Ideas for this boat?

[groundshock]

Just picked this boat up last weekend. 14 foot Mirrocraft with a 40 HP Merc. Boat is in pretty nice shape, needs only a little work and it's ready to go. I'd like to at least update it a bit. Will be used as a nice little all-around machine. Any ideas?

 

[Flatbotm]

Looks like a clean little runabout. You should take it out on the water before you start changing things. That way you can see what you like and don't like about it.

 

[FerrisBueller]

Flatbotm » Today, 07:11[/url]"]Looks like a clean little runabout. You should take it out on the water before you start changing things. That way you can see what you like and don't like about it.

x2

Great advice, you never will know what you like/dislike until you actually use it first.

 

[Ranchero50]

Yep, get it wet and decide what you want out of it. I'd keep ti classic on the outside and probably get some new seats to suit your usage.

 

[SumDumGuy]

I would change the reg numbers, and leave the rest of the outside the way it is.

 

[lovedr79]

That is a cool little boat! i like it the way it is, i would put a trolling motor on the front and a seat to fish from!

 

[Kam357]

get it wet first is sound advise I wouldent change anything till I got a feel of the boat Myself but then I normaly have a wee voice in the back of My head screaming DONT DO IT DONT EVER DO IT!!!!! do I listen naw not as much fun that way. On the serious side take it out and see what you like dont like and hate then go from there before you get wild like putting a wake baord tower on it or something. Personaly I like the older looks on things Id keep it as is then turn it into a fishing boat not hunting season yet cant feed that addiction yet....., but whatever you do just have Fun and show it a bucketful of love.

 

[groundshock]

Well, had it out today. Things I think it needs: Move battery to the front, noses up way too much... I hate the windshield. Frame is directly in my view... Motor had a hard time engaging reverse, and shook like living hell at trolling speed.... could use some ideas to free up some more space as well.

 

[shawnfish]

the first thing I thought after reading the first post was I would get rid of that black motor and slap a 77-84 Johnson because I think the white motor would look way better on it and ive heard lots of stories about the early 70's black motors being junk and then I read the above post and now know one more story to back up what ive heard....( kinda hard to see but it looks early 70's to me). as for ideas about making room in the boat some pics of the inside would go a long ways for thought on suggestions. from what I can see you could remove the rear facing seats...

 

[T Man]

shawnfish » Today, 02:19[/url]"]the first thing I thought after reading the first post was I would get rid of that black motor and slap a 77-84 Johnson because I think the white motor would look way better on it and ive heard lots of stories about the early 70's black motors being junk and then I read the above post and now know one more story to back up what ive heard....( kinda hard to see but it looks early 70's to me). as for ideas about making room in the boat some pics of the inside would go a long ways for thought on suggestions. from what I can see you could remove the rear facing seats...

:roll: :roll:

Good plan, the motor problems surely cant be attributed to bad fuel or a lack of maintenance from the previous owner, it is all because of the color. A johnson surely isn't susceptible to these kind of things. #-o #-o

 

[groundshock]

What seat options are there for something like this with the back-to-back seating style? Chop off half the stand and put in swivel seating? The seat paltform in it is pretty robust.

The fact that 4 seats are in it is a little silly, 4 people in that boat would be ridiculous.

Relocating the battery to the front- Good idea?

Should I modify the windscreen or leave it?

I think a flat floor at least in the back up to the seats might be a good idea, thoughts?

 

[Ranchero50]

I split a seat like that on my old glass bowrider. Welded up a mild steel frame and bolted it to a swivel, made a huge difference in the amount of room. Pull both of yours out for an idea of what you'll gain. I'd leave the windshield in, it gives the hull a lot of character and (to me) without it a closed in bow looks dumb. A simple stained or carpeted 1/2" ply floor deck would look period correct. You could also do a T+G wood or even slat boards and be period correct (although it's a PITA to dig stuff out from between the boards).

Battery up front is pretty simple and you aren't using that room for anything else. Just oversize the cables and keeps them dressed away from chafe spots.

 

[bulletman]

That's a cool old boat, I had one very similar in my younger day and really enjoyed using it.

 

[mfbear]

groundshock » 22 Sep 2013, 22:33[/url]"]Well, had it out today. Things I think it needs: Move battery to the front, noses up way too much... I hate the windshield. Frame is directly in my view... Motor had a hard time engaging reverse, and shook like living hell at trolling speed.... could use some ideas to free up some more space as well.

Sounds to me it's time for a lower unit rebuild.

 

[bigwave]

Welcome to tinboats.....first I would clean the carbs and make sure the shift linkage is good.....sometimes it is just a matter of adjusting the shift arm on the lower unit to make it engage properly. I bet if you cleaned out the carbs she would run better at idle. I would keep the windshield, it gives the boat character. Moving the battery forward and the gas tank might help even the boat out at WOT. I love Mirrorcrafts.

 

[earl60446]

UNLESS YOU WANT TO KEEP THE RETRO LOOK, I would lose the seats, windshield and most of the closed in bow, just leave enough bow deck to hold a trolling motor. Than put in a full floor and slightly raised front deck, small console, 1 -3 pedestal seats and fix the motor issues. If you go to a tiller steered motor, you can lose the console too. Maybe a weekends worth of work. :---)
Tim