper 40's.:lolhit:

Not quoting you Cig3, but I heard that BS so many times while trying to sell mine. #3 boats run faster, flatter and less problems all day long than Bravo cafes'. Those buyers hunting bravo cafes need to spend a day in a #3 boat. Just my 2 cents as I step down off my soapbox. Sorry for any highjackingness.

None better. RebarBox had a helluva machine.

I was talking to a buddy of mine about this last night; does a bravo café have a tendency to porpoise and does a TRS café run a little flatter? I'd be interested to learn a little about this..

I'm with you 100% Rebar. I'd take a #3 boat all day long. No bravo's for me. I'm not opposed to TRS and would take that over a Bravo boat but parts are slowly drying up and they won't take the HP we can make these days.

I would say that a Bravo Cafe' would have a tendency to porpoise with the CG being move back 10-12 inches. Bravos don't have as much leverage as a TRS or SSM either.

My Bravo cafe will porpoise in calm water. If you just drop the drives a half a notch it cures it, but there is no doubt it happens, and I believe lots of people experience it. Remember the Cafe was designed before they put bravos behind them - it's a TRS designed hull

All straight bottom cigarettes will porpoise in flat water. Bullet, cafe, top gun and it doesn't matter what drives they have. They are not made to run on the river, once you hit a little chop they level right out

pay the money and get a survey

Agree,older boat is going to need a survey to get insurance anyway, so might as well kill 2 birds with one stone.

mine don't, Mistress and Café are nearly identical in weight, approx. 2-300 lbs different I will say a Bravo one will porpoise way more then a TRS boat, COG is better on a transmission boat, that little bit makes a difference...

Once my 2 boats I have now get out of the way (parking room reasons) I'm very seriously considering the 89 Cafe (some kinda anniversary edition) Marc Jacob has for sale the red and white with stock 454's in Florida. I know she needs love but that's what I'm looking for... And something about that boat i just love it ...something to mess with a little bit and as young as I am it fits the budget a little better also lol

Really!? Dammit! I live on a 19 mile tidal river and strait bottom Cigs are what my heart is set on... F$!K... Well it does chop up quite a bit, I'm not throwing in my hand just yet... Thanks for the insight.

Our 94 flat bottom TG with bravos doesn't porpoise often. We run it a lot on the CT River. I have several videos to prove it. Running on flat glass water...she is running on rails with no bunny hop. Actually here is a video

http://youtu.be/JUaS2DF--BI

My Flat Deck doesn`t porpoise much . Not anything more than any other boat I`ve owned anyway

Can`t say the same for the Sonic at the beginning :wuerg019:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hs-2XkHYkts

Unless you absolutely love the classic boats like most in this thread you would be better off to spend $150K on a nice clean twin step gun. That is what you will have into the boat by the time it is reliable!!

As far as things to look for, I would pull all the dash panels up and look at the wiring, remove a speaker and look for extra wires run to the bilge (from shorted out engine harnesses) We just rewired my gun because it had 20 years worth of clust****ing idiots working on it.....

Look at receipts for all work done, if they can't provide them consider it as nothing was done and move to the next boat. Nobody spends $60K on these things and doesn't keep a folder with receipts.....


My gun porpoised like crazy on flat water but after taking Tres Martin's class and driving the boat his way it has never done it again. It is perfectly smooth at all speeds in flat water now!

They will run perfectly smooth if you drive the boat correctly! Tres Martin fixed my porpoise issues after taking his class... It is 100% operator thats making the boat porpoise.

Disagree. There are several flat bottom examples out there for sub 70k that are ultra reliable, in good shape, etc. our boat is one of them. It didn't need anything when we bought it. Haven't had any issues knock on wood. Even with top end refreshes we are well below 150k.

No, not at all; as a matter of fact it carries the bow real nice in calm water..

+1, I've found several worthy candidates, some with single digit hours on rebuilds.

Truly inspiring my friend!! Loved that. Naturals or blower motors? I didn't think I heard the whine of roots; but it looks like race fairing..

Im sure people do ok every now and again, but the fact is the majority of them out there are money pits. Better to be prepared and catch a nice one then expect to go boating reliably in a 50-60K Cigarette.

'90 Cafe with 525 Hawks and TRS on Miami Craigslist. $35,000