Formula 272 Outdrive Corrosion?
 

Hey all...first post here. I'm looking at buying a boat in my area (Georgian Bay area in Canada). I don't know much about the history of the boat so it could very well have come from a salt water life. Maybe maybe not.

Anyway, the out drive looks oddly corroded. Seems like the bottom skeg portion of the out-drive is corroded. Looks to me like the zinc is missing on that out-drive.

I haven't gone to look at the boat, maybe this or next weekend, but the out-drives have me second guessing even going to look.

It's a 1987 Formula 272, Alpha drives, 350 small blocks, pretty decent shape overall. Conversion would make it $10,200USD. Hour meter says 192hrs...seems unbelievable to me...but who knows.

What do you all think? Is this priced fairly?

Rob

I don't know why I can post attachments...I have the same topic in the hull truth...you can see pics there. I've driven boats all my life just have never owned a Formula of this length or power.

http://www.thehulltruth.com/boating-...rrosion.html#b

My guess is that port lower unit is an SEI drive, as it is counter rotating and in '87 I don't think counter rotating alphas were available.

The SEI is a fine, affordable, but they are known for corrosion due to lower quality painting. I wouldn't worry about it, they aren't very expensive to replace.

The boat looks nice, and with an I beam aluminum trailer, the price seems fair. I sold an '89 272 with big blocks last summer for 14.5k.

Thanks for the quick reply Mr Maine! Really, I would have had to search to the end of the Internet to figure that out.

And ya, I thought it was odd that it was only the lower end of the outdrive because the rest looks okay. This SEI, is not the best quality, so can I now buy a counter-rotating Merc lower end? And I assume it would have to be a counter rotating lower unit. ...is it fixable? Can I blast with silica and repaint with the Merc paint and primer?

There's a bit of a hairline crack on the port side by the tow hooks. Is that of any concern?


Rob

I have had SEI alphas and have beat on them and they didn't break, so quality wise I think they are fine, just the paint isn't as good as OEM. Not having a zinc probably didn't help. Can you just clean it up and repaint it?

A new mercruiser counter rotating alpha one will probably be pretty pricey, which is why people go for the SEIs.

Regarding the crack, it is probably just in the gel. Most older boats tend to have some superficial gel cracking in high stress areas. Some brands much more than others.

Haha, ya I was asking if it's fixable? I really don't know. I've watched a few videos on YouTube, but have no idea. Can you fill the pits with anything since its cast aluminum?

Good looking boat but if you do go and look at it make sure you check the transom and bulkheads and stringers for moisture

Good looking boat. $10,000 does not go very far in performance boating. That being said, if the hull is dry and it runs/drives well, then it would be a good deal.

BTW that paint scheme is the best looking of all the 80s Formulas.
http://i880.photobucket.com/albums/a...55522934_o.jpg

You can clean the bare aluminum real well then fill and sand with body filler or jb weld. Prime and paint. I'm not saying this is pro or as good as original but has worked well for me.

Use zinc chromate primer if you can get it

79Formula, haha, yes, I agree with you. I like the color scheme the best. There's one with black sides instead of red as well...but good luck finding that one.

Thanks for all the tips. I will most definitely go look at it, but I can't go this weekend! Damn Canadian winter isn't allowing it (my brother, who know some more than me about this stuff is stuck on an island in Georgian Bay, waiting for the ice to freeze.

Anyway, only issue I have is checking the bulkheads and transom in the winter, if there is moisture in them, up here in Canada that stuff would be rock solid, frozen! How would I know? Should I be looking for any signs of rot? I'm pretty sure it's outside as it's shrink-wrapped for the winter. I'm told that I'll be able to look at it when I get there...

Ah...yes, JB Weld...great idea. I've used the JB Weld Marine Epoxy stick on my seadoo. Sticks like hell too. We'll see when I get there. Any more tips when I go are welcome. Probably checking it out January 23rd...I'm hoping it's still available.


Rob

I guess I forgot to mention...this is an SR1 as well.

Look for cracks going away from the drives. That would be a sign of a rotted transom.

Ah, 79Formula, very good. Makes sense. Movement of the drive would crack the fiberglass

Yeah both my formulas were rotted. Messy job, but I did them for about $500 each.

http://i880.photobucket.com/albums/a...dooer/mush.jpg
http://i880.photobucket.com/albums/a...ooer/mush2.jpg

Damn, that's really rotten. Looks like a big job. The gel on your transom looks pretty good though, could you see cracks in it? (I can't tell from the pics)

My boats both have paint over crappy gel coat. The cracks are tough to see in the pics. I bought the first Formula from my uncle. He is a car bodyman so I assumed the boat was solid. It wasn't. The 242 I bought was also rotted, but it was the best boat I looked at for my $10,000 budget. I looked at about a dozen boats all over the northeast. They all had some degree of rot. If they were gone through or were rot-free original, they were more than $10,000. I would not let a transom or stringers stop me from buying a boat that was otherwise nice. Just make sure its priced accordingly.

Here is my F18 Formula after I finished it. I painted it and re-did the floor, transom, motor, and drive.

http://i880.photobucket.com/albums/a...57502988_n.jpg
http://i880.photobucket.com/albums/a...86029836_n.jpg
http://i880.photobucket.com/albums/a...44153864_n.jpg
http://i880.photobucket.com/albums/a...edooer/449.jpg

Awesome classic, what engine and how fast? Also what did it have originally if different?

That is an awesome job. I love that yellow too. Nice work! What kind of paint is it?

Boat came with a merc 260. I put vortec heads on it. The new 350 made 400hp. Ran 65mph. The paint was just car quest base clear in corvette millennium yellow.

Did you change cam too? What did it run before head swap?

I have a Bravo III that had very little corrosion on the steg. I got some fine grit sandpaper - sanded it down and gave it about 3 coats of the zinc chromate primer and then no less than 6 (very light) coats of Mercury Spray Can paint -- I started this off in the early morning sanding and then priming - it was warm out and every 1/2 hour or so I would give it another coat of primer and then paint - It has been 3 years now and not a hint of issue. I think the trick to this entire thing is the primer.

I know everyone has an elixir for bringing back gel coat - but I have had a lot of luck with the 3m oxidation/polish. We had a 1976 Browning Mustang II that was brown - I used this with an electric buffer and it came out like it was brand new..

All the very best

3pointstar

All the best

That's good to know. I actually think I have some of that 3M product already. I have one of those bug orbital car buffers though, not sure if that's the one you're talking about or a professional style buffer (i.e. high speed buffer).

I went to Harbor Freight and bought a $49.00 special -- NOTHING FANCY - I wouldn't recommend it if you were planning on doing this buffing stuff for a career but for once it year it is ok. I used pads to apply and remove. Then to polish/wax - I use Miguires Boat formulation - put it on with a random orbitor sander with a sponge pad-- very light coat and then wipe off by hand.

3pointstar

With a bone stock 260 it ran 53-55mph. I put through hull exhaust in, comp 262 flat cam, flat top Pistons, vortec heads, air gap intake, and 750 double pumper. It would run 65-66 anytime.

You know the only thing I'm hesitant on (obv before actually seeing the boat) is the new gauges. I just always like things looking like they were designed. Granted, the new gauges look really nice, I can't decide if I would've rather had the old ones. That said, this is purely cosmetic...I doubt it would change my mind whether to purchase it...

about the gauges . . . The original gauges, which were the VDO Blue Line series, IIRC, are no longer made. The gauge lenses tend to craze & crack after about 20 years, so gauge replacement becomes necessary and you typically have to go with something different.

Haha, hey tpenfield! You're on here too :)

That's good to know. I think the guy did a pretty decent job picking the autometer gauges, so it's not something I'm too concerned with. But good to know the stock ones fail and this is actually necessary.

Yup, I frequent here as well as iBoats, . . . THT and BABC occaissionally.

I have found this forum and iBoats to be very good. Thanks to all.

Formula 292 sr-1
 

Hey I have the same topic over in iBoats. Why can't I post pics here? Is it because I'm still new?
http://forums.iboats.com/forum/boat-...orrosion/page2


Okay guys, change O' plans here. Talking with the seller back and forth and the fact it's an Alpha drive and he's not able to give me much history I've decided not to go view it.

That said, there is a nice 1989 Formula 292 SR-1 which looks to be in good shape and the seller sounds quite knowledgable and is a lover of boats in general and has answered all my questions to satisfaction. It's quite far from me so I'm gonna wait until my week off (Feb 15th week) to go view it...hoping it's still there. He said he'll drop me a line if there's any other buyers showing interest.

Anyway...here's a pic. I'm obviously going to apply all the knowledge you've already mentioned in this thread...is there anything in particular about the 1989 292 which I should be looking for? It's the Bravo 1 drives with 454 - carbureted. Approx $16.9K USD.

Which 454, 330 or 365? The 292 is closer to the 311 tHan the 272.

Hey, they are the 454 (the ad says mags...not sure how to tell). oh you had an 89 272. You now have an 87 311? How do you like the 311 vs the 272?

My 272 was a really nice boat with all options. With stock 330s it would cruise 50mph at 3500rpm and topped out about 64 to 65. It was a little tail heavy and the engine room was real tight.

The 311 is a much bigger boat and better balanced. It has trs drives which I like because it has transmissions for awesome shifting. This does move the engines forward 18 inches, but still not nearly as tight as the 272. It takes more power to move it of course and more gas. Runs just over 70 with 420s with roller cams. Engines are out for refresh with dart heads, bigger cams, intakes etc.

I've heard and read in a few places the 272 is tail heavy. I mean, I'd be happy with either, but I'm quite certain that a 292 is worth the look.

What about the price of the 292...is what I said high, low, about avg?



R

The 292 is certainly worth a look. The 272 and the 311 seem to be the more popular models of that era, yet I've always been concerned about the stern weight of the 272. Not everyone has the desire to go with the bigger 311, and you get nothing more in cockpit space . . . it is all in the sun deck and the cuddy cabin. So, the 292 is sort of a compromise boat between the 2 more popular models.

Since you are looking in the midst of winter, would you not be able to do a sea trial?

I don't think the 272 being a little tail heavy would be
a deal breaker, it's not that bad. With small blocks it's fine.

Yes all three have the same cockpit, but the difference isn't just the cabin size it's the fact the boat is 4 feet longer and runs bigger water easier. The 292 is in between. I like all 3.
Here is my 272
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=CEZQSXAvq4c

Hey formula Canada do you happen to have contact info on 272 if you think you may not want it ?

So nice. Lol. I want one now!

Ya well, no sea trial in the winter where I am (Georgian bay...frozen solid). I don't know if the guy could sign a deal pending sea trial ...would that be an odd thing to request? I think I asked this in iBoats, and I believe you thought it was okay for the guy to ask for full payment....what do you think though...if I was selling a boat that you can't even start...I'm not sure I'd expect full payment.

This 292 guy is even willing to drop it off at my marina. I'd do it myself except I'd have to buy a trailer harness, tow bar kit ($1000+ for my car) and I'd literally only need it once as I don't tow to locations and I may get a marine rail for it.

Sent you a pm.