85 Supra Sunsport sitting for a while

[dtodaro]

I just picked up my 85 Supra this week. It has been sitting covered for 3 to 5 years. The previous owner got fed up and parked it because when the engine warmed up it was very hard to start. He said it might be the starter after all but he never tried. He just bought a new boat. It is missing the alt, the whole distributor, wires, belts. He think some one might have taken these. Boat is all there except the back cover right behind the bench seat. Floor has one weak spot under drivers seat. Hull looks great, motor mounts no problems, interior needs to be done and carpet as well. I think I am going to replace the floor. The previous owner did one section and said the stringers were good. Looking for some guidance and input on the process, where to get parts, any help would be greatly appreciated. I have not started on it yet and wanted to do everything right, in the correct order and really make her look and run great. I will take pictures of the process and post them.

[joel210]

To give you an idea of what kind of condition the stringers are in, just tap on them lightly with a hammer or the handle of a screw driver. If they sound hollow might want to take a closer look. Also I have heard of people backing out a motor mount bolt to see how easy it comes out, or give them little tighten to see if the wood still has bite to it. It will give you a good idea of the condition.

[dtodaro]

Thanks, this is the kind of advice I am looking for. I have been out of boating for a while and always had outboards growing up. So some of this is new to me and I dont want to re invent the wheel if possible.

[wotan2525]

Good advice on the stringer mounts. Be prepared for surprises if you pull the floor out. I've yet to see one (especially sitting outside for that long) that wasn't rotten.

For the engine you'll need a marine starter, alternator and distributor (many people run auto distributors.... that's up to you.) Plugs should be marine but wires can be regular small block wires. Start taking photos and posting up and I'm sure people will chime in..... Also read some of the rebuild threads. They are full of all kinds of info about this boat/project.

[dtodaro]

Thanks, will start taking pics and posting them soon. Any advice on where to get parts?

[DAFF]

Don't wrench on the engine mount lag bolts. If the stringer has any issues this will strip all the thread out of the hole. Instead inspect each lag and look for the obvious signs of rot. A small core sample using a drill bit is the best solution. When you are finished drilling the wood should be dry and not black. Congrats on the new boat!!!

[wotan2525]

Thanks, will start taking pics and posting them soon. Any advice on where to get parts?

Engine parts can come from NAPA (save the marine parts I mentioned above.) Everything else can be found on eBay or via www.skidim.com (for original parts) or more modern parts to retro-fit/replace with can be found at any marine site/store.....