New Formula Owner, 1991 242 SS
 

I just wanted to say thanks in advance for all the contributors to this site. I'm going to need the help!

I'm from Clearwater, Florida and I just picked up a 1991 Formula 242 SS. I'm trying to get her together now. I bought the boat for $500 with no engine. It had a Weiand Supercharged 454 in it with a Bravo One XR outdrive with a Bobs nose cone and a 4 blade stainless prop, some extremely high dollar headers and an external steering setup. The engine and steering didn't come with the boat but I bought the Bravo outdrive setup for an extra $1000 so it stayed with the boat.

I'm cleaning her up right now. I have to pull the transom assembly since they cut off the steering rod when the external steering was installed so I figure I'll just go ahead and pull the swim platform and refinish the whole transom while I'm at it. It's had a lot of hands in it over the years so it needs quite a bit of cleanup but nothing terrible so far.

I was going to throw in a 2005 310 hp 350 I have in another boat just to get by for a while but I picked up a 454 Merc today so I'll just go that route from the start. Let the games begin.

I still cant believe I bought this boat for $500. Maybe that's common but I'm never this lucky!!

http://i557.photobucket.com/albums/s...39850949_n.jpg

http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m...906_104908.jpg

http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m...906_104826.jpg

I had a red one, same year, etc.

Check the transom, bulkhead and stringers before you install anything to make sure they are solid. A $500 boat tells me that there might be a hidden issue.

I sold my 1991 242SS with no engine for $7K

Congrats. It will be a fun project and make the boat even more special to you that you got her back on the water. Keep us posted

Thanks for the tip. I'm going to check it all out thoroughly once the transom assembly and swim platform/exhaust is off but so far it looks good.

The guy i bought it from owns a local boat shop and seems like a great guy. He bought the boat for the $3500 steering to use on this awesome cat he just bought and the $3500 manifolds to use on his deck boat I think. Guess he probably planned on selling the engine. Offered me the trailer in the picture for $500 but I held off on that as I wasn't sure the roller trailer was what I wanted. A Bravo XR outdrive and transom assembly for a grand is an incredible deal in itself.

I'll post some more pics after the cleanup and inspection.

I am betting their is rot. Not expensive to fix though. I did my transom and stringers for about $500. You got a steal. It would take a mid-teen offer to make me consider selling my boat.

My 242 LS was a similar deal... bought the boat with a trailer but minus the drive (stolen for the fourth time) for $2900. The boat was solid and showed no signs of rot... a year later we were taking everything out to replace the transom, stringers, and the rear bulkhead. I didn't have time to do the glass work myself so I had a friend do it... about $3500 in total (including reinstalling the transom assembly). I have since built a blown 454 for the old girl, and am "just about" done with the re-rigging and all.

These boats will rot... the rear bulkhead behind the fuel tank is usually the first to go followed by the engine stringers/main stringers then the transom. Like said, an easy job to fix so long as you have the time.

Welcome to the family! You'll really love the boat once she's all together.

I just pulled the transom plate and gimbal housing off. I'm not experienced in this area but it does not look like there is any rot in the transom cutout. There is some erosion on the inside behind the transom plate but I don't think that's an issue is it?

Pulling the swim platform next and cleaning up everything then I'll post pics to get some opinions.

Question, should there be a wire harness running under the engine at the very rear where the bottom of the hull meets the transom? Seems like an odd place to run a harness but it looks like theres been a lot of hands in this with little regard for doing it right.

That wire harness may be the ground wires running to the thru-bolts for the Silent Thunder swim platform. My boat had something like what you described and that was it.

Pictures?

As for rot... you can always drill into some random spots to take a core sample. Since the engine is out, it'll be easy to check from inside. A 1/8" bit and some 'glass filler/resin is all you'd need.

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I'll post some pics when it's cleaned up a bit more. No matter what it needs, at least it fits in my shop so I can put time in it whenever possible.

http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m...911_131130.jpg

http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m...911_131052.jpg

Alright, I don't wanna wait til it's cleaned up to post a transom pic. What do you think:

http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m...916_130541.jpg

That wiring harness could be your Mercathode system 2 wires I believe.

rbpowered,

Nice shop! I am jealous of your workspace.

I am no expert by any means when it comes to wood rot, but I would poke that exposed wood and see if it is soft. Soft wood = no good. From the pic, it does not look like there is an issue, but maybe some one with more experience can chime in.

Thanks, I definitely like the space.

I've stabbed at it with a screw driver and its all solid. The inside of the bottom left bolt doesn't look good but its a real thin wall between the bolt hole and the cutout. I'll take better pics of different angles and post them up later.

Hard to judge the bottom left bolt from the picture. It looks like it could just be dirt, but that is the downside of pictures.

Is all that transom wood exposed or did Formula seal it up with fiberglass resin? If it is exposed, I would think that sealing it with resin prior to installing the transom assembly would be the way to go. You could probably confirm/verify that with FiberglassDave in the fiberglass forum....

It had some sort of silicone like substance on it. I peeled, picked and sanded it off and went around the hole lightly with some sand paper. I figured I'd it seal up along with any other unused holes, like the ones from the external steering ram, with whatever is appropriate to seal it with. No idea what, haven't got around to needing to ask that question yet!

CONGRATULATIONS Nice project! Very timely post you are about 2 weeks ahead of my current project. Pulled motor out of my 1987 242SS and swapping from Alpha to Bravo. My fiberglass guy recommended sealing with resin he thinks it should be polymer (?) I'll verify. Perhaps you will get some info from somebody that really knows what is best, I am also cutting exhaust holes at same time. Good luck and please keep us posted.

My 91 242 ss has a one piece engine bay cover/sun deck/rear seat. When it's removed and the cross bar and plexiglass sliders are removed the engine bay is wide open and very accessible.

I've seen a 1988 272 sr1 model that looks to be built differently where the engine bay looks to be completely surrounded by fiberglass and seems to be much less accessible.

Is this a year difference in the design or a ss to sr1 difference?

It is different from the SR1's but don't be fooled. When the assembled motor with exhaust goes back in it is very tight down there.
The shelves on both sides (behind sliding doors) and the battery shelves in conjunction with very tight forward clearance make working inside the area very tight.
Does yours have the Silent Thunder exhaust?

So all the SR1 models have the engine bay completely surrounded with fiberglass?

I know it's tight with everything assembled in mine but it's nice to know that it just takes 15 minutes of disassembly for it to be wide open.

Is the cockpit area the same actual dimensions on a 272 SR1 as it is on my 242 SS? Looking at pictures it's hard to tell, it looks like there's more room for passengers to move around in mine.

Really I'm just having bad thoughts as I work on this boat. Lol. I really like the look of the longer bow on the 272 and the four person cabin seems appealing also. There's a couple around here for relatively little money. I was just disappointed that it would be tighter to work on. I don't fit in small places as easy as I used to. Lol.

I don't know about 15 min and wide open. With Stainless Marine exhaust it takes me over an hour to change plugs and that is laying over the motor working upside down.
Don't even try to change a starter.
My last boat was 2 272LS and I can say that the 242SS has much larger cockpit. I put a bolster for helm in 242sSS and now the cockpit looks like it is out of a 30-32 footer.
If only the bow was 5' longer.

It only takes a few minutes to pull the engine bay cover/rear seat assembly and another few minutes to remove the plexiglass sliders and cross member and the floor is wide open to lay down on or move around freely on. Worth the time for major repairs for sure.

The SR1 looks like it's surrounded by glass so removing the rear seat wouldn't give you any more engine bay access. Is that correct?

rbpowered, yea I know what you are saying, but, when the motor is installed it sits so low in relationship to the floor height the top of the exhaust manifolds are about level with the floors and they (manifolds) stick out all the way past the stringers on the sides. You cannot get your hands below the stringers on either side.
If you send me your email I will send pics so you can see what I mean. I am small statured and I cannot get down there to work on it.
Good luck.

Exactly.

On the single engine 242 LS, working on the engine is pretty easy. Even with the supercharger and all I can get underneath the engine from either side. If I pull the batteries (and the hold-down bolt from after portion of the trays), I can sit down inside the bilge and get to everything. I know this all too well since I'm redoing my oil cooling set-up that needed be changed out in order to work with my relocated alternator and power steering that needed to be changed in order to fit my exhaust (pain in the a$$).

I'll be out in the boat a little later mocking up some stuff. I'll grab some pictures.

All the older SR1 models are surrounded with glass. Working on a big block 272 will have you standing on your head. A 292 is not much better- maybe 18 or so inches in the front of the engines and minimal side clearance. 311's actually have enough room to sit in front of the engines and work.

You say all the "older SR1 models" are surrounded, what year did that stop?

Thanks for the pics. Nice engine bay!

I love the bolster seat. I've been looking for a pair but even one looks great. If you know where to find one (or two) let me know.

Great boat. I have both the SS and LS. The LS has a cockpit configuration like all other SR1 boats where there is not much room for moving around. The 242SS is built like all the Sun Sports where the cockpit has a LOT of room for people and moving around. I like all that space in the SS cockpit but the room is lost from the cabin.

Thanks for that info. I just spent some time looking through pics of each model and I see the difference. I wouldn't trade the cockpit room of the SS for the extra cabin room of the LS.

So what older model (ie affordable) has at least as much cockpit room as the 242 SS but with more cabin room and more engine bay access?

Tough call if possible. The cockpit of the 242SS is probably only matched by the biggest SR1 models like 357 or even later 382. That sun sport room is huge and the typical go fast does not have sun sport room.

Looking at pics of those I'm not sure they even have as much cockpit room. Guess I'll have to round up a 419. lol.

I'm glad I came across this boat. I'm sure we'll outgrow it quick but its going to be a nice project and we'll have fun with it for quite a while.

Didn't get to work on it much this week, had actual work to do that pays the bills. Gonna be out of the shop this week for my birthday. Spending time with my wife and family. Hopefully I can get back on it after next weekend. No rush but I wanna be moving forward at a steady pace.

Thanks for the compliment. I currently have the motor pulled for repower and re rig and final detail and configuration.
I have both bolsters but elected to install only one, I like the idea of the sunpad/back to back seats as I plan on long trips in it. The bolsters do NOT just bolt in as is the case with other models as the floor storage interferes. I had to fab gunnel brackets and completely re work the leg mount and reinforce the floorboard, if you look at the pic you can see what I did to the leg. Let me know if/when you need additional pics details.
Regarding a larger boat here is how I see the layout of the boat,
forward cabin of a 21',
cockpit of a 32-35'
rear deck of an 18'
Pride and comfort of a Formula.

Are the bolsters specific for left and right? If no, interested in selling the other one? I agree with your take on the usage of the left seat.

I can not speak for anything newer than 1991. The engine hatch on 272 models for 1991 was a little different: the upper half of the seat back was attached to the hatch, so front access to the engines was a little better, but you were still going to work on them kneeling on the rear bench and bending over the bulkhead. My 1989 292 is tight all around, front and sides as well. In fact, it is so tight I have to remove the shift bracket on the starboard engine to get the battery out because the heat exchanger won't allow an easy change out....

My entire seat lifts up, sundeck, seat back and seat bottom, all as one assembly. Unbolt the seat, lift it out, remove the crossmember and plexiglass sliders and the floors wide open.

I know the engines still below the deck quite a ways but at least I can lay myself out however I need to to get in to anything that's accessible. My backs not in the greatest shape so any position that makes it easier to focus on what I'm doing rather than whether or not I'll be able to stand back up when I'm done is a plus. lol.

Same seat/hatch configuration as mine.

"I know the engines still below the deck quite a ways but at least I can lay myself out however I need to to get in to anything that's accessible."

That would be valve covers, risers,intake manifold and anything bolted to them period.
As for the bolsters the only difference is the side the release button is located. Technically, to the centerline of boat. I have not given any thought to selling other seat. Mine is red and vinyl shows age. Let me sleep on it I'll get back to you on that.

I'm gonna have to reupholster my seat anyways, the top of the seat back has some wear on it. I'd rather reupholster a bolster. Hey, that rhymes, lol. Think on it and let me know. Thanks.

Just catching up on this thread. The transom may be OK, but do check for moisture/rot in the main bulkhead and the stringers. I have a thread on iBoats.com where I had to replace the bulkhead, pull the fuel tank, repair the stringers, etc. Similar to the work that TomZ had done.

The transom was in good shape though, because it is isolated from the rest of the structure. Moisture generally wicks in from the fuel bay and the bilge into the main bulkhead on these boats. So, be sure to look there.

There is a thread somewhere where I guy completely rebuilt his 242SS and picture documented the entire process. I mean everything was tore out and refit. Great read!
Was that you tpenfield?