Ya that one was the cleanest ran into him in seneca. theres a 87 on syr craigs for 8700 not what u want but close we will find u the one lol theres a few of us in tune with any that pops up lol ya we need help

Buddy of mine has a 89 ls teal grey and black hes consisering selling i bet it the nicest 242 out anywhere i mean its mint! should he decide ill let ya know but it has bolsters and its the only 242 ive ever seen with indicaters from the factory

I guess I was mostly looking at the 454 because I am familiar with it and have been very happy with it from a reliability stand point. I have never had a 502 in anything before. I would rather have the extra hp of a 502. I'm not worried about gas mileage. If I was I would be buying a 20' bowrider with a 4.3L in it. I have just always been under the impression that the 454 is more reliable. I don't have any real world experience to base that on. If you all think the 502 is fairly dependable I would certainly rather have the extra power.

Thanks, let me know if he decides to sell it. Is he also in Tonawanda? That's close enough to me I could drive to see it this weekend.

I sent an email on that ad asking for more pictures/details etc. It's not exactly right and doesn't look super clean, but the price isn't too bad. And it's close enough to go look at.

I've sent an email on this one too, but I haven't heard anything back..........http://http://www.boattrader.com/listing/1989-Formula-242ls-313401

Should he decide to sell ill let ya know, that one above been for sale forever

Albany craigs also has a blck n red ss id link these but cant from my phone

http://albany.craigslist.org/boa/3102862626.html

Looks little rough

Border hold out for a clean one. Also since you are boating in the pristine big river hold out for a non-bottom paint freshwater boat. The 'cuse boat looks rough and the Albany boat isn't bad for the price but not pristine

Ya ya lol took a quick look from the phone but it does... i just looked to see if.my old 242 happened to be on there it was not tgat long ago

No worries I know you wouldn't steer him wrong :) Boat holds its shine still which is always a plus just looks like some light dock rash that is hard to make out in the pics even when they are blown up.

This boat looks decent - http://stlouis.craigslist.org/boa/3126987181.html

Does it look familiar to anyone? I called a marine surveyor in that area that I might have inspect it for me.

That does sound decent

I made an offer on that boat. I am waiting to hear back.

Well my offer got accepted and the wheels are in motion. I had a survey set up for Monday and a mechanic doing a compression test on Tuesday. Then I was going to have it shipped to NY. Then a few hours ago a friend of mine heard I was going to have it shipped. He volunteered to go with me to go pick it up. I got Saturday off from work, and we are going to head out after work tomorrow afternoon. We'll be in Missouri mid day Saturday. It's going to be a long weekend of driving down, inspecting the boat, and driving home to be back Sunday night. But this way I will save a couple of thousand in transportaion expense.

Wish me luck!

Nice boat, same colors as my 1988 :-) Trippel check the transom for rot. I did not and it cost me a lot of money and work. I love the 242SS a perfect combination of performance and dayboatin. I hope to have my new Merc racing 502 540 HP
innstalled this wekend. I hope to reach 70 mph + +.
I reached 50 mph Gps with my old engine 454 330 hp Bravo1

Good luck

Rune

Check the bulkhead in front of the engine and stringers then the usuall, grab a spare or two jacks jack stands and have fun and be safe in may me and the the wife went after the 303 and gad a blast

Take straps and if u have access to a chain to incase u needed to.chain up a axle. o and grease lol better to have it all and not need it then need it and not have it

Must bring:
Blocks of wood/boards
piece of plywood
Floor jack or jack with capability to lift boat and trailer
spare tire
spare bearings (I would opt for a whole hub assembly or two as you don't know when the bearing were changed)
bunch of ratchets (HEAVY DUTY)
chain
grease + grease gun
cheap heat gun from Harbor Freight (good to see how your bearings and hubs are holding up)
Tape to tape edges on cover if you are trailering with it (lots of painters tape if you are taping to the hull)
electrical tape/zip ties/connectors etc
TRAILER PLATE AND REGISTRATION (always the items I remember last)
trying to think if I missed anything

Be safe and take your time and don't over do it. Cant wait to see another bird on the river!

Bordercrosser: Congrats on the 'new' boat. I brought mine home from New Jersey - about a 7 hour ride - but it sounds like you have a bit further to go.

The "firewall" bulkhead (separating the engine bay and fuel tank bay) tends to be a weak spot on the Formulas of that era. I had to re-do mine this spring. So, have your surveyor pay close attention to that bulkhead and its adjoining stringers.

Factory spec compression on the 454 is about 150 psi, but it seems hard to achieve in a compression test. Make sure the mechanic has the throttle wide open (as opposed to closed), as it makes a difference in the readings.

You'll like the 1988 as it is 600 lbs lighter than the 1990 and 91 models, so it goes faster.

Let us know how it goes.

I won't be listing my 242 for sale a another month or so. . . since it is summer time, I would not want to be boatless. :)

I'm pretty well prepard with gear for the trip. I am heading out soon. I'm looking forward to it!

anyone else? palm beach 242 w/bolsters, cleveland

http://cleveland.craigslist.org/boa/3140731356.html

I bought the 242 in Missouri. It wasn't exactly what I what hoping for when I got there, but we negotiated to a price that made me happy. I have some work to do cosmetically to make it the way I want it, but the important stuff is in great shape. I'm a little tired from the trip, but it was worth it!

Congrats...glad you made it back safe and sound and got a deal you are happy with. Take a nap and then upload some pics!

Nick - Emily told me about your boat from Facebook... CUposterchild is her brother! We just put 2+2 together this morning when I mentioned to him you got a 242SS, and he sent me to this thread. The 91 242LS with the 502 was mine, we did the same thing in 2006- looked for a while - bought it in St. Louis and brought it home - Sold a few years ago though.

We'll be up to the river August 4th till after the poker run.... lets squeeze in a floating cocktail hour or two, its been too long. -Kerry

Small world! Give me a call when you get up here.

Same Boat
 

"93 252ss same boat as 242. only difference the swim deck molded into boat and not attached like Silent Thunder.

They're roughly the same size and 252 does indeed have an integrated swim platform, but the hulls are different. 242 has a deeper V (24° vs 22°). In practice difference isn't very pronounced - 242 handles chop slightly better, 252 is a bit more stable and feels "lighter" at speed.

Having had both, I can't say which one I prefer. Even though they're not the same, they're still very similar boats.

242 is a much better boat all around! and is actually bigger

That seems to be the official truth. However, boating in waters that are notorious for breaking hulls with sharp chop (Fountain hull warranty claim capital, some say), I can't really say I prefer one over another. I clocked several hundreds of hours on my 242 and last couple of weeks with a 252 have showed little difference. A thorough side by side comparison would be interesting to read.

Any one still looking here is a beautiful 242 ls!!!!

http://www.sequoit.com/1986-formula-242-cc--c-441.htm

- edit, just realized it was an old thread

http://southjersey.craigslist.org/boa/3245488482.html

someone's always looking

hours but appears nice with bolsters

I would like to revitalize this thread. I am now looking for a 242. My goal is to find a 1986 because I like the squared windshield. I find it more classic looking. Big block as well. Any help would be much appreciated. I'll drive almost anywhere to get a clean one. I am not totally against a real clean 87 to 89. 88242, did you sell yours? Thanks

Sorry but couldn't sell. My 2 son's are plotting to float her this year and with a brand new fresh water cooled 8.1 375hpMAG and a 2001 Bravo I outdrive and SS Prop with about 150 hours, I doubt I could replace her. Just Engine and Prop worth $20k without hull.