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89 242Ls in Mobile AL

I figured it would be better to strt a thread for this barge rather than continue in the other thread.

So as it were, I departed Thursday evening around 3:45 after work. Made the 5.5hr trip to Huntsville Al. Enjoyed a few hours with a close friend that lives there and crashed in his spare bedroom.

Friday morning got on the road about 8:00. 2.5 hr drive in 23° weather (stupid cold for this area) was a smooth trip until about 5 miles from the boat got pulled over for doing 77mph. I didnt think much of it. The officer was very nice about it, he asked where I was from. Asked what my hurry was. I told him I was sorry to have caused him to get out in the cold to write me a ticket. He went to his car for a few minutes and came back with a written warning stating I was travelling 77mph in a 45!!! I thought it was a 70mph zone. Stupid of me. However he was nice and let me go with the warning.

Arrive to the boat (still 23° outside) in the shop it lived in. Probably about 50° or so in the shop. He had connected the trickle chargers the night before so we could easily start it. That didn't happen. Batteries were toast. Removed them, went to oriellys and they warranted them since they were only 6 months old. Installed new and found the stereo and depth sounder had been left on. Attempt to start it. Spins over but won't bust off. Fuel smelled horrid. Carburetor was pouring fuel from the accelerator pump on the rear bowl. Removed the carb(less than a year old) went to oriellys got a little edelbrock rebuild kit. Stopped at a local diner and had sime excellent home cooking that he paid for. Returned to shop and I replaced the pumps, gaskets, needle ans seat assemblies, adjusted float levels, put back on. All the while I had an electric fuel pump draining the 50 gallons of ethanol in the tank. By the time the carb was back on the tank was dry. Put 10 gallons of 93 octane non ethanol fuel in it. Fired up. Ran it on the hose for about 10 mins. By this time it was dark. No boat running on unfamiliar waters at night for me.

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/t...216_170030.jpg

Decided to snap the cockpit cover down and head home. Ended up giving him $11k for it. Maybe more than I should have but he was very helpful, apologized a dozen times for his son having put cheap fuel in it and puting it up that way. Long story short I gained a friend that day.

An hour into the trip, I see the cover flapping. By the time I pulled over it had come off and was hanging by the rear cleats. A car had run over it riping it to shreds. A little upset I said oh well and continued. Got home about 11:30. Managed to get this 200lb cover on by myself.

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/t...216_234417.jpg

This morning I got out there to find I had installed it backwards. Started to fold it up to turn it around and there was hay all in the boat. Apparently he had folded the cover on the ground behind his shop and it trapped the hay in it and whrn I unrolled it on the boat it went everywhere. 3 hours of cleaning later and that cover removed I dove back into the carburetor to give it a look and make it stop leaking at the pump where it was seeping a little.

Quick video of idle.

https://youtu.be/h6Hl2bqDeaM

She looks like a nice boat!

Yeah, stupid cold here yesterday. Warmer today. Strange stuff. Glad you got out of that ticket!!

Time to get started tearing into her!

Had another cover that was clean. It isn't for this oat obviously but actually works when put on backward. Will try for correctly tomorrow

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/t...217_145058.jpg

Replacing all 3 belts as we speak. They look fine but better to have the old for spares I suppose.

77 in a 45 and no ticket .....I guess you were so excited to get there and rebuild that carb, drain and put new fuel in it that you missed the 45 zone...lol ....Yep sounds like a boat trip to me..............no flat tires tho

Well, it was a 70 zone that changed for about a mile and I didn't see it. Lol

Tires did well and still look good after the trip. Trying to convince myself to leave the rollers on the trailer but it's not working too well. I really wanted to take it out today but my damn wife has some Christmas crap I have to go to. If it isn't storming tomorrow maybe I can go run it.

New belts on. The others look new but are now in the side pocket for spares. Might mount a little toolbox in the engine compartment to keep stuff like that in. Oil looks nice.

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/t...217_154907.jpg

Also would like to mention. All the bolts I have removed so far are well coated with antisieze. The pulleys, valve covers, intake, exhaust, timing cover, all outdrive parts are powder coated. I plan to replace the carbon steel intake bolts with stainless aswell.

Let's talk switches. What are you guys replacing the old switches with? I'd really like to make them push button but I could deal with small rockers I suppose.

We need pics of the whole boat before we can accurately comment.

Any new boat purchase thread must be accompanied by pics. I am no help with switches or wiring. If you want to go fast in a 242, I'm good at that.

Lol just for you tomorrow I'll peel the covers off between rain and get some pictures of it at her home instead of the old home.

Thanks. Boat pictures matter.

At $11,000, I would say it was well bought.

With the recent repower and outdrive I feel it was a fair price.

Just ordered 10 chrome with blue led toggle switches. $11.

What seems to be a decent efi set up to add on? I have seen a few local hotrods running fitech and it seems to work jist as well as the high dollar fast or msd units. I just want reliable turn the key and go. Not looking for a super tunable high performance unit. Simple and easy works for me. Just how to get the 02 sensor in and keep it dry...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Redneckcustoms13 (Post 4510629)

Just ordered 10 chrome with blue led toggle switches. $11.

NO!!!

The switches at the helm are actually very expensive and precise, aircraft-grade circuit breakers. Putting in simple switches will leave you with unprotected circuits and a fire hazard.

These are all crusty feeling and half of them don't work. I'll add an inline fuse to each of them when they get installed. I wanted to try and keep it as original as possible but those with blue lights made me smile.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Redneckcustoms13 (Post 4510636)

Seriously...don't scrimp on the electrics. Fire on a boat...NFG !!!

Love the color...enjoy that one.

I'll wave at you when I pass thru Mobile on I-10 Thursday night headed to Dallas from Ft. Lauderdale. Wife's folks are in Plano, TX and we plan to make Baton Rouge by dark Thursday PM.

Looks like Santa came early for you.

That's what the fuses are for. Where can I get switches? That's why I asked what you guys were using.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sprink58 (Post 4510644)

Actually it was birthday came late due to the red boat falling through. My 4 year old was out there today wanting to sleep in it tonight in the driveway. I still need to clean out the bilge, and try to get these switches working until new ones come. Too bad you don't have time to stop and grab a bite to eat thursday. I would love to meet some of you guys in person.

Congrats on the 242 man! Nice paint scheme. What's under the hatch. 7.4 or 8.2 ?

Thank you for the compliment. It is just a simple 476 (454 bored .100). It keeps raining off and on today. If it dries up a bit I'll try and get the bilge clean and put some pictures up.

I just looked through the pics and watched the video. That boat has alot going for it. The motor sounds healthy, you got bolsters, zero effort controls, it looks clean, and the paint scheme is really good. I will never even look at a palm beach boat. I still say well bought. I think you will enjoy it.

I sure hope so. If this darn rain would go away it would be in the river right now. I plan to crawl under the cover and play with some switches though. Can't help but tinker with it.

Is there any way to move the bolsters back just a few inches?

Nice boat. Regarding switches you may try "Sick Stinger" here on OSO as he parts out many boats, he may have some lying around. Many of my switches have also bitten the bullet and I am redoing my panels this winter, I am going with rocker switches with individual breakers for each. Examples can be seen on New Wire Marine.

The bolsters are where they need to be per Formula. There are plates under the floor/hatch that they bolt to. You might be able to move them a little, but it'll be a lot of work.

Circuit breakers... I used Blue Sea Systems breakers on mine. They're not lit, but they work. They're a temporary solution for mine until I redo the panel. For now, they work really well. I was worried about them trippig while running in a heavy sea (pounding on the helm will make them trip), but they're only used at low speed and/or at night so no issues there.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]562816[/ATTACH]

http://www.lipship.com/parts/view/39
I built a new helm using these switches.

I'm out here now fooling with it. Apparently I am an idiot. With the battery selector on batt 1 the stereo and ignition work. On batt 2 or both all the switches work but a few domt always want to illuminate. The blowers arent working. I have a few bulbs burnt out on the courtesy lights. Those will be replaced with blue leds anyway. The dash lights work but are a very dim red color we will see how they look at night. The port docking light I am removing now to see if I can replace the bulb.

If the breakers toggle and stay in position, they should be good.

These things are very delicate. The circuit breaker uses a black plastic covering that holds the toggle in place. The cover can become very brittle and break at the raised boss that fits in the hole on the helm. The breakers are fit together as an assembly per row. If you take them apart, do so very gently so as to not break the coverings. The circuit breakers almost never go bad... it's the covering and the mechanism that holds the toggle in place that goes.

If you can carefully remove the breakers, you might be able to clean up the toggles with a plastic-safe cleaner. Regardless, they should be visible at night.

Get more pictures!!!

Does this sealed beam light come out of this plastic housing?

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/t...218_111723.jpg

I believe you have to replace the whole thing. I know some guys have replaced them with LEDs.

Bolt in or have to replace the housing on the hull as well?

Tom I like what you did with your switch panel. I could make something really trick looking to replace my entire panel but I really like to keep little things like this as factory as possible. I may add the blue switches later but for now I'll let these eat

I saw some people have found the bulbs at Home Depot if no luck at O'Rilley's

With the docking lights finished I moved on to the interior lights. Only the ones in the ceiling worked. Found that the mood lights in the floor were just unplugged from the rocker switch. Then found there were some lights behind the little couches that weren't working. They were also unplugged.

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/t...218_153259.jpg

http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/t...218_153232.jpg