CaptainRon.ca

Sorry guys, I had to make 9 random posts, to get me to 10... then return to edit and post the pictures that it wouldn't let me post in my very first post LOL. Any ways, that's the boat... Yep it's and eyesore.... Kinda like that ugly baby, it's liked only by it's parents LOL. But I can see past all the screams and see what was once a good boat. It did only have 26.5 Hours before the owner decided to park it and let it sit.... Why I may never know...

rak rua

Big project!
Hows the hull for rot? Usual soft spots, transom and stringers?
Some more educated guys will probably chime in but to get 80 mph ++ towards 100 it would take big power and also I don't think Bravo 3's are the way to go for high speed. They're better at pushing a heavyweight onto the plane.

If you post the full H.I.N. there's probably someone who can help with identification.

You got a lot of work ahead, good luck and enjoy.

RR

masi242

Hope you have a lot of time on your hands, it will be cheaper to buy something already done. good luck

Redneckcustoms13

I'm no expert so take my input with a grain of salt. 1st, I commend you for taking on such a project. 2nd, your correct that is a "flat glass" boat so it is certainly not an 01 model. That boat would have been equipped with alpha drives back in her day. Idk about a b3 being what you want. Maybe a standard bravo. I will say this, if you want a 100mph boat don't look toward a fat girl formula. They are built for rough water performance and lasting for a long time. A healthy set of hp500s or even a nice twin 383 set up would be awesome I that boat! Just don't underestimate the amount of time and effort your about to put forth to get it solid.

Either way, I dig it!!!

rer233

Looks like the big sister to my '79 233 Interceptor- most likely an early '80's model. Also, it had TRS drives, so you're gonna have to re-do the transom to go to Bravos (TRS transom cut outs are BIG.) Good luck with your project, and I agree with previous posters- no way that boat will see 100 without MONSTER power (if even then.)

rer233

double post- sorry!

Mr Maine

Be tough to piece that together without a donor boat but it can be done. Easiest would be a trs boat as everything including the trannys would bolt up assuming hull is sound.

CaptainRon.ca

Yeah that is my plan to find a doner boat hopefully crashed or something along that line. But I want to put in a Bravo Drive not a TRS, not too sure I woudl want to deal with the issues of a TRS over a Mercruiser Drive.

Ideally in a perfect world I will install twin 454's but all else failing if I cannot find donner motors cheap so I can build them up I will reluctantly return to the 5.7 350 SMBC plan of a stroker kit to either a 383 or 396's. I think that the Small Block 350 maybe ok for the boat I just dont know if the HP will be equal to the way Mercruiser built them.

I am still doing research on the whole plan of converting a automotive chevy motor to use in a marine application and maybe doing that if I cant find a pair of 454's or decent 350's to start with. If I do use regular Chevys' I will do a closed cooling system anyways so my risk of hydrolocking the motor should be eliminated.

CaptainRon.ca

Yeah it's going to be a big project, much larger one than I planned to try to take on. I originally was looking for a boat that I would pickup for around 10K that needed some work to rebuild the motors and redo the interior to bring it to a more modern look. But this one I actually got for free, the only thing I had to buy was the trailer and I got a 34' all aluminum tri axle with aluminum rims, worth 11k for $5900. So basically even if the boat is garbage and the stringers are all way to fargone I can still keep looking. But I like the design of this boat, I grew up in West Palm and as a kid I used to watch these guys all day long from where I lived in Jupiter on Loxahatchee River flying out Jupiter Inlet at what I thought back then was 100 MPH LOL. But my Dad and I had worked on his boat for many years together and since my Father has since been gone now for over 15 years I want to do the same with my two boys.

I have been wanting to take on a project like this for a while so even if it doesnt all turn out the way I want and I have to make some changes from motors to power etc I have a great start because even if I bought a complete formula or donzi, etc I would still be sinking 30k min into getting the boat, it will most deff have quirks and areas needing attention and probably even repairs to the interior or replacements required so I will end up doing all those and even if I only put into that boat 7-10k I would have a boat I would have spent 40-45k on so my plan is to keep it around 30k on my budget I know more than 50% will go towards the motors, and since I can do everything on the motors outside of the machine shop work which will help me save some serious money. Same as all the electrical, and even some of the vinyl work. The only area of concern to me is the seating, which I may end up buying or having someone do it for me instead.

Either way, if I spend 30-40k on rebuilding the boat I will have a boat configured my way, and how I liked it. I am getting a custom made swim platform built to my specs, plus I am changing the design for the interior as well to bring in some of the styles from the newer Formulas as well as some features of the older ones. I personally like the square glass more than the curved and I want to re-gell the boat to give it a different color. Just not too sure what color scheme to go with yet and I may just wind up doing vinyl so I can change it every so often.

Right now I have to find the outdrives and motors, I am giving this my winter project to have it ready by summer next year for water trials in June 2018.

TomZ

iTrader: (2)

That boat has sat out in the elements for a long time. You are going to run into serious transom and stringer issues guaranteed. You'll be removing the deck, fuel tank, and all of the inner structure to make repairs. With all that work you'll be lucky if the boat goes straight.

For the 30-40k invested, you could have a very nice newer Formula (or anything really) that would better fit your desires. Even if you went and got her all done up and perfect, resale would still be no more than 10-15k (and that's being generous).

If you can post the HIN, I can decipher it for you.

Good luck!