1974 Sea Ray SRV 190 - COMPLETE RESTO PROJECT

[maygar42]

Not sure what I got myself into, but for a steal, it gives me something to wrench on for the winter. My home lake sees about 18" of ice during the blast of winter so maybe I can get this old bird cranking by "summer". She needs: total engine overhaul, total interior overhaul, stringer/deck/hull repairs and painting, new dash/wiring, top-deck nik-nack repair/cleaning/replacement, new seats/upholstery, new bimini cover, trailer repairs (extensive)... oh yeah, this is the first boat and engine I have ever worked on. I am researching a ton and saving my pennies. To do this will take time, effort and cash. Been enjoying reading everyone's trials and successes so far and appreciate the shared knowledge. I'll need those minor things and a good dose of luck.

Garage Diagonal Measurement: 26'-0"
Boat + Trailer Measurement: 24'-6"
Gonna be tight to work...

 

[oops!]

Re: 1974 Sea Ray SRV 190 - COMPLETE RESTO PROJECT

hi....welcome to iboats...

this is the place for restorations....!

post pics of the boat so we can follow your build.

the boat in the link in my sig is a 69 srv 190...the hull construction was allmost identical.....hope it helps

cheers
oops

 

[maygar42]

Re: 1974 Sea Ray SRV 190 - COMPLETE RESTO PROJECT

Thanks Oops- definitely been reading... and re-reading your hull extension project posts for learning and inspiration. I have been taking tons of photos as I get into this thing, but the file sizes are too large to post up. Do you know the max. size or some trick??

 

[GT1000000]

Re: 1974 Sea Ray SRV 190 - COMPLETE RESTO PROJECT

Welcome to the iboats dry dock,

You are definitely in the right place...
Good Luck
Have Fun
Ask Questions
Post Pictures...all of mine are in the one point something megapixel thingies but the forum seems to know what to do and they all seem to post OK, try it, you'll like it...
Don't Get Discouraged
Spend Money
Have Fun...
Oh Yeah and check out "friscoboaters" Sea Ray Restoration and You Tube channel...great videos on how to do stuff...
Grind, Glass, Sweat, Bleed, Cuss,
But most of all...
Have Fun
Best regards,
GT1M

 

[zopperman]

Re: 1974 Sea Ray SRV 190 - COMPLETE RESTO PROJECT

If there are no pics, I do not believe you own the boat


Welcome about. I love those old rays, should be a great project to follow. What's the powerplant?

 

[oops!]

Re: 1974 Sea Ray SRV 190 - COMPLETE RESTO PROJECT

I have been taking tons of photos as I get into this thing, but the file sizes are too large to post up. Do you know the max. size or some trick??

i up load to photo bucket....its free.......then i re size to 640x 480.......( i actually set that as my default)

when the pics are on photo bucket........there are a series of tags on the side.......copy the img tag.....

and just paste it into your reply here.......the pics look like this.

 

[maygar42]

Re: 1974 Sea Ray SRV 190 - COMPLETE RESTO PROJECT

GT1M, Thanks for the words of wisdom. Been doing many of the things on your list already!

Z-man- hoping to post some tonight below! Truth be told, so far she owns me. Power is a Ford 302...

Oops- giving it a go- thanks for Photobucket advice.

The Mothership stuffed in the "work space" and my first part cleanup effort...not perfect, but not bummed its not.

 

[Pmccraney]

Re: 1974 Sea Ray SRV 190 - COMPLETE RESTO PROJECT

Hey bud. Welcome aboard. So many fun and helpful people on this forum. I was noticing that tilt gear in your last couple of pics. Do you by chance have an omc stringer outdrive? Keep in mind it's YOUR boat, but if you have a stringer, you may want to consider a repower vs overhaul, since they don't make those anymore. It also depends on your budget and plans for the boat. I am in the middle of converting my omc to a more modern merc set-up, and it's no small undertaking because of the transom work, etc..

 

[maygar42]

Re: 1974 Sea Ray SRV 190 - COMPLETE RESTO PROJECT

Yes indeed- she's rockin' and OMC 190 Stringer. Perhaps unlike others battling their OMC dinosaurs, mine seems to be in pretty darn good shape. The prior owner told me yesterday that he had it rebuilt shortly before the engine seized (due to freeze) which explains a bunch of shiny, little-worn components. My issue lies in the power plant itself. Here's a few pics of the teardown process:

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: 1974 Sea Ray SRV 190 - COMPLETE RESTO PROJECT

Just be advised that finding parts for the OMC will be difficult at best. They went OOB in 2000. pmccraney gave some good advice.

 

[Pmccraney]

Re: 1974 Sea Ray SRV 190 - COMPLETE RESTO PROJECT

Again, I am not trying to persuade you either way. Its your boat and don't let anyone (including me) tell what to do with it. I am still very much a greenhorn at this boating stuff... There are actually some that prefer a stringer (notwithstanding that many parts are NLA = expensive), because they the are a little more basic setup, have a tighter turning radius and easier to change props out while the boat is afloat.

That said, and especially since you mentioned the plant has some issues, I would at least consider a repower/conversion before you pour a bunch of time/money into rebuild that block/plant to mate up to your stringer. You could probably buy an entire new drive line (including the drive) off a donor boat for cheaper than the cost to rebuild that 302. I know I did.

If you want to see what is involved in an OMC to Merc conversion, there are at least open threads on that right now: Mine (see signature for link); rrumba's 1975 IMP - Aztec; and Jasoutside's 22' Islander (his is a metal boat, but still valuable info on converting). I think there is an older thread (Jbird) on this as well, and probably others as well.

What ultimately persuaded me to go ahead and do the swap was that I needed to rebuild the stringers and engine mounts anyway. The set-ups for updated drivelines are completely different. I didn't want to put all that work into the boat, only to have to redo it later if I wanted to (or had to) update the power. Again, a lot of this depends on your budget and how long you want to keep the boat.

Regardless of what you decide, we will cheer you on with support.

Hope this helps and feel free to PM if you have any questions.

thanks,

 

[ncnjeremy]

Re: 1974 Sea Ray SRV 190 - COMPLETE RESTO PROJECT

Nice Project!! I am wanting to find something like that to work on for the winter. As soon as I finish mine and my arm heals up :facepalm:

 

[zopperman]

Re: 1974 Sea Ray SRV 190 - COMPLETE RESTO PROJECT

BLUE BOMBER ON SUCH A NICE BOAT

 

[ncnjeremy]

Re: 1974 Sea Ray SRV 190 - COMPLETE RESTO PROJECT

BLUE BOMBER ON SUCH A NICE BOAT

Yeppers!!!!!

 

[maygar42]

Re: 1974 Sea Ray SRV 190 - COMPLETE RESTO PROJECT

Seems the best thing so far about this project is there is so much to do, if I get bored, frustrated or sideways with a task, there's plenty more to dive into. Beats wasting time playing online poker anyways. Tonight, got my Edelbrock carb rebuild kit from my friends at FedEx. Decided to sit on the couch, watch lame mid-week football (no offense Miami Ohio/Temple folks) and start to disassemble. Looks to be in pretty good shape so far without much fuel varnish but truth be told, I have never opened a carb up so I don't really know what to look for. Planning on cleaning, installing the new kit parts, setting the various settings per the directions and hoping for the best... it's not like I can fire the engine anyways so perhaps this task will b delayed gratification or delayed frustration.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: 1974 Sea Ray SRV 190 - COMPLETE RESTO PROJECT

BLUE BOMBER ON SUCH A NICE BOAT

I believe the proper term is "white leg of despair"

 

[oops!]

Re: 1974 Sea Ray SRV 190 - COMPLETE RESTO PROJECT

Seems the best thing so far about this project is there is so much to do, if I get bored, frustrated or sideways with a task, there's plenty more to dive into. Beats wasting time playing online poker anyways. Tonight, got my Edelbrock carb rebuild kit from my friends at FedEx. Decided to sit on the couch, watch lame mid-week football (no offense Miami Ohio/Temple folks) and start to disassemble. Looks to be in pretty good shape so far without much fuel varnish but truth be told, I have never opened a carb up so I don't really know what to look for. Planning on cleaning, installing the new kit parts, setting the various settings per the directions and hoping for the best... it's not like I can fire the engine anyways so perhaps this task will b delayed gratification or delayed frustration.

Gee i love the lines on the rays.
The just look so cool sitting on the water as well.......with the right package....they just sit so pretty in the water.

When building a boat.....There is so many small 1-2 hour jobs that you are never bored....as well, if something is giving you a hard time.....leave it, do some thing else, and come back to it later. Along with that, ......if you are stuck on a issue, the answer usually comes to you, as you get closer to the next step.
the real problems come when you are over thinking something.

As far as the motor, unless you are a mechanic, its tough building parts over the winter then throwing the motor back together, due to the fact that is if doesn't work, you don't know where to start.
Opposed to ...its running, take the carb off, rebuild it, re install it....if the motor does not start you kind of know where to look. i
If you rebuild many parts both electrical and fuel, plus timing.......trouble shooting can be a pain. .......but......if ya got the time......go for it!

One of the things that is very important with a total rebuild of a carb,,,,,is to let it soak in a varsol tub....brake kleen works good too. There are many little passages in the carb, If they are blocked....even partially, you will have trouble.....so find a mechanic you know, and ask him if you can let your parts sit in his tub for a while.....buy him a beer and call it square.

 

[jasoutside]

Re: 1974 Sea Ray SRV 190 - COMPLETE RESTO PROJECT

I just want to go on the record...

OMC Stringer - there are better options. Much better.

Welcome to iboats!

 

[maygar42]

Re: 1974 Sea Ray SRV 190 - COMPLETE RESTO PROJECT

I appreciate everyone's thoughts on the 'ol OMC stringer and in reading posts on this site, I had no doubt there weren't a bunch of OMC fans on here. Unfortunately, in my case, it is what it is. While I could swing an engine replacement if necessary and a grand or so worth of OMC parts, there is no way I could swing a new outboard... just ain't in the budget with all the other projects I have going on. So, I have to try to make it work for me. Truth be told, prior to plunking down my 500 clams,I had nothing but an inflatable raft so even if i have to bolt on a Wal-Mart trolling motor to putt around at 500ft/hr, its still 100% more boat than I had a month ago. Unless of course, any of you out there have a sweet OD that is taking up your shop space that you want to ship me for a song

Hoping to get back on engine teardown this weekend. It supposed to snow big time around here so I am looking forward to holing up in a sorta toasty garage to bloody some more knuckles...

 

[jasoutside]

Re: 1974 Sea Ray SRV 190 - COMPLETE RESTO PROJECT

Hey maygar, just a heads up...

For what you'll put into that OMC Stringer to get it up and running you could just about buy a donor boat with an up to date Merc driveline. From there you have an engine and outdrive that you can actually work on vs. a dinosaur (extinct) with NLA parts.

Just wanted to go on record with that too.

Cheers and best of luck