1973 Super Sport...I bought it!

[bunker108]

Re: 1973 Super Sport...I bought it!

I opened up the control box today to replace my shift cable, and I found another winter project. I also finally figured out why my tach was giving me troubles...I wonder if the original tach was just fine? The wire insulation is flaking off a the slightest touch and a couple wires were already exposed. I patched everything up and it is now better than before but still a very weak link that will need more attention. I should have done both cables at the same time but a new throttle cable over the winter will give me an excues to open the remote back up and go through the whole thing.

I almost forgot to tell you all that the new shift cable seems to have fixed my reverse problem. Fixed one problem and discovered another. Oh well, I am trying to convince the wife on a quick trip to the lake tomorrow. Hey I have to test reverse in the lake, it's not a real test in the trash can!

 

[GA_Boater]

Re: 1973 Super Sport...I bought it!

I almost forgot to tell you all that the new shift cable seems to have fixed my reverse problem. Fixed one problem and discovered another. Oh well, I am trying to convince the wife on a quick trip to the lake tomorrow. Hey I have to test reverse in the lake, it's not a real test in the trash can!

Well heck yeah! A good reason, excuse, or alibi to get out. You don't want to ruin a perfectly good trash can when reverse sucks the can into the prop, do ya? Get on the lake and do a proper test! PS - you can have while testing - LOL

 

[bunker108]

Re: 1973 Super Sport...I bought it!

My oldest boy and I just returned from another outing on another lake. We headed south this time to the largest man-made resevoir in New Mexico...Elephant Butte. I take back any bad thing I ever said about that old, ugly, home-built trailer. I pulled it over 300 miles round trip, at interstate speeds. That thing still needs some work but is solid.

It is nice to have all systems operating, reverse engages and I now know how fast that mercury is spinning. We were on the water two short days but I managed to burn 18 gallons of fuel! I can't imagine how much I would use pulling a skier or a tube. I am getting full revs out of the old enigne, she seems to like screaming along at 5600 RPM's.

I slipped the boat overnight to ease the workload of solo loading/unloading. I am happy to report that she was still floating in the morning! I was a little worried about that. I have a lot of cleaing to do in the morning due to the nasty lake ring that pinstriped my white hull. Lake scum brown would be a good color for a boat.

That will probably do it for this season. I think it is time to drain the fluids and start prepping the rest of the boat for paint. I have had so much fun on the water this year. This has been a great project and I am glad that I took the plunge.

More pics:


the butte the lake is named from...I guess it looks like an elephant.

 

[bunker108]

Re: 1973 Super Sport...I bought it!

and now the boat!

 

[ezmobee]

Re: 1973 Super Sport...I bought it!

Looking good! Beautiful area also. Do your future plans include a little paint for the Merc?

 

[bunker108]

Re: 1973 Super Sport...I bought it!

Yes sir EZ...a little sandpaper, some tape, and a can of Mercury Phantom Black are in the plan for the winter. I am going to start with the cowling and see how it looks.

 

[bunker108]

Re: 1973 Super Sport...I bought it!

Here is another short video of the Mercury running up the revs. I think it could benifit from some carb work but the wholeshot is pretty good as is. I think it would pull a skier up. Having a working tach is nice too. It was only showing 5400 RPMS here but there was a lot left with that little prop on and if I didn't have the tach I would have pushed her even more. I did run it out to 5800 on a couple short blasts. But overall i think she is running good. I still need to get my top speed with a GPS, next time.
http://youtu.be/BhIdO5grOHY

 

[erwinner]

Re: 1973 Super Sport...I bought it!

Your lake water looks about like ours does! But at least we still have some leftover from last year. Is there a NM/OK/TX chapter of the Starmada? I'd show up just to covet.
Love the blue and white and the Merc sounds really nice.

 

[bunker108]

Re: 1973 Super Sport...I bought it!

Winner, it looks like your water because it is! I think Texas has rights to much of that water which is one reason the lake is so low.

Barato, was talking about a southwest area gathering sometime...so we need to explore some options or at least get a roll call going. I have always wanted to go to Powell, but let's see where interested parties are and we can decide on the best lake Geographically. Elephant Butte could be a good location too.

 

[GA_Boater]

Re: 1973 Super Sport...I bought it!

The SS looks great, bunker. Well, when it's off the nasty looking trailer. That will come too, but good to know it tows better than it looks. I know what you're talking about the control box wiring. I opened mine because the choke switch is stuck and saw a rubbed bare wire. As I gently poked and prodded, insulation just fell off. Same as under the motor cowl. Guess after the warranty expires the wiring in these old Mercs does too, after 45 years in my case :facepalm:

It's good to see you and your son enjoying the water in the SS

 

[bunker108]

Re: 1973 Super Sport...I bought it!

I now have tunes on the old boat! I got this from iboats on Thursday and installed if Friday before leaving to the lake. Install was easy and took about two hours. Cutting holes for the speakers and running the speaker wire was the most time sonsumong part. The rest was plug and play.
http://www.iboats.com/MP3-Based-Wat...0756479--**********.561955467--view_id.345896
It is nice not having a head unit. I utilized some existing openings in the dash from unused switches and it worked great. I will post some pics of the dash when I get some time later this week. Super compact and sounds pretty good for what it is.

I installed the amp under the driver's console.

That is the input on the left and volume control on the right. I am pleased with the location considering I used existing holes.

and the speaker locations

It is also time to overhaul the fuel system. After some extended high speed runs the fuel bulb would not stay primed. It would starve for fuel and I would have to back out of it, prime the bulb and then repeat. I already have the fuel pump kits so that will be my next project. The boat didn't start actine up until we were running for camp on our last outing on the lake, so the timing was pretty good.

I am not sure about winterizing yet as I might try to go Salmon snagging next month.

 

[barato2]

Re: 1973 Super Sport...I bought it!

OK, you got me curious. where does one find salmon in NM? i thought the tiger-muskie hybrids in some of the northern lakes were the far reach of NM Fishngame dept's hubris.

 

[bunker108]

Re: 1973 Super Sport...I bought it!

I thought that the kokanee was a land locked salmon. Snagging opens November 10th at El Vado and
Heron.

 

[heyyou325]

Re: 1973 Super Sport...I bought it!

You are right, Kokanee is landlocked salmon. And my favorite to catch. They didn't do much this last year up here.

 

[bunker108]

Re: 1973 Super Sport...I bought it!

Ok everyone, phase two of paint is about to begin and have a question before I get started. I have some holes in the bow where a trolling motor was mounted. The largest are probably 3/8". I was going to weld them up but after sizing up the situation I decided against that. I am afraid I will just burn through or warp the metal or start the wood bow supports on fire. I think just plugging the holes with some large close end rivets might be the easiest thing to do. If I could find some "hucks"(?) that would be even better.
Or I could have a piece of aluminum cut to cover up the holes on the bow. I am just trying to figure out what is the best option.

Stay tuned!

 

[barato2]

Re: 1973 Super Sport...I bought it!

don't think you need to worry too much abt burnthrough or warpage if you use TIG, but the pyrolyzing gases from the scorching wood underneath would porobably be enough to contaminate your weld, so i think you're right on welding not being best route. you'll know about this issue for your next resto so you fill em before the wood goes back in......

Lowe's has stainless carriage bolts in 1/4" diameter that, if sealed up with some 4200/5200, would give you a fairly sano looking solution for <$5 and <30 minutes. this is what i'd do.

 

[Pugetsound]

Re: 1973 Super Sport...I bought it!

Are you serious about snagging fish or is that just a local saying?

 

[barato2]

Re: 1973 Super Sport...I bought it!

since kokanee feed mostly on plankton-ish things, snagging is about the only way to catch em: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kokanee_salmon

 

[bunker108]

I just got a new phone so I thought I would give this a try. Here is an update on sanding. I included a pic of how I plan on plugging holes...some solid and close end rivets. Should I paint the rivets or install after paint?

 

[jasoutside]

Re: 1973 Super Sport...I bought it!

I'd install rivets then paint, eh.