Barn find : One owner 1968 sidewinder 16ft with 150 merc

**LOSTINJ** · 02-11-2022, 03:59 PM

more pics

**FUJIMO** · 02-11-2022, 06:50 PM

Originally Posted by LOSTINJ

...it has not been out garage in 38 years...

...and this is how it deserves to be stored going forward as well...

**WaterZebra** · 02-11-2022, 07:56 PM

I agree! Stick with an inline. A V6 will look wierd!

**LOSTINJ** · 02-11-2022, 08:28 PM

its in my pole barn now

**Pulse186** · 02-11-2022, 10:54 PM

I hope you keep it as is it, there are plenty of boats out there you can throw a V6 on.

**Instigator** · 02-12-2022, 06:59 PM

Please put me on your mailing list ��

Originally Posted by LOSTINJ

Gonna be one hell of estate sale when I die !

**WaterZebra** · 02-13-2022, 02:06 PM

Originally Posted by LOSTINJ

more pics

I had a brand spankin' new SideWinder LoPro in 1974. Bright canary yellow with black accents like this one. Identical seat interior. The BIA rating for this boat at the time was 115 hp. Dealer had me lower my new Merc 150 on the transom myself because of liability issues. Power trim was fairly new then too (factory separate option). I wanted the LoPro look of a Tahiti but wanted the Sidewinder brand. Everybody owned Sidewinders with the wrap windshield. Mine chine walked like crazy near 60 mph.
Nobody thought about adding a running pad on the bottom to stop the chine walk at the time. The Sidewinder LoPro, Merc 150, tach, water pressure, power trim and HiPerf bronze 2 blade 26P prop and Calkins trailer was out the door complete turn key outfit for a whopping total of $3100 in 1974.

**LOSTINJ** · 02-13-2022, 09:29 PM

beautiful story !

**Bodhi** · 02-14-2022, 10:09 AM

What a great find! I find plenty of barns where I am....just nothing good in them yet

**Wayne Cammidge** · 02-14-2022, 11:02 AM

Is that engine not a 1976 or maybe a '77 model.
1978 - 81 the L6 was called a 140
And the last generation 140, probably the 1980 and 81 model went to the ADI/ CDI electronics and did away with the distributor.

**LOSTINJ** · 02-14-2022, 12:32 PM

No tsure as im not up to speed on the old stuff . It definitely has a dist, what is last yr for dist ?

**Forkin' Crazy** · 02-14-2022, 01:52 PM

I would have to run it at least once with IL6. It may run better than you think.

**Dave S** · 02-14-2022, 03:35 PM

Real nice stuff..... the motor still has good yellow wires........

....Jack it up 4 inches and it will not chine........

**Pulsare2400** · 02-14-2022, 11:52 PM

I agree with that statement. I had a 16 ft Sidewinder that I bought new around 1978 and by 1980 I installed a 140 HP Merc TOP. It chine walked but I could control it at wot. At that time you could only buy a manual jack plate. I made a hydraulic plate myself using an OMC trim pump and ram to lift the plate. I had a water pressure gauge and would run it at least 5" up. At that height the chine walking was virtually gone to the best of my recollection. I was running a 22 Chopper repitched to a 23P and getting around mid 60's. We used to slalom ski a lot at that time, and for that I used a 19P 3 blade aluminum with the engine all the way down.

**mr fun** · 02-15-2022, 03:29 AM

I agree with the earlier posts , leave it alone and enjoy it for what it is. if you start down that rabbit hole of trying to turn it into something it's not you will never be satisfied. Killer Surviver (sp).