Well, here goes, "The Project Thread, Winter 2012/13"







Have spent weeks in spare time de-oxidizing gellcoat, polishing, prepping for wax. This includes/d removing all decals and replacing with paint. The major side decals are gone, the port side still needs polished before paint. The small pinstripes above the rub rail are still mostly there, re-paint is undetermined as yet.

Just removed the Bravo 1, simple job, just as my Seloc manual said.
That noted, as it slid clear, a light metallic "tinkling" was heard, and 3 perforated, metal, half-ovals were found on a flat face below where the exhaust passage is.

Hmmmmmmmmmmmm............. small bits of rubber on these....
I'll bet from all I read on this and other boards, I know what these are...........


As further info, I am/was not surprised, as I stumbled across DUCK TAPE covering the upper exhausts (the selectable thru-transom exhausts) and when peeled back, yep, someone had melted the rubber tubes. A low-water-flow exhaust overheat happened someplace in the past.

Question I have for you folks is this... How many more exhaust flaps do I need to dig out of the system (I suspect just 1), where likely, and just how tough are these to get to to replace?
Manual got left @ work Fri. PM, I am checking Mercruiser as well, as much good advice and info as I can get is always good.

Gimbal coming off next to change all 3 bellows. I found water and rust (but apparently good u-joints (they feel OK, but will be dismembered and cleaned at minimum, maybe replaced just on what for)) in the driveline bellows (and several big cracks) and a split shifter bellows, replace the exhaust bellows for good measure.

All for now, try a few pix later when I get better sun angle to take a few.

There should be 4 exhaust flappers. They are very easy to change, just pull the elbows and they are right at the tops of the Y pipe. The missing one is probably down in the exhaust passage in the drive. It's not hard to split the upper gear case from the lower gear case if need be.

Thx. The diverters have to come off anyhow to replace the hoses behind them toward the transom outlets. Have seen explodeds that put them in the top of the metal y-down-pipe.

Have now seen 2 different supposedly applicable shutter assy's. An "A1" version that looks "standard" that is held in by 2 rubber plugs and an "A3" version that has a metal oval ring as part of them, made by Quicksilver The A3 version is a 45XXX part number all over the web. Anyone familiar with this difference?

Looks like the exhaust at least partly dumps out thru the upper part of the drive between "double-cavitation-plates". Had to dig/knock out a couple of rocks out of that exhaust passage area that had to have been picked up towing. I can SEE OUT 2 vents over the lower cav-plate.

Really not wanting to split the cases BUT, from the looks of all the water in places where upper seals to the bellhousing should have kept dry, splitting them without full dismemberment just to replace ALL seals might not be a bad idea.

Besides, I REALLY hope the Prop Doc can put Skeg back on with at least all the lower parts closed up in the lower, not completely gutted or I'll have to gut it out.

They should have no problem repairing the skeg without removing the internals.

Going to have to pull the straight out exhaust snouts off the transom to get the straight hose off, to allow the diverters to move to get them up and off to get the lower hoses off, to get to the shutters.

Not especially hard, just the sequence it's going to take since it has the Merc. Quiet Choice/Captain's Call dual exhaust system.

Fun Fun Fun. The Admiral has to help now since my arms are only so long LOL.

Apparently Mercruiser puts shutters in their thru-transom outlets too (gone LOL). The post they were mounted to is still there on one side.


When draining and winterizing, I was unable to find any impeller bits, so maybe, just maybe, it was a long time back and long cleaned out.


Am in mid-paint just now. The black section of graphic and the "Mach 1" is primed, waiting the 60 min. needed per instructions before topcoating with black. Boy was that a pile of masking (and trying to get very good no-bleed lines so using Frog Tape @ $9 a roll).

PPG products paint materials from an industrial paint dealer in Newton, 2-part epoxy primer and a 3-part polyurethane paint from their Delfleet line.
Just these 2 set me back $150 BUYING QUARTS!!!
Again, pricey but I intend for it not to peel or fade anytime soon (or later). More info later, now time to mix the black and spray.

Will take and post a few pix. tomorrow. worked out very nice (although a few bits I need to clean up on the "Mach"'s, a bit of paint bleed where I didn't have overlaps down solidly enough.

The paint was thinner than the primer, and 2 heavier coats, so I think It'll clean up with some careful razorknife work when fully cured tomorrow.

PPG's DP40LF epoxy primer ($58/qt) plus activator($33/PINT!!!), in grey.

PPG's Defleet Essentials Single Stage ESSSA polyurethane ($35/qt), plus hardener ($17/pint) and activator ($13/pint).

Next weekend will be the next color, a medium grey, followed by a light grey. At least I only need quarts there as they'll use the same hardener and activator.

Need a few more rolls of Frog Tape tho, worked VERY well (BETTER @ 9 bills apiece! LOL).

This Thread Is Worthless Without Pics....

Working on photos right now, got to load to my photobucket account (SnookermanSS) and link here. My satelite internet download is serious (300k/sec), upload is a lot less (around 25k/sec)

The blue is painters tape holding edges of masking plastic drop. It all stays for the duration of the remaining painting. I mask from it to the rest for the remaining color work.



Took the black to wrap the bow, not cut off short like the stickers did.



Rear black same, just reaches to end of hull, but no wrap under the stern.





By the end of next weekend, plan to finish with 50% grey and 25% grey, to simulate the original decals as close as I can.

Just got the "semi-custom" towable cover I ordered for it too, and put it on in a moderate Ks. wind, LOL.

I've used PPG's urethane before; great stuff, but yeah - over $1500 in paint supplies to paint my '84 Corvette. And that was in 2001.
I think it was PPG epoxy sealer, Omni primer, Deltron 2000 paint and Concept 2000 clear if I remember correctly. NOT cheap, but damn near bulletproof. That should be a durable, long lasting shine, even if you neglect waxing it.

Second band went on tonight (50% grey), curing now as I post. No pix as it is dark now.
I think it't looks pretty decent. It's imperfect in stripe widths and masking edge following if you get up real close and critical, but even thus, it looks a ton better than the decals did.

Tomorrow looks like my last nice day for an unknown period (forecast windy but mid 80's, weekend forecasts in the 50's), so I may, if the weather holds, bail on w**k @ lunch tomorrow so I have time to mask the last band (25% grey) and paint in the same afternoon.

It's a good couple hours of masking trying to do a good job and with the primer sitting 1/2 hr before shooting and an hour after before coating, I need 5-6 hours of daylight.

Then I can finally un-mask it all and take some pix (then put the new thru-hulls in, wax it, and wade into more de-oxidizing of small areas above the rub rail. The worst will be done.

Finally, the paint work is done.

Wouldn't you know it, been blowing high wind for WEEKS, ever since the first color.
Today, for a wipe-down with mineral spirits to remove tape residue (even Scotch Blue leaves sticky after several weeks in the sun), and it is DEAD CALM and almost 70 degrees.

Oh well.









Now, onto Gimbal removal and exhaust fixes.

Drive is split, found the last shutter, just ahead of the prop. Took a good bit to get that darned thing dragged out of there.

Sounds like par for the course in the wind department. I keep threatening to put a bigass sail on the houseboat!


That boat's sure lookin' nice!

Looking good!

Good work!

That looks really nice. Can't wait to see the finished product. I love DIY stuff.

Been a long winter and now a frantic spring to try to get it ready for July.... sheesh....

The Burb that tows it has been almost worse workload than the Mach 1! LOL Completely new steering and suspension joints in front, including the "lower steering shaft" from the gearbox up to the column, now it drives straight. Fixed broke turn signal stalk (Cruise WORKS!!!!), heater core, AC compressor (those junk R4 belly leakers), 6 cans of refrigerant (Holy Cow!!), fix the stereo, door handles, seats in front (both buckets).

Oh well.

The melted exhaust shutters, yep, found "the rest of the story" when I ID'd what appeared to be black Duck Tape around the upper exhaust tubes (to the straight-outs (dual exhaust)).
Cut the tape off, found big layer of what felt like hot-melt glue.
Cut that away, yep, melted rubber hoses.
Boy do those stink to replace, stuff does not like going together for that unless you remove the outlets!!!!

Drive has been back together for a month or so now, Prop Doc put an inch of Skeg back on that looked like it had tried being a seam-cutter on the highway.

The hood, back seat, and back seat shoulder wrap/pad are finally being worked @ the upholsterer's, I am in the process of replacing all 5 tires (the inside face has a complete ring-crack in the sidewall of 3, the 4th is the "spare" that is flat-faced on the inside, looks like it was dragged for a mile once LOL. Buying a couple of similar wheels to semi-match the full set.

Tire guys asked me how old those were, dunno.... they said something about "best case is 99", so tire codes may have dated with a 9, heck, for all I know, might have been originals, 1989!
He said oldest ones he'd ever seen... LOL

Had to drag it on the old rubber to a trailer inspection before tagging it tho.

Checked the lights, the fwd. markers work, the rears no, both STT worked in park but no response further from the left one. New LED's, and had to fish a new left turn/stop wire from the front. It apparently broke/pulled off short and vanished into the frame tube.
Also replaced the broken-up center clearance light tripple at the bottom center of the trailer.

Just finished a full trailer bearing repack, all great to go there. Someone had 2 different type greases in the axles, rear with drum brakes had different than the free fronts, and what was in the fronts was real "drooly". Pulled the bra's off and the front one was full of black syrup. The grease itself was just "soft", the rear a lot heavier.

I just went back with Mystic JT6 synthetic Type 2, K.I.S.S., waterproof, good for wheel bearings, brakes or not, any use. Filled the new coupling U-Joints with it too.

Brakes in excelent shape, I'm amazed!!!!!

She goes to the boat shop next week (Thurs) for a gimbal bearing install. Driver is $80 and would never be used enough to justify buying one.
I have the drive remount kit ready, and I have the new trim switches for the drive ready to go on this weekend. Wiring to them is garbage among the drive.

Spent yesterday making new bunks. 2 ea 12-foot and 2ea 16-foot 2x6's, gluing and wrapping the carpet on, weighing down while it sets up, one flat face first, then both edges, then the last flat.
Both 12's done, just to fold/glue the ends now. Glued the first 16' face last thing yesterday, using 12' carpet, so these get done twice, 12' and then 4.

Need to drain and change the oil still....... GADS it's ENDLESS!!!! LOL
Oh well.

Question for you guys with tandem-axle trailers......

How do you, or do you even bother, greasing the suspension rocker joints between the axles?

I know... I have never given this the slightest thought with a single, or ANY vehicle I have driven, but, this thought struck me when repacking bearings, and figured I'd ask.......

Big list. For bunk carpet, I wrapped and stapled then pinched the ends between the brackets and the boards. AS for drooly grease, I know that the Evinrude EP Wheel Bearing Grease I use drools some of it in liquid form but it is red. At least you now know what is in there and it is the same.

I don't lube the suspension pins as there is no way to do it without taking mine apart. They do have plastic/nylon sleeves that the bolts ride in which I believe are meant to be the lubrication. I have new ones of those and all the bolts should I ever need to replace them.