looking to get this free boat off craigslist need help

ok so ive never owned a boat before or anything and was searching craigslist and found this boat whose owner is giving it away for FREE: 1976 Glass master 21 ft boat 175 merc cruiserEngine. supposedly the engine ran before but both it and boat have been sitting for an unspecified time. also, it is missing the I/O. my dad who is a very good handyman and skilled in a lot of diff. types of work will help me fix this thing up if we wind up going to pick it up. the paint is very faded from the pics ive seen but repainting it wont be an issue. my problem is the lack of I/O and if the engine doesnt run/work. what are the costs im looking at for these parts? like ive said, ive never owned a boat so im not to familiar with what types of I/O and engines i should be researching to try to get a better idea of possible pricing. if anyone can point me in the right direction and offer suggestions, id greatly appreciate any and all help i get. thank you!

 

I think that engine is a V6 GM block and you can get a rebuilt block for around $2,000.00 or less. If the whole outdrive is missing figure $3,000.00 for a rebuilt merc unit again or less. Here is just 1 of dozens of rebuild shops and they include prices.
http://usengine.us/mercruiser.html Just google rebuilt merc outdrives to get prices as there are also dozens of these suppliers.Here is another engine and outdrive (i think) supplier with a good rep and not to far from you.
http://www.michiganmotorz.com/conditions.php In our current times all prices are and can be adjusted in your favor.
I know nothing of the value of the boat though.

 

There are lots of boats on the market. I'm no pro by any means, but my advice is to take your time and add up your costs to get the boat in the condition you want it. Parts add up really fast, so if you're not in a terrible rush you can learn a lot looking at different boats in the market and often pick up some real value by spending a little bit more at the start. If there's too much negotiating room, make sure you haven't negotiated a deal that is too good to be true. At the same time, if you've added up your costs a project boat can be a great thing -- everything you put in you know the exact condition of and have seen how it goes together if you have to fix it later vs. having to take someone else's word on it or spending a thousand dollars on a comprehensive survey.

 

http://www.boatstoreonline.com/ also has a bunch of mercruiser knock-offs which for a low-performance application will probably be more than fine (might be weaker gears and such than OEM mercruiser - I don't know.)

 

Hi bigwayne,

Rasor's and Tim's points about the cost of rebuilding are worth thinking about. By the time you consider a new engine, new outdrive, and the rigging for them.... well, all of a sudden that "free" boat may not look so cheap.

There's another risk at play here: It's a 1976 Glassmaster that's been out in the open, in pieces, for years. I would not be at all surprised to find rot in the transom, rot in the sole, rot in the stringers, and powdered flotation foam residue in everything else. There is a chance- and judging by the price, a significant chance- that there may be some serious repair work necessary to get the hull seaworthy again.

Not that I'm trying to discourage you- some people really love restoration projects. But do be aware of what you might be getting into. (Search "stringer replacement" or "transom replacement" on here for an idea of just how involved and tedious this kind of work can be.)