77 galaxy with 302 mercruiser

[stinkbait85]

a friend of my wife is selling her 1977 19ft galaxy with a 302 mercruiser. i dont know much about these engines. were/are these reliable motors? it needs a starter and a steering cable. pretty simple and relatively inexpensive fixes. the boat has new flooring and carpet and seat boxes and engine hatch have been rebuilt in last 2 years. i feel it is a pretty good deal as i am looking to buy my first family boat. i just hate to get into something that is gonna be like the corvair of the boating world. how are they one fuel consumption? it won't get used much, maybe 7-8 times a year. i know that the 302 engine in ford vehicles is the most reliable and simple powerplant of ford smallblocks. but....... and an average operating rpm much higher than that of automotive applications i am concerned. help me out and talk me into it.

 

[jerryjerry05]

Re: 77 galaxy with 302 mercruiser

It's ONLY 33 years old.Could be the original motor.If it's been in fresh water I might think about buying for scrap.But it's 33 years old.
There are lots of boats out there that are a lot newer and cheap.Did I say it's 33 years old???
If it's extremly cheap(naw not even then)I might buy.
The shift cables and control cables are gonna need replacing.Then the drive,It's probably 33 too.
I'd pass.Jerry

 

[Don S]

Re: 77 galaxy with 302 mercruiser

1977 was the last year Mercruiser used Ford engines.

 

[proshadetree]

Re: 77 galaxy with 302 mercruiser

If it is dirt dog cheap might be a way to get on the water for not a lot of money. It is an older ride just remember boat stands for Break Out Another Thousand. I would have to worry about the transom. We have lots of older boats running here, but we have a lot of junk setting in peoples yards to.

 

[ziggy]

Re: 77 galaxy with 302 mercruiser

in old boats. it's pretty much condition, condition, condition. if it's been well cared for it could be a respectable boat. on the other hand.

it needs a starter and a steering cable. pretty simple and relatively inexpensive fixes.

to me, that's not a great sign of good care. imho, beware of pretty simple and relatively inexpensive fixes. almost every time i've worked on my old boat. going to fix one item brings up another and the cheap easy fix turns into a more major repair. heck, in your case. you can't even perform a compression test to see if the engine is serviceable. no starter. might be a reason there's no starter... if ya get my drift. if it's and easy fix. why hasn't it been done yet.
i'd be a little leery of buying from a friend too. if it turns out to be a bum deal. the friendship could get rocky. imho. never believe a seller of a boat. they have motivation to lie.

one other thing. i've got two old boats, one not serviceable. inherited that one when dad died. well, dad wasn't to much into spending money on his boat. it needed a deck. it got one, right over the top of the old one. deck felt real solid when in fact, there was much rot underneath where ya couldn't see w/o ripping out the deck.

 

[GLENN M]

Re: 77 galaxy with 302 mercruiser

you cant use auto starter or exhaust manifolds or alt or fuel pump,as stated merc dropped ford in 77.so my guess parts are probly not abundant nor cheap!probly went way of corvair 15yr's ago.

 

[mkast]

Re: 77 galaxy with 302 mercruiser

Parts, auto or marine, are readily available for one of the most bulletproof small block engines ever built.

 

[GLENN M]

Re: 77 galaxy with 302 mercruiser

while knowing they are still in production in autos,having not been used in marine trim for almost 35 yr's.i found it harder to find marine specific parts for my 351windsor.and the 302 having short deck height,short connecting rods,heads with only 4 bolts per cyl,cast cranks,2 bolt blocks,tiny rod bolts,crappy oiling system.find it amazing they at modest hp levels were as reliable as they are,although i wouldnt use 302 ford and bulletproof in same sentance,unless saying they wernt

 

[proshadetree]

Re: 77 galaxy with 302 mercruiser

Always had stellar luck out of 302. My 79 ford truck has one with three hundred thousand miles with only a timing chain and valve cover gaskets. Staring to leak at the rear main though. Several run the lakes here every year. I will agree with the why hasnt PO fixed starter? Ww have yet to hear a price so hard to tell if it worth it or not.

 

[haulnazz15]

Re: 77 galaxy with 302 mercruiser

Never had an issue finding marine 351w parts for my 1076 that I just rebuilt. They weren't really any more expensive than the Chevy parts, either. The 302>305 any day, and the 351w vs 350 is a wash in my book as they're both great small-blocks. If the boat is in good condition and the 302 runs, go with it. 302's are a dime a dozen and parts are everywhere. The only less-plentiful items are the exhaust manifolds, but they still sell log-style or center-riser styles if you want to convert it.