This is my 4th Formula...1st was a '78 F-18 w/888 302 Ford/Merc on a No 1 drive. Had it 9 years. 2nd was a 1986 242 SS w/single 260 Merc/Alpha 1...the last one built in Miami. 3rd was a 1986 272 LS w/twin 320 EFI/Alpha 1...74 MPH "Bimini for Lunch Bunch" special.
Now I have lucked up on this 32 year old 255 Liberator that has been in Traverse City , Michgan for all but the last 2 years. Fresh water does make a difference and this survivor boat is testament to that. It has '06 model Mercruiser 260 crate motors on Merc No 1 drives. It came to me with a torn starboard u-joint bellows. That equated to a fried gimbal bearing and a partially rotted out bellows flange that leads to a transom assembly change out. I found a good, tight, fresh water No 1 transom assembly and the starboard engine is comming out this week to swap the TA.
Unbelievably...this 255 is rock solid after 32 years and has that classic "Don Arronow" look that still turns heads. The first step in the restoration is to get everything tight,safe and reliable and have some fun with this old girl.
As time and budget allows, we may get into Bravo drives and a pair of stout 383's. Prior to that move will come some creature comforts like modern electronics and a small power inverter diven Air Conditioning system....I was suprised to actually see a shore power set up on this boat. I would also very much like to find some late model McCleod/Formula bolsters for this one.
If anyone has a similar older Formula or Donzi I would love to compare notes and see some pics...here's mine.