1988 Bayliner Capri 2.3 ford engine

[HiramT]

Good morning, I have a Bayliner Capri that died on me out in the water a few years ago, and I’ve been away from it for a while, it’s spent the past few years sitting, when it did die on me there was an alarming amount of oil in the bilge, it wouldn’t crank back up and I had to paddle it back to the pier, Ive recently decided to try and see about repairing it, but I don’t know where to start, not a huge fan of taking it to a mechanic but I figured depending on what I learn here will be the deciding factor, thank you in advance for all input and advice. Just wanting to know a viable starting point.

Engine is the 2.3 ford cobra 128 Hp

 

[alldodge]

Welcome moving you to OMC so you can get more views

 

[Lou C]

That's a Ford Pinto 2.3 liter 4 cyl, it almost looks like the engine mounts and/or transom rotted and allowed the engine to shift sideways.
Can't say yet where the oil came from but maybe if the engine shifted it caused the oil pan to leak?
Boat looks like it has extensive rot. Might not be worth your time....

 

[HiramT]

Welcome moving you to OMC so you can get more views

Thank you!

That's a Ford Pinto 2.3 liter 4 cyl, it almost looks like the engine mounts and/or transom rotted and allowed the engine to shift sideways.
Can't say yet where the oil came from but maybe if the engine shifted it caused the oil pan to leak?
Boat looks like it has extensive rot. Might not be worth your time....

can the transom be replaced? What am I looking for exactly?

 

[Lou C]

It can but you are most likely looking at replacing all the structural wood in the boat, it is a huge time consuming job and in this case probably not worth it.
Take a look at the restoration forum here that will show you what people have done, personally I did one resto about 15 years ago and definitely would not do another.
I would just start saving for the newest best condition boat with a 4 stroke outboard that I could afford.
Old wood cored boats, especially ones with OMC powertrains are just not worth the money and time it will take.

 

[HiramT]

It can but you are most likely looking at replacing all the structural wood in the boat, it is a huge time consuming job and in this case probably not worth it.
Take a look at the restoration forum here that will show you what people have done, personally I did one resto about 15 years ago and definitely would not do another.
I would just start saving for the newest best condition boat with a 4 stroke outboard that I could afford.
Old wood cored boats, especially ones with OMC powertrains are just not worth the money and time it will take.

I’m into it total right around 1K, title, registration and all, would you happen to know the ballpark on redecking, stringers, and transom replacement costs?

Thank you

 

[matt167]

Nowadays $4-6k

 

[HiramT]

Nowadays $4-6k

That DIY or professionally done?

 

[matt167]

That DIY or professionally done?

DIY. Professional would be that plus a crap ton of labor at $100 plus per hour. It would be probably somewhere in the neighborhood of 100 hours, so $10k in labor give or take on the low end

 

[HiramT]

DIY. Professional would be that plus a crap ton of labor at $100 plus per hour. It would be probably somewhere in the neighborhood of 100 hours, so $10k in labor give or take on the low end

Oof, it seems I’m better off just trying to sell it to someone who’s willing to put that into it. I’m gonna check everything this weekend, I’ll see if I can get some more detailed pics

 

[alldodge]

Oof, it seems I’m better off just trying to sell it to someone who’s willing to put that into it. I’m gonna check everything this weekend, I’ll see if I can get some more detailed pics

Unless you find someone that is looking for that exact boat, no one will not even look. Many have been down your path and find a cheap boat, but a boat needing this kind of work is not cheap

 

[redneck joe]

ford and cobra and bayliner and you are only $1k in? Scrap it and count your blessings thats all you had into it.

 

[airshot]

The name Bayliner (an old one) and OMC are terms that scare people away. You would ve better off to pull rhe engine and outdrive and remove all salvageable items, scrap the hull and try to sell the parts.

 

[Scott Danforth]

I’m into it total right around 1K, title, registration and all, would you happen to know the ballpark on redecking, stringers, and transom replacement costs?

Thank you

you are looking at another $3k for the hull. that is doing the work yourself. that is the cost of wood, screws, PPE, incidentals, fiberglass supplies, gel coat, etc. that does not include the bribing of the wife/girlfriend because if you worked every night and every weekend it will take 6 months.

add $2000 for upholstery, and another $1k for motor and drive work.

go here: https://forums.iboats.com/threads/how-tos-and-other-great-information.283508/

read the thread in link 14. then do 15, 17, 18, etc.

 

[Lou C]

Yep, if you have good Cobra and Ford parts there, parting it out could yield you a fair amount of money, and then take the hull to the dump, start saving for a boat you can use and not have to spend months working on. Might consider an aluminum boat with an outboard, that's about as low maintenance as you can get.

 

[airshot]

Yep, if you have good Cobra and Ford parts there, parting it out could yield you a fair amount of money, and then take the hull to the dump, start saving for a boat you can use and not have to spend months working on. Might consider an aluminum boat with an outboard, that's about as low maintenance as you can get.

The main reason I have nothing but aluminum boats !!

 

[Scott06]

It can but you are most likely looking at replacing all the structural wood in the boat, it is a huge time consuming job and in this case probably not worth it.
Take a look at the restoration forum here that will show you what people have done, personally I did one resto about 15 years ago and definitely would not do another.
I would just start saving for the newest best condition boat with a 4 stroke outboard that I could afford.
Old wood cored boats, especially ones with OMC powertrains are just not worth the money and time it will take.

This is good advice. Look at the resto threads. Likely your transom stringers and floor are rotten. Yes you can fix it but it’s a huge amount of work a significant chunk of $$$… all on a small old boat. Unless it has sentimental value prob not worth the effort.

I did a project boat 8 years ago but it was the other way.hull, structure and interior were perfect.previous owner cracked the block. That is a great way to do a project boat. Was relatively clean work compared to gut and doing all the glass work.

 

[Lou C]

This is good advice. Look at the resto threads. Likely your transom stringers and floor are rotten. Yes you can fix it but it’s a huge amount of work a significant chunk of $$$… all on a small old boat. Unless it has sentimental value prob not worth the effort.

I did a project boat 8 years ago but it was the other way.hull, structure and interior were perfect.previous owner cracked the block. That is a great way to do a project boat. Was relatively clean work compared to gut and doing all the glass work.

Agreed now THATS the way to do a project boat!
Engine & drive work is expensive but actually in some ways easier. I did a partial deck & stringer repair back in 2007 and then a top end overhaul on the old 4.3 V6 in 2017 and the engine work was faster easier and cheaper.
Structural renovation on a fiberglass boat for me is never again. I’ll figure out a way to finance a late model boat with a 4 stroke outboard!

 

[88 Capri (2022 SOTY)]

Look at my thread to give you an idea, I have a bayliner with the same motor.

 

[88 Capri (2022 SOTY)]

Just looking at your motor mounts I can tell you that is a total gut and rebuild.
Prices on resin have increased 3x since I did mine and I have 4-6k just in the hull and motor.