TOPIC: mfg Boat ID Help please

First I'd like to say hello to everyone. I just signed up tonight and want to thank everyone in advance for their help in identifying this beauty.

[img size=300x225] krosskolours.com/miscimages/MFG.jpg [/img]

I stumbled upon her and put down a deposit. All the owner knows is that it is a 1969 MFG and is registered as a 21FT. Apparently the previous owner passed away and this boat spent most of its years in marina storage. The second owner used it for 1 year and I pick her up this week to take her home (the trailer tires are shot so I need to do some work before I tow it anywhere)

I dug around a bit and it looks a lot like the 69 Caprice Express 197 shown here but if you notice the front of the cuddy cabin is different and while it may be hard to see in this picture, this boat is definitely larger than the Express 197 pictured in the brochure above.

The exit to the cuddy cabin is recessed in this model. Anyway, I have found nothing to help figure this one out any help would be appreciated. Also, if anyone has an idea what she might be worth, I'd be curious. And yes, she's as clean inside as she is outside. I'm unsure of the engine details yet, all I know is that its a GM 6cyl with an OMC Outdrive. (The engine looks like it has barely been fired but it has seen water last summer.

Thanks in advance for your help!

Looks like the early caprice sport cruiser. The 21 caprice was only made in 1974 and did not look like this early cruiser. The 18/19 series had 5 strakes on the side, the 21 series had 6.
Never seen one with a cabin like this. Could you take a picture of the front deck too? They periodically experimented, and made variations on a model that never went into production. You may have one of these models.

I love the wynne designed huil on the caprices and have a 15, 17, several 18s and several 19s but I have yet to find a 21. You may want to take a tape fron the transom to the bow. the early caprice was 18' 1", the later caprices were 18' 10".
At any rate, you have a nice boat, and the cruisers are rare. Yyour cruiser with the modified bow is likely very rare. Great find. have fun with it!

Thank you for your help. I'll be sure to take more photos and post them once we get it home.

Ok, I brought her home today and got some more information. First, after some more time to look it over its not a 21FT but appears to be the 18 and a standard Caprice Express 197 after all. Its a beauty and hopefully I'll have her in the water soon. Thanks so much for the info and I'm sure I'll be visiting more and more.

I do have a question though, I know these old engines were designed to run on leaded gasoline. I can get additives for that but with the push for ethanol based fuel I'm worried about engine damage. With the July 1st deadline which will access to non ethanol gasoline what are people doing here to minimize/eliminate the risks? Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks!

StarTron (made by StarBrite) and StaBil Marine formula are both made to "minimize" the damage caused by ethanol in the older outboards.

You should use the stabil marine (ethanol) formula which you can buy at walmart or anywhere else to reduce the ethanol from picking up water, which dramatically reduces octane. There are many other brands now - don't know how they all stack up. At least 7 different manufacturers were on the shelves at the local west marine.
Lead was used as a top lube to prevent valve burn on inboards. New inboards have hardened seats, which works well. The old inboards will wear the valve into the head without lead, but it takes quite a while to do this. Best thing to do is just run it, and eventually pull the heads. When the valve job is done specify hardened valve seats.
And of course the outboards don't need lead. The 4 strokes already have hardened seats.
Hope that helps.