Newbie with 76 23 Lancer

artracing · Post by **artracing** » Wed Sep 09, 2009 8:10 pm

I just bought a 1976 Lancer 23' Cuddy for restoration. I am looking for manuals on engine and outdrive. I have no boat experience. I have a complete machine shop if needed. I have all kinds of resources but nothing in the way of parts for this boat. I don't know where to start so I started here along with joining your club.
The boat has been in salt water and I am told the outdrive is in very bad shape. I will be picking up the boat in a few weeks.
My first task is the out drive. What are my options? Where do I go for parts?
Advice.

Rob

Wood Commander · Post by **Wood Commander** » Wed Sep 09, 2009 11:33 pm

Hi Rob. I've owned a 1968 19'Lancer with a Chevy/Chris Craft 283 "F" and a Volvo 280 outdrive. And I am presently trying to find time to work on my 1970 23' Lancer with a Chevy/Chris Craft 307 "Q", flywheel forward engine, and a Volvo 250 outdrive.

Chevy small blocks and Volvo drives were pretty common in these boats, and there were a few other combinations as well, including inboard tunnel drives and inboard V- Drives.

By the time your boat was built, I think that the Chris Craft marine conversion department had converted over to being Marine Power. Is your engine white or Chris Craft blue? Some Marine Power Chris Craft engines were blue and some were white, whereas most all of the purely Chris Craft engines were some shade of blue.

Personally, I like the Chevy/Volvo setup in these boats. But you have to scrounge around for Volvo parts. The good news is they are a pretty stout unit.

Let us know how your boat is equipped and send some pictures. If you search my old posts using "Lancer" as a keyword you should find some of my long- winded ramblings. And if you are a true glutton for punishment, check out my Commander ramblings!

artracing · Post by **artracing** » Thu Sep 10, 2009 9:40 pm

Thanks for info.
The engine is not white. Appears to be a Chevy. It has a Eldebrock intake manifold and Eldebrock carb.
Thats all I know.

Here is a photo of the outdrive and boat.

Wood Commander · Post by **Wood Commander** » Fri Sep 11, 2009 10:13 am

I could be wrong, but that boat looks older than a 1976. It looks a lot more like my 1970 model, and others from that era that I have seen. If I'm correct, the mid- 70's Lancers had more "gingerbready" styling on the upper decking and windshield structures. And it was different and not as nice as on the XK models.

If you can find your hull number and put it on here we can confirm exactly what year and model your boat is. It should be ORAZ 23 - - - -, or something along those lines.

I'm on vacation and away from home right now and therefore don't have my Essential Guide with me. But somebody else might jump in until I return home.

On the engine, if your distributor is in the front, it is some kind of flywheel forward "Q" model of the Chris Craft/Chevy small block. If the distributor is in the back, it is some model of flywheel aft Chris Craft/Chevy "F" engine. Lancers were built with both Q's and F's without any specific need or rhyme or reason. Some boat's engineering and design dictated the need for the flywheel forward arrangement, but not the Lancers. It's almost as though they just had the Q's and used them up because they had them.

With a shot taken from behind I could at least tell you if your Volvo (it is a Volvo) outdrive is a 250 series or a 280. I'm guessing it's going to be a 250 but I can't tell from the front.

Keep us posted!

artracing · Post by **artracing** » Fri Sep 11, 2009 12:32 pm

Thanks Bret. It was sold to me as a 76. I don't have the title yet.

Distributor in the back NOT on the water pump side.

Don't have hull id yet

Rob

artracing · Post by **artracing** » Sun Sep 13, 2009 9:19 am

I am told the boat has a 270 outdrive.
I posted questions in the engine section forum on about rebuilding it. Need help and education

Rob

Thommyboy · Post by **Thommyboy** » Sun Sep 13, 2009 7:59 pm

Don't trust the paperwork such as bill of sale, title, registration to be accurate. These are notorious for being inaccurate.

If built after November 1972 there will be a serial number stamped into the fiberglass on the outside of the transom on the starboard side. The first three letters are a code for the manufacturer. The last few digit are the month and year she was built and/or model year. The US Coast Guard website has an explanation of all the numbers and letters.

Andreas

artracing · Post by **artracing** » Sun Sep 13, 2009 9:06 pm

I'll check that. Does the dash board give any year consideration. It seems that changed from year to year.

artracing · Post by **artracing** » Sat Sep 19, 2009 9:25 am

Got the boat. It is a 76. Date stamp is Jan 1976
Is there winterizing that must be done for the 350 engine?
Can someone recommend a fuel tank. Owner said there
was trouble with contamination. I just rather not get envloved and just replace the tank with a nice plastic one.

Rob

Newbie with 76 23 Lancer

Newbie with 76 23 Lancer

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