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1983 Malibu Skier


Malibu_Rob

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Hello everyone,

I am new to the boards and new to boating. We just picked up a 1983 malibu skier 19' yesterday and are hard at work getting it to look good again. It was badly oxidized and needing some serious TLC. It is starting to come around slowly! It has a Mercury Powertrim 1500(150 hp) outboard on it. I am hoping it will have some good git up and go. Has anyone used the Woody Ultra Gloss restorer?

Thanks.

Rob

Edited by Malibu_Rob
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Classic Malibu! One of the very early years for sure. Hope you have an excellent time bringing it back to life. I have heard good things about that Woody restorer. But I also hear there's no substitute for sanding and wet sanding once a hull is badly oxidized.

Take pictures! And welcome to the board!

:-)

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Congrats on the the classic Bu.

If the hull is badly oxidized, you will probably need to wet sand it and then polish with a buffer starting with and aggressive compound and then moving to a fine polish like 3M Finesse-It II. I don't know anything about Woody's. It may be very good, I just don't have any experience w/it. Do a google search for Jamestown Distributors (I think thats the name). They have tons of boat restoration products and how to info. as well.

Edited by shade
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Please add some pictures. Before restoration now and as you clean her up please add more pics showing progress.

You have a fairly rare boat.Most of the early Malibu boats had an I/O V6 before Malibu went to mostly direct drive layout.

The old Mercury outboards loved RPM's. If yours is doggy you can drop the propeller pitch down 2" to a 17" (or 15" if you have the smaller diameter prop) or so and it will feel like a new toy. Old 2 strokes are hard to blow up. Make sure you keep clean spark plugs in it, have adequate 2 stroke oil and you will be fine. Change the gearcase fluid and do all the lube fittings and other maintenance from the owner's manual.

For little money you have a boat that is faster than most of these direct drives and you have a smaller wake for skiing, also. One more advantage is the tow vehicle requirement is much less than for the inboards. Tow vehicles are a hot topic around here.

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Thanks everyone,

I am excited about this boat and hope to be out on the water soon enough. I am goiing to need to remove the fuel that has been sitting for about 3 years in the boat and start doing a basic tune-up to at least get it started. We tried cranking it over last night but had no luck. I will post some pictures here soon, we did take pictures of it before we started brigning it back to life and they weren't great. It is for sure a fun family project and also a challenge to learn something new!

One thing I was thinking about last night is that there is no windscreen for this boat. Is there a company that could make a custom one for it that would look good?

The hull does have some scrapes but nothing that looks major and the previous owner refiberglassed the boat which looks pretty thick. I am going to have to go see about how to post pictures on here...lol Do I have to host them on another site or something?

Rob

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Ok so I was running the Serial number on the motor and it comes up as a 1975!...I know the motor was replaced but why put an older motor on a newer boat?? The serial number is 4123544. Anyone come up with somethhing different?

Edited by Malibu_Rob
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No idea on the motor serial number. But if it runs... run it and have fun. A boat that old and I suppose somebody could have replaced the original motor, who cares what year though if it's a good motor IMO. I don't know much about inboards but I'll bet someone here does.

In regards to the restoring, I'll second what has been said already -- wetsanding will beat any "restorer" if it's that badly oxidized. You can polish all day long, but with gel that old, the chalkiness will reappear after a few times back in the lake.

Here's a link to my DIY if it helps... this is a 1987 Sunsetter and it took a lot of work wetsandng but I was very pleased with the results... and the oxidation hasn't been back since. Someone from this site (can't remember name) gave me killer detailing tips so I'm trying to give back too.

http://picasaweb.google.com/myfourday/MalibuWetsandedFromChalkyToNew#

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No idea on the motor serial number. But if it runs... run it and have fun. A boat that old and I suppose somebody could have replaced the original motor, who cares what year though if it's a good motor IMO. I don't know much about inboards but I'll bet someone here does.

In regards to the restoring, I'll second what has been said already -- wetsanding will beat any "restorer" if it's that badly oxidized. You can polish all day long, but with gel that old, the chalkiness will reappear after a few times back in the lake.

Here's a link to my DIY if it helps... this is a 1987 Sunsetter and it took a lot of work wetsandng but I was very pleased with the results... and the oxidation hasn't been back since. Someone from this site (can't remember name) gave me killer detailing tips so I'm trying to give back too.

http://picasaweb.google.com/myfourday/MalibuWetsandedFromChalkyToNew#

Yes I will have to try that ty...I also noticed what looks like it is pitted in some areas on top. Is this something common with oxidized boats? It's like pores in areas.

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One thing I was thinking about last night is that there is no windscreen for this boat. Is there a company that could make a custom one for it that would look good?

take a look at the bottom of this thread: windshield distortion thread.

TexasMalibu185 found a lexan replacement at a local glass shop.

perhaps you can email him for details.

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I am sorry I cannot post pics.

I have drained my tank and emptied my fuel bowls. Is there something I should add to the tank to clean it and the fuel lines?

Edited by Malibu_Rob
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Well I finally got it started, although I did not see water coming out the Tell Tale hole. Then while moving the shifter one of the cables came loose off of the metal gromet and jammed the shifter into forward. UGH so now I have it being repaired. Did anyone watch the movie the Money Pit...somehow I get the feeling i am starring in it!...Ha

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  • 8 months later...

Hello everyone,

I am new to the boards and new to boating. We just picked up a 1983 malibu skier 19' yesterday and are hard at work getting it to look good again. It was badly oxidized and needing some serious TLC. It is starting to come around slowly! It has a Mercury Powertrim 1500(150 hp) outboard on it. I am hoping it will have some good git up and go. Has anyone used the Woody Ultra Gloss restorer?

Thanks.

Rob

Link to comment

Hello everyone,

I am new to the boards and new to boating. We just picked up a 1983 malibu skier 19' yesterday and are hard at work getting it to look good again. It was badly oxidized and needing some serious TLC. It is starting to come around slowly! It has a Mercury Powertrim 1500(150 hp) outboard on it. I am hoping it will have some good git up and go. Has anyone used the Woody Ultra Gloss restorer?

Thanks.

Rob

i also have an 83 skier looking for help with any info on boat maybe were to get manual thanks allen

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