A long time ago:

http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o...y/IMG_0132.jpg

http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o...y/IMG_0164.jpg

Now: May have taken over a year...but ready to poke some new holes in it :D
http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o...00912-2205.jpg

Thanks for the nice comments. I used to do telecom install so it comes in handy when it comes to wiring/cabling. I finished up the other breaker feeds the other day, just waiting on a few more breakers and should be ready to install. Got the hydro stuff, just waiting on my thru-hull fittings and my hydro system should be complete as well.

Front of backseat: (I did this about a month ago, I built a whole new rear seat and didn't want to cover it with vinyl to trap moisture again. So I glassed and gel'd and polished the front and back that is visible when the engine hatch is open.)

http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o...00821-2008.jpg

Be sure to take more pics of the hatch. I have thought about that myself. Wood just does not make sence on the swim deck.

man that is awesome

It's time to poke some holes....

http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o...00915-2049.jpg

Ran out of time and drill batteries. Will finish up tomorrow with a fresh pack of jig saw blades too. :D

http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o...00915-2315.jpg

About damn time!!! :) what do you have going saturday?

Have to go down to my parents. My sister is getting married and I'm supposed to be an usher or something...

What a project holy #$%^&@ :eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:

u da man !!!!!!!

The drilling fixture looks like it has never been used! No like the ones at the Baja factory anyway. You could do well with your own fiberglass repair shop. Take a Bud Light break and have us take care of that interior.

XT

Nice, don't be scared to cut them holes!! I used a big corded drill, my cordless would have burned up with the 4" tips. Good luck, you will be droping in the motor soon.

Whoya's alignment tool in action:

http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o...00929-1902.jpg

Engine in:
http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o...00928-2234.jpg

Need to get some new pics, from this weekend's progress...to busy working to take any. :D

Nice!! Call me if you need a hand!

From a couple days ago...

Dash wiring, did this awhile ago. Just need to bring all the far-end stuff in now:
http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o...01004-2309.jpg

Back seat - I made this hinged so if need be I can remove the side cushions and push it forward for front of engine access. About 25% of the engine is under the rear seat:
http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o...01004-2310.jpg

Pumps are in, and new blowers:

http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o...01004-2308.jpg

http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o...01004-2307.jpg

Exhaust back on, engine re-assembled:

http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o...01004-2308.jpg

Starter cabling:

http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o...01004-2308.jpg

I'm putting my battery switch under the rear seat. My hillbilly wood box until I can make a fiberglass one. Cabled it out completely last night, got a lot fuller. I'm running the batteries/starter, then a 2awg/100amp lead to feed the helm switches, the 3 10awg leads to the trim pumps. I'm seperating the switches at the helm from the engine harness. The only thing the engine harness will feed is the gauges and starter switch.

http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o...01004-2307.jpg

http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o...01004-2309.jpg

Only pic from tonight, hung the drive. It slid right on so I must have my alignment pretty close. I was trying to figure out my cobbled together hydro steering but didn't like any of it, so I'll be selling it soon and just using the cable steering for the time being. If everything actually works and this thing runs again, then I'll shell out the $$$ for the hydro in the spring.

Did a quick measure, looks like the propshaft is about 4.25" to 4.375" below the bottom of the boat.

http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o...01006-2308.jpg

Old transom housing placement for reference:

http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o...y/IMG00207.jpg

First class all the way!

Question! If you were charging a customer say $10.00 an hour for your services, what would their current bill read on this boat?

Or, are you like me on your own projects, and just empty trash cans of beer bottles?

XT :drink:

Interesting question, I was asking myself something similar last week when I was trying to figure out why my oil filter adapter was spilling oil all over my spotless bilge (cheap temporary filter left its seal and I didn't notice it at first when I stripped the motor down for placement)...for the first year I could only really work on it on the weekends...so I would guess about 400-500 hours. Since New Years of this year when I picked back up on the project I would say I've averaged about 25-30 hours a week X's 40 weeks or so....let's just say there is no way I could have afforded to pay somebody to do it for me...and that's why I'm still working on it.

I also questioned if I could go back in time, would I go through it again or just take a chainsaw to it and sell the good stuff. That question was answered on the way to the ramp for some pre-lim water testing Sunday night when two different people gave me positive compliments on the boat. Seems where ever I go, it draws a lot of attention for a little old Baja. Didn't look quite as good as I remembered it after I peeled all the masking off of it, but a little wet sand and buffing should take care of that.

Last Friday's work, wiring prior to firing. Still needs cleaned up a bit and the white ty-wraps replaced with black but for now it works. All of my wiring/switches are working as they should from the helm:

http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o...01011-2040.jpg

http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o...01011-2040.jpg

http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o...01011-2040.jpg

http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o...01011-2041.jpg

http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o...01011-2040.jpg

http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o...011-2041-1.jpg

http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o...011-2041-1.jpg

Managed to get it fired up Saturday in the driveway, sounded horrible and wouldn't idle for ****. But I had another wedding to go to so I put it away and said I would pick up on it Sunday, at least it fired. I had pulled the distributor out to prime the motor and didn't have a chance to really set the timing.

Sunday - Hungover as hell...ran motor on hose again and sounded like I had a horrible noise coming from the drive. Removed drive, ran motor and still sounded like ****, so issue not in drive. Checked the plug wires, timed the motor, cleaned up the bilge and cockpit from all the cut ty-wraps, wiring strippings, tools, etc and decided to make a run to the local ramp to at least see if I had any leaks. After getting gas, and making it to the local ramp, found it busy with the usual grab-assigans parked right in front of it talking like retards looking at me like I'm the ******* because I want to try to put my boat in the water. Water was down and I didn't want to block a ramp from the people actually trying to get their boats out so I went down the road to the other ramp. It was busy too but I took the ramp next to the wall nobody uses. Managed to get it started, still wouldn't idle and now its dark so I called it a night. Pulled the drain plug and a ton of water came out, a lot more than was left from when I tested the bilge pumps. Put the boat away and went home to go to work (I work nights).

Monday - After thinking about it, decided I should probably replace the spark plugs from them sitting for almost two years with fogging oil on them. While I was re-installing the new plugs, checked my plug wires AGAIN and found I had 5 and 7 flip-flopped at the distributor! So after I put the new plugs in, fired it in the driveway. Motor was slow to turn over but still fired and idled just like it should, purring like a kitten.

So I started out for the ramp again...usual grab-assigans at the local ramp again so went to the one down the road, again. Somehow from the driveway to the ramp, my batteries drained down enough they wouldn't spin the motor over quick enough to start (these phucking Blue-tops will be the end of me!), I had to steal my Red Top for my truck a couple weeks ago after I killed the second factory battery, so I'm stuck with the Blue's in the boat.

For some reason I have the worst luck with batteries, I am the battery killer. It all stems from about 3 years ago, at 2am at a waterfront bar, when I decided to 'charge my batteries' by revving the motor at said time, like a TFI (Total F.ucking Idiot). Ever since, I can't keep a battery charged...


The trip wasn't a total waste, I saw where the water was leaking in from. I am not re-using the speedo pitot pickup but forgot to plug it where it comes through the transom assembly so I had a nice 1/4" stream of water coming in.

So called it a night, took the boat home, put the batteries on a charger and plugged the pitot. Will give it another shot on Tuesday...

Looks great! So are we water testing soon????

With a quarter tank of gas...one bolster...charged batteries...and barely anything else...


The Menace is back :evilb:

http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o...01012-1916.jpg

Little chilly but nice night for a boat ride. Everything worked as it should, moved pretty good. Didn't have enough hands to carry my GPS down, hope to get some speed numbers with the raised drive height later this week.

http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o...01012-1849.jpg

http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o...01012-1849.jpg

http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o...01012-1849.jpg

c deezy is that the silo's in the back ground that caught fire a couple of weeks ago

I don't know...they are the bins on the east side of I-75 crossing the Maumee river. The smaller ones are steel but the taller ones are concrete.

A couple years ago one of the big steel ones on the left caught fire (or at least what was inside it did) and caved in...but that seems like its been quite some time ago.

i think the one on the far right is the one that burned think it had wheat or corn in it that caught fire glad to see your back on the water

Great thread c_deezy!!:popcorn: Damn grab-assagins!!:rolleyes:

I think that I know someone that can make this motorlid look as nice as the rest of the boat over this winter?????

XT :party-smiley-004:

Sent you a PM to look at mine and no response yet. Trying to throw you some business... Let me know.

Will try emailing him, I have been talking with him all week.

[email protected]

or

XT Innovations (Dave)
419-569-1984

Yea, I do like emails, over PM's. Seems like I read a PM and think that I will get back with them in a few, then forget about it. Plus with email it's easier to save drafts, and send photos or files.

Sorry XT

All in due time hopefully. I want to do some more testing on this thing to make sure it doesn't fall apart before I sink any more money into it.

Initial testing went good, put 7 hours and 120 miles on it last weekend and only a few minor issues. Tried to run to Kelleys friday but water was too big for me to make a 30 mile run in an untested boat. Saturday it was just big wnough to be fun but not enough daylight left to make it over.

I want to leave things open so I can spot problems, but as long as it holds together I'll probably get it some new skins. The old vinyl is looking pretty bad.

It was a gorgeous weekend tho...Friday hiding out up-river:

http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o...01015-1715.jpg

http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o...01015-1724.jpg

Saturday out in Maumee bay, after getting gas and chickening out on going to Kelley's. Decided to get some pizza instead :D Nice chop, just enough to be fun.

http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o...01015-1802.jpg