Posted: August 20 2004 at 00:00 | IP Logged

There's something unnatural (& slightly evil) about the HP being 150% to the inches of displacement.

I wish this site could deliver sound bytes!

Don't break nothin'!!!

Posted: August 20 2004 at 00:00 | IP Logged

Well if i Break something it will probably be the misconception that 23"3 foot formula hulls are 50 mph hulls Because i am pushing 67 mph and thats without the supercharger. and i am sorry its not 725hp  its 625 hp TYpo but its still whopping!!!!tommorow is d-day i was at 400 to 450 without it. my heads have been port and polished i a have a roller Cam MSD Ignition and i am bored out nasty.oh wait hold on...........i amcrazy!and i have a torque master 200lbs starter because i have broken every stater available because my compression is so high!...if i had the funds i would put a monster Merlin 600+ cubic inch Engine in there.

Posted: August 20 2004 at 00:00 | IP Logged

How the heck are you getting enough air to the motor? 

Those little side vents on mine seem barely enough to feed the little 350ci on mine...

Posted: August 26 2004 at 00:00 | IP Logged

Anyone want a set of Original '68 F233 Gauges/Dash?

Not mine, but saw it on eBay!  3 Days left, and CHEAP ($6.95)!!!!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem& ; ; ;item=2487865263&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT

Posted: August 28 2004 at 00:00 | IP Logged

 HELLO EVERBODY!!! well i am back! i see some of you are curious about my supercharged adventure. well  let me begin by saying it was very scary!!! i took it full bore twice first about 3 minutes and i must say it was flying!! i hit 80 mph on really flat water. and about 75 mph 1 foot seas. i love the way it humms!!! very nice worth every penny i did ot break nothing except the heart of a poor guy in a 30 ft contender with 2- 225 mercury outboards that was the second time in the smooth bay!. and she actually was not to bad on fuel. as soon as i get pictures i will post them on the forum for you guys to see. i will take a picture of the engine and supercharger and of the boat.....well i went  and lived to tell about it!.

         23"3 feet of Thunder chasing the wind!

Posted: August 29 2004 at 00:00 | IP Logged

Glad to here an F233 can go 75 mph in one foot seas and live to tell about it.  I know the TRS can handle 625 hp but what about the transmission - did you keep the Merc II or convert to Borg Warner?  BW has more clutch plates but it's longer with the bell housing and tail stock.  To convert, I would have had to modify interior space to move the motor forward.

Posted: August 29 2004 at 00:00 | IP Logged

whoops. That's was a Thunderbolt I posted.

Posted: August 29 2004 at 00:00 | IP Logged

I finished shooting the yellow paint today.  The transom came out better than any other part.  I have it taped off and ready to shoot the black next.  Too bad I have to go out of town tomorrow, I'm on a roll!

Posted: August 30 2004 at 00:00 | IP Logged

Hey Cuda,

What kind of paint are you using?  Are you shooting it, or are you having it done? 

Feel free to post regular photos of "work in progress", I'm interested.

Posted: August 31 2004 at 00:00 | IP Logged

Hi All, New member here.  Recently purchased a 1980 20 Ft "F20CL" according to the nameplate on the passenger side. Doing some renovation while using it as well, want to get the rest of this season in. My boat looks identical to Cuda's 1981. Does anyone know what the difference in the suffix's are (CL etc) ?

Second question: Someone had painted the hull sides before my time and just wondering if anyone know's where I can get the FORMULA decals that this boat originally had ? Have seen every other boat brand decals out there but nothing on the FORMULA

Thanks in advance for all your help, have allready recieved a wealth of info on this site.

Thanks,

Butch 

Posted: August 31 2004 at 00:00 | IP Logged

I'm guessing that if it isn't a bow rider, it stands for Classic but there's a person at Formula that could probably say for sure...

Try Bob at Formua.  Support@formulaboats.com  he tried to assist me with finding the water tank on my '81 233 Interceptor ( I love that name) and though it didn't turn up anything, he probably can get you info on the letters too.

Don't hesitate to consider having a set custom made though.  I hear they're expensive.

I'm assuming you've already seen your Sales brochure on the "vintage" Formula site?

Posted: August 31 2004 at 00:00 | IP Logged

The Bird decals can be ordered from your "local" Formula dealer for about $16 & change each.  The letters I imagine are much more expensive.

I just ordered new Birds this year and got them in for ~$33/set.  Very nice decals straight from the Factory!

Contact Formula directly to find out your local dealer, if you don't know.

Posted: August 31 2004 at 00:00 | IP Logged

Here's  pic from last night's work from outside.

Posted: September 01 2004 at 00:00 | IP Logged

When I grow up, I want to be like 'Cuda!

Nice work! 

Posted: September 01 2004 at 00:00 | IP Logged

Cuda,

Great job on your boat by the way, waiting to see the finished product as I guess you are as well.

As far as the F20CL, even though according to all paperwork and Hull #, mine is an 80, the '79 brocure show's a 20CL which is identical to mine except I have back to back seats on the port side.  I guess some model's overlap years etc. To answer your question, yes I have V berth in the front as well as a head.

As far as my earlier question about decals, I will have to contact my local dealer on the Bird, I have several local sign shops that can make the letters if I give them the height and the font style, pretty cheap as well.

Anyone else here in the Magothy River in Md ?

Thanks again for all the info,

Butch

Posted: September 02 2004 at 00:00 | IP Logged

Cuda,

I think a distorted checkered flag pattern within the black stripe would look great and set it apart from her sibling.

All you have to do now is tape off the black squares/trapezoids and shoot some white.

Posted: September 02 2004 at 00:00 | IP Logged

Cuda,

 I have uploaded a couple of photo's at the link below.  This is right afer I bought it, it looks much better now after a good cleaning, it had been sitting for several years. Mechanically seems to be fine, needs a little cosmetic work which I am presently doing while in use. 

Thanks,

Butch

http://www.RUBBERBANDONLINE.com/boat1.htm

Posted: September 03 2004 at 00:00 | IP Logged

trim85

You seem to know something about vintage outdrives. I have a 1967 233 with a Mercruiser II, the same as on Aronow's original No. 16 233 which early Formula ads list as having the Mercruiser 310 hp. The manufacturers plate in the rear of the boat states Max. Recommended H.P. as 425 H.P. I currently have a dead small block which I'll be replacing with either a 420 hp small block or more likely a 325 hp small block from Bullet, an engine builder in Kingston, Ontario next spring. Naturally I'll be putting a lanyard type kill switch on the dash. Just a few weeks ago a couple of people in the area got run over by their own boat and killed, who'd still be around had they had one. I don't know why anyone would go out on the water without one. Anyway a couple of questions-- Do you know what max hp the Mercruiser II was designed to take? Do you know how stable the Mercruiser II steering is with 300 - 400 hp, and would hydaulic steering even mount to a mercruiser II? And since I haven't seen too many Mercruiser IIs for sale, if I break something will the more readily available trs drive bolt on to the Mercruiser II transmission or do you have to put on a new transom assembly, and are the bolt patterns and cutout the same? I've always been an outboard guy, so I don't know much about sterndrives, but I guess I'll be finding out soon.

Posted: September 12 2004 at 00:00 | IP Logged

Don't let this thread die!

Posted: September 12 2004 at 00:00 | IP Logged

Here's the 242 LS we had before the 302.  I still miss that boat.  I would have kept it if I had the room.

Posted: September 12 2004 at 00:00 | IP Logged

pickelfish,

I haven't check in for a while but here's what I know about it.  The Merc II is a hydraulic tansmission inside the boat between the engine and transom.  The TRS is the outdrive.  There is also a TR outdrive with a larger bottom half of the lower unit with a larger prop, like the Bravo II.  The TRS is for high speed applications needing lower drag.  Don't know which one was first or if they were both introduced at the same time.

The Merc II transmission was designed specifically for Mercruiser with a Borg Warner clutch pack.  It's all one piece, to make it shorter than a BW that needs a bell housing bolted to the front and tail stock bolted to the back.

As for handling power, the TR and TRS will take close to 1000 hp, much more than a Bravo or even a Bravo with a cooling shower.  The Merc II transmission won't take the 1000 though because there aren't as many clutch plates as the biggest BWs but Merc II should be fine fine up to around 450 hp.

TRS was replaced by the Bravo in recreational craft because Bravo has a self contained mechanical transmission.  TRS was eventually spun off as a separate company and is still around today for heavy duty racing applications behind Borg Warner and other racing transmissions.  There should be no shortage of parts.  As for the Merc II, there may be some trouble getting parts from Mercruiser but the clutch pack is BW and readily available from tranny suppliers.  The market is good for used parts also.

My 233 has 350 hp with the original Merc II and power steering.  It's very stable at 50 mph and shifts as smooth as silk.  The only problems in 19 years were the gimbal ring had to be replaced, like 74formula233 had to do on the previous page, and the Merc II transmission had to be rebuilt after it took on water from a rupture in the bellows hose.

Hope that helps.  If you need any more info, email me at epiphanyfinancial@verizon.net.

Posted: September 13 2004 at 00:00 | IP Logged

Cuda, I'm drooling at your 302 (oh, and even the "mermaid" on the bow, haha )!

I don't know how you keep up with all your toys, you must have some serious time for yourself haha, but they are beautiful boats

Posted: September 14 2004 at 00:00 | IP Logged

This picture shows our dedication to Formula.