I just bought a 1968 9teen I think?

[1923waterbug]

He's getting the title for me. He says it's 19 1/2 feet, it might turn out to be a 8teen.

It's turquoise and has the 120 Merc and the hardtop plus the rear curtain.

I got it for $600 with a fairly good trailer.

It has been started each spring and fall for the last eight years.

It's been in outside uncovered storage here in Minnesota.

It looks to be pretty much OK, the upholstery was redone once and it looks good.

I'm hopeful that I got a good boat.

I'm thinking I might have paid to much.

 

[ziggy]

Re: I just bought a 1968 9teen I think?

cool, another aristocraft owner... congratulations on your new to you boat.

it might turn out to be a 8teen

i think you could be right as i don't think the 19 was started till 69 or 70. you should be able to tell if it's an 18 easy enough. the 18 has a flat transom, where the 19 had a curved transom. this thread may help.. has a pic of what i think is a 18 + a pic of my 19's curved transom. http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=298537

I'm thinking I might have paid to much

depends on what ya need to do to get her on the water. if she's water ready. ya did real good price wise. granted, i didn't get my 19 in a recession, but to give you a base line. i gave up 4300 (i'm the one who gave to much) in 06. mine was not water ready either. it needed a manifold and riser. big bucks. it did run good enough in the test run though to pass the inspection. didn't have water in the oil and stuff. got it home and within the 1st month, i did have water in the oil. i did save the engine.
anyways post up pics. we all like pics.
if ya had to leave a boat out in the weather uncovered. an aristocraft would be a good one to leave out. being that they've no wood in them. for the most part. no wood sole or stringers or transoms to rot. mighty good modern idea ay?
so where at in mn. are ya at. my mom and dad have a place on lake belletaine. by nevis. i've not been there for a few years, but got indoctinated when i was one year old and went there for vacation year after year after year. it was great.

cool that ya got the rear curtain with yours. i did too. i use it too. mighty nice on a cool day or when it rains out. full encloser is the way to go for sure.

don't know what ya plan on doing to get her ready for the water. but in the i/o fourm here. at the top of the forum, you'll find a sticky thread. in it is a bunch of info that'll be relevant for you (and me). i'd start with the winterization thread and summerization thread. do that stuff and you'll be ready to have a great time all summer long.. in that thread, you can get your service manual too. it's a must have tool. you need #1. a large file. so give it time to download. it'll be worth it..
again. congrats. got pics?

 

[1923waterbug]

Re: I just bought a 1968 9teen I think?

I live in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota 52 miles west of Nevis, Minnesota. -- Fargo, North Dakota is another 52 miles west of here so I'm right in the middle of the two on Hwy 10 and Hwy 34. -- I live north of town about three miles, near Floyd Lake.

I'll get some pictures today. -- I'm thinking I might have a 19 now. -- I'll know in a few hours. -- My doghouse door for the motor goes all the way to the floor and I have the short railing in the front. My seats have been redone unfortunitly, but they are good otherwise.

I think I'm going to love this boat and I think it's going to work out.

I think it's going to clean up well and run great.

He paid the guy at the storage to start it each spring and fall, a rich guy had it and asked his son to sell it because he moved to Florida. -- He was really proud of that boat at one time.

I hate the turquoise but I'm stuck with it.

I like the lines on the 19 a lot better. -- They started making them mid 1968. -- That's what I want it to be.

Thanks for your info, very important stuff, thank you.

How do they start these out of the water, does it hurt anything?

Yes, you paid heavy but you got a lot of boat and have had a lot of fun with it.

 

[ziggy]

Re: I just bought a 1968 9teen I think?

I live in Detroit Lakes,

man, that's a nice town. i drive through there on my way to the cabin everytime i go up that way. i could live there easy. enough population to have everything ya need, + right by 10000 lakes. what more could ya ask for. i'm envious....

How do they start these out of the water, does it hurt anything?

yes and no. yes, you can hurt it easy. do not start it w/o applying water to the outdrive first. get some muffs similar to these or the likes.. http://www.iboats.com/Seasense_Univ...53182533--**********.670121726--view_id.56612
if you do start it w/o applying water this is what will happen.. http://www.boatfix.com/merc/Bullet/87/87_14.pdf

i apply water anytime i turn the engine over with the starter. even if i'm just turning it over a few times. these impellers can be damaged easy and imho the worst preventable thing to do to your boat is overheat it. it causes all kinds of horrible things to happen.. so. apply water to the drive and yes. you can start it up anytime you want on land.. no damage done....

Yes, you paid heavy but you got a lot of boat and have had a lot of fun with it

yep, i did. but i looked at boat after boat here in lincoln prior to gettin my aristocraft. i can't tell you how many folks wanted 5k for garbage. soft soles, rotted transoms, upuslstry in bad shape. it was awefull. as for aristocraft prices. i google nineteens frequently. i see prices from free to 7500. a nice red one right now online. looks about like mine is but he wants 7500. seen a coule other ones in the 4k range that look pretty good to. so if ya got a runner. you did great price wise. someone didn't know what they had, or, if rich. proablaly don't care one way or the other. his loss was your gaine even... way to go..

 

[1923waterbug]

Re: I just bought a 1968 9teen I think?

Here are some pictures, if it works I'll post a few more.

 

[1923waterbug]

Re: I just bought a 1968 9teen I think?

Here is another.

It's a 19, I'm glad of that. -- I like mine a lot better than that that 8teen in the pictures that is the same color. It's all turquoise -- Mine has white accent and looks lots better to me. -- I'm already falling in love with it. -- I hope he don't back out on me!

 

[1923waterbug]

Re: I just bought a 1968 9teen I think?

I think I may have made out like a bandit but he was only asking for $750 or best offer. -- The motor and power train are a little scary but I'm hoping for the best. -- I'm pretty mechanical and will do everything right, it's just a matter of if there is already damage or not.

 

[ziggy]

Re: I just bought a 1968 9teen I think?

I'm already falling in love with it.

just wait till ya have it in the water. then you'll really be in love... or the multitudes of folks at the boat ramp that will be drooling over your toy... you'll have many compliments on your boat i'll bet. at least that's been my experience at the ramp. when i talk to folks at the ramp, they say, oh, i've seen that boat out here before. cool. what year is it... i just get lots of compliments. and ya can't argue. they are cool. nothing else like them out there. the sliding hardtop is very unique to be sure. a great idea too. i camp onboard mine. full encloser. man is it fun...

i agree, ya got a nineteen. cool, glad ya got what you wanted. man, that might be a rare one too. a 1st year nineteen + the solid color hull. sweet. i like your colored hull myself. it looks great. i can see at least one difference between yours and mine already. in the ft. between the seats, i have a so called cooler in the sole. i use it for a place to stash my tool box and parts though. the hole right above the sole on yours, in the part you rest your feet at. my hole is lower and inside the cooler part. slightly different dashes. i think you have a different bow light than i have too. along with cleats. yer gonna love your boat man. nineteens are too cool...

I'm pretty mechanical and will do everything right, it's just a matter of if there is already damage or not.

yep, just go by the mercruiser book and you'll be fine. also, go over to the i/o forum here. look at the adults only sticky at the top of the 1st page. read all of the items there. many are pertinent to us. also just hang out on the i/o forum. i just can't tell you how much i've learned from some of the folks that frequent this place... they've saved me much bread too. much to my pleasure...

 

[1923waterbug]

Re: I just bought a 1968 9teen I think?

The camping in it is what got me over the hump to buy it. -- I read the brochures before I went to see it and the overnighter part grabbed me with the full closure hardtop. Two straight bunks and another one on the floor if needed. -- No motel bills or tent needed. -- It pays for the trip all by itself. -- The gas economy is another thing I like about the 120 and the acceleration and pulling power and speed for skiing also got me.

Only 3.5 or 4 miles per gallon but I guess that's supposed to be good.

Your review stating that at high speed is where this boat shines took me over the top. -- That's what I wanted and I got it.

I just payed him cash and it's mine all mine.

Happy day!

 

[ziggy]

Re: I just bought a 1968 9teen I think?

Happy day!

congratulations. that's the first happy day ya get. the other, i hear is when ya sell it. i don't know that for a fact yet though myself. but that's what i understand...

The camping in it is what got me over the hump to buy it. -- I read the brochures before I went to see it and the overnighter part grabbed me with the full closure hardtop. Two straight bunks and another one on the floor if needed. -- No motel bills or tent needed.

yep, they make a good overnighter for their size. me and the girlfriend just discovered this last 4th of july. we wanted to go boating on the 4th. but it's always a cluster at the lake on the 4th. so we went at 6pm hoping everyone would be coming off the lake for fireworks. it worked out. by dark, there were only a few boats on the lake. it was great to get a free fireworks show on the lake. parked on a nice sandy beach for the overnight. the seats sleep real good i think. the rear curtain works pretty good too. we found out the hard way as july 5th at about 8am it started to rain. we stayed nice and dry inside. though being pulled up (bow high) on the beach. the rear curtain did leak a little where it snaps onto the hardtop. anyways, we boated for 4 hrs in the rain that morning. we had the whole lake to ourselves. it was great. the leak mostly went away after the boat was sitting normal in the water. still dripped a little bit. but not much and only two onboard we could avoid the drips easy. we outlasted the rain and went home around noon when all the 4th of july crowd started to return for the weekend fun.
another time we got into trouble. the wind came up real strong from the wrong direction. we got pinned on the beach that night. it was a cool night and the winds were 30-35mph. stuck on the beach. the rear curtain saved us the extra misery of being cold that night. granted, being stuck on the beach was a bummer, it woulda been worse w/o full encloser. we were actually nice and toasty inside. outside temps were below 60 if i remember right. anyways, yer gonna love the top and rear cover. folks that ain't hip, just won't understand how cool it is inside and aristocraft in bad weather...
your right about the funds too. don't cost us a dime to overnight at the beach. a cooler with some snacks and pop and your good to go. we don't grill for lack of room to bring one along. but crackers and cheese and salami works just as well. easy to fix too..

while i don't know what my fuel consumption is. it's not to bad. and i have the 165hp engine. it's pretty fuel effecient too. only thing i've wished for is more fuel capacity for when i go on the missouri river. it's a little ways between fuel stops. a little to far as it puts me over the 1/3 out, 1/3 back, 1/3 for emergancy fuel rule. a little worrisome so far is all that's been.

they are pretty speedy too for what they are. i even had some guy pull up and ask me what engine i had in mine. he was surprised when i told him a 165hp L6. he thought i had a v8 in it.. . it's like, nope, just a L6...

I just payed him cash and it's mine all mine.

and that's the best part. they are paid for too. you and me are gonna have just as much fun, if not more because of the design of our boats, than folks that got much more expensive boats... we done good... i'm happy for you and wish you much fun on the water..

 

[1923waterbug]

Re: I just bought a 1968 9teen I think?

We were talking about using our boats for camping. -- No question they work great! -- I have a Buddy Heater that shuts itself off if the oxygen gets to low in the area it's heating. -- I add too that my explosive gas and carbon monoxide sensor alarm from my house. -- It is portable with a small 9 volt battery inside. -- Spring and fall and Canada are now available to me with my heated cabin in my big water boat.

As far as eating goes I am a salami and cheese and crackers guy myself too and if I want steaks or fried fish or something that's never a problem either, my small portable gas burner is with me too.

We got it all Zig!

That's a real gem you got there. -- Mine will funchion the same but it will never be that great but it will be pretty darn nice.

 

[ziggy]

Re: I just bought a 1968 9teen I think?

We got it all Zig!

yeah ya do. a heater. sweet. i've thought about one, but not figured out what i'd like to do. i'm worried about the CO. so i've done nothing other than not go when it's too cold.

That's a real gem you got there. -- Mine will funchion the same but it will never be that great but it will be pretty darn nice.

thanks for the compliment. but it's not as nice as the pics i post of it are. there's plenty of flaws in mine. it was pretty intact when i got it. but after two years of use by me. it's showing signs that i use it a 100+ (a guesstimate) hours a year. but that's what it's about to me. useing it. enjoying it. all i can do is try to stay on top of the pm to keep it up.

your aftermaket seats are in better shape than mine i would bet. they look real good in your boat too. carpet and upoulsty is something i'm gonna have to be looking into in a year or 3 i'd guess. i've been looking for lime green carpet for over a year to no avail. no idea what i'm gonna do about my uphoulsty when it gets really bad. i really wanna stay with my lime green. but there sure ain't much for lime green in uphoulstry and carpets available it don't seem. i got other issues too. just too many to list... most are not deadline items though. so i keep using it...

wait till ya get to the drive part of your boat. then the some real fun will take place. i've had to do some pretty serious work to my drive to keep it happy so far.. bet there's more to come too..

 

[1923waterbug]

Re: I just bought a 1968 9teen I think?

I cured the CO problem with my CO Detector and it only costs little and a guy should have one in his house anyway. -- That Little Buddy for $49 along with the explosive gas and CO detector is the ticket and what I would buy if I was doing it over again. I bought the Buddy for $69 and a 10' green hose for $30 that hooks to a five gallon tank for my 4'X4' fish house. -- I just get it warm in there and then set it to pilot only, I could sleep like a log. -- It works great and I can use the little bottles or my tank. I'm afraid of gas too. But I think these are fool proof because of there oxygen shut off and the Detector I have added to the scheme. They are recommended and sold for tents and fish houses and indoor use. In this age of lawsuits they got to work and they do. Hundreds of thousands of we northern, cold country people use them. They are relatively new. -- I am the only one smart enough to have added my home sensor, it cost $49.

It is still a gamble as I think about it with that fuel tank and carburetion so close. -- Tents and fish houses don't have those, I might chicken out because of this. -- Heat would sure be nice to have though!

My motor and drive I'm wishful thinking I can handle. -- I drive truck professionally and I am pretty adept at mechanics. -- Shop time will kill you. -- $95 an hour in my little town. I could drop a thousand dollars in this boat in the blink of an eye at those prices. I can work with carburetion and cooling and electrical and all that.

I'll just polish mine up and go with it aesthetically.

But I'm afraid I'm going to find water today when I pull the carpet and those 3" plugs.

I see a red one going for $7500 somewhere and when I type Aristocraft craigslist into google I get several from $2000 to $4000.

I think yours is worth good money still, even in a down market. You are right, the really good ones are worth up to $5000 and the exceptional ones are worth more.

The pigs are worth nothing like all of the rest of the fiberglass pigs out there, or almost nothing anyway. -- The others you got to pay to get rid of.

Mine is a pig but I might try to bring it back as a OK'er like I say.

I might be sorry too.

It's not worth putting new foam in. But I might, we'll see.\

The difference between pigs and good ones and great ones is astronomical. -- Cars and planes and trucks and all are the same way. -- The time and labor and parts and availability eat you up.

I wouldn't have been able to get in that nice a boat so it could be a hard earned opportunity for me. -- One thing, if I have to throw in the towel, my pig trailer is worth $200 and if it's got water I will get it for that or he will keep it.

So I can't get hurt, just that I would miss out on having a great boat but maybe as I think about maybe not.

A couple of thousand in this down market will probably buy a pretty good one, there are quite a few around now that we know about them.

How did you discover these gems.

I never knew they existed a few days ago.

I was thinking Cris Craft and Bayliners and all of those as a pig I might be able to buy cheap in this market when I stumbled onto this one. I was even looking at wrecks and hail damaged boats.

I wanted a cabin and one I could stand up in and drive and one that would go in big water and one that would pull skiers and one that I could walk around in and one that would be pull-able to some extent, all for a few hundred dollars. -- I got one. -- Amazing!

That's where this market has gone, I can actually accomplish most or all of this by buying a pig and fixing it up.

Even if this one dies on me I have discovered gold!

Maybe an airplane is next, who knows!

 

[ziggy]

Re: I just bought a 1968 9teen I think?

It is still a gamble as I think about it with that fuel tank and carburetion so close.

yep, i forgot to mention. that too. these are i/o's, which is a bomb looking for any spark if there's any fuel vapors at all.

My motor and drive I'm wishful thinking I can handle. -- I drive truck professionally and I am pretty adept at mechanics.

i work with locks. so feel i'm pretty adept too. the engine is not to bad. the drive isn't to bad, untill you find out you need this special mercruiser tool and that special mercruiser tool and the tool list goes on and on. very expensive one use only type tools. it kills my pocket book. i've begged and borrowed some of the tools i've had to use. bought others. i'm ahead price wise with having the local mercruiser store work on it. but it still gets into your wallet pretty heavy.

I'll just polish mine up and go with it aesthetically.

right on. that's where i'm at for sure... mine looks great, from a distance...

But I'm afraid I'm going to find water today when I pull the carpet and those 3" plugs.

i know the plugs, i wish you good luck today..my fingers are crossed for you..


of the nineteens i see available right now. i like the blue ones, i think there's one for 3500 and one for 2800. or round about. there's also an brown/orange one that don't look to bad. the red one i like except. i think the hulls been painted. and that i don't like. + i'm just not big on red anything, just my least favorite color i guess... but that's just me of course...

How did you discover these gems.

inadvertently.
i sold a waverunner to fix up my dad's trisonic. in the end it's a full restore job sitting in my back yard. it's a '72 w/165hp mercruiser, 1 drive. i wanted to be on the water so was looking though ads on iboats. my girlfriend is the one who actually said what about that one. i'd gone past it for the lime green color. well, the nineteen is a 165hp/1 drive too. so that was a + since all the trisonic parts will fit the aristocraft. then i read up on aristocraft and found them to be wood free. that was a big + since that was part of what's wrong with the trisonic. so i called up the dealer who had my nineteen. it was a consignment sale. talked his ear off. he swore it was the best thing since sliced bread. got the phone number for the owner, talked his ear off. he said it was the best thing since sliced bread. so it came down to going to see, or finding something else. i went to see it in rapid city, sd. just a wee jaunt of 540 or so miles, one way. good thing it was the best thing since sliced bread cause that sure was a long ways to go. but it was hip, so i got it. spent the whole day with the dealer putting it through the wringer. 2hr test drive and all at his local lake. it was a fun and exciting trip.. + now i'm hip to aristocraft. they seem to have been much ahead of there time, and had very innovative ideas. wish i was as smart as Claude. he is quite the entrepreneur...

again, good luck today...

 

[1923waterbug]

Re: I just bought a 1968 9teen I think?

Wipeout!!!!! I got water!!

See post in "Foam"!

 

[ziggy]

Re: I just bought a 1968 9teen I think?

Wipeout!!!!! I got water!!

 

[1923waterbug]

Re: I just bought a 1968 9teen I think?

He let me out of the deal. -- I get my money back tomorrow night at six o'clock.

Now I will be looking for a better one until I get one or find something else.

Thanks for your help Ziggy, it was a lot of fun and we almost got there.

I think I might find a jalopy that is not wet for ten or twelve hundred if I'm lucky and with this economy like it is.

I will never forget this valuable experience.

Thanks, again.

Tom Bunnell, Detroit Lakes, Minnesota
218-234-0545

 

[ziggy]

Re: I just bought a 1968 9teen I think?

He let me out of the deal

sweet. that's a good seller for you. he obviously wasn't out to take advantage of you. ya got away cool. that's good. and it was a good experience as something it sounds like was learned. i'd guess the seller can probably part that boat out and get his bread too. i think there's a couple of others here on the aristocraft fourm that may not have a hardtop w/ their boats, a good 120 and drive is worth something too. + all the aristocraft hardware. if you look back through the posts, ya'll find one fella that wanted cleats. so the seller still has some options. to bad the rest will probably go to the grave yard... it's a good looking boat... darn water intrusion....

here's the closest reasonable priced aristocraft i could see in the midwest that appeared worth a inquiry.. http://www.buyandsellboats.com/boats/for-sale/135134

personally, i would consider a fun liner too. they didn't have the foam inbetween the inner and outer hulls i don't think. + usually they is o/b's, which is not a bad deal as a repower is a much more viable thing to do...

good luck in your quest for the right boat for you tom... you'll find one...

another mfg. ya might look for is skaggit or bellboys. both are small cabin cruiser type boats from the 50s and 60s i think.. usually hardtops .. just food for thought..

 

[1923waterbug]

Re: I just bought a 1968 9teen I think?

Very interesting that Funliner, it must really be fast too! -- I, like you, would happily drive the 879 miles for the right boat. Those others I will look into too. Thank you. -- Very good tips from a guy who is on the same page as me.

These times a guy might get that ol girl for $800 bucks, 2 years ago, twice that!

You have had a wonderful experience but you have also paid and worked hard for it. -- The two happy times would help but I don't think there going to happen, times a changen like they are.

You'll get it back in good times on the water and just sitting in your driveway knowing that you can and will!

I layed down on those seats, there great!

You really got a boat!

Those four seats including the back two are worth $300. The top and rear curtain are worth another $300 at least.

If I was richer and had the place I would have parted that boat out.

There is probably too much torque and horsepower for the Mercruiser(one) on the rear.

The 120 is probably about max. -- Hence the (two).

Just guessing it's an imperfect match. -- The two fifty Chevy is endless I know that for sure.

My 1972 230 L6 GMC non integrated head might find a home before I'm through. -- It's equally great but a gas hog. -- 250's are hard on gas too.

That 120 four putter is probably the ticket for the (one) Mercruiser drive.

Yup, you nailed it, I'll look into those Skagit and Bell boys too! Yes, small cabin cruiser is what I'm talking about. That or the 14' Funliner with the convertible top and 90 Johnson ponies and parts motors for a dime a dozen.

Thanks, I'll definitely be back around and keep you posted.

You ever need anything done up this way, you let me know, it's yours, ya hear!

My fire is lit!

I have loved boats since I was a kid and I haven't had one since then and I just turned 64 a few days ago.

I grew up near Skagit country, Federal Way, Auburn, Washington.

If you ever get out that way, Washington State, Lake Chelan in the Rockies not far from Canada is like a dream come true, unbelievable.

It's truly life altering!

http://www.classicskagitboatclub.com/

Thanks!