Looking for Wellcraft Sunhatch 196 information and owners

[Frisian123]

Dear all,

I have recently bought a Wellcraft Sunhatch 196 which needs a lot of attention to get it in good condition again.
As I am from Europe, it is quite an "unique" boat over here, and I would love to collect a lot of information and pictures so I can try to restore it to it's original condition. Would be nice if people on this forum can help me!

So far I found out it is from 1980, and it has the OMC V8 engine model on the valve covers TUFR-19EX, engine casting number 3970020, so I guess it is a 307 small block.

I have bought boat in stripped down condition, so I don't really know where all the upholstery needs to go either. I will try to post some pictures later.

 

[southkogs]

Welcome aboard Frisian.

Yikes! TUFR is the code for a 1971 OMC 215 HP. That would be an electric shift Stringer. Sure the boat is a 1980? Do you have a HIN number for it (would be on the owner paperwork, or stamped in the stern of the hull perhaps - usually just below the rub rail).

The OMC Stringers were obsolete in 1985, and the electric shift was gone by 1976. Parts might be a booger to get hold of in Europe. What kind of shape is the drive in?

Wellcraft is still in business, so they might be able to help you out.

 

[Frisian123]

Thanks! I am having some troubles reaching the forum through my internet service provider (I am living in the Netherlands) so I am using a VPN, but it will not let me upload pictures yet unforntunately I will try to find a way to get it to work.

My HIN at the transom is WEL04116M80B which decodes to year built of 1980. The drive looks like an mechanical shift OMC Stringer 800, it has the Model No. 982436 and Serial W218354. I am thinking about contacting sterndrive.info to find out more about the mechanical shifter cable, as it has a partnumber which is not very common. The cable itself is quite common and has the two wires which go to the shifter box on the intermediate housing. Heard they are expensive to replace.

Getting the parts for an affordable price is quite challenging here, exactly! Shipping costs from the United States are also not very cheap. For sure I have to change the ball gears, and I think I will overhaul the sterndrive to check the condition. Impeller replacement is never a bad idea.

I have cleaned the carburetor already, and am waiting for gaskets and parts.

It is quite unique to have a boat like this on this side of the ocean, so restoring it to original would be very nice.

My plan is to service the engine and sterndrive first. The transom seal will be replaced too, but due to the age, the mounting ring/plate broke when we took it off.

I am still a bit confused about the engine, why would they put an "old" engine in a new boat?

It will be quite interesting how fast the boat will go, as I have never owned a boat with an inboard V8 before

 

[southkogs]

It's not uncommon for people to "Frankenstein" a motor together keeping the old OMC Stringers running. I've seen that quite a bit, where someone attaches an engine from one vintage to a drive from another. Model & Serial number on the drives weren't super important to the drives themselves as long as you knew the gear ratios.

On the stringer, I replaced the impeller every 3 years. - - And yes, that shift cable is PRICEY. I never had a mechanical shift. Kenny Nunez on the forums is great with the Stringer drives, and knows more than I do about mechanical shift.

Do you have to rebuild the hull at all? If so, you might consider doing the transom and re-powering to Mercruiser.