1987 Supra SunSport - First Pics: Engine

Dennis looks good, I took out the pylon in my boat, it makes it a lot better for moving around.
Where did you get the tower from for $400.00?

found it here on wakeworld! 350 for the tower 50 for the 6x9 speakers and cans.

Nice deal on the tower.
Dennis, do you have a picture of where you have your cd player mounted?

Haha....actually I still have the cassete player in there from 1987!haha But obviously I'm going to put a CD player in there before the season starts. And I'm prolly just going to mount it where the current cassette is at.....or will that not work?

I don't have anything in my boat, where is the cassette player mounted?
I can't see anyplace where it was at!

If you look at the fist pic I posted on this thread you can see it mounted under the dash and steering wheel on the left side.

I see,
I don't like that area, do you hit it getting in and out of the drivers seat?

No I have never it it getting in and out of the chair....I'm not real crazy about that spot either but I don't know where else to put it...anyone else got any ideas?

If you search around there are other threads about Supra stereo placement. I think most people either mount it above the dash in a wather-proof box, or hang it near the factory mounting spot in an better orientation. I still have the factory radio too!!

Hey - For your stereos have you all kept your factory alternators?? Most budget-boarders I'm thinking would have a limited stereo - In the SunSport, I have four factory speakers and a stereo head unit.

I would like to add a small sub (10"x1) and a set of tower speakers. Nothing fancy, just enough for the rider to hear. Sorry not sure of the wattage I would even want! I was thinking 300 total watts for the tower.

So the Q: is this enough to keep one battery and the factory alt? Or am I going to need to replace the alt with something stronger to charge two batteries? Regardless of what I get, I will always keep an emergency jumpstart/booster battery pack in the boat.

Mont,
Hows the ballast coming. post some pictures.

I'm interested in the batt. issue too! Anyone have any advise?

Well due to a bunch of rain this past weekend and not being able to fit the boat in my garage I wasn't able to completely finish it up but it is 99% complete so I should have it finished up tonight and I'll take some pics and post em

I'm running 2 batts in mine with an isolator so it charges both batts at the same and I haven't had any alt. issues yet

Another question I have is if I store my boat outside for the season do I need speaker covers for the tower ones?

I was going to get some of those tower speaker socks for mine but I don't know if that will be enough

Did you get any pictures?

Looks like this has kinda turned into a forum on older Sunsports. Here's mine. It's a '92. I've plumbed in ~750lbs in the back, and I've got some fat buddies for an optional extra 550.

great looken goat Greg. Any wake pictures?

Greg, sweet boat love the color scheme is my Sunsport the only one with the horrid pink and blue color scheme ? lol Got any pics of your ballast ?

It's done nothing but rain all week it's always nice while I'm at work of course but as soon as it's time to go home it does nothing but rain fortunately I've been working under the cover and I'm all done with the ballast now so as soon as I can get to my boat when it's not raining I'll get some pictures

Greg, Do you have front ballast ?

I'll try to get some wake pics if I make it out this weekend. I was lucky enough to find the black/grey color scheme--it originally had the turquoise logos on the side, but I removed them, sanded out the oxidation, now she looks like new. I don't have any ballast in the front. Usually people like to sit up there, and that's enough. I have found that the wake has a nicer peak and is a lot more poppy if I just load up the back. I've got one bag plumbed under the backseat (pro-x rear seat sack) and another that can sit in front of the backseat on the floor (pro-x tube sack) that are both fed by a single ballast puppy with a T. Each have separate valves and quick release fittings, so I can run with or without the sack on the floor, or I can move it to one side for surfing.

Cool Cool sounds like a good setup do you have the stock prop ?

That's another thing I was gonna ask the rest of you have you guys upgraded your prop ?

I upgraded to the one suggested by ACME. Don't remember the number.

Not sure....I have what it came with and I'm not sure if its stock or not.

I probably need to upgrade mine with all this ballast but I'd like to find someone with the same boat that has upgraded theres already so I can just get the part # and order it instead of ordering multiple props and trying em out and sending em back until I find one that works well

This thread is the ultimate hijack!

Montgomery,
I called acme and they gave me the part number for a lower pitched prop. They said it would be the one to run with sac's.
I'll have to get the part number when I get home.
I have not ordered it yet, but I will soon.

Waiting to see pix of your ballast set-up.
what type of pumps did you use?

this thread is the ultimate hijack! yes it is.

Awesome I'm gonna need a new prop pretty bad

I used the BW-85 simer pumps from beatlas it was a little under $160 for 2 pumps shipped

Pics coming very very soon hopefully tonight

Acme part number 3 blade,
right hand #1442.
left hand #543

I really don't mind at all as long as we're all sharing older SunSport tips, pics, and experiences. This is my first inboard, so I need all the help and friends I can get!

One month from tomorrow and I'll be ready to ride.

Tony, thanks man that's awesome I never really thought about just calling acme and asking their advice for some reason that never clicked in my head Thanks again

We need to keep this thread going this is only like the 2nd older Sunsport thread (well it turned into an older Sunsport thread) I've seen on here

WakeMikey, My SunSport is my first inboard as well and it has been an awesome boat and I plan on keeping it for a very long time I absolutely love my boat even if it does have the horrid pink ass coloring

Mont, this is been a great thread. I Just order some teak oil so I can redo all my teak. I'll take before and after pix.
You need to do a nice write up with pix of your ballast system. When I get my boat out of storage that's my next task. We Still have alot of snow up North. Can't wait for it to go away!
Here's a pix of what my boat looked like when I got it. Had to take of the decals

Hell yeah I love the old school color schemes I wish I had some pics of my boat before I stripped the decals lol it had 2 shades of pink and 2 shades of purple stripes it was absolutely hideous

I think thats what mine looked like before it was stripped.....I didn't strip it but you can tell if you look close form some minor fadding.

Well, since this seems to have turned into an all-things old Supra thread, I figure I'd pose a few questions. Long story short, I'm looking for an older Supra Sunsport or something similar. Given the number of models that Supra made in the 80's and into the early 90's, and the general lack of literature / info online, the choice is somewhat confusing. Being from Canada, where there are only a handfull of wake/ski boats in the province, I'm trying to narrow my selection down prior to driving out of province / country to make a purchase. Here go the questions:
1. Did the Rider / Beast share the same hull as the Sunsport? I've read that they didn't. What's the difference if they don't?
2. Was the Rider / Beast the only models to have the aft facing seat on the doghouse (engine box)? Has anyone seen one in person? Did you like it?
4. Sunport windshield - what style do you guys prefer for driving - the early/mid 80's or late 80's early 90's with the mult-angle?
5. Which of the 19'-21' models come with big blocks? Do any of you feel that the extra power is required? Did they have a little more top-end or is it all holeshot?
6. Have any of you seen the "cuddy cabin" model(s) in person? If so, what are your thoughts? Could two 6'+ adults even come close to sleeping in there for a night? I know they made the Pirata and the Allegro, but I'm not certain if there is another model (ie. Bravura or is that just storage?)
7. Dual swivel seats vs. the aft-facing bench to port? Was it an option? Did only certain models have it?
8. Bravura - is this the comp hull stretched 1'-2' with a small storage space in the bow?
9. Marauder - how does this hull differ from the Sunsport? It seems like this hull came in closed bow, closed bow with small cuddy cabin and open bow configurations.
10. For those of you with Sunsport open bows - do you find water ever comes over the bow? I like to boat in the ocean a few days a year and don't want to worry about water coming in. It looks like it should have enough freeboard not to cause a problem.
11. Closed cooling - have any of you retro-fitted your boats to a closed cooling system?
12. Upgrading from manual to hydraulic wakeplate (trim tabs) - have any of you upgraded your manual wakeplates to hydraulic or looked into it? Is it worth it? Did you have to reinforce your transoms? On other forums there seems to be differing opinions on whether or not to reinforce them.
13. Stringer / floor rot - are there any pre '92 Supras that are more prone to rot than other models? Late last fall I looked at an '88 Marauder that has been shop (large steel barn with concrete floor) kept for the last 15 years and it appeared to be in good shape. Some mold on the bottoms of the rear-bench cushions, but that's about it. Wasn't sure if keeping it inside a closed atmosphere would be worse for rot, especially dry rot, or not. Your thoughts?
14. Wakes - What is the best all-around hull for skiing (70%) and wakeboarding (30%)? I'm leaning towards the Sunsport. Those of you that have one, how is the wake for skiing? Understand really good wake if weighted. Any weighted / non-weighted pics?
15. Does anyone know where to find pre '92 Supra literature / sales brochures online? I've looked, but haven't found anything. Seems to be a common issue.
16. If you're like me and craving some Supra action while waiting for the ice to melt, here you go...
http://wistreetscene.com/media/13014/3/1/1
Anyone else have any footage of their boats?

Anyway, thanks in advance for your info!

Cheers,

Jaak

Hey Greg labastardo.."WE NEED PIC'S OF YOUR PLUMMING SETUP"!!!

I'll post pics of my ballast ASAP.
Jaak-
1. A good place to compare hulls is on the New Dimension Towers website--they have pics of a lot of the old supras with their towers on them.
2. I have the curved windshield (1992), and it is a little annoying because of the way the curved part distorts the light as you look through.
3. I have plenty of power (351 engine), but could always use more. It doesn't crawl through the water, but also doesn't have the power of a newer Malibu or other wakeboat.
4. In choppy water, water can spray into the bow, but I've never submarined it like I have with other smaller open bow boats. Definitely sits high enough to ride in very choppy water.

Jaak -

I really would like to TRY and keep this thread about SunSports. But I understand your need to get some questions answered, so it's okay and best of luck to you! I did consider a few other models of Supra in my searches.

It was my finding that the SunSport is one of the only models (and sorry but I don't know EVERY model that well) that had the higher sides and the higher bow. As far as I know all their other older models sat lower in the water, more like a mastercraft or nauqique 2001.

I looked at the Mariah the most. It is the most similar to the SunSport and the most commonly found besides the SS.

For engine size, unless your boat is 22' or longer I wouldn't even want anything larger than the 351cu" 240hp. Should be plenty for nearly all applications.

AS for cuddy cabins, I haven't ever boarded behind one, but personally I would stick to tried and trusted hull shapes if possible. Or test drive it.

When looking for an inboard for sale, it can sometimes be harder searching google and used boat websites (mostly) - see if you can find some dedicated inboard sites. try tmcowners.com or there are more, sorry I don't have my links at this pc.

If you are searching for message board posts about these boats, google for the most part won't find them. You need to search the message board of each site. Wakeworld, wakeboarder.com, iboats.com, tmcowners.com are my favorite message boards. I have more links again on another pc...

(Message edited by wakemikey on April 05, 2008)

(Message edited by wakemikey on April 05, 2008)

Greg,
Thanks for the info. New Dimension Towers website was useful to see. As for the curvred windshield, I wondered if that would have a '57 Chevyish effect on vision.

WakeMikey,
Thanks for the info. Didn't mean to detract from the Sunsport topic, just figured this might be a good time to post it here as this appears to be the most active thread that I've found in the last year or so while trying to locate info.
I thought about the Mariah, but I really want a lot of freeboard forward. I think only Sunsport, Beast, Rider and earlier Marauder models feature the high bow design.

As for cuddy cabins, some models appear to have them and share the benefit of a good hull design. Have a look...
Pirata - http://www.usedboats.com/powerboats/1988/22'-ft/skiers-choice/supra-pirata/waterski-boat-cuddy-cabin-performance/inboard/40356/604239.htm
Bravura - http://www.tridentmarina.com/site_page_305/item_193889.html?listing_page=listing_sum_index_1. html

I've been debating the pros/cons of an open bow vs. the practicality of the small cabin. I keep my boat in a marina, so I figure the cabin could be a good, somewhat secure, place to keep less expensive skis / boards / gear, rather than lugging stuff back and forth from home each time I want to ride.

Thanks for the sites. I'll check out iboats.com - I'd appreciate it if you could post the other links when you have a chance.

Has anyone had any luck contacting Supra for information on their pre-'91/'92 boats? I've tried a couple times and gave up.

Anyway, I'll move my questions to a new post "'81-'91 Supra Questions", for those who are interested so we can keep this post Sunsport related.

Cheers,

Jaak

Jaak - The Pirata looks nice. I would ask him how it was stored in winter and summer. Not always, but "new interior!" means "old interior got f'd when we left it sitting out for a month". Which means floor and stringer problems COULD follow. Not always. That 454 is gonna suck a ton o' gas.

I think the Bravura looks awesome! Again, though, how were the seats damaged? And the price is right, he'd probably come down a bit. Mine went from 8900 to 7500...

Have you been looking up book value on NADA.com?

This is my 89 Supra Conbrio. We installed a Big air tower on it and have been extremely happy with it. The only problem we have had is with water coming over the extremely low bow.

Finally got some pics today

Monty,
can you explain how it work's with the simer pumps.
Do you have it set up with a fill and a drain plus a vent,
The sac in the back doesn't look like you use all 3 port's on the fat sac.
Thank's.

Great job Monty!!! Have you had it out on the water since you installed it? Where is your water coming in from?

Both sacs have vent lines on the top with one way valves on them they fill and drain from the bottom hose I wired the pumps to be reversible with relays and SPDT switches

I haven't had it out in the water yet I used my homemade "fake a lake" and turned the water on full blast and that actually worked a lot better than I thought it would

also in the playpen we cutout the center divider and braced it with a 2x4 on each side

OK..now ya'll have me wanting to plumb my Supra. I want to plum my 89' Comp like Montgomery (Lovin the lake) A 750lbs in the back and a 400lbs in the nose. How can I get started? Where should I look? Jets

first of all you need to decide if you want to use simer pumps or aerator pumps if you use simer pumps you can get em for about $77 a piece shipped to you from be-atlas if you want to use aerator pumps I'd go with the Rule 1100 gph pumps Simers are reversible and can be mounted above the water line aerators have to be mounted below the water line and are not reversible so you would have 2 per sac as for all the fittings and hoses just go to lowes or home depot

by the way with that comp it would be sooooo easy to plumb the only problem I ran into on mine was plumbing the playpen everything else was cake

what was the problem with plumbing in the playpen?

it was just kind of a bitch getting the 1" hose under the built in cooler and through the existing hole where the heater hoses go up under the dash on the drivers side but after I conquered that problem it was cake I was a little inebriated while attempting it though

Monty,
do you have the rear sac sitting on your gas tank. Doesn't look like the plastic is in there.

Yeah I took out the plastic compartment thing and covered all of the exposed bolts, screws, and everything else that looked like it could puncture the sac and sat in on top of the tank and filled her up

Why did you remove it?
just for more room?

yeah I had to take it out to get the sac in there and I'm in the process of making another one that will sit on top of the sac so I'll still have a little storage room back there

What is under that plastic read compartment in your boats? Is there any structural support on top of the gas tank???

Tony where are you located? Those pics look like a great lake! MI? I used to live in Duluth, MN on Lake Sup! Hey that lighthouse tower in your pic? I jumped-started off a pier just like that once ~12ft! Fun...

there are no supports on top of my tank

Hey Mont - First thing I would do with my new ride would be to try and take out the back sun platform section and put my 700lb sac there w/ a pump (not auto omg).

Can you tell me how the divider came out? Didn't need any reinforcing? THANKS!

the divider in the playpen ?

no under the rear uhh...sun deck...

Sorry...for your rear tank. On mine, that compartment is rather shallow and I assumed yours was too and that it was a divider you had to remove. /edit

Heck, AND the divider in the playpen! did you just saw it out? /edit

(Message edited by wakemikey on April 07, 2008)

(Message edited by wakemikey on April 07, 2008)

i didn't have a divider in the rear just a removable plastic ski locker

We cut out the divider and attached a 2x4 on each side for support . . . This pic was taken before we carpeted the 2x4's

wakemikey, good call.
I live in the U.P. (Houghton Mi) Lake Superior.

Mont - THANKS! Perfect. So you only needed one simer pump per sac, correct? Keep an eye out for leaks in your lines/connections as a precaution! Sorry for my typing up there...yikes...

Tony - Only once did we go more than a mile out into the main body of Lake Sup and board when it was dead calm. Riding around giant freight ships. One of the most incredible experiences....

yup just one pump per sac

sorry mike here i hope this makes sense to you. they are called riser gaskets. they go between the riser and the manifold. cost would be under $20 for gaskets. to not replace them now would be FOOLISH!! I HOPE THIS PIC HELPS.

Ok so I'm about to sell my old boat and once I do I think the next thing I need to get for the boat is new tires and rims. So my question is what size and pattern are they and what size/load capacity should I get?.....at work and looking online.haha

well im not sure on the bolt pattern but my tire size is 205/75/14

Tony, Dennis, Monty, Greg, Dan, other late 80s early 90s Supra owners... I still haven't seen any good wake pics or testimonial of how the wake rides! I saw a thread that has me worried now... That wake looks a bit teensy!

http://forums.wakeboarder.com/viewtopic.php?t=74989

Check this out
http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/8/546327.html?1206807477

That's a damn good looking wake

"Joe Roth's Wake Pics" By the way I believe this bad @ss boat is still for sale

Well yeah I have seen that one. And I've already read many other posts from people who say the older SunSports DO have a great wake both for boarding and surfing. I just hate to hear bad reports.

The only really good pics I've seen have been of the somewhat-newer SunSports like Monty and Greg have (90-92ish). They all seem to be a bit bigger in the belly and maybe a bit heavier than the 85-89s that Dennis, Tony and I have. Tony tell us more about your ride!

I'm sure they are really pretty similar, but that post makes me think that maybe at 89 they went to a different hull? That could be a big difference...

So I HAVE to see some 85-88 wakes!!! Oh, BTW 23 days until I test drive and pick up my 87!

Oh yeah I think you're right the hulls are slightly different I think the newer ones (early 90's) are a little deeper but I've seen some late 80's Sunsports with some fat wakes they were sac'ed out of course but . . . . . . You'll be happy with it for sure When I first got mine I went w/o sacs for the first month and just put my wake plate all the way up to drop down the ass end of the boat and the wake was decent like that too nothing to brag about but decent

well heres my 85 comp TS6M.

jsut put the motor back to original, tranny re and re, rub rail (not shown in picture), new carpet, and a good polish! so now shes ready for some action.

heres another

Damn Dude that thing is clean How's the wake on it ?

Here's my ballast setup:
ballast puppy mounted under floorboards under middle rear seat. Left top accessible for easy impellar replacement. Plastic cover goes over this hole, and bag sits on top of that.

Under starboard rear seat. Connection to rear seat sack. I cut out the dividers between the seats so the sack could fit. The dividers are not structural. I actually cut them out with a box cutter.

Connection for extra sack under port rear seat. Hose feeds through a hole I drilled in the base of the seat. Quick disconnect for this optional sack. It can be placed behind the engine for wakeboarding, or it can be placed along the side of the engine for surfing. Each sack has it's own pvc ball valve and quick disconnect.


Used a scoop thru hull to feed the pump. Pump is wired to a rocker switch in the front.
I thought about adding a sack to the rear locker, but the plastic insert didn't seem strong enough to support 300-400 lbs. And I don't feel comfortable placing that much weight directly on the gas tank.
This give about 750 in the rear with both sacks. We rode yesterday with just the seat sack full (350-400 lbs) plus 4 people in the boat, and the wake was actually pretty good for such little weight.

What sack do you use? Is it a tube sack?

Very Nice