64 arstrocraft 17' funliner restoration.

[corrie310]

I bought a 64 arstrocraft. 17' ( i think) it has a 60 hp Johnson super seahorse. I think i got a good deal on this boat. 600.00 bucks. The hull is in great shape. transome is soild and the motor has compresson. I have the original hard top. ( i have to machine the plastic "T"s that go to the bottom of the top.) the orignal color was red fury. ????? Question to all.... can i bring the color back without striping the gel coat completly off??? it looks like a black cherry now. and i got her all shiny again. as for the motor. I found a carb rebuild kit, online for 55 bucks. OEM but it still come with cork floats. ???? I have a friend with a 3D printer. wound a plastic copy of the cork floats work????? Just a thought.... and after i get the motor running how can i tell if the motor is running hot. there is no temp gauge. . for me to see how warm the water is leaveing the engine. i have been on boats all my life. but this is my first boat. i plan to do a full restoration. as this boat was made when they were made right. ( in my opinion.) thankyou.

 

[mercurymang]

Sounds like a cool boat.... got pics?

I would head over to the Johnson sub-forum for help on the motor (I'm kinda a mercury guy) but I can tell you that unless you know the history of this motor, I would go ahead and change out the impellar. Would a 3d printer make acceptable floats? I don't think so. Just go with whatever is oem and you;ll be safe. BTW, If I ever restore an another old boat, an Aristocraft is in the top 3 choices.

 

[iggyw1]

As for not having a temperature gauge on that outboard. I had the same problem on an old boat I just sold and a different boat I just bought. They both had just a light that would light up when my engine was 'HOT'. I want to know BEFORE the engine gets hot. On my old boat and also on my 'new' one. I installed a head bolt mounted temperature sending unit, and a temp gauge in the dash board. Was a very simple installation. You remove just one head bolt, install the sensor which is held in place when you replace the head bolt (mounts on the outside of the head). Connect one wire to the sensor and the other end to the gauge. Run another wire from gauge to power that goes on with key switch, and also from gauge to a ground. And that's it!! Works great!

When I told a buddy about it, he argued that the gauge may not indicate the accurate temp. My arguement was "so what if it's accurate or not" All I want to know is if it getting hotter or not. My gauge read 140 degrees when motor was running. I took an infrared temp sensor tool to it and my buddy was right. Instead of 140, the temp should have been reading 142 according the infrared signal, but whose to say which was correct or which was wrong?? If the temp starts going up from the 140 to say 144 or 146, I will know I have a problem before the motor overheats.

I got the sensor and gauge from Boatersland marine for $9.00 (sensor) and $22 (gauge) delivered! I highly recommend this set up as I did it on two boats now and it worked out twice for me.