New V-20 Owner

[scook]

Welcome - I agree Spareparts & Ferminator are absolutely great resources and very generous guys with good advice.

I have the same boat but it has a 170 - I've never figured out the 470/170 difference, they seem identical to me. A comment on the engine - mine had been owned by a completely non-mechanic guy who changed the oil and didn't know to do anything else. All the rubber from engine to outdrive needed replaced. The flapper that keeps water from getting up into the engine was gone and water had gotten into the back two cylinders. Wasn't too bad but needed the head done - so I recommend that you do a compression check.

My lifting eye was like yours. I just cut out the rod and used a big washer and matching bolt to anchor the deck cleat - it's not a lifting eye any more, but I don't need one. If you want to preserve that function, take Rwilson up on his offer or made it out of steel and get it galvanized (galvanizing usually charges by the pound, so it shouldn't be bad).

If you enjoy working on stuff like I do, you just got yourself a treasure - I think I got about 2 full 5 gallon buckets of abandoned wire out from several generations of electronics.

I'm sure glad I found this site several years ago when I got my V. One of the many great things about the guys here is that they aren't full of crap - you don't get a bunch of know-it-all nonsense - very good bunch of guys.