TOPIC: First post, 1965 Formula Jr. project

hey guys, I just picked up a rough stripped formula jr project on friday. It needs floors and stringers, probably a transom too. it looks to originally have had a 150hp mercruiser sterndrive in it. I'm having a bit of trouble finding much info on these units but my plan is to update to a newer alpha/genII drive with a V8. Do you guys know anything about the sterndrive patterns on this era merc (think it's a Mk I or mk II)?? I'm looking to confirm that 4 of the 6 bolts line up the same as the later alpha drives. I would just have to plug and redrill the upper holes, and if I get a gen II add the top two holes.

I'm sure I will have many more questions later and hope to hear as much as possible about these baby formulas!

revkev6,

WELCOME ABOARD.

I cannot give you advice on "upgrading" the engine/OD.

yours, satx

thanks satx!

have a new question though... got the big ole 454 that was sitting in the drivers seat out of the boat last night... (moving a 454 on an engine crane when it's 7 feet up is hairy!) SO next step was to try putting some pressure under the bow area where it is concave... it seems that this is double layer without any core material... can't put pressure on it... any thoughts on how this is constructed?? I'm wondering if I'm going to need to slice open the under skin to slide in a wooden support and glass that in place??

well, I put some pressure under the bow deck and found that I could push up on the upper half by pushing against the lower.. .nothing between them but air though so that is still a concern. no support to keep it there. have it sitting up now, I will see how it reacts after a few days in that position.

Set it in the HOT sun and then pour some BOILING HOT WATER on it. Go to Harbor Freight and get a Suction Cup Body Panel Puller and see if you can Pop it out.

http://www.harborfreight.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/i/

Deleted!!!

the boiling water might be a good idea but I don't know how well the suction cup would work. i'm getting enough pressure from the bottom now I think. I will be putting a longer board under it tonight for more even pressure. you can see where the 2x4 is on the bow now, it was low about as much as it is high now.. the very forward portion is hard to reach but with a longer board I think I can get it.

you can see, I have 3 shots of the sunken bow... when I first got it, then I put a little pressure too far back, last night I cleaned out the boat and got right under there with a 2x4 and got it much better, hoping tonight third time is the charm and I get it to a point that it will all look smoooooth.

The suction cup I was referencing is one use for autobody work. It has a very powerful attachment. It would be very effective!!

revkev6,

You didn't ask for my advice on actually repowering with the original sort of engine/OD, so I'm a bit hesitant to say BUT if it was MY boat, I would find & install another 165HP Mercruiser engine & the original OD as that's what the boat was designed to have & it's a GREAT combination that's CHEAP/simple to find/maintain/operate.

I know of 3-4 "junk boats" (within 100 miles of San Antonio, right now on re-saleable trailers) that have good 165 engines/OD for less than 300.oo & which need little work to run for a LONG time.

My unsolicited advice: Buy one of those "junkers", strip the boat for usable parts, sell the parts that you don't need, re-sell the trailer, junk the hull & install the good engine/OD & then pocket your profits. - You MAY come out several hundred bucks ahead!!!
(Several years ago, I did that with a pair of bassboats & ended up making about 500.oo profit after renovating one boat & "parting out" the other similar rig.)

just my OPINION, satx

I'm going to be doing something similar, just with a newer powertrain. I don't have enough parts for this boat to even warrant a real restoration. it's a bare fiberglass shell. no hardware, no emblems, no interior, no dash pieces. it's a shame because most of it is probably sitting in a horders barn buried waiting for the dumpster to show up.

I did find a mid 90's V8 mercruiser that I can strip of anything I want for $500.... this boat has steering, throttle, trim, bad 305, alpha gen II gimbol housing but no outdrive. not a horrible deal if I pick up a 350 short long block and an outdrive... still looking though.

btw, I don't have the room for another boat on my property. i've already got two boats and trailers....

hey guys, do you have any recommendations for step by step hull rebuilds for sterndrives?? threads, blogs... anything??

the core material on my deck is shot and sunk, so i need to shore that up and recore it. don't really know if I should pull the deck and try to shape it and recore it off the boat?? i need some help there. I currently have a jack under it with a 2x4 running the length of the deck pushing up. this gets 90% of the deck back in place, couple other spots need local attention.