Buying a Supra Saltare project

karkid · Soul Rider Joined: 10 Sep 2004 Posts: 327 City: Tempe

Hey gang,
It's been years since I sold my Supra Sunsport, but have spotted a ridiculous steal/deal on a Supra Saltare. I'm picking it up this week. It was a lake house boat, so no trailer. By God's good grace there was a inboard trailer locally for sale on craigslist that I bought last night. I'll post some pictures when I pick it up.

Haugy's boat is so beautiful that it inspired me to pull the trigger on this one. Not sure if I'll keep it after I get it cleaned up, but we'll see once I get it home.

I can't find too many of these old boats for sale, what do they sell for in good condition? I sold my old 92 Sunsport for $15,000 about 4 years ago on ebay, but I have no idea what to expect out of a Saltare. They seem a little less popular.

Suprahunter · Soul Rider Joined: 28 Apr 2008 Posts: 486 City: Lowell

What year is the boat? The first thing that any informed buyer will ask is how are the stringers. Bad stringers will reduce the sale price drastically.

karkid · Soul Rider Joined: 10 Sep 2004 Posts: 327 City: Tempe

I'm pretty sure it needs stringers. I've done that project before so I'm not worried about it. The running engine is worth more than the price I'm getting it for, let along good upholstery etc.

Commodore · Ladies Man Joined: 20 Jun 2005 Posts: 11636

Good lord, how bad is this thing? Was it sunk? Do I dare ask if it runs? Laughing

PICS PICS PICS PICS??? Come'on ya can't leave us hanging. When are you picking it up?

If you have a gem when you're done, you can get a lot for it. My 1990 Mariah sold for 14K last spring.

Thanks for the compliments. You need to see SupraHunters's boat, his is immaculately beautiful.

karkid · Soul Rider Joined: 10 Sep 2004 Posts: 327 City: Tempe

Well here's the picture when I picked it up yesterday. $1200 was for the boat, running strong, but not for the trailer. I picked the trailer up separately on craigslist, however the bunks need adjusted for a perfect fit.

As you can see the hull is stained up. The guy had it at his lake house since 1991. The interior is in really good shape. I'll be inspecting the floor really closely.

The po bought a brand new Cobalt and had no place to store it. It was paying for storage at the dealership he bought his boat at and I think he might have had more money than brains anyways, or at least didn't care about a sub-$5000 boat.

More pictures later. I need to go finish a different project this weekend before I can really touch this guy Very Happy

FlyZone CR · Posted: May 05, 2012 9:29 am Post subject:

$1200 right? Nice!

harenheadpaul · Posted: May 06, 2012 5:28 pm Post subject:

That looks like quite a find. I think it could go for at least 10k all cleaned up assuming floor is in good cond. Maybe more depending on market.

What engine does it have in it and how many hours?

anw7405 · Outlaw Joined: 10 Sep 2010 Posts: 188 City: edmond

good find!!

Okie Boarder · Ladies Man Joined: 03 Mar 2008 Posts: 10056 City: Edmond

More pictures.

karkid · Soul Rider Joined: 10 Sep 2004 Posts: 327 City: Tempe

I'll get em up here. Way too many things to get done before our housewarming party this weekend, so I haven't touched the boat.

karkid · Soul Rider Joined: 10 Sep 2004 Posts: 327 City: Tempe

Some more pics I snapped this morning before work. I think I'll be able to get started on it this Sunday. We are having a housecooling party Saturday so I won't have time before then.

karkid · Soul Rider Joined: 10 Sep 2004 Posts: 327 City: Tempe

Time to get cleaning! So where do I start pros (hrm Haugy)?

anw7405 · Outlaw Joined: 10 Sep 2010 Posts: 188 City: edmond

looks to be in good condition. 454?

Okie Boarder · Ladies Man Joined: 03 Mar 2008 Posts: 10056 City: Edmond

Not bad. The seats look like they just need a heavy cleaning, which will only cost you a small amount in materials and a bunch of time. Mine was oxidized that bad when I first got it and I was able to get it looking pretty good. I was a bit timid with how aggressively I sanded and am seeing some of the haze come back, but if you take the right approach you'll have it shining like new. You can get that swim deck (and all the other teak) looking like new, too. You may have to sand, but more likely you can use a cleaning and oil kit.

I'm jealous...you have side windows.

karkid · Soul Rider Joined: 10 Sep 2004 Posts: 327 City: Tempe

anw, yes it's a 454. I almost wish it was a 2001 just to be better on gas.

Okie, were yours busted out or just non existant?

Okie Boarder · Ladies Man Joined: 03 Mar 2008 Posts: 10056 City: Edmond

Missing...they fell off during transport when the PO still owned it.

Commodore · Ladies Man Joined: 20 Jun 2005 Posts: 11636

This boat is shot pretty hard. And it needs stringers.

In order to do this right, you need to gut it. And I mean GUT IT.

Take it all apart, seats, carpet, engine, tranny, etc and start rebuilding your stringers. Go to www.supraboats.com/bbs and start reading. There is also a new thread about a company who can make your stringers for you.

Since you are going to have to clean the piss out of this boat, might as well have it apart to where you can really clean it. One piece at a time.

Once the floor is redone with the engine and new wiring throughout, the rest is just cleaning it all up inside.

DON'T DO SQUAT TO THE EXTERIOR UNTIL IT'S DONE INSIDE. No point in having a polished turd. Get it done inside. When you do that you will be able to access the gel on the topcoat so much easier with no rails or anything in your way. Then you can wet sand and polish it up. That way when you put it back together, it's already done. Because that's the worst. Engine runs, interior all redone, and the outside looks like.......it does now. Laughing

This boat has mad potential, but you need to start from the bottom up.

Okie Boarder · Ladies Man Joined: 03 Mar 2008 Posts: 10056 City: Edmond

What makes you think it needs stringers, haugy?

Commodore · Ladies Man Joined: 20 Jun 2005 Posts: 11636

He said it did. And honestly, looking at it. If it doesn't know, it sure as hell will soon. You can see the excessive moisture damage all over the interior (mildew, and carpet glue failing), and the exterior.

This boat he got for cheap, now put some money in it, and make it bad ass for less than most of us paid just to get ours.

Start from the bottom up, do it right, do it once.

Okie Boarder · Ladies Man Joined: 03 Mar 2008 Posts: 10056 City: Edmond

Just went back and re-read...I must have missed that the first time. I do agree that it *probably* does and agree that if you're going to try to improve on the other issues, start from the bottom up. I was doing my summerizing and a few little things so I had the doghouse and center hatch over the shaft packing area and it is so nice to look in there and see how clean and dry it is. I usually knock on the stringers when I'm back there as a nice reminder of how the hard work was all worth it and how solid mine is now. Very Happy

karkid · Soul Rider Joined: 10 Sep 2004 Posts: 327 City: Tempe

I'm paying attention to that stringers thread on the supra forums. It would be awesome to rebuilt the boat in all composite. Then it will last FOREVER Very Happy

However. I'm not sure I really have enough room to do a cap off rebuild at my place. I would LOVE to, but I would have to talk the Mrs into it. Plus I haven't officially looked at the floor really well yet, but for $1300 (it ended up in a little bid war) what could I have expected!

Official word on the hours: 320. It's really a shame this guy didn't take better care of it. It could be essentially a brand new boat if they had maintained it better for the last 20 years. That being said, it really isn't in bad shape considering it is almost 25 years old. I'll get it looking good, take it out with my wife a few times so she can decide she likes boating, and then take the cap off if I do.

Right now I have $3700 in the beast including the trailer, diesel picking it up, and a tire blowout. Without a doubt I still feel like this is a gem at this price.

wakeboarderdave1 · Posted: May 12, 2012 4:17 pm Post subject:

mgs917 · Addict Joined: 17 Sep 2008 Posts: 532 City: Spartanburg

Any updates on what you are doing with this boat?

kartman · Posted: May 23, 2012 3:50 am Post subject:

im interested in this build as well, any updates?

kartman · Posted: May 26, 2012 3:46 pm Post subject:

if you give up on the build, let me know. i might be willing to take it off your hands. pm sent