bringing my ebay 270 sundancer back to life

[gary502]

Figured it would be cool to start a little build thread for my new boat restoration/build. I picked this 1994 270 sundancer with 530 hours and a hydro locked 350 engine and a bravo 2 drive up from a winning bid on a no reserve auction on ebay one night at the bar (I was just as surprised). I was a little hesitant about buying a second hand boat sight unseen 3 states away but for $3000 which was the winning bid, i wasnt too worried. so i loaded up the truck, grabbed a buddies trailer and headed to Baltimore. After 2 hours the marina finally figured out how to get it on my trailer.

all loaded up and ready to head back to Pittsburgh

back home, taking up my whole driveway

doesn't look too bad for the money, gel coat is in very good condition and should buff back to a high gloss fairly easily, interior is in good shape, has heat and AC, windlass, remote spotlight, depth finder, VHF, new battery charger and a shore power cord, flushing head with mascerator. all systems work, came with an extra aluminum prop. besides the engine issue, the canvas being in rough shape, and the awful name (that im changing regardless of the "bad luck") it looks good overall.

well, lets dig into this 350

yeah he wasnt kidding, she was hydro locked alright

a likely culprit of the engines demise, exhaust flapper valve

out we come

found a freshened up 638 block,complete running mercruiser 350 on craigslist for $850 less than 5 miles from my house:thumbsup:

in you go....

home

and we are here. new engine is in and bolted up. just need to re connect everything, hang the drive and we will be set. less than $5000 total investment including the trip there to get it. cant complain about that.....

 

[magstang1]

Nice. Nothing like a couple busted knuckles to make a boat your own.

Congrats.

 

[h_gerry]

Congrats! She looks pretty good.

 

[mwph]

Great pictures. Thanks for taking the time to post them.

BTW..... Welcome to CSR!

 

[Ten Years Gone]

edit

 

[268 Frakenboat]

I like your ingenious way to pull the motor. What did you hang the chain fall from in the garage?

 

[gary502]

thanks for the compliments guys! and ten years, this is more of a temporary engine to get me through the rest of this season and possibly next year too, but i would like to build a completely fresh engine with a hot cam and aluminum heads so at least i can fully trust it. I considered doing a 383 but for the time, machine shop labor, and new parts i would need, the extra 30 some cubes probably wouldnt be noticeable in a boat like this. big power would come from a 454 swap. Besides, I have a 20' cobalt bow rider with a 350/volvo duoprop i can jump in if i want to go 60+mph. This one is my big, slow cruiser for picking up the ladies with. and frankenboat, I put an 8' section of steel I beam up in the rafters of my shop to hang the chain hoist from. it spreads the weight out well enough to support the engine.

 

[SCORPIO]

It looks like somebody painted the outdrive with bottom antifouling paint. Copper based bottom paints shouldn't be on any aluminum underwater parts. You may want to remove that, especially if you plan to wet slip the boat.
BTW, nice buy you made on that boat, it seems well suited to your talents. Also, congrats on landing an engine on the cheap. You've done very well, Welcome Aboard!

 

[gary502]

yeah someone got a little trigger happy with the bottom paint. the entire outdrive and prop, as well as the trim tabs and cylinders are all completely covered with this blue paint. the boat is 100% going to be wet slipped every season. i figure it will be fine for the ~60 more days this boat will be in the water for the rest of this season. this winter im changing the paint to black hull paint like it should be anyways. so that will be when i grind it all off the drive. just wondering though, what negative affects does the paint on aluminum cause?

 

[JVM225]

Great deal on a great boat.
I would strip the bottom paint off of the drive and transom housing and repaint those parts with the right stuff before I put it in the water.

 

[Searay270]

Great deal,go out and have some fun.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[alwhite00]

Great thread, looking good.

 

[SCORPIO]

The dissimilar metals will cause an electrolysis condition that will cause the aluminum to corrode much faster and to a greatater extent. I think I would use a chemical stripper to remove the paint from the drive. Grinding could damage the metal of the drive.

 

[boatman37]

good deal. where are you in pittsburgh? i'm in lawrence county (ellwood city) but work in fox chapel (aspinwall). we are docked right at the end of the beaver river where it dumps into the ohio

 

[gary502]

I live in the south hills, my cobalt is docked at milvale Marina, I'm up in the air right now if This boat is going to milvale or green cove, im kind of fed up with downtown boating and all the rules and BS that goes along with it.

 

[boatman37]

i drive through milvale via 28 to get to work. stop at fox chapel marina quite often on the way home...lol. i haven't ventured that far with my boat yet. still learning. i have only made it to about freedom on the ohio. it will be awhile before i try the emsworth locks...lol

 

[El Capitan]

thanks for the compliments guys! and ten years, this is more of a temporary engine to get me through the rest of this season and possibly next year too, but i would like to build a completely fresh engine with a hot cam and aluminum heads so at least i can fully trust it. I considered doing a 383 but for the time, machine shop labor, and new parts i would need, the extra 30 some cubes probably wouldnt be noticeable in a boat like this. big power would come from a 454 swap. Besides, I have a 20' cobalt bow rider with a 350/volvo duoprop i can jump in if i want to go 60+mph. This one is my big, slow cruiser for picking up the ladies with. and frankenboat, I put an 8' section of steel I beam up in the rafters of my shop to hang the chain hoist from. it spreads the weight out well enough to support the engine.

If I recall correctly speaking to Michigan Motorz about a 454 replacement to 350 they told me the 383 is the preferred power now because the engine weighs less and has more low end torque. Not sure if accurate but if so those are ideal characteristics for heavy cruiser.

I am jealous. Nice boat and when you sell it you'll make a nice profit!