I have a 190hp 470 that I rebuilt. It runs quite well. Most of the problems people talk about with them is a result of bad maintenance. Yes the small heat ex-changer is a factory mess up but like anything you are running especially on the water you need to keep tabs on it. 470s have there weak points but when you shore them up they are great and reliable motors.
Just like every other engine. If you understand them, and what maintenance items you need to watch out for, they’re great engines. It helps if you are capable of working on them yourself.
That boat is in terrific shape. Takes me back to my childhood and my dad's Thompson - 19.5' cuddy with a 260 horse Mercruiser, the thing was a rocket. It had a lot of similar styling to your boat. Wish I had it back.
Thompson’s all had the same stying from that era. Very solidly, yet simply built boats that are easy to maintain if cared for. This was my Dad’s boat too, I plan on keeping it a long time as it will always remind me of him.
That boat is in perfect shape, runs great too. This is getting me excited for summer, I bought a 1988 Thompson cutlass 190 bow cruiser with a mercruiser 470. Managed to snatch it up for 1500 bucks, the guy didn't know anything about mechanics (im a mechanic by trade, learned the Marine Corps way lol), starter was bad and had been sitting for a while. This was no problem for me because I needed a solid therapy project, so I changed: starter, coil, plugs, flushed heat exchanger, new impeller, oil change, cut polished and waxed her back to new, now just waiting to fire her up on Monday. The boat only has 540 hours on it so its hardly been used, almost in the same condition as your vessel except the seats have a little wear and tear in the rear where the swim platform is. If she runs and is good to go im just going to put a new mahogany swim platform on it and a new stereo and she's going to be ready to go. I would post pictures on here if I could, I can message them to you if interested. Take care man thanks again! Ice isn't all the way out yet up here on the coast of Maine but a couple more weeks and I'm dropping her in for a test ride.
Put a 4 blade on it.....Solas stainless...see how easy it went to the WOT factory spec?....That engine is a torque monster, and I see 25 mph@ 2500 rpms....it will walk the mph with the rpm's right up the recommended rpm limit......the fuel goes quick if you leave it there.....cruising at 25 mph you can do 6 mpg in a cuddy deep vee hull...2600lbs
I have a 1985 Carrera elite 21' with a 525sc built to deliver 600hp at the crank. I seen a 18.5' boat with what I was assuming to have 470 hp. Imagine my surprise. I kept waiting for you to punch it. Lol.
Actually, the guy I sold it to spring 2023 was from West Branch, MI so it very well could be the same boat. I don't know if I have ever seen another '85 Thompson in this color scheme. The boat was originally in the Saginaw, MI area for most of it's life.
