1990 Charger Cuddy Cabin

[Smit]

Hi Gang,Well Bondo I finally got in the right place.If anybody has any info on this boat I sure would appreciate it.It is a 1990 Charger Cuddy Cabin,20ft-4" long,I/O.It needs new engine stringers,I was thinking oak,then glassing them in.I called the Charger boat Co. for info,pictures or something on it,but due too their fire in about in 1997 they lost their molds,records,manuals & everything,but are now making Bass Boats.Outher than the stringers,the boat is in really good shape.The engine was a 150 hp.but now is a 188 hp Ford 1977.has a Mercruiser XP out drive.Thanks for any info You might have,or maybe somebody may even have one.Thanks Again for Your patience with this newbie.Smit

 

[Bondo]

Re: 1990 Charger Cuddy Cabin

Hi Smit,<br />I'm not familiar with the Charger Cuddy...<br />Oak is a good choice.. some epoxy,+ cloth will make it work.... <br />You'll have to pull the outdrive... Then the engine... Then Lots of Grinding....<br />I have a couple questions...<br />What was,"engine was a 150 hp" ????????<br />Why is it,"a 188 hp Ford" ??????<br />What Is,"Mercruiser XP out drive." ??????<br />How far through the Swap Are you ????<br /><br />The Best Tid-Bit of Info I can think of for a Newbie is,<br />Go to the top of This Page, Click on Manuals.....<br />Find 1 that covers Your application,+ Buy It.....<br />Then Read It...!!...<br /><br />That way we can all be on the Same Page, So to Speak..........

 

[Smit]

Re: 1990 Charger Cuddy Cabin

Hi Bondo,Thanks for the reply.The boat originaly had a 150hp.Ford engine in it,it now has a 188hp.Ford in it,but is disconnected & on blocks ready to be pulled so we can do the stringer work.I called Mercruiser Marine & gave them the eng.nos.& their tech.said it was a 302 about 1977.so far as the outdrive,it apparently is before they started the alpha.bravo thing.It just says Power Trim XD & then the ser.nos.on the transom yoak,oh, also Mercruiser---Now the outdrive is out of a 1977 IMP.Mercruiser said they have the manuals for both @ $35.00 ea.I hope some of this stuff will help.Thanks again for your help.Smit.

 

[Bondo]

Re: 1990 Charger Cuddy Cabin

Hi Smit,<br />It Appears to me that you've got a Mis-match mix of parts there......<br />I'm not familiar with the 150hp Ford... And, I'm in Doubt it Ever had a Ford motor Originally, Merc Stopped using Fords Long Before 1990.....<br />Your 302 is a pretty good motor, I know they also used the 351W @ 235hp...... The Fords are Not My 1st choice... Parts are getting alittle harder to find, although not impossible.....<br />Your Outdrive Appears to be the Pre-Alpha, or Mod.1, or "R"drive.... It's a Good Solid drive... Very much like the Alpha1 that followed it, Basicly 1 Bearing is mounted differently, inside the lower case.... The Mod.1 will take about 275/300hp before it comes appart.....<br />Your Transom assembley is an Alpha1 on the outside of your boat.... That's Atleast a 1984..... <br />Now, What you've got Inside the transom is a Mystery... Fords were Not offer with the Alpha1s... Only the Mod.1s.. Measuring between the 2 Rear Motor Mount bolts will tell you wether you have a Mod.1, or Alpha1 inner transom assembley... Mod.1s are 15" between the bolts.... Alpha1s are only 9" between the bolts....<br />You Could run into Problems when mounting the outdrive, Due to the Mixed Up Mess you've got.....<br />The Mod.1 outdrive Input shaft Has to be 8+"s, while the Alpha1 shaft is 9+"s long.....<br />The Long shaft, used in a short transom assembly will cause the Thrust Bearings in the engine to Disintegrate.......<br />Using the Short shaft in a Long transom assembly will Strip out the splines in the Drive Coupler.....<br />This is about as far as I can go with the Info you've stated.....

 

[RainMan302v8]

Re: 1990 Charger Cuddy Cabin

Perhaps it was a Merc 140? That had a ford 460 head on it, and a merc block. (Ive had far too much Absolut to be remembering this ancient stuff)<br />the 233 is a good motor, the Windsor 351 block was light and strong, and had substantially more torque than the 302 - in stock form, that is

 

[DJ]

Re: 1990 Charger Cuddy Cabin

If it is a V-8 and a Ford engine (TIP-distributor in front), it's either a 302 (5.0) or a 351 (5.8). The 302's carried the designation 188 and the 351's were 228's.<br /><br />1977 was a year that MerCruiser used Ford power in those hp designations.<br /><br />The drive sounds like it may have been replaced.