TOPIC: Looking for a vintage ride guide cable, 12 ft.

I am rebuilding my Aristocraft Torpedo to use it for classic boatraces in Germany. On the Mark 55 motor was a modern teleflex cable mounted. This motor is replaced by a Mark 78 that still has the original "small" connector for the ride guide cable. I am now looking for a 12 to 14 ft original cable in good useable condition to keep the whole steering system original. I do have the `57 Kiekhaefer steering wheel, with the rack, in the boat.

I will buy at your asking price and can pay by bankwire {international} or paypal.

It is also possible to trade for a brand new boxed 9 ft. or 7 ft. ride guide cable dated 1957. I have 2 9ft and 1 7ft. These short cables are pefect for small boats with the steering in the back of the boat.

Hope anyone can help as it is pritty urgent.

Regards, Taco,Netherlands.

Try Joe Poole. His family has been in the business a long, long time, and they have quite a bit of OEM parts, including Ride Guide cables. His email address is jdpjratlanta at msn dot com.

Best of luck to you!

Frank

Thank you for this info. I will sent an e mail to Joe immediately.

Taco.

Hi,
All Rideguide users are faced with similar issues. Yours is further complicated by wanting the small dia cable end. Here is an idea that might help. If you look for a large dia cable end your search will be a little easier so how do you connect? If you get a transom cable mount instead of sliding it through the tilt tube all will be fine. The rack end of the newer and older cables are the same so it'll fit fine. Merc transom cable mounts come up from time to time on ebay. So while looking for the right cable also search for one of these "universal" mounts. It opens up the possibility of finding one on an old junk boat too.
Another idea is to get a tilt tube of the larger size and mount it in parallel to the existing tilt tube. I have done this by making a 1/4 inch thick flat piece of metal with two holes, one hole the dia of the smaller tilt tube the other the dia of the larger tilt tube.
I unscrew the nuts on motor at the tilt tube ends and place a bracket on each side and install the nuts. Now you hae two holes the correct dia for the larger tilt tube seperated by the width of the transom clamp bracket. Slip the larger tilt tube throught he holes and install the nuts. The larger cable will slip through and screw on as usual. It looks OK when done and works fine. This is a similar setup to how Merc did the Super Rideguide twin cable set ups in the 60's, they made a special tilt tube that bolted on to the existing tilt tube the same way as described above, these are very rarely seen but easy to make your own, except you are only using one cable. Joe has no small dia cables I have asked. But worth asking again, he may have come across some.
Randy

I have a brand new 16' and I paid dearly for it.

Hi I may have one please email me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Taco if you dont find the smaller diameter cable or choose to upgrade to the newer large diameter, Joe Poole as mentioned already not only has the cable but I just got this Mercury Factory adapter from Joe. this bracket is what 63g3 is suggesting to build from spare parts if you have them....IF you were not looking for factory original the home made is the way to go its threaded both ends and you can install a grease fitting seal on the end of the tube...Mercurys factory adapter is only threaded one end for the cable nut

If you have shipping issues I will take care of it as we discussed before
Michael

Thanks to all for the reactions on my subject. I have contacted Joe Poole and had to agree that the use of an extra bracket { as suggested also by Madprops } is the most easy and reliable option.

My neighbour is still working on making one.

Thanks, Taco.