1981 Invader

[Invader81]

My Dad bought this '81 Invader in 1985. I learned how to ski behind this boat. Dad retired and got into horses. The boat has sat under a carport for about 8 years now. Well, he gave it to me this week.

I hope to bring it home this weekend and get it cleaned up. It will be a work in progress, I already have some cool plans for it. I dont think it will take too much to get it in the water again.

 

[4Winns2]

Re: 1981 Invader

Interior is a little rough as would be expected. Otherwise, it looks to be a buff and clean job for the most part.

 

[lrcustom]

Re: 1981 Invader

That looks like a cool project. If that motor runs your half way home. Rudes are nice. Free is always a great price. Check out the forum here there are great people with great support and help.
You will need to check out the deck, stringers, and the transom for rot before you do anything. Hopefully it has remained dry and just a minor restore. But first make sure you got a running motor before you invest anything into it.

Anyway enjoy the journey, it is lots of fun, now that we finally got a cold front enjoy this Texas weather. ......and Welcome to Iboats

LR

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: 1981 Invader

Welcome to iBoats!
Very NICE looking Boat! Will be well worth your efforts to restore her.
Hopefully you'll luck out like I did (See my thread in my signature). My boat is 48 years old and I has NO ROT. I was stored in a Barn all of it's life and was NOT in the water very much. You should at the very least inspect the transom around the drain tube and at any places it has been compromised. i.e. screws bolts etc. If water has intruded you will see dark brown stains etc.. If you see signs of this you can drill some exploratory holes on the INSIDE of the transom down LOW with a 3/8 inch bit 3/4 inch deep and NOT all the way thru and see what you get. Light brown dry shavings OK. Dark brown wet shavings or powder NOT OK. If your Deck is solid and the HULL has no breaches then chances are you have not had water below decks and your stringers are OK. If you find soft spots in the deck then you will need to investigate below. There is plenty of help here for you


I'm just sayin...

 

[mark1961]

Re: 1981 Invader

Looks as if you had better hurry up and rescue it from that carport . Should clean up real nice though, enjoy the experience.

 

[Invader81]

Re: 1981 Invader

Looks as if you had better hurry up and rescue it from that carport . Should clean up real nice though, enjoy the experience.

I rescued it from the carport Friday night.

After a nice 3 day weekend, and about 30 hours of intense cleaning, here are the results so far...

 

[ezmobee]

Re: 1981 Invader

That thing cleaned up nice! I have that exact motor on my boat and it runs awesome. Get some new carpet on those bunks!

 

[Invader81]

Re: 1981 Invader

That thing cleaned up nice! I have that exact motor on my boat and it runs awesome. Get some new carpet on those bunks!

Thanks! I am gonna make new bunks, and steps by the wheels asap. I am probably getting new wood and carpet this weekend.

 

[wishboneZ51]

Re: 1981 Invader

That is one nice boat you have there. How cool would that be to have your dad pass down the family boat to you like that. Now you can pay it forward and teach your kids how to ski and fish on the water.

 

[Invader81]

Re: 1981 Invader

Update...

I finished the side bunks yesterday. I will do the ones under the boat after I can get it in the water for a couple of days.

I started the engine last weekend. It runs excellent. After cleaning the carbs, new plugs, and new fuel lines, it fired up after about 6 cranks. It idles good, good throttle response, the forward and reverse engage well. I serviced the fluid in the lower unit right after the motor started. Btw, I did run it with a water hose attached.

All I need to do on the engine now is replace the impeller. I ordered it and I should get it today or tomorrow.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: 1981 Invader

Good luck with that. I was stymied pretty much right off the bat not able to access the screw/bolt that connects the shift rod. It was way buried behind more hoses and things than I wanted to mess with. I wasn't real interested in making my running motor a non-running motor so I paid a mechanic to do it.

Bunks look good.

 

[Invader81]

Re: 1981 Invader

Good luck with that. I was stymied pretty much right off the bat not able to access the screw/bolt that connects the shift rod. It was way buried behind more hoses and things than I wanted to mess with.

LOL. Yeah, I have been pre-warned about the impeller job. Especially on Johnson/ Evinrude motors. I have a boat mechanic friend who is gonna help me with it, and I am pretty mechanically inclined being a former car mechanic myself. It looks kinda tricky but I have completed worse engine work. I will report here on how it goes, I will probably be tackling it before the weekend.

 

[Invader81]

Re: 1981 Invader

Bunks look good.

Thanks!

 

[ezmobee]

Re: 1981 Invader

Well you sound more qualified than I was. Apparently those year motors are a particular pain. I was able to do the one in my '73 and a even less-mechanical-than-me buddy was able to do the one in his '91.

 

[Biged007]

Re: 1981 Invader

Nice looking boat and great job cleaning her up I'll be posting some day one pics of mine in a minute believe me you had a big head start. as I have always said nothing like elbow grease.
Ed

 

[Invader81]

Re: 1981 Invader

Nice looking boat and great job cleaning her up I'll be posting some day one pics of mine in a minute believe me you had a big head start. as I have always said nothing like elbow grease.
Ed

Thanks! Where are your pics?

I fixed the boat lights last night. The headlight switch on the dashboard was just old and shot... $9 from the local Academy Surplus sporting goods store.
I am picking up the impeller kit tonight and I think tomorrow night it will be installed.

The only things left to do before I put it in the water is to get new boat tags, get a life jacket that fits ME, fix the horn (or buy one of those hand-held air horns), and buy a throwable flotation device.

Of course, the list of things I still want to do is much longer...

 

[Invader81]

Re: 1981 Invader

Impeller kit is done! Not too bad, it took me and my boat buddy about 3 hours. I aint gonna be worried about tackling it at all next time.

 

[tinkeringwackyone]

Re: 1981 Invader

Very nice project. you will enjoy every minute of it knowing that you grew up with this boat and are bringing her back to life. Good work my friend....tink

 

[ezmobee]

Re: 1981 Invader

Impeller kit is done! Not too bad, it took me and my boat buddy about 3 hours. I aint gonna be worried about tackling it at all next time.

Congrats! You are clearly a better wrench than I. Any tips on gettin' that darn shift rod bolt out?

 

[slyhatch]

Re: 1981 Invader

Great looking boat,I recently bought one identical to it except for ouside color and I have a 50 h.p. mercury.I had to replace all the interior including the floor because of some rot,Mine is all red on the inside,looks like a floating bordello.Anyway have fun with it.
Sly