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View Full Version : 80's Scarab II's, Pros & Cons?



mud duck
03-04-2005, 05:16 PM
I am currently looking at a 1987 - 30' Scarab II that is in very good condition. I am curious what are the best & worst aspects of these older boats. The upholstery, fiberglass, canvas, engines, outdrives, trailer, etc. all seem to be in great condition. I have riden in & driven 28' and 32' boats before, but not a Scarab. This one has the stock 330 hp 454's in it with 500 hours on the meter. What are typically troublesome areas of Scarabs? Thanks.

Havasu Hangin'
03-04-2005, 05:42 PM
That will be very heavy boat by today's standards, so the performance will not be the same as a newer 30'er.
Check for dry rot.

spectras only
03-04-2005, 06:13 PM
Here it is ;
29.6' , 8' beam , 6400 lbs. 150 gal cap.
http://www3.telus.net/spectrasonly/1985%20Scarab%20II.jpg
The newer [ after 90] models are faster with a single big block :messedup:

InKahntrol
03-04-2005, 09:16 PM
That's a beautiful boat... I've always liked the '80s Scarabs.
Once a few years ago I met a guy under the bridge in Havasu who wasn't much older than me at the time (mid 20s) that had just purchased a Scarab from that era, it was a 29' with twin small blocks and Alpha drives. He said it was donated to goodwill, and he happened to drive by their processing lot on the way to work every day. He saw the boat the day it arrived, checked with the people inside and found out what day it was going up for sale, then picked it up for about ten grand, which is twice as much as he could get for his 18' jet boat. The boat needed new cockpit upholstery but othewise was perfect. By the following summer when I saw him it had a new interior and was perfect, to the tune of about thirteen grand. What a deal...

mud duck
03-05-2005, 11:58 AM
These are a few pics of this boat I am considering.
http://www2.***boat.com/image_center/data/519/452scarab_018.jpg
http://www2.***boat.com/image_center/data/519/452truckboat_010.jpg
http://www2.***boat.com/image_center/data/519/452truckboat_008.jpg

mud duck
03-05-2005, 12:03 PM
http://www2.***boat.com/image_center/data/519/452truckboat_009.jpg
http://www2.***boat.com/image_center/data/519/452scarab_006.jpg
http://www2.***boat.com/image_center/data/519/452scarab_004.jpg

mud duck
03-05-2005, 12:07 PM
http://www2.***boat.com/image_center/data/519/452scarab_012.jpg
http://www2.***boat.com/image_center/data/519/452scarab_027.jpg

spectras only
03-05-2005, 02:02 PM
MD, I like old school boats ,so I'm biased old versus new.
If you're happy with less performance ,go for the old gal.
The major issue about these scarabs are ,stringer and
transom rot. If the boat was looked after and spent most
of its time on the trailer ,it should be ok ,but I would get
an expert with a sonic tester to check the transom. I saw
these boats in good shape ,but even just grabbing the
sterndrives I could see movement on the transom on
some. Friend of mine is doing a resto on a 1988 41 footer
right now , and the Ply in his transom needed to be
replaced. He stretched the hull to 43' and putting
like 900 HP engines in , so replacing the ply was ment to
be :rollside:

mud duck
03-05-2005, 07:08 PM
Okay, here is a another question; When did Wellcraft/Mercury begin mating the 454 big blocks with Bravo outdrive as the standard. This boat is a Scarab II supposedly with a "performance" package which included 454's. Yet it clearly has Alpha One outdrives. Why would this combo be mated together? Or are the engines perhaps only 350's? He says the top speed is about 67 mph (speedo). I have seen plenty of 350/Alpha combos & 454/Bravo combos even in the 80's, but I have not seen this combo until now.
Is this a typical combo?

spectras only
03-05-2005, 07:43 PM
MD, mercruiser had the 454 MAG [330HP ,not the 385] coupled to the alpha1 for a while, and a lot of manufacturers installed them .Wellcraft , Formula and Donzi included. By 1990 most big blocks had Bravos.