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Towed this old thing home yesterday...

Mandelon

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I think it is a 1976 Cruisers Yachts Barnegat Cuddy Cabin. It appears to have a 233 Mercury engine. It's obviously rough but I got paid to take it. A friend of mine is going to
take it and spend his money on it. LOL, I'll just go for a ride once it's done.

The tires are pretty shot, but I kept the speed low and checked them a few times. No incidents on a 40 mile drive. Lucky, I'd say.

I told him if he spends $10,000 on it, he'll have a nice $5,000 boat.
 

spectras only

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View attachment 932583

I think it is a 1976 Cruisers Yachts Barnegat Cuddy Cabin. It appears to have a 233 Mercury engine. It's obviously rough but I got paid to take it. A friend of mine is going to
take it and spend his money on it. LOL, I'll just go for a ride once it's done.

The tires are pretty shot, but I kept the speed low and checked them a few times. No incidents on a 40 mile drive. Lucky, I'd say. ;) :D

I told him if he spends $10,000 on it, he'll have a nice $5,000 boat.

I would have been more concerned about the trailer holding together for 40 miles.
 

lbhsbz

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View attachment 932583

I think it is a 1976 Cruisers Yachts Barnegat Cuddy Cabin. It appears to have a 233 Mercury engine. It's obviously rough but I got paid to take it. A friend of mine is going to
take it and spend his money on it. LOL, I'll just go for a ride once it's done.

The tires are pretty shot, but I kept the speed low and checked them a few times. No incidents on a 40 mile drive. Lucky, I'd say.

I told him if he spends $10,000 on it, he'll have a nice $5,000 boat.

Those are solid boats...a buddy of mine had one for a bit...spent a ton of time and money on it before he realized he liked fishing more than working on the boat and took off all the good parts and scraped it. It was a basket case when he bought it for $500.

If that thing needs a drive, he still has a brand new alpha (Merc, not SEI) with 2 short test runs on it he's trying to get rid of.
 

Mandelon

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I had to loosen one of the hoses and hand pull the drive up. Put a couple straps on it for the trip down to my storage lot.
 

4Waters

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Those engines are weird engines, 4cyl aluminum mercruiser block and mercruiser crank, 460 stroke bore rods and pistons, 460 cylinder head and a chevy bell housing. The balancer and alternator are all in one, literally 1/2 a 460. I had the opportunity to rebuild one and put a regular alternator on it as they are pretty expensive and hard to find, the customer found the kit for the alternator.
 

4Waters

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Here is a write up of a hotrod 470 in a dragster producing 470hp video of dyno pull in the article.


Years ago I found an article about guys using it in dirt track racing but I can't find it now.
 

rrrr

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The boat has nice lines. It sorta looks like an old Grady White or Pursuit.
 

MK1MOD0

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I was thinking Grady White as well. Looks like a smooth running fish slayer for sure 👍
 

boatdoc55

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Those engines are weird engines, 4cyl aluminum mercruiser block and mercruiser crank, 460 stroke bore rods and pistons, 460 cylinder head and a chevy bell housing. The balancer and alternator are all in one, literally 1/2 a 460. I had the opportunity to rebuild one and put a regular alternator on it as they are pretty expensive and hard to find, the customer found the kit for the alternator.
Good God a 470. Great engine base but terrible everything else. I'll be working on one tomorrow for a friend that won't start.
 

boatdoc55

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Here is a write up of a hotrod 470 in a dragster producing 470hp video of dyno pull in the article.


Years ago I found an article about guys using it in dirt track racing but I can't find it now.
I had a guy in Oregon that would buy them anytime I could get one. He used them in both Drags and roundy rounds. Over the years I think he bought 8 or 9 from me. Didn't want any of the charging system or bellhousings. He did want the starters though.
 

4Waters

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I had a guy in Oregon that would buy them anytime I could get one. He used them in both Drags and roundy rounds. Over the years I think he bought 8 or 9 from me. Didn't want any of the charging system or bellhousings. He did want the starters though.
The potential power is pretty damn good for a 4 banger
 

rrrr

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Good God a 470. Great engine base but terrible everything else. I'll be working on one tomorrow for a friend that won't start.

The alternators and charging system on those 470s are a hot mess.
 

HydroSkreamin

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In the early 90’s we used to put a TFS head on and half of a 514 kit and they’d run.

One of the dampers hit the floor and the magnets broke. It was a doorstop for a decade.
 

ford 4x429

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Those engines are weird engines, 4cyl aluminum mercruiser block and mercruiser crank, 460 stroke bore rods and pistons, 460 cylinder head and a chevy bell housing. The balancer and alternator are all in one, literally 1/2 a 460. I had the opportunity to rebuild one and put a regular alternator on it as they are pretty expensive and hard to find, the customer found the kit for the alternator.
they also have the football head rod bolt...scj cj hd truck rod...
 

boatdoc55

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In the early 90’s we used to put a TFS head on and half of a 514 kit and they’d run.

One of the dampers hit the floor and the magnets broke. It was a doorstop for a decade.
Hah, Over the years I've replaced the dampeners because some "engine builder" drove them on w/ a 5# dead blow thinking they were building a BB Chevy!!!! :eek:🤷‍♂️
 

boatdoc55

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You guy's are bringing back a lot of memories!! They were/are great little engines, it's just the shit that Merc hung on them that wasn't right. Remember the first one's out with the little tiny 3" heat exchanger????? Fookers ran hot sitting on the trailer in storage.
 

Joe mama

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Drop it off at Teague and call it a day.

Always thought would be cool
 

Gelcoater

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Those engines are weird engines, 4cyl aluminum mercruiser block and mercruiser crank, 460 stroke bore rods and pistons, 460 cylinder head and a chevy bell housing. The balancer and alternator are all in one, literally 1/2 a 460. I had the opportunity to rebuild one and put a regular alternator on it as they are pretty expensive and hard to find, the customer found the kit for the alternator.
I know a guy that ran one in his rail. With a turbo👍
It got with the program pretty good.
Where’s Lance? I know he cruises this place for n occasion.
 

checkrd past

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we towed one to loreto and mulege in the summer of 82 . Solid boat that kept us alive in a bad tropical storm. And yes that was a wierd engine set up.
 

Mandelon

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So, this old thing is getting a bit more interest. My neighbor the amateur lobster man is interested in paying for the repower. So it may end up being back in action. What should we do here? Try to have this motor checked out and fixed, or buy a reman unit or even a new engine? I believe the valve covers were off of it, so the motor may be toast. Obviously cheap is the way to go here! LOL It's not exactly an attractive old boat. Even with a running motor it probably won't be worth more than a few grand.

If the old engine is a Ford, do I need to stay ford to make it work with the outdrive?
 

old rigger

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So, this old thing is getting a bit more interest. My neighbor the amateur lobster man is interested in paying for the repower. So it may end up being back in action. What should we do here? Try to have this motor checked out and fixed, or buy a reman unit or even a new engine? I believe the valve covers were off of it, so the motor may be toast. Obviously cheap is the way to go here! LOL It's not exactly an attractive old boat. Even with a running motor it probably won't be worth more than a few grand.

If the old engine is a Ford, do I need to stay ford to make it work with the outdrive?
I know there’s been a lot of talk in this thread about the 470 4 banger but you said it has a Merc 233 right? That’s a small block Ford. I see the 470 sticker on the outdrive but damn that’s a lot of boat for a banger.
 

Mandelon

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Merc 233, I think I like a 302 V8.
 

rivermobster

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That’s right, any sbf would work, except the Cleveland which uses different exhaust manifolds.

Might be hard to find anymore? Maybe just find a running car that has a 302 in it?

At least this way you'll Know you'd have an engine that is a worthy core. Or possibly useable.
 

old rigger

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Might be hard to find anymore? Maybe just find a running car that has a 302 in it?

At least this way you'll Know you'd have an engine that is a worthy core. Or possibly useable.
Crate engines are still available.

My neighbor has a Fairlane he needs junked, I think it has a 289 in it. Probably get it for free.
 

old rigger

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Does it have any dash components in it??

I don't think so, he bought this ugly 4 door as a donor for his son's hardtop. Dash components I guess aren't reproduced and some of the plastic stuff was shot in the other.
 
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