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  1. #1
    Member
    Join Date
    Mar 2018
    Location
    FL
    Posts
    2

    1980 Ranger, thinking about re-wiring, and definitely need some seat repair advice!!!

    What's up guys! Took the family out Friday night in the Everglades and wouldn't you know it my 4 year old caught more fish than everyone combined...using a bobber and some bread on a hook


    Half way through the trip the steering cable went out and I was stuck doing circles for a minute, and ended up just puttering back home.

    Anyways, while I'm in the midst of replacing the steering, I was looking at a couple of other neglected projects she needs.

    1980 Ranger 1600 V-3 with a 1981 Johnson Seahorse 60.

    Wiring. It's a mess! I don't have a negative buss bar it appears...color wires everywhere, switches that don't work, live well that doesn't work you get the picture.
    Everything that I actually use works, might need a wiggle at the battery once in a while to fire the boat up, but otherwise all my needed stuff works. Should I invest some time and just redo everything? There doesn't even appear to be a main wire going up to the console from battery for positive or negative really. Lot of connectors and whatnot. About 6 or 7 wires to the negative side of the battery lol. If I redo everything, it'll have to be all marine grade. My question is should I do different colors or just stick to everything in red and black?

    The original seats are toast, too. No way am I going to spend $1000+ to have them redone, lol. Is there anyway I can redo them myself? The metal fasteners and plywood inside are all rotten. The seat material itself is decent, but I'm sure it's a pain to redo and staple back down correctly. Would I be better off buying those cheap cheap walmart seats and just mounting them in a similar fashion to my originals?

    Here's an album of the destruction lol. https://photos.app.goo.gl/cAzBrDY3U1JrGsNG6

  2. Member wmitch2's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    Fresno, Ca
    Posts
    4,319
    #2
    You "could" just add a new fuse block and just move one wire at a time, at least that would clean up that. Other way is to use a volt/ohm meter and chase one wire at a time using the Ohm reading to find each wire. Then you can pull a new wire. LONG and tedious job, but the BEST way to go. For the seats, check out bassboatseats.com.
    Ranger Boats / Mercury Motors
    G Loomis Rods / Shimano Reels
    Raymarine / MinnKota Ultrex
    Garmin / Live Scope Plus
    Pepper Jigs / Robo Worms
    Troll Bridge / V-T2 Vents


  3. Member
    Join Date
    Dec 2017
    Location
    Cambridge IL.
    Posts
    1,391
    #3
    I hate saying this because I’m a fix the girl guy. Maybe put the old girl down and find a fresh girl. $ add up fast on these situations and you will need to make the call. Good luck with your decision. If you decide to put her down have a cocktail over her. She’s been a great ride!

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