Summer ended shortly for me :( Resto begins.

[wspeedin]

Hey guys,
So I went to get my boat from where I store it and found that I forgot to take the plug out of the boat. It has been storming really bad since I was last out, so needless to say....The boat was full of water (6 inches above the floor line). I guess this is the Boat Gods way of telling me its time to get started on the resto of my beautiful 87 Supra Saltare.

I've got a guy who said he will do the stringer/floor replacement for me, but I have to pull the motor and top cap off myself. No big deal since the price is right! I think I have a good idea of the things I have to disconnect to pull the motor out of the boat. However, I was wondering if any of you guys could give me some pointers on how to get the top cap off. Like what are the things I need to locate and disconnect. I have a guy who will bring his forklift over to my place to remove everything all at once. So I have got to have everything disconnected and ready to be pulled before I call him.

Thanks in advance.

[haugy]

Oh man, that's tough. Take some before pics, and keep us up to date. I know the guys who have already done this will chime in when you need them to.

Good luck man.

[SuperSaltAir]

It is actually very easy take your time and brake it down in simple steps and you will get it
To remove the top cap
1. Remove the interior seats dog house ect. You can leave the cup holders in but you have to remove the panel that holds the shift and throttle cable
2. Disconnect the main harness between the engine and dash board
3. Disconnect the battery cables
4. Disconnect the bilge hose I cut mines because I planed on replacing it
5. If there are any more wires other than the main harness coming down of the dash mark them and cut them
6. Remove the gas tank
7. Remove the rub rail and drill out all of the rivets
8. Lift the top cap off. I would suggest using some kind of spreader bar I would think 12ft beam would work. I did not use the spreader bar when I did mines and it was a bit sketchy. Have tools on hand when you are lifting it off just in case you missed wires or hoses so you can disconnect or cut them.

9. I did not take my engine out but I would think your pretty much ready to pull it out once the cap is off.

Take lots of pics before especially close ups. Things come up projects get off track and a few months after your trying to put stuff together its helpful to refresh your memory of how it all goes back together.

[SuperSaltAir]

Also I found this to be very helpful on my last project and it saved me a bunch of time to. Go to the store and get a box of zip lock bags and a few sharpies. When you remove screws bolts ect put them in marked bags. Even if you dont plan or reusing some of the rusted bolts save them in marked bags. When your trying to put stuff back together it is helpful to see what was there so you know what to replace it with.

[wspeedin]

Hey everyone,
I know it has been awhile since I gave an update on my Resto project so here is a small update.

The boat has been out of the water since July and since then I have removed the motor and all the interior to begin the stringers and floor. The motor is completely taken apart and on the motor stand.
http://i1112.photobucket.com/albums/k483/wspeedin/28959971013F1A14B.png

I have been hard at work making all the accessories look good and new again and am finally done with that.
http://i1112.photobucket.com/albums/k483/wspeedin/2814732465FBD7804.png
http://i1112.photobucket.com/albums/k483/wspeedin/276623582068B8E45.png

The motor will actually be taken to the local machince shop to have the heads ported and polished and a valve job done as well as honing the cylinder walls, new rings and bearing throughout. The motor had 1300 hours so I figured it was due for a refresh. :)

[wspeedin]

I plan on having a local guy redo the stringers and floor but to make it a little cheaper Im bringing him just a hull. So this weekend I had some buddies help me seperate the hull from the top cap. Surprisingly, it was simple! I got in the boat and after a couple hours unscrewing the rubrail and removing the screws from inside and disconnecting everything else we hooked it up to get removed.
http://i1112.photobucket.com/albums/k483/wspeedin/IMAG0274.jpg
We used a piece of 6x8 lumber to span between the two cubby holes in the walkway as the lifting point and voila! It was off!! :)
Being suspended in the air, I just drove the boat out from underneath and then backed a trailer into where the boat was. We just set the top cap onto this trailer and supported the sides so it didnt have any flex. You know, jsut in case I want to trailer it somewhere, lol.
http://i1112.photobucket.com/albums/k483/wspeedin/IMAG0275-1.jpg


So then I just took the hull over to the guys shop and he said he will be done in about 4 weeks. Lets cross our fingers and hope so, cus soon it will be riding season.!!!! :)

[Okie Boarder]

Looks like you are off to a good start!

[TitanTn]

Looking great. Keep us updated with your progress.

[wotan2525]

The forklift has to make this about 2 billion times easier. Good work!!

[wspeedin]

So this weekend I decided to try and do some engraving on some pieces.
The storage doors above the cooler are made of acrylic and are tinted. I plan on putting red lights inside the storage areas and i thought that it would be cool if something made it a little more cool.
So, I cut a new piece of acrylic and started some engraving. This picture is just a test to see how it would look.
http://i1112.photobucket.com/albums/k483/wspeedin/398375_10150526497674483_656064482_8440093_4372924 61_n.jpg
hope yall like

[TitanTn]

Ok. I give. That's VERY cool! How did you do that?

[wspeedin]

Titan, I printed some Supra logos the size I wanted and also printed them mirrored image and then taped the paper to the acrylic. Then I used a Dremel Electric Engraver and traced the image onto the acrylic. You can buy the Dremel tool for $20 at home depot. I think its a great investment because it can be used on almost all types of materials from metal to leather.

[TitanTn]

That's a very cool idea. I'm going to remember that one.

[Okie Boarder]

You could also make a template out of something and find a chemical that would etch (not melt) the acrylic and get the same or similar affect. Looks pretty cool and I like the idea.

[wspeedin]

So I got a call from the guy doing my stringers and floor repair. He wanted to let me know that he got the floor up and all the foam out. He also wanted to let me know it was gong to take more work than what he had quoted me for. It erks me that he wanted more money because I told him what it was going to take when we first talked. But you know, what can I do, its still cheaper than anybody else around here.
So I went up to his shop and checked out the progress and snap a few pictures.
http://i1112.photobucket.com/albums/k483/wspeedin/IMAG0303.jpg
http://i1112.photobucket.com/albums/k483/wspeedin/IMAG0302.jpg

After meeting with him I went home to blow off some steam by working on other parts of the boat. So I sanded took the old teak trim pieces and started to sand, clean, brighten and oil...
http://i1112.photobucket.com/albums/k483/wspeedin/IMAG0307.jpg
http://i1112.photobucket.com/albums/k483/wspeedin/IMAG0304.jpg

[wspeedin]

http://i1112.photobucket.com/albums/k483/wspeedin/IMAG0301.jpg


On Friday night Monster Jam came to The Time Warner Cable Arena here in Charlotte and my wife bought 3 tickets for the family to go. Shes so nice :)
http://i1112.photobucket.com/albums/k483/wspeedin/IMAG0297.jpg

[wotan2525]

If anyone ever wants those acrylic pieces engraved, just let me know. I've got a laser engraver and it could do those perfectly in about 10 minutes.

[wspeedin]

I was wondering if anybody could tell me what kind of fiberglass I could use that is maliable around edges and corners? and where i can get it? Im planning on wrapping all the wood seat bases in fiberglass so I can paint them and hopefully they will stay in tact for a much longer period of time.
Thanks

[bens250ex]

Hit up uscomposites.com they have everything you need fiberglass wise

[bens250ex]

I though you asked where to get the stuff my bad. A 6oz cloth might do what you want? I am using a 10oz on my floor and it seems to form decent

[wspeedin]

I though you asked where to get the stuff my bad. A 6oz cloth might do what you want? I am using a 10oz on my floor and it seems to form decent

Ok, Great! Thank you, I just went ahead and called us composites and spoke with them about what to use. Ill be getting 6oz e-glass and polester resin. Ugh, I hate fiberglass!!

[bens250ex]

I don't like it either k can't wait to be done with my stringers

[TitanTn]

It's a little concerning that your guy didn't know what he was getting into. I'd make regular visits to make sure that it's going back the way you want it to.

[wspeedin]

It's a little concerning that your guy didn't know what he was getting into. I'd make regular visits to make sure that it's going back the way you want it to.

I fully agree! I was not happy with him. Unfortuantley he is the only person around here in my price range, so ill take what I can get. :( however, I do plan on being on his @$$ about it. He says she will be done in about two weeks and I will be making plenty of stops between now and then. We talked over exactly what he was going to do in full detail. So hopefully we will see if he gets it right.
He is also going to gelcoat the floor while he is in there. The idea is to be able to have a boat that I can just spray clean with a hose, no water entering the wood and plenty of drainage holes.

[bens250ex]

yea make sure he knows what he is doing, make sure you can visually see the stringers before he lays the floor. when i tore my boat apart i found out that someone had already dont a partial stringer job. And they didnt know what the hell they were doing. They only tabbed in the new outters and decided to not even fully cover them in glass. Just make sure you dont have this happen on your boat.

[jet]

Gelcoat with what??

[wspeedin]

Gelcoat with what??

Jet, Im not sure exactly what you're meaning to ask. however, Im going to answer what I think you are asking....I would assume he is using some sort of gelcoat on top of the fiberglass he lays down. He will then add a rubberized pellet to the gelcoat to give it a grippy surface. The end result is to be something like a center console boat or even the newer nautique boats. Just pull out of the water and spray clean.

[wspeedin]

So I took the 454 down to the engine builder last night and he called me today with some bad news. Apparently there is a crack in the deck of the block. I knew the boat had issues but damn! What a headache!!

[TitanTn]

That sucks. I know it's a headache, but hopefully you can find a block easily enough. The good news is that on the other side of all of this, you'll know exactly what you have and will be able to rely on it.

[wspeedin]

You're right Titan, I will know the ins and outs of the boat! I went and looked at the block last night and the crack is on the port side of the motor between the head and intake manifold. It looks like the sidewall of one of the water jackets is cracked. After talking with the builder he said he has a guy that should be able to fix the crack but I may have to resurface the deck. Basically went from a refresh to a full blown build. Also, on the port side the second cylinder wall is pitted really bad so it will get a .30 over bore. Plus a new cam. I think Im going to get a good performance cam, something that will build a lot of torque :)

[wspeedin]

So I got the motor back from the builder today he painted the block black for me and installed the intake manifold I had cleaned/repainted earlier in the week and the new valve covers.
http://i1112.photobucket.com/albums/k483/wspeedin/IMAG0312.jpg

The builder repaired the crack in the water jacket above the #1 cylinder very nicely! :) He added a cam that would add some more torque for pulling more weight. And because the #3 cylinder had alot of pitting he went .30 over with the bore. New bearings, rings, freeze plugs, and a valve job. After all this work he charged wha tI think to be a fair price of $1800. Im looking forward to the new motor lasting along time after this.
http://i1112.photobucket.com/albums/k483/wspeedin/IMAG0311.jpg

[TitanTn]

Looks great. Can't wait to see it in the boat. Just a word of advice based on a mistake I recently made and am still paying for. Be sure to have strong enough chain quick links when you lift the motor. If not, the engine can come crashing to the ground, and this makes grown people cry.

[sybrmike]

Those valve covers have to be good for another 2-3 mph on the top end:) Sound like even prettier on the inside. Gonna be tough keepin a light throttle for break in...

TT - hope you cryin from a smashed pan & not a broken bone.

[TitanTn]

Yeah. Smashed pan and bent raw water pump shaft or pulley. Fortunately no one was hurt.

[wspeedin]

Yeah Titan, my buddies nautique shop has everything I need to make it a quick and easy install. It definitely makes it easier when you have friends who do this stuff for a living :)

Sybrmike, Im thinking the chrome flames are gonna add about 4.35hp to the overall performance of the motor :) lol. They were $30 and the originals were in no condition to go back on the boat. Im going to hope I can do the break in on the trailer at the dock. I could just do it with a water hose connected but I was thinking that wouldnt be the best idea because it could overheat or whatnot. So better safe than sorry.

[cadunkle]

Yes, when breaking in the cam have the boat in the water. I would be concerned over the ability of a garden hose to deliver the water flow required for a 2000-3000 RPM cam breakin on an engine without timing or jetting set right. All sorts of issues can make 'em run hot on breakin.

Also, suggest using Valvoline VR-1 oil along with a bottle of Comp (or whatever your cam manufacturer recommends) breakin additive. Don't just run Rotella because every says it has high sulfer and zinc content. They drastically reduces the sulfer and zinc in Rotella a few years back and I wiped a cam on a customer's engine a few years back... Had to swallow that one. Valvoline published the sulfer and zinc content of their oil and it's one of the highest you can get off the shelf, if not the highest.

[wspeedin]

I would love some opinions from ya'll on this part of the boat....I am redoing the acrylic storage doors and putting re dLED lights behind the doors to illuminate the interior area that they protect. I have had the idea to have the Supra logo on these acrylic doors and i want the red light to shine through the logo. So the first idea I had was to tint the glass and then engrave the logo into it. Earlier in this thread I posted a picture of the engraving without tint. And now Im going to post a picture of just the tint with the logo cut out of the tint.

My question is, which one do you guys like more?
http://i1112.photobucket.com/albums/k483/wspeedin/IMAG0319.jpg
or
http://i1112.photobucket.com/albums/k483/wspeedin/398375_10150526497674483_656064482_8440093_4372924 61_n.jpg

[TitanTn]

I think the dark tinted version will be better for the storage compartment doors. You won't want to see all the stuff you have stored in the compartment all the time.

[wspeedin]

I think the dark tinted version will be better for the storage compartment doors. You won't want to see all the stuff you have stored in the compartment all the time.

Titan, I would tint the engraved one before I started the engraving. This picture just shows what the engraving looked like (it was a test piece). So try and imagine that it is tinted with the engraving in it. :)

[TitanTn]

Ah, missed that part. In that case I like the engraving on on the clear glass example.

[sybrmike]

I think frosting the cut out area of the tint will definitely help it pop - lit and unlit. As an alternative to engraving, I've used a sandblaster to frost glass with pretty good results & imagine it'd work good on plex as well.

Mask the area with several layers of masking tape, cut out the area to be frosted with an exacto knife, blast with a cheap hand held and playsand. Can't dwell on the edges too long cause it will eventually eat through the tape, but a few light passes are all that's needed to get a nice uniform frosted effect with sharp edges. The engraving looks great, but blasting's bound to be a lot less tedious.

[wspeedin]

sybrmike, thats a great idea! I have also seen some sticker companies make a frosted or etched glass looking sticker that can be cut to whatever you desire. I thought that this might be a good idea as well. It would definitely make it less of a tedious job.

[wspeedin]

Update.....
I spent Saturday up at my buddies shop where my engine is at. We took the engine off the trailer and put her back on the trusty stand. I installed all the accessories back onto the motor minus the alternator which I am still sourcing a new one. So here's what she looks like.
http://i1112.photobucket.com/albums/k483/wspeedin/IMAG0322.jpg
http://i1112.photobucket.com/albums/k483/wspeedin/IMAG0324.jpg
http://i1112.photobucket.com/albums/k483/wspeedin/IMAG0323.jpg

I went by the shop that is doing the stringers and floor and took a quick snap of his progress.
http://i1112.photobucket.com/albums/k483/wspeedin/IMAG0320.jpg

Hopefully it will be back in my hands soon. and I can get to installing the top cap and all the new goodies into the boat.

[TitanTn]

Will he be pulling everything out, or is he scabbing in the new stringers as it sits in the photo?

[wspeedin]

he is removing everything. he is doing the outside stringers first and then the main stringers.

[Okie Boarder]

Looks like everything is coming along nicely. That engine is purty!

[wspeedin]

Ok, so recently I have been working on the dash inserts. Im sure some of you have seen my posts in the "Recovering my Dash Panel..." thread. But, since this is my thread for my build I will post them here as well.
Thanks :)
This is the left side of the dash
http://i1112.photobucket.com/albums/k483/wspeedin/IMAG0345.jpg
This is the right side of the dash
http://i1112.photobucket.com/albums/k483/wspeedin/IMAG0344.jpg

[TitanTn]

I like that red background and back gauges. It's a nice contrast.

[wspeedin]

another little update....got the skins made for the backrests in the bow. man, my buddy did an excellent job on these. now to just put them on the wood and foam.
http://i1112.photobucket.com/albums/k483/wspeedin/imagejpeg_2_4.jpg

[wspeedin]

Well guys, I am still waiting on my boat to be finished by the guy doing the stringers and floor. However, I stopped by his place this past weekend and had a look at the boat. He's got all the stringers bedded in and all but one glassed in. He seems to think he will have it done by the end of this week. Hopefully he is correct. In the meantime, he gave me a few pictures of the work he had done and the progress he had made. So I though I would share the photos with ya'll.
Here is a picture of the floor coming up
http://i1112.photobucket.com/albums/k483/wspeedin/IMAG0411.jpg

A look at the port side main stringer beforee glasswork
http://i1112.photobucket.com/albums/k483/wspeedin/IMAG0413.jpg

And the starboard side
http://i1112.photobucket.com/albums/k483/wspeedin/IMAG0415.jpg

We decided to add a lip for the floor to attach to that wasnt directly on the stringer
http://i1112.photobucket.com/albums/k483/wspeedin/IMAG0414.jpg

[wspeedin]

A few more
http://i1112.photobucket.com/albums/k483/wspeedin/IMAG0412.jpg

http://i1112.photobucket.com/albums/k483/wspeedin/IMAG0416.jpg

[TitanTn]

Looking good. When he says done this weekend, does that just mean with the stringer portion, or everything?

[wspeedin]

Im assuming done with everything. He was talking about laying the deck in on Sunday and then spraying the gelcoat later in the week. However he has been saying the same thing for the past month, so we will see. He is almost 2 months behind schedule, but I would rather it be done right and take longer than half assed and done quickly. We will see though. I forgot to mention that we are putting some foam back in the boat. We will fill the cavity between the outer stringers and hull with foam for floatation reasons.

[sybrmike]

Good looking progress, even if it is behind schedule (but aren't they always...). I know to foam or not to foam is a debatable & personal decision, but you might want to reconsider the partial foam job. If the purpose of the foam is for floatation, you need enough to float the boat - otherwise you'll only slightly slow down how fast she reaches the bottom if it ever came to that. I ran some calcs when digging the foam out of mine & it was marginal if even the full amount of factory foam job would float it, so it wasn't worth it to me to put it back in.

Personally, I hate foam trapped in sealed compartments on a wood stringer boat. Despite best efforts to seal and waterproof - water will make it down there, foam will get saturated, & rot will begin. Admittedly, that might take 5, 10, or 20+ years, but not worth it to me. Now, foam does have some good aspects - sound deadening properties & can add some additional structure (heck, I think it was the only thing holding mine together). But if you want it for floatation, just be sure to add enough to do you some good... Just my .02

[Okie Boarder]

To add to the foam discussion, I actually discussed this wtih Jim at Viper. He was designer for Supra and I feel he has a good basis for the knowledge of the designs. I asked about foam and he said it was purely for sound deadening and rigidity. Even with all compartments full it isn't enough to truly float the boat per coast guard standards. Whether fully foamed or no foam, he said the result would be the same. The stern would go down, boat would go vertical and it would all go under water, with it likely bobbing at the surface with just a foot or two of the bow sticking out of the water with an air bubble trapped in the bow holding it at the surface. Just some food for thought.

[cadunkle]

To each his own, but personally I'd never put foam back in a boat. I believe it's not even USCG required for a Saltare as it's over the length requirement. Foam under the floor means a wet boat that will never dry out. Eventually it'll become a problem.

Vests always within arms length if you're worried. Two uber bilge pumps would be a good idea too... Along with a valve on the raw water pickup if you haven't added one already.

[wspeedin]

I should get the boat back this weekend!!! Yay! Finally! I will run the wires and put in the motor as soon as I can. My question is, when I am installing the new motor into the fresh stringers is there a good process? I am thinking that I will just set the motor in the boat with the mounts attached to the engine and tranny and then get it roughly into place where I can mount the drive shaft to the back of the tranny. Then will pilot holes into the stringers and then 5200 the bolt threads and the hole.
Any idea what the gap should be between the driveshaft to the tailshaft of the tranny? I have a set of feeler gauges and I was thinking somewhere around .010 of a gap minimum.

[jet]

I did mine just like that. I went ahead and put my exhaust flex pipes on the hanging motor (those things dont bend so it would be hard to put on later) then crawl under the boat and slide the prop shaft back and fourth and you will find wear marks on the shaft where it sat last time, line-up the wear marks with the shaft holder (only about 1" should stick out or show. Now drop engine in with mounts on and slide on the exhaust (spary parts with wd-40 so they will slide on better) before lowering all the way, then slide the engine and trans back till it comes in contact with the shaft. Now mark your holes with a sharpie and pull engine back out (I forgot to do this and had to pull out engine another time. quit laughing, it was a lot of work, lol) and drill a smaller hole size (i only went in 1" for a starter hole) that the bolt itself. Drop engine back in. Then drive the bolts back in 98% of the way, pull back out and fill hole 25% with 5200 and drive the bolt back in Do-not-over-tighten and start to strip the hole out. Better to be tight and not much pressure than to be loose from stripping the threads. Now!! There are long bolts for the engine and short ones for the trans be sure and watch out for that. Yes, I put all of my long engine bolts in the trans holes, lol. So 1-more trip to home depot for more engine bolts. BUT! All of my bolts are 5" bolts now, shes not wiggling loose later. lol. Boats make you feel so stupid sometimes. lol. Its all funny now. With the shaft, the exhaust and the shaft coupler all lined-up it makes it real easy to tell where it goes, so dont worry like I did for a week..like you are right now. lol Call me if you need any help man. take pics for your photo album later. Good luck!

[wspeedin]

Thanks Jet. Man, stress? LOL! I have been stressing over all the little things that are going to add up! The big parts are easy, its all the little tedious sh!t thats gonna kill me.

[lively]

.003 is the allowed tolerance for shaft coupling to coupling adjust motor from there

[wspeedin]

I picked up the boat today from the guy who did the stringers and floor. He may have taken awhile to get it done but I am happy with the work that was done. It seems to be built like a brick wall now! Definitely much much better than factory original. So here are a few pics I snapped once I got her back home.
http://i1112.photobucket.com/albums/k483/wspeedin/imagejpeg_2_22.jpg
http://i1112.photobucket.com/albums/k483/wspeedin/imagejpeg_4.jpg
http://i1112.photobucket.com/albums/k483/wspeedin/imagejpeg_3.jpg

[TitanTn]

Looking great Will. You've got a lot of work in front of you now. Keep us updated with pictures.

[wspeedin]

Thanks Rob, Yeah, I am dreading having to get everything back together. Its those little things that end up adding up! :(

[jet]

The lil things are killing me right now. I took the engine out in 1-hr, i put the engine in in 2-hrs, Trying to figure some lil things out? A half a day, and then if you change your mind its another 1/2 day. This is messing up my launch day for sure.

[wspeedin]

Ok, so I have not gotten much accomplished on my baot since picking it up in April from having the strigners and floor redone. I have been busy selling my hosue, moving and searching for a new house. Most everything is packed deep into a storage unit. However, this weekend I got a small amount of work done. It took me all day to do the simplest of tasks. I was able to install and 5200 the swimdeck brackets on. As well as a new thru-hull fitting for the larger bilge pump I am installing.
http://i1112.photobucket.com/albums/k483/wspeedin/IMAG0446.jpg

I also repaired the broken off prop guard. Replaced the flat stock metal with exhaust tubing. Maybe this way I wont rip it off going up steep embankments...lol
http://i1112.photobucket.com/albums/k483/wspeedin/IMAG0450.jpg

And here is the new thru hull. It was still wet so I havent removed the excess 5200.
http://i1112.photobucket.com/albums/k483/wspeedin/IMAG0451.jpg

Maybe I will actually gett some bigger work done on the baot sometime soon.

[jet]

Man! Moving and trying to redo your boat. I thought mine was tuff. Work lloks good man. That 5200 is hard to work with, It sticks to everything. lol

[wspeedin]

Man! Moving and trying to redo your boat. I thought mine was tuff. Work lloks good man. That 5200 is hard to work with, It sticks to everything. lol

I know, right!!! I found 5200 between my toes when I got home and took a shower... wierd. how in the hell it got into my shoe, under my sock and on my toes I will never understand. I did find that Acetone takes it off really well. :)

[wspeedin]

Between selling my home, moving out of it, work, and living with my in-laws until I find a new home, I have had little to no time to work on the boat. However, this weekend I took some time to get up to the boat and get some work done.
When I bought the Saltare its speedo's didnt work because the pitot was broken. So I bought some new ones from a Mastercraft and installed them this weekend.
http://i1112.photobucket.com/albums/k483/wspeedin/IMAG0460.jpg

While the 5200 dried on those I got to work on the engine. The motor has been rebuilt and so was sitting on the engine stand still. So I got the forklift out and lifted the engine off the stand and got the tranny bolted up and everything wired and ready to go back in.
http://i1112.photobucket.com/albums/k483/wspeedin/IMG_20120610_115850.jpg

Of course, my luck, the skies got dark and the clouds opened up as I was getting the engine into its cradle. So I got it in place, almost fully lined up and had to call it quits. Put the cover on her and I hope maybe next weekend I can pay her some more much needed attention.
http://i1112.photobucket.com/albums/k483/wspeedin/IMAG0462.jpg

[TitanTn]

Keep at it Will. Looking good.

[jet]

Same here man. I worked on my motorcycle trailer all day sat and sold it sat night and then sun i was chasing amps and stereo equipment down so nothing done in 2-wks now. : ((

[Salty87]

taking a break is a good thing sometimes.

once you turn the corner from demolition to restoration things happen more quickly. and, summer hasn't really even started. we haven't hit 100 yet.

[wspeedin]

Well, I havent gotten much done on the boat lately due to moving homes. However, I was able to finally get back to working on the boat the other day. I spent the entire day sanding the swim platform and then cleaning the teak, brightening the teak, and oiling the teak. then I installed it on the boat. Shew! It only took the entire day.
http://i1112.photobucket.com/albums/k483/wspeedin/swimplatform-1.jpg

[csuggs]

Looks nice Will. Keep wittling away at it!

[92SupraComp]

wow. started reading the forum at 1:20 A.M. now its 1:41 A.M. and finally caught up. Man what a project! Wow. how you handle that stress and how all you people manage to do this huge task is amazing. I really hope I wont have to do this in the next 10 years. Sadly 2nd gen Maratiniques are prone to stringer rot and we have a 3rd gen (last year of production) and they probably have the same problem. We are the 3rd owners of it and the plug fell out once and the water came up to the harmonic balancer and flung water every where! luckily we heard it so we knew it was full of water. And the boat only had 600 hours on it we bought it in fall 2010. But out Supra. Man that has been full of water a couple times but we are the 2nd owners since 1994. And EVERYTHING is covered in thick layers of glass. I dont think it will need attention for a long time. :)


Also. that teak is looking really nice! Good Work!

[wspeedin]

Wow! So it has been awhile since I actually was given time to work on the Saltare. The wife has been keeping me busy with the "Honey-do" list. Cna somebody remind me why I got married, lol, j/k.
So wierdly, it got really warm here in NC this weekend and I mad eroom in the garage to stuff this beast in for the weekend so that I could work on her.
http://i1112.photobucket.com/albums/k483/wspeedin/A9965DB0-70AE-4071-B661-58A884C61D63-19505-000015F1A630E46F.jpg

I was able to get the gas tank in, the windows back on and part of the Perfect Pass installed. Im really not fond of all the small things...guh, its gonna be a long winter!
http://i1112.photobucket.com/albums/k483/wspeedin/5BF680C7-34BE-4CAC-908B-B59B409387CF-19505-000015F1AE877293.jpg

Now here come smy dilemma. I bought one of those higher output alternators like what TitanTn (I think) put on his ride, but I cant figure out how in the heck to wire it.
The new alternator has only one post on it....
http://i1112.photobucket.com/albums/k483/wspeedin/1A6BBC2C-B5CB-43DA-ACCB-D90B1DFDD3D2-19505-000015F1BA21F57C.jpg

But my boat, has three wires
http://i1112.photobucket.com/albums/k483/wspeedin/857B9AD0-720F-4186-9BD8-5ED27EACD7B7-19505-000015F1B4FFB40B.jpg

Question is....how do I wire this up?

[TitanTn]

That wasn't me Will. I haven't messed with my alternator yet, although I have messed with the starter a little.

I don't have a lot of experience with the one wire alternators, but my understanding is that you won't use any of the existing wiring when converting. You'll need to run a new, dedicated line to your battery or battery switch and put an in-line fuse in closer to the battery than the alternator. Your new alternator has a built in regulator versus the external one that your 3-wire was connected to, so all you need is the one wire to the battery that it's charging.

[wotan2525]

Correct. 1-wire to the battery.

(Most people, myself included, wire this straight to the battery by hooking it to the "battery" lead on the starter. So technically it is hooked directly to the starter but the effect is the same as having it hooked to the battery.) Use some 4gauge or larger wire.

[a_deleon]

Nice build you have going on. I am about to get started on my winter build even though it is not really winter here. This gives me a heads up for what I am getting into and have to deal with when I start taking out parts this weekend. I have a buddy that is doing my floor since he does that for a living and he is doing the floor and I am rebuilding his jetski motors.

I was wondering about how much material did you use fiberglass wise to do the entire floor? Once I pull the floor and take out the foam I was going to get a list from my friend but would like to hear from others how much material they ordered for their floor rebuild.

[wspeedin]

Titan, Thats why I put (I Think) in there. I know it was somebody with a Salt, but couldnt figure out who. Oh well, I bet it was Sybrmike...maybe. lol.
Anyway, thanks for the help guys! I think I will jsut do what wotan2525 suggested.

a_deleon, I couldnt tell you how much fiberglass was used. I had a professional do the stringers and floor for me. I can tell you that it was A WHOLE LOT!! Lol

[sybrmike]

Glad to see you're getting a start on her, Will. Spring will be here before you know it...

Yes, MAYBE it was me who put a 140A alternator on my Salt (and ran the single 4 ga wire back to the battery lead on the starter - like Wotan maybe does). I redid my entire harness with the electronic ignition conversion, but think you can just wrap the the regulator pigtails up out of the way.

[wspeedin]

Hey guys, I was hoping you could help me with something. I am about to reinstall the throttle controls whihc I took out and disassembled before I moved out of my house. I was cleaning and painting and regreasing all the parts in the controls and had everything laid out in order but then I ahd to pack up and move. Needless to say, I forgot where what goes, lol.
I have put the internal parts back together but the part I cant figure out is how the brackets that mount the control cables to the control assembly are suppossed to be aligned. I was hoping somebody had a picture of the back of their controls. I will try to get the parts set up so I can take a picture to shwo you guys what I am tlaking about.

[wspeedin]

Also, wotan or sybrmike, I think I will be running a 4 gauge wire from the starter to the alternator. My question is, what size fuse did yoiu put in line with that?

[sybrmike]

Not sure if this is the exact one, but most of the throttles are fairly universal

http://www.teleflexmarine.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/MV2-instruction_manual.pdf

I installed a 140A alternator, so pretty sure I used a 150A fuse?

[chris young]

I just thought I'd address the foam issue mentioned several posts back. Firstly, extruded polystyrene, (blue or pink Styrofoam) cut to fit and glued in place with low expansion foam would be my first choice. The extruded stuff (as opposed to the white expanded polystyrene) is closed cell and does not absorb water. I like the idea that if for some unforeseen reason you punch a hole in the hull, (rock, deadhead, wakeboarder, limpet mine), you will take on water slow enough to get the boat back and out of the water, but if that's open space...

[Salty87]

i went with a circuit breaker from blue sea when i upgraded my alt. i don't like carrying spares. looks like this...

http://bluesea.com/files/images/products/thumbs182/7002_182x182.jpg

http://bluesea.com/category/3/10/productline/overview/13

[wspeedin]

So, I was trying to do some wiring on the boat the other weekend...JEEZ! What a nightmare! I was hoping some of you could help me with some of this.
Back at the gas tank area I have a harness that comes from the helm. In this harness there is three black wires, which I would assume are grounds. Then their is a pink, a yellow, and a gray with black stripe. I see that the pink goes to the fuel tank. However, coming off the fuel tank there are three wires, a black, a pink, and a green. There also seems to be a green wire coming from the underside of the fuel filler cap. Any ideas on what in the heck that is? I was thinking that the yellow wire went to the blowers or the bilge pump? Also, the transom light looks like it wasnt even gonnected, it has a black and a green wire coming from it. Any ideas?

[Jetlink]

Will, without spending a bunch of time going back and forth between this thread and my records for my comp, I know you have a salt but bear with me here... On the aft harness the following wires go to the following items if installed.

Gray/Black = Transom light
Pink = Fuel sending unit
Brown = Manual bilge
Brown/White= Auto bilge
Yellow/Black = Aft blower
Black = Ground

[TitanTn]

I don't know if this will help or not, but here's a shot of the wiring around my tank area as found when I first tore into it. The pink wire is going to the fuel sending unit.

http://unumemarketing.com/boat/tank_wires.jpg

[Jerry02]

Nice boats Looking Great:) the Green and black Wire Connecting one port Wt is this?

[michael hunter]

Those are fuel sender wires. Whats up with the refrigerator for sale Jerry?

[wspeedin]

Its been awhile since I have been able to actually install things on the boat but this past weekend that changed. I was able to get some nice weather and get some things done on the boat!!
I finished up wiring the aft harness and bilge harness. Did some clean up on the motor and installed the last couple of things on it. Then I finished up the wiring for the dash and installed it. The new switches required fuses so I also had to install and wire up a panel. I went a little overboard and bought a Blue Sea Systems 12 terminal panel with a ground block on it.
http://i1112.photobucket.com/albums/k483/wspeedin/3FE53485-5B06-4221-AF6C-DD6A56152E8E-18376-0000155469969F8F_zpsb8bb7e4d.jpg (http://s1112.photobucket.com/user/wspeedin/media/3FE53485-5B06-4221-AF6C-DD6A56152E8E-18376-0000155469969F8F_zpsb8bb7e4d.jpg.html)
http://i1112.photobucket.com/albums/k483/wspeedin/04821D98-B2C7-4058-B4F3-31485BB5CD27-18376-0000155473D6D224_zpsdc09efe3.jpg (http://s1112.photobucket.com/user/wspeedin/media/04821D98-B2C7-4058-B4F3-31485BB5CD27-18376-0000155473D6D224_zpsdc09efe3.jpg.html)
http://i1112.photobucket.com/albums/k483/wspeedin/A183672B-4E48-4D50-9A58-BD872849AE89-18376-00001554651E72E5_zps0d7c0853.jpg (http://s1112.photobucket.com/user/wspeedin/media/A183672B-4E48-4D50-9A58-BD872849AE89-18376-00001554651E72E5_zps0d7c0853.jpg.html)

[wspeedin]

http://i1112.photobucket.com/albums/k483/wspeedin/106EC80B-03AF-45EF-988E-2CA45B5D2A97-18376-000015545F82A998_zps0aaa046c.jpg (http://s1112.photobucket.com/user/wspeedin/media/106EC80B-03AF-45EF-988E-2CA45B5D2A97-18376-000015545F82A998_zps0aaa046c.jpg.html)
http://i1112.photobucket.com/albums/k483/wspeedin/02B5FD02-6FCE-4925-BFD4-A13D9C24ABC6-18376-000015546F40DFE3_zps6fe2e2bf.jpg (http://s1112.photobucket.com/user/wspeedin/media/02B5FD02-6FCE-4925-BFD4-A13D9C24ABC6-18376-000015546F40DFE3_zps6fe2e2bf.jpg.html)

[sybrmike]

Looking real nice there, Will. I like how you changed it up & always been a fan of having all the gauges clustered for a quick glance at the vitals.

[Salty87]

wiring, dash, wheel...look fantastic!

what's the plan for the floor?...snap in carpet?

[Okie Boarder]

Looking good man.

[wspeedin]

wiring, dash, wheel...look fantastic!

what's the plan for the floor?...snap in carpet?

Im not sure yet, most likely the floor will just get a quick clean and it will stay the way it is. It has been sealed up so that nothing penetrates the floor. This way I can just hose it out at the end of the day. I like simplicity. :)

[Zim]

Im not sure yet, most likely the floor will just get a quick clean and it will stay the way it is. It has been sealed up so that nothing penetrates the floor. This way I can just hose it out at the end of the day. I like simplicity. :)

Snap in carpet would be great in there. You get the benefit of not having water pool anywhere in the boat, less slippery, and soft on your feet yet you can still pull the carpet out quickly to hose it out if needed.

Cool build.. this was a fun thread to read.

[wspeedin]

So my weekend has pretty much sucked! I decided that it was time to turn this engine over and try to get the boat fired up this weekend! Oh boy! The first try was no success, when I hit the ignition the started didnt budge the engine. So I took the starter off and tried to get it to engage and nothing happenned. So I took the starter apart only to find it was full of water on the inside. So I cleaned it up and put it all back together and the starter is now engaging with no issues.
So I installed the starter back in the boat and the engine turned over about half a rotation and then wouldnt budge again. I took the starter back off and it was engaging fine. So I ruled out the starter being the cause of the non-rotation. I put a breaker bar on the crankshaft nut at the front of the engine. All it would do is tighten the nut and never turn the engine over. By the way, I have taken all the spark plugs out to keep pressure out of the cylinders while troubleshooting.
At this point I was very confused as to why the enigne was not rotating at all. I put a pry bar inside the starter housing on the transmission and was able to rotate the flywheel about a half an inch but no more. So I decided that I would pull the tranny out while the enigne was in the boat, hoping that the alignment of the tranny was binding the engine rotation. After getting the transmission out I put put the pry bar back on the flywheel and have been able to rotate the engine about 90 degrees one way and then back 90 degrees the opposite way. It feels like it gets a little more rotation with every try but still havent gotten an entire rotation. I am at a loss! I did find a little bit of rus tin one of the cylinders but not enough to keep the engine from rotating. I also sprayed the hell out of it with PB Blaster and then poured Marvel Mystery Oil in all the cylinders but this hasnt changed anything.

I guess my next step is to pull the heads off the engine and see if the cylinders are being stopped by debris or something?
Any guess as to what in the heck is going on?

[TitanTn]

I may have missed it, but has this run since your rebuild? Didn't you pay someone to completely rebuild the engine? If so, I'd take it back to him.

[wspeedin]

Yea Titan, I paid somebody to rebuild the engine. I called him and he wants me to remove the enigne from the baot and bring it to him. I would rather not have to do that.

[TitanTn]

I understand. You may not want to drop off the whole boat either, but at this point, I'd say if he wants it out then he needs to take it out. You installed it with the understanding that it was ready to go. It's obviously not.

Not sure on what the issue is. How did water get in the starter? I'd think that was resolved during the rebuild.

[wspeedin]

Im assuming water got into the starter when the boat had water accumulate in it back when I first started this rebuild.
And Im sure the rust got into the cylinders when I didnt initially install the spark plugs in the engine.

I would take him the boat and tell him to remove the engine but this guy does not have the tools to remove the engine from the boat.

[wotan2525]

I had this problem on my "fresh" engine when it sat before I put it in the boat. I actually broke the bolt off the front of the engine using a giant breaker bar to try and get it turned over. I ended up taking it to a local mechanic. I'm not sure what they did but they were able to remove the end of the broken bolt, install a new one and get the engine "un-stuck" by using an air-compressor + fitting in the spark plug hole to force the engine over.

I suspect you have a different problem, though -- If the starter was full of water and you can't get it to turn over (even with the spark plugs out), I only see 1 possibility -- hydrolocked.

Do you have a remote oil drain? Drain all the oil and see what comes out. Otherwise -- pump all the oil out and see how much water you find in there.

[wspeedin]

Well I was able to get the engine to turn over last night. It took about 6 hours of lubing and prying the flywheel back and forth to get the thing to move. I hooked the tranny back up and made sure the starter turned the engine over. After work today I hope I can get this POS to pur!

[Jetlink]

After work today I hope I can get this POS to pur!

If it fires up and purs, is it still a POS then Will?

[wspeedin]

I supposed it will not be labeled a POS if it fires up and purs. I've got it all buttoned up and ready to fire when I get home from work today. Its got a new cam in it and will need the break in cycle of 2500RPM for 20 minutes. Any of you ever tried this with the boat not in the water? Im about an hour and a half from the lake and would love to avoid draggging it down there to do the cam break in. Any recommendations?

[TitanTn]

The only difference comes in how you're getting water into the engine. As long as the engine isn't starving for water (some people have had garden hoses collapse on them), you should be fine.

[inair]

I'm no expert but every time I fire up the boat in the driveway even at idle I get a real groaning noise from the prop strut bushing if I don't lube it with WD40 first. I don't know what that thing is made of but it doesnt seem to like the shaft turning inside it when its dry. I'd be afraid to run it at 2500 rpm for any length of time without lubing it pretty well.

[TitanTn]

Your prop shaft shouldn't be turning when on land. The transmission should stay in neutral until you're actually in the lake.

[wspeedin]

Yea, I dont plan on having the boat in gear while on the trailer. For some reason, lol, that doesnt seem like a smart idea, lol.
Actually, right now my prop shaft isnt even connected to the transmission. I have a new OJ Dripless Sahft Seal to install so it isnt connected. Speaking of that, any ideas on how to get the coupler off the shaft? I have taken the nut off but cant seem to get the coupler to budge off the shaft.

[Jetlink]

Just have TitanTN come and drive your boat for about 30 minutes...:p This never gets old for me Rob, sorry, had to do it.

[inair]

Sorry didn't mean to imply that you should run it in gear. My prop turns slowly and makes a growling noise while in neutral. I don't know how fast it might turn at 2500 rpm.

[wotan2525]

My prop also sometimes turns slowly while in neutral. It's very slow. And I have a dripless shaft seal that uses water to cool it -- so no groaning.

wspeedin -- For the coupler, this just came up in another thread, but the easiest way to do it is to put a socket over the end of the shaft and then bolt it up to the transmission so that the socket "pushes" the shaft out of the coupler. You may need to use longer bolts to make this work and for the love of god, make sure you've pulled out any set screws before you try!

[Salty87]

Sorry didn't mean to imply that you should run it in gear. My prop turns slowly and makes a growling noise while in neutral. I don't know how fast it might turn at 2500 rpm.

the growling is the shaft rubbing on the strut bushing. it's made of hard rubber and wants water as a lubricant. soapy water will last longer if you need to run it longer.

my prop doesn't spin out of gear either.

[wiatowski]

Yea, I dont plan on having the boat in gear while on the trailer. For some reason, lol, that doesnt seem like a smart idea, lol.
Actually, right now my prop shaft isnt even connected to the transmission. I have a new OJ Dripless Sahft Seal to install so it isnt connected. Speaking of that, any ideas on how to get the coupler off the shaft? I have taken the nut off but cant seem to get the coupler to budge off the shaft.

Use heat. If you have a torch heat up the coupler all around, not like glowing red, but enough to get it to expand a little, and (with gloves on) pull it off. It should slide right off that way. You can use the same method to put it on. Or i have seen some guys heat it in an oven for like 1/2 an hour. Torch is the quickest way to do it though. Even a propane one will do, but it will take longer.

[rideevol]

Growling noise might be transmission related. Check transmission fluid for signs of water. It should be translucent, not milky.

[inair]

The noise is what Salty87 said, the prop shaft turning slowly inside the plastic/rubber strut bushing. The trany is fine. Had it checked when it was at Bennett's Boat Repair in Maryville TN a few months ago. As far as that goes Donny also checked the bushing for me then as well.

[wspeedin]

So I tried to start the boat last night with no success!
Im not sure what is happenning but maybe you guys can help me out. When I crank the engine over it doesnt turn very fast which makes me think that the batttery is low. However I have been charging the battery and used a jump box and nothing is giving it enough power to turn it over quickly.
Second, When I turn the key to start and try to turn it over, 5 seconds at most, the pwoer wire at the starter puts out a few puffs of smoke. I know that this cant be normal so Im not sure whats going on there. I took a plug out and grounded it while turning the engine over to check for spark. Im getting spark but it seems to be intermittent.
Any ideas?
BTW, there is no gas in the boat. I have only been trying to get it to crank using starting fluid for now. If I can get the baot to want to start then I was going to add gas.

[TitanTn]

It definitely sounds like a starter, or starter solenoid issue. Seeing that it had water in it, it's definitely worth taking to a starter/alternator shop and have them bench test it. They'll be able to tell which part is bad and if the starter can reasonably be rebuilt or if you need a replacement. This is all assuming that the engine has been broke loose.

[wspeedin]

yeah, i was able to get the engine free. Only took an entier day of lubing and small movements, lol.
Arent these starters rebuildable?

[TitanTn]

Yes, they're rebuildable. Sometimes they need so much that it makes more sense to just buy a new one. I took mine in to a shop at the end of last season and they tested everything. The starter was fine, but the solenoid was intermittent. I think the total cost was about $30. It certainly was worth it to have my starter tested and a new solenoid installed. I think they had ballparked a quote of $100 if the starter had needed a basic rebuild.

[wspeedin]

Ok, great! There is an Alternator/Starter Repair shop right down the street! Hopefully that will help.

[Salty87]

if you're planning on an alternator upgrade, they can probably help either by upgrading yours or exchanging for a larger rebuilt.

[wspeedin]

if you're planning on an alternator upgrade, they can probably help either by upgrading yours or exchanging for a larger rebuilt.

I have already bought a new one from dbelectric
Thanks though.

[wotan2525]

did you install the distro? If it's 180 degrees off, it can make it crank slow/sluggish. Just something else to check....

[wspeedin]

Ao the boat is at my buddies shop, he is going to get it running and break the new engine in for me, he is the local Nautique dealers service man. I have faith that he will do a great job. He did inform me that the distributor I had was an automotive distributor, yay....luckily cadunkle was selling his original Mallory with the ignitor II kit already installed. So I sent that up to the guy and hopefully will have the boat back by this weekend!!

In the meantime, I built the new seat base's for the observer seat and the back seats. I had nothing to go by so I used TnTitan's measurements and worked off those. Thanks Rob! I am looking to hide ballast in the rear seat base so I increased the height of the seat base to match the same height as the observer seat (10.5"). I will of course have to cut the lower half of the seat backs down which works out perfect because the bottom of the the wood on the seat backs is beginning to rot. I built the seat bases out of 1/2" OSB board and put 3 coats of resin on before I glassed them. I layed two layers of glass on them after the resin coats were dry. then I painted them a maroon color. The plan is to actually wrap them in foam backed vinyl but this will work for now.

http://i1112.photobucket.com/albums/k483/wspeedin/null_zpsb246b408.jpg (http://s1112.photobucket.com/user/wspeedin/media/null_zpsb246b408.jpg.html)
http://i1112.photobucket.com/albums/k483/wspeedin/null_zps60d81d01.jpg (http://s1112.photobucket.com/user/wspeedin/media/null_zps60d81d01.jpg.html)
http://i1112.photobucket.com/albums/k483/wspeedin/null_zps1ba28e8b.jpg (http://s1112.photobucket.com/user/wspeedin/media/null_zps1ba28e8b.jpg.html)
http://i1112.photobucket.com/albums/k483/wspeedin/null_zpsea6c7045.jpg (http://s1112.photobucket.com/user/wspeedin/media/null_zpsea6c7045.jpg.html)

[wspeedin]

I bought a Dripless shaft seal from skidim for my boat. When I opened the kit, I noticed the "T" fitting was for 1" pipe, which is amusing since my hose is 1 1/4". So
I called skidim and they said they don't have a "T" fitting for 1 1/4" x 1 1/4" x 3/8". Figures, lol. So I went to Lowe's and made my own fitting out of some plumbing parts. Seems to work perfect, a bit large, but it works!

http://i1112.photobucket.com/albums/k483/wspeedin/null_zps379b89fa.jpg (http://s1112.photobucket.com/user/wspeedin/media/null_zps379b89fa.jpg.html)

[TitanTn]

Go Will! I hope those measurements work for you, and hopefully you'll have it humming this weekend.

[lively]

looking good bub

[Salty87]

cool...nearing the homestretch!

[wspeedin]

She ran!!!!!... For about 5 minutes, lol. The front bowl was dumping fuel in the carb and flooded it so looks like the carb will now need a rebuild. But it sure was nice to hear that rumble again. It's only been a year and a half.

[chrisk]

Congrats Will, the noise of our old Supra's is one that you don't forget!

[villain]

build looks good. whats the reason you didnt use ply for the seat bases?

[wspeedin]

Finally was able to get the tower installed today! Also put the new Edelbrock carb on her. The end is near.
http://i1112.photobucket.com/albums/k483/wspeedin/null_zps9dd66a84.jpg (http://s1112.photobucket.com/user/wspeedin/media/null_zps9dd66a84.jpg.html)
http://i1112.photobucket.com/albums/k483/wspeedin/null_zpsd1f40890.jpg (http://s1112.photobucket.com/user/wspeedin/media/null_zpsd1f40890.jpg.html)
Used a Forklift to install this bad boy, way easier than using multiple people.
http://i1112.photobucket.com/albums/k483/wspeedin/null_zps12999150.jpg (http://s1112.photobucket.com/user/wspeedin/media/null_zps12999150.jpg.html)
http://i1112.photobucket.com/albums/k483/wspeedin/null_zpsa4f6d67d.jpg (http://s1112.photobucket.com/user/wspeedin/media/null_zpsa4f6d67d.jpg.html)

[TitanTn]

Looks good Will. How's the lateral movement on that tower? You happy with it?

[wspeedin]

The tower seems to be structurally sound. Very minimal movement in it side to side. I was a bit shocked on how tall it sits on the boat but that means there will be plenty of room for the tower speakers. I'm very pleased with the looks though, the front legs have the same angle as the windshield and so it matches and flows very well with the boat lines. I can't wait to ride in her and behind her!

[jasun]

I know what you mean about the end is near!

what kind of tower is that?

[wspeedin]

The tower is a Roswell Area51 Classic tower. It's a universal folding tower.

[SMayo11]

I'm in Charlotte as well. Any chance I could come see your boat with that tower on it?
I'm looking to put the same tower on my saltare
Shane
434.466.6580

[wspeedin]

The boat is in Mooresville right now. But yeah, you could go by and take a look at it.

[wspeedin]

I was able to get a little more done to the boat today after work.
When I made the seat bases for the rear, I was wanting to make them taller to accommodate a ballast bag. I raised the seat bases from the stock 6.5" in height to 10.5". This meant I was going to be too high with the seat backs to fit in the original locations. So to remedy this issue, I removed 4" from the bottom of the seat backs. This actually turned out to be a great thing since the bottom of my seat backs were rotten about 2" up from the bottom.
Here is the result....Now keep in mind, I still need to cover the wood in vinyl.
http://i1112.photobucket.com/albums/k483/wspeedin/null_zps0aa28555.jpg (http://s1112.photobucket.com/user/wspeedin/media/null_zps0aa28555.jpg.html)

[jtomasik]

Couldn't find a restoration thread talking about decal removal (I know there was one where guys told me to buy the eraser wheel), so I'll post something I discovered this evening here. I was using the wheel, then decided to use a blade to take what was left of the big stuff off. My girlfriend brought out one of those Mr. Clean eraser sponges, and it did a damn good job getting off a bunch of scuff marks and discolorations. My next step is to buff the boat out, so I'll post how it turned out.

[wspeedin]

Well, after a year and a half of hard labor, my love took her maiden voyage today!! I am so stoked to have been able to get the Saltare to this point.
There were no leaks! She spit and sputtered but I tuned the carb and it cleared out. At WOT the Saltare sat me back in the seat! This thing has some power!
Now, I need to figure out why both speedos aren't working and finish all the cosmetics. Also need to calibrate the Perfect Pass.

[TitanTn]

Congrats Will! I know that's a great feeling to be back on the water with your own boat. Sounds like you could have it ready for our Southern Supra Reunion in about 3 weeks!

[wspeedin]

Well, I think its time to sell this thing. She has been real good to me after the restoration but finances are getting too tight to enjoy the lake with her. I will try to post some recent pics of her so you can get an idea of what kind of condition she is in. Almost completely done with the full restoration but there are a few minor details that are left to work out. She runs great and has no issues though. What kind of price do you think I should ask for this boat? And please put the word out! Thanks guys!

[TitanTn]

Sorry to hear that Will. I hope things improve quickly for you and you might reconsider... :)

Hard to place a value regardless, but certainly without a little more detail. Get us some pics and a description of the major things - including interior, and we'll try to help define a ballpark.