New to Formula...
 

Have a few questions on the older Classic (I guess) Formula's. Do the older 88 era Formulas (292) that came with Square VDO Gauges come with (12.8V) BAYONET BASE or WEDGE Bases Lights? Can they be upgraded to the Livorsi LED'S? Thanks. Or dosnt even make a difference with LEDS? My eye's going at nite. My first Formula btw...
http://www.gamingkrib.com/Formula/IMAG0395.jpg
had a 33 Fountain, 26 Baja, 26 Seebold over the years and always wanted a Formula. Unfortunate broke my ribs (in surgery) the day it was "dropped" last week off...so it will be a slow process getting boat in order and on the water. Looking forward to reading your posts and upgrades projects. Mike

Was wondering if someone could take high quailty pic of the 15 amp Guest battery charger fuse holder on this model boat, the screw in cap for the fuse. Mine came off and I have no idea, nor does Guest has the one that replaces it. I cant get the numbers from the unit since it is tucked so far down in front of lower starboard motor. 88 Formula 292. currently have electrical tape holding the fuse in.

Mike,

Can't really help you with your questions, but just wanted to say welcome! Beautiful boat! Looks great without the Silent Thunder.

Dtile if its an inline screw in fuse holder cant you re-wire a new one that holds the same size fuse it calls for?

Also i noticed in your avatar area you boat in LBI during summers? If so next weekend we are having a Rendezvous at Tices Shoal you should find the thread with the info on here and join us. Nice boat enjoy it!

thanks, will keep an eye out for you guys, dam surgery has me laid up for a bit. This fuse plugs into the unit from the front...Its missing the plastic black piece that makes it screw in. i tried some others already but none fit. it is held in by the silver part that stayed attached to it somehow but is unstable.

I had a 1990 292 SRI for about 7 years. It was a great boat and got me into offshore boating in Florida. One thing to keep an eye out for is loose drive steering. I had a problem with my bow wandering in seas and thought it was "just the boat". Turns out the steering ram in the drive was loose (common problem). I put full external hydraulic steering on with a tie bar of course and the boat ran like it was on rails in all seas at all speeds. Could run flat out without adjusting the steering wheel. Also, upgraded exhaust and gained 3-4 mph top end. Two upgrades for you to look forward to (IMHO). good luck getting healthy and enjoy the boat, it is a great example of Formula.

Ya, i know what ya mean...took it out for the first time today and sure felt the play in steering compared to other boats, felt very loose but not to sure the gimbal ring bolts (i have replaced many too over the years)...boat seems to like to chine walk too -have to get use to that...boat ran 61 half tank 3 blade prop 4800 rpm...very disappointed...last owner swore it ran in 67 with full tank and 5 peeps...gonna try the 4 blades tomorrow and hope they run better, bravo 1's 22p. I was hoping to lab the props and get 70 out of her but that aint happening now. Bolster base fell apart at bases today -hope they can be welded and I a friend punctured a hole in re-fridge that made it lose all refrigerant...but a nice day on the water. Handles 3 footers nice, have to watch the swells, likes to go airborne if im not paying attention...even with broken ribs almost had it vertical on one wave i missed. So what speeds were you getting out the stock motors? I replaced intakes with mercs again since there was a leak and they started to corode...come to find out one head is large oval port (port), starboard motor has small oval heads (peanut)...long black is new though and I think they went heavy on the cam. maybe the lower speed is because I set the timing at 8 degrees when I reinstalled intake? You guys running at 10? more? I'm using premuim gas always.

I was never able to gps the boat, but I did put in a liguid filled gaffrig and the boat ran 66 with the stock 454 365 hp and bravo 1 drives. I do also remember adding nose cones to the bravo 1's as they were the short style (modified in 1990, I think I had 89 bravo 1's), that also helped keep boat on track. So I don't think it is the boat, just the old style lower units. I think they were Bob's nose cones. When I added the stainless marine exhaust, I went to a max of 71 with four people, full tank, 2' chop. Obviously, it ran a little quicker in chop as that aired out the hull a little. If you have differing heads, I bet you are not gettting the horsepower and that is why the boat's not fast. Also, at the time, I found three bladed props worked the best as the drives were fairly deep in the water and while the four blades helped cruise, they always seemed to cost me 2 mph at top end. I'm sure you can have the bolsters welded, should not be an issue. They dissassemble pretty easy, I have had them out of my 292 and my current 419 fastec a few times. I also do remember getting a little flighty when I trimmed out for speed and hit a wave, never remember it chine walking though. I've always set timing at 4000 rpm, never at idle. I remember being in the 32-34 degree max advance, then let the idle fall where it may. I may not be the best to ask on timing though, many more experts on here than I.

ah, you had the magnums...I'm only at 330. ya, hopefullly a weld will hold and i should take up floor panell to make a back plate with threads. screaws will never work and the gas tank appears too close for drilling stainless toggles. nose cones might be interesting.

Not only the heads different, the drives are too from looking at them...and nose cones come in two styles if i put them on. What a Frankenstein boat.

Sounds like the mercruiser part is the Frankenstein. Those year Formulas are real solid boats, so I wouldn't worry too much. Mis-matched drives are probably common, but mis-matched heads are not. I would determine which drive is the latest model and what year manufactured and find one to match, then sell the older one. I bet you could come out without spending too much money. As far as the engines go, I would get with a good marine engine builder and see about updating the heads/intake and carbs on both engines and I would suggest updating the exhaust. I think it is a good boat worth the investment, that SR1 style is timeless IMHO.

Yes, i have always liked the older look of the formula. It is made very well I must say compared to other boats that I have had over the year. I was wondering though, i cant seem to find any spot where the water would go past the bulkhead from the sides and cabin of boat. I see the two spots under rear bench that discharge water into bilge with a hose line...I took the bolsters apart and took the floor up to make back plates for the bolsters legs that broke...worried if it rains no flow to back...i cant find them...

your dash would look good like that...