The Strip Club

[COOP]

Alternator is missing as well.

Some hoses missing.

The ECM was there though. Is that fire extinguisher residue in the bilge? 

 

[Chaabo]

Definitely one of the more interesting threads recently.
Now it’s time for the OP to answer all of our questions and shed some light on the story behind all this.

I’m waiting ... 

[justgary]

35 minutes ago, COOP said:

The ECM was there though.

I saw the heat sink and the empty plate above it.  What goes in the blank space if the middle part is the ECM?

You can tell that my boat is older... my ECM is much larger.

[justgary]

40 minutes ago, COOP said:

Is that fire extinguisher residue in the bilge? 

It looks like the same dust that is on top of the plenum cover.

[WellingtonB]

On 11/24/2020 at 5:12 AM, Chaabo said:

Before you buy all new parts, you might want to open a “want to buy thread” in the classified section here. A few months back a member here was parting out a boat of that era. Lots of parts are interchangeable between the different models.

You can get all the Perko parts cheaper almost anywhere else. (Bow light, transom pole light, latch handles, ...) and the pull up cleats are way cheaper if you buy the generic ones (without Malibu etching).

Want to Buy thread is a great idea of course. Thanks for the reminder. Agreed on the generic items. Perko is still good quality. I was trying to figure out which generic pull up cleats would fit. Couldn't really tell where the cleats went on the boat. More importantly, I didn't notice holes large enough to accommodate the 'piston' assembly for the cleats. 

*I am also just looking at photos and video of the boat as I am away for Turkey Day week.

On 11/24/2020 at 6:22 AM, justgary said:

You didn't show the running gear... does it have a rudder, strut, shaft, log, prop, or anything?

If I remember correctly, it had everything except for the turn fins and the wedge. Fins look to be about $130 each (Qty. 3). Knowing nothing about wake or ski boats - what is an ok used wedge to install? Manual is fine. 

On 11/24/2020 at 7:30 AM, Michigan boarder said:

The thread title keeps me coming back, but then each time after being here I feel incomplete.....

What is the story on the acquisition?  I suggest pulling that engine and getting a good look at what you have, it's way easier to replace things now.  You can spend $4k on lots of misc parts but still need that much or more to overhaul or replace the engine.  It's very easy to pull from a direct drive.  Disconnect coupler (4 bolts), wiring harness, two rear engine mounts and two front engine mounts (mark their location on the threads before pulling), and it's out.

Purchased the boat at auction. They don't know any history really. Bought it sight unseen. I just contacted my mechanic to first look over the motor and also check for a cracked block of course. 

On 11/24/2020 at 8:01 AM, oldjeep said:

If it were me I would focus on putting back together the missing motor pieces - after pulling the dipstick and valve covers and checking for water evidence.

You're 100% right. She needs to get dialed in mechanically, then get her dressed for the party!

On 11/24/2020 at 8:07 AM, justgary said:

And the plenum cover has already been off; the bolts are still loose.  Lifting it might give a good clue as well.

@WellingtonB, you can still get maybe a thousand or so for that windshield.  Oh, wait, I'm supposed to be positive.

I am a practical person at times. I have done essentially the same project with a different type of boat and enjoyed many years of use out of it. I do have the absolute very best help in my marine mechanic. With that said, I will not spend more than it's worth of course. We'll dig into it further, if it appears it will cost more to fix this one than simply buying a complete equivalent, then I'll sell it off. Justgary is already mailing me $1,000 or the windshield.  What are the other parts worth if I had to dump it?

On 11/24/2020 at 8:19 AM, oldjeep said:

Out of curiosity - is the fuel tank in the boat?

Maybe some kid owned it and was planning on plasti-dipping everything because the chrome offended him?  Although that wouldn't explain the missing motor parts.

I'll check on the tank. Not sure at the moment. Chrome actually does offend me. Can't stand shiny but Plasti Dip pisses me off even more. I reluctantly sprayed the hood of my SxS the other day and I remembered I don't like this stuff...

On 11/24/2020 at 8:27 AM, BlindSquirrel said:

Will be a cool project! I'm here for the title of the thread and to hear the back story on how you acquired such an oddity. 

Wish I knew the back story. Auction purchase with zero information. We can only assume it was stripped as a theft recovery or maybe stripped after a mechanical failure (if that was the case). 

On 11/24/2020 at 8:29 AM, justgary said:

The engine hood isn't shown.  Is it included? 

Yes, hood is there. 

On 11/24/2020 at 8:48 AM, Michigan boarder said:

In the vid of the hull it all looks pretty good too, I think it can certainly be put back together and be a great boat (assuming the underside isn't all messed up).  But it really comes down to how much the OP paid for it as to how much money should go back into it.

First thing I did was buy a cover, park it under my carport,  and then I promptly left town. 

On 11/24/2020 at 9:11 AM, John I. said:

Any evidence that the boat was submerged? 

I don't believe so but we'll take a closer look next week. It really is in great shape. I am just visualizing the guy delicately removing parts as he's sobbing about his poor Malibu.

On 11/24/2020 at 9:49 AM, gahvey said:

I believe the small holes at the bottom of the tower are for the malibu emblems.  The higher up ones would probably be for board racks and/or bimini.  some of the holes on the side are for the cleats (2 under the windshield, and 2 in the back of the boat).  This isn't the same boat but here is a link to something around that year with the tower that you have for reference:  https://www.onlyinboards.com/2006-Malibu-vRide-for-sale-Campbell-California-87263.aspx

Speaking of board racks - what is a budget friendly alternative that would fit this tower? We'll skip the Bimini. None of my boats have ever had one and I've never cared for them personally. My wife wants a tan and the kid can wear a hat!

On 11/24/2020 at 11:53 AM, roeboat said:

I noticed it's missing the gauges and controls. The gauges and computer for them are a lot of money. Unless you can find a good deal on them, I would look into making you own gauge cluster with analog gauges instead of trying to bring it back to original.  In my experience the stock gauges are unreliable.

Did your boat have a wedge because if that's missing it could be another expensive part to replace.

I do have the gauge cluster. Missing the one on the right only. Yes, missing the wedge. Looking for a decent used wedge. 

* FYI - All cushions came with the boat and interior is in near perfect condition. I have removed them for cleaning and storage. 

See photo: 

On 11/24/2020 at 2:44 PM, Zippymbr said:

It seriously looks like it was going to get a new gel coat and lost interest.  One of us can take a similar video and send it to you 

That's not a bad theory. But why not just rattle can the whole boat with Plasti Dip including all of the hardware for that stealth look. When you get tired of black, peel it off, then re-spray with red Plasti Dip. 

If anyone here can provide a similar video, it would be highly appreciated. Looking at Boattrader last night for photos of the same model was a waste of time. Horrible photo quality. 

 

On 11/24/2020 at 3:02 PM, COOP said:

The ECM was there though. Is that fire extinguisher residue in the bilge? 

Not sure. We'll dig into next week. Any good online source for a service manual on this motor? 383 Hammerhead. 

On 11/24/2020 at 3:31 PM, Chaabo said:

Definitely one of the more interesting threads recently.
Now it’s time for the OP to answer all of our questions and shed some light on the story behind all this.

I’m waiting ... 

Hopefully you're getting some closure here with my answers above. Maybe I should have conjured up an interesting story. Something involving escaped zoo monkeys, leftover beer in cooler, joyride ends up on the rocks, monkeys flee the scene, and boat is purchased at auction by an unassuming family man with a thin wallet and a dream. Don't mean to sound insensitive but I firmly believe monkeys are terrible drivers...

On 11/24/2020 at 3:39 PM, justgary said:

I saw the heat sink and the empty plate above it.  What goes in the blank space if the middle part is the ECM?

Great question. I would like to see diagrams for the engine as well as a service manual. The first two things my mechanic will ask for of course. 

 

Edited January 23, 2021 by WellingtonB

[justgary]

22 minutes ago, WellingtonB said:

Don't mean to sound insensitive but I firmly believe monkeys are terrible drivers...

You appear to have a great sense of humor about this, and you may even have a huge set of brass ones for buying it unseen.  I would love to see you get it back in shape, and with quality parts if you can afford them.  I would seriously hold off on buying things like cleats and the tower until you get the engine running and a throttle arm installed.

I don't see a lot of Malibus near me, but I will keep an eye out for parts that I think you can use.

@Eagleboy99 posted a manual trove a while back.  Perhaps you can find a few gems that will apply to your engine.

https://www.m2omarine.com/know-more-about--resource-downloads

[WellingtonB]

3 hours ago, justgary said:

You appear to have a great sense of humor about this, and you may even have a huge set of brass ones for buying it unseen.  I would love to see you get it back in shape, and with quality parts if you can afford them.  I would seriously hold off on buying things like cleats and the tower until you get the engine running and a throttle arm installed.

I don't see a lot of Malibus near me, but I will keep an eye out for parts that I think you can use.

@Eagleboy99 posted a manual trove a while back.  Perhaps you can find a few gems that will apply to your engine.

https://www.m2omarine.com/know-more-about--resource-downloads

What can I say - I trust and I throw Hail Mary's. Keeps me busy with projects and having fun. I love boats. Love them! Told my wife I'm getting an anchor tattoo on my left a** cheek. Need to buy boat parts first... 

Thanks for the resource download link. Great stuff in there. Question: From what I have been told, I have the 383 Hammerhead engine. What link would this motor be under in the resource you shared? 

[gahvey]

10 hours ago, WellingtonB said:

Speaking of board racks - what is a budget friendly alternative that would fit this tower? We'll skip the Bimini. None of my boats have ever had one and I've never cared for them personally. My wife wants a tan and the kid can wear a hat

I believe that is the Illusion x tower - there are a bunch of racks out there, just depends on what you want out of them.  Just google them....Monster tower has them, I saw what appears to be originals available on OnlyInboards, guessing Roswell has some as well that will work.

[oldjeep]

7 hours ago, WellingtonB said:

What can I say - I trust and I throw Hail Mary's. Keeps me busy with projects and having fun. I love boats. Love them! Told my wife I'm getting an anchor tattoo on my left a** cheek. Need to buy boat parts first... 

Thanks for the resource download link. Great stuff in there. Question: From what I have been told, I have the 383 Hammerhead engine. What link would this motor be under in the resource you shared? 

The resource link has the indmar owners manuals, which cover all engine s available.  However, they are just basic manuals that cover maintenance parts.

Sounds like an interesting project as a diy, seems too expensive if you are having a 3rd party doing the work.

[Michigan boarder]

I think you're going to be in good shape given all that info!  Fingers crossed on the engine.

Regarding the wedge, forget about it, low priority.  That can be added at anytime and even so, many people remove them and never use it.

The monkeys on our lake are the worst.  I swear it's like their TRYING to steer into me.  I suggest you brand this decal on the passenger side window to let them know "hey man, I hear you".

 

[Eagleboy99]

38 minutes ago, oldjeep said:

However, they are just basic manuals that cover maintenance parts.

There are service manuals on the web though - like this Indmar one:  https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0106/9702/files/Indmar_Engine_Service_Manual.pdf Not sure if your engine is covered in it.

[Gary Pelletier]

Crossing my fingers for you, but this appears to be a sunken/salvage boat.  Just reiterating what everyone else has said, but get that motor running before you fit out anything....

Edited November 25, 2020 by Gary Pelletier

[Eagleboy99]

53 minutes ago, Gary Pelletier said:

this appears to be a sunken/salvage boat.

If it was a salvage boat, why leave so much stuff on it?  Teak platform, gauges, etc.  

[UWSkier]

That steering wheel looks like it came out of a 1986 Bayliner.  That's not factory for sure.

Is all the wiring still there under the dash?

[Eagleboy99]

I'm gonna say all the upholstery needs to be redone.

[WellingtonB]

10 hours ago, gahvey said:

I believe that is the Illusion x tower - there are a bunch of racks out there, just depends on what you want out of them.  Just google them....Monster tower has them, I saw what appears to be originals available on OnlyInboards, guessing Roswell has some as well that will work.

Now that I know the type of tower, I'll shop for used or a budget friendly rack. Thanks. 

9 hours ago, oldjeep said:

Sounds like an interesting project as a diy, seems too expensive if you are having a 3rd party doing the work.

The engine and electrical will be done by my mechanic. He is a trusted expert and friend who is very reasonable. The hardware and cleanup items I can do myself. 

9 hours ago, Michigan boarder said:

Regarding the wedge, forget about it, low priority.  That can be added at anytime and even so, many people remove them and never use it.

Good point. Based on general consensus, the logical thing to do here is to simply get it running and then add the trim/hardware. 

9 hours ago, Eagleboy99 said:

There are service manuals on the web though - like this Indmar one:  https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0106/9702/files/Indmar_Engine_Service_Manual.pdf Not sure if your engine is covered in it.

 

5 hours ago, Gary Pelletier said:

Crossing my fingers for you, but this appears to be a sunken/salvage boat.  Just reiterating what everyone else has said, but get that motor running before you fit out anything....

Of course it's possible but there is no evidence of this that I can see whatsoever.

5 hours ago, Eagleboy99 said:

If it was a salvage boat, why leave so much stuff on it?  Teak platform, gauges, etc.  

Yep.

4 hours ago, UWSkier said:

That steering wheel looks like it came out of a 1986 Bayliner.  That's not factory for sure.

Is all the wiring still there under the dash?

I already have a very nice new Gussi steering wheel for it. There's some wiring harness back there. Not sure what it will operate at this time. 

3 hours ago, Eagleboy99 said:

I'm gonna say all the upholstery needs to be redone.

Nope. All of the upholstery is in near perfect condition. I have removed all of the cushions for cleaning and storage. 

[Eagleboy99]

10 minutes ago, WellingtonB said:

Nope. All of the upholstery is in near perfect condition. I have removed all of the cushions for cleaning and storage. 

In your video it looks like it is all stained.  You will save 4-8K if you are not replacing.

[justgary]

33 minutes ago, Eagleboy99 said:

In your video it looks like it is all stained.  You will save 4-8K if you are not replacing.

It looked a lot like the dust that is on the engine, fenders, etc.  Almost like someone left it in a dust bowl.

[WellingtonB]

1 hour ago, Eagleboy99 said:

In your video it looks like it is all stained.  You will save 4-8K if you are not replacing.

 

1 hour ago, justgary said:

It looked a lot like the dust that is on the engine, fenders, etc.  Almost like someone left it in a dust bowl.

It was left outdoors an an auction dirt lot. Tends to get dusty & dirty. The interior is excellent in person!

[Eagleboy99]

I would still like to know the back story of how this boat got to auction.  Do you know?

[justgary]

29 minutes ago, Eagleboy99 said:

I would still like to know the back story of how this boat got to auction.  Do you know?

I would guess that it was towed to auction on the trailer....  

[WellingtonB]

21 minutes ago, justgary said:

I would guess that it was towed to auction on the trailer....  

Probably. But don't discount it getting there under it's own keel. Or teleportation. You can't prove the technology doesn't exist. 

[Eagleboy99]

6 minutes ago, WellingtonB said:

Probably. But don't discount it getting there under it's own keel. Or teleportation. You can't prove the technology doesn't exist. 

Well, the fins are missing so maybe? 

[WellingtonB]

2 hours ago, Eagleboy99 said:

Well, the fins are missing so maybe? 

Rumor has it, bronze cannot be teleported, so the fins were removed. 

[Michigan boarder]

12 hours ago, WellingtonB said:

Rumor has it, bronze cannot be teleported, so the fins were removed. 

Try telling that to the Bronze Believers.  Personally I'd rather argue with a monkey.