1978 Caravelle Bonita

[reward_1000]

Picked this up a few weeks ago. Slapped a set of points and a condenser on it. That got us spark but the engine was not turning over fast enough. Pulled the starter apart and cleaned the brushes and the armature then it would not crank at all. Took the starter down to the rebuilder and they put a set of bushings in it for 20 bucks. Hit the key to check the starter and the boat fired up. So we hooked up the muffs and let it run for an hour sounds great but not to happy with the stream coming out of the water pump so removed the lower unit and found the pump to have some plastic parts in it and the lower housing is melted a little bit, o well I will have to get the housing this week and get it installed. I was hoping to do a water test next weekend but that may have to wait another weekend or two. The floor has some soft spots so we will be pulling it up and putting down some new flooring then this winter we will redo the rest of the boat. Here are some pictures.

 

[reward_1000]

Re: 1978 Caravelle Bonita

here are the other photos from today.

 

[79 Caravelle]

Re: 1978 Caravelle Bonita

I just bought a 79 Caravelle Bonita. It's in great shape with less than 180 hrs. However, the gas gauge bounces around everywhere. I'm guessing the sending unit is bad on top of the tank but I'm not exactly sure where it is. In one of your pictures it looks like I could get access to it at the back of the ski locker storage area. Does any of that come loose or will I have to cut an access port and cover with a deck plate? The carpet is original and the floor is in great shape (garage kept by one owner) so I really hate to cut a hole in it but I don't know how else to get to the sending unit.

 

[fishing man]

Re: 1978 Caravelle Bonita

Hope you are still around. my father n law and I just got one and are rebuilding it. any help where to find parts, gauges etc.
thx