is this a decent motor?

Make my own? This site never ceases to provide inspiration. Something as simple as what this guy did? Maybe glass and gelcoat the plywood. Any words of advice on thickness? I'd hate for the motor to go down into Davy Jones' Locker!
 

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you don't want ANY plywood.... just 4 pieces of angle bolted together to form 2 channels OR just 2 pieces of channel tho the double angles are more easily adjustable

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You guys have been great, and i hope you'll indulge in one or two more motor questions as I work through this.

Since a 25" is now an option with a jack plate (for which i will start a separate thread if the time comes), what about this 2006 mercury efi? http://myrtlebeach.craigslist.org/bod/4676921190.html

It is about $1000 more than I was hoping to get away with. Does not include controls, but i was planning on buying a new control box and gauges anyway. Does not come with a prop. So i would need to spend extra for the prop and jack plate.

Is going with a newer fuel-injected motor worth the extra initial investment? I would like to think so. Do you think a marina ought to include some sort of warranty? Season is close to an end, so I have no issues waiting for the right motor to come along. I want my investment to last as long as possible, but i need help figuring out what the right price is. I want that to be under 3k, but that is somewhat arbitrary. I only have so much money. But if it takes $2500 to get a 97, and 4k to get an 06, then theoretically the 06 is a better buy because i would expect it to last ~10 years longer. $1500 spread over 10 years is $150 per year. Am i thinking about this the right way?

Thanks for any opinions and feedback. It is a lot of money to spend, so I hope you'll forgive me asking a lot of questions.
 
peiserma said:
You guys have been great, and i hope you'll indulge in one or two more motor questions as I work through this.

Since a 25" is now an option with a jack plate (for which i will start a separate thread if the time comes), what about this 2006 mercury efi? http://myrtlebeach.craigslist.org/bod/4676921190.html

It is about $1000 more than I was hoping to get away with. Does not include controls, but i was planning on buying a new control box and gauges anyway. Does not come with a prop. So i would need to spend extra for the prop and jack plate.

Is going with a newer fuel-injected motor worth the extra initial investment? I would like to think so. Do you think a marina ought to include some sort of warranty? Season is close to an end, so I have no issues waiting for the right motor to come along. I want my investment to last as long as possible, but i need help figuring out what the right price is. I want that to be under 3k, but that is somewhat arbitrary. I only have so much money. But if it takes $2500 to get a 97, and 4k to get an 06, then theoretically the 06 is a better buy because i would expect it to last ~10 years longer. $1500 spread over 10 years is $150 per year. Am i thinking about this the right way?

Thanks for any opinions and feedback. It is a lot of money to spend, so I hope you'll forgive me asking a lot of questions.
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Asking questions is how we learn. I'm willing to bet that even the smartest person here can still learn something. We never stop learning. Nothing to forgive.

Although on the surface, I would tend to go along with your calculations as to engine life, just remember that maintenance and attention is KEY to a long engine life, so really, although the newer engine sounds like a better deal, how an engine was maintained is much more important than it's initial price or year.
 
Price is high in my opinion, based on my own selling of two 150 Evinrude mid 90's loopers.

I've found real solid used outboards can be hard to find, so I understand your enthusiasm.

Did you check NADA retail selling value ?

Good luck either way you go.
 
not having gauges, controls, and a prop adds up pretty quick. The newer engine isnt that much differnt from the older engine. It does have the CDM ignition. EFI has a lot of expensive parts over a carb motor with minimal difference in fuel use. That being said, that does look like a clean motor and it probably will sell near that price.
 
smokeonthewater said:
Tell ya what.... Come up here and snag one of these and I'll let ya buy me a burger LOL

http://louisville.craigslist.org/boa/4645417988.html

http://louisville.craigslist.org/boa/4687835694.html

http://louisville.craigslist.org/boa/4649603150.html

http://louisville.craigslist.org/boa/4649385693.html

http://louisville.craigslist.org/boa/4644389727.html
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this=fresh water motors!!!!!!!!!

I want whats left of any of those boats when you are done stripping them, I keep thinking I can make a heck of a flats boat out of one of them
 
spareparts said:
this=fresh water motors!!!!!!!!!

I want whats left of any of those boats when you are done stripping them, I keep thinking I can make a heck of a flats boat out of one of them
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Great deals there Smoke!

Spare I hear ya on the flats boat thing. If I were into them I'd find a good old bass boat and strip out all the carpet and put a paint job on it. There's a guy near me that cut the front deck out of a Hydrostream Vector and painted it white, put a little teak trim on it and a poling platform and has a great custom flats boat.
 
A few guys down here have converted bass boats to flats boats, and weren't real happy with them. Said the squatted to much trying to plane out, and were pretty deep in the draft. Some have said they took the rearmost portion of the keel and put a wide pad there, and made them into decent flats boats that way.
 
Going to look at the 175 merc offshore tomorrow. NADA says $2500, we shall see if it checks out. The place where I store the boat says they can get a bracket fab'ed for a price I can live with (should I decide to outsource that portion, which I am seriously contemplating so I can move on to other projects that need finishing)
 
Small world. I work with the seller's brother! All the basics check out. Motor started right up, goes in gear, hydraulics look good and work. Compression 105 to 110 on all cylinders. He will take it off and put it on my boat (still need a a jack plate later, but this way i can drive it back to the mechanic and don't need to borrow a pickup or a trailer) Thinking to offer him $2600. What do you guys think?
 
If i had one laying around, i would. But i don't, so I'll have to do it again once i have the bracket. Maybe I can find someone local to fab one, else I have to pay the mechanic for turnkey service. Not sure that I know enough to build my own, unless I get help here. Doesn't look hard, but the devil is in the details.

We agreed on a price, and later next week I will have a new-to-me motor!
 
Off the top of my head I'd say 4 pieces of 3x4x3/8 or 1/2 stainless or aluminum angle and four 1/2" stainless bolts n drill 16 holes... Done..... Couple of the others can cross check my thoughts here.... Might suggest other materials.
 
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