1960 Biesemeyer SKi Boat - Outboard with Questions, help a lady out ;)

mcentireleslie said:

I bought this 1960 Rusty Biesemeyer (Phoenix, AZ) ski boat. It had the 1960's trailer that came with it along with a 1965 Evinrude 85 HP motor.
I cannot find any info on this boat, the model name or number?

We tried to get her in the water last year and she stated but then would not start again without starter fluid. I took it to a local boat shop , and they are telling me I need to spend 2000 to get the steering fixed, the carburetor fixed and adjusted and that the boat may need to be sealed? Should I invest more money into this project or sell it.

The interior and fiberglass are in very very good condition.
Not sure what to do here, I am a new boat owner and h View attachment 416732 ave no idea if this is even worth putting more cash into?

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AzGeo said:

What are the compression numbers ? Does it have spark on all cylinders (4) ? Can they start it up on the choke system, (ether) or is the oil in the carbs too thick ? Does it have fuel leaks around the carbs ? Not running, can you turn the flywheel by hand and shift it F-N-R with your foot on the prop ? You need basic answers to major questions first . It's a 50. to 1 oil mix motor, so if it sat for more than a year the carbs need rebuilding . What about the water pump impeller ? "It's $100 per hour on a $100K boat and it's $100 per hour on a $1000 boat". If you can't do it yourself, it will cost money . If you can install a smaller 4 stroke motor, go for it .

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mcentireleslie said:

I just found out its more like 933.00 total, 283 for parts and 650 for labor
I scanned and attached the quote to this thread, any help would be greatly

i still think i am getting overcharged, but who knows!
PARTS
control cables 70.00
carb kit 85.00
points 22.00
seal kit 36.00
wat pump 32.00
lube 18.00
plugs 20.00

labor to install all of this
controls labor at $100.00 / 1 hour
Carb 1.5hours 150.00
ignition (pointsplugwires, etc) 1.50 hours of labor $150.00
i/u (lower unit) says its a 3 hour ordeal
seal kit
water pump
flush
add lube and spark plugs 3 hours total at 100 per hour $300.00
total labor $650.00

could this all be true thanks for the advice!

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mcentireleslie said:

I just found out its more like 933.00 total, 283 for parts and 650 for labor
I scanned and attached the quote to this thread, any help would be greatly

i still think i am getting overcharged, but who knows!
PARTS
control cables 70.00
carb kit 85.00
points 22.00
seal kit 36.00
wat pump 32.00
lube 18.00
plugs 20.00

labor to install all of this
controls labor at $100.00 / 1 hour
Carb 1.5hours 150.00
ignition (pointsplugwires, etc) 1.50 hours of labor $150.00
i/u (lower unit) says its a 3 hour ordeal
seal kit
water pump
flush
add lube and spark plugs 3 hours total at 100 per hour $300.00
total labor $650.00

could this all be true thanks for the advice!

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AzGeo said:

BEFORE any repairs are performed, you need to know if the work is worth doing . COMPRESSION TEST, is first on the list . "Seal kit $36.00", sounds like the lower unit was full of water or pressure checked . (good to know) Checking to see if the lower unit "shifts F-N-R" is important, because a 're-seal' won't fix the dog clutch . (gear set/bearings?) The shop may be 'up front' on all this work, but having the tests done FIRST and the results IN WRITING, creates a solid business foundation and promotes a lasting business relationship . "Doing a tune up" will never cure a cylinder with no compression, and IMO an outboard with a distributor is best left to the "DIY hobbist".

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