Sooooo I bought this Cafe Racer.... Take a look....
 

Well here it is my 1st Café Racer, I have rescued here form her abusive parents, I do not understand how people abuse there babies so much....I will nurse her back to health though I promise and treat her really nice.....

I know everyone on this site knows this boat very well. I have attached a couple pics, but the pics just do not show what happens to a boat when it is neglected for only 2-3 years. I wish I would have taken just a pic of the cover I threw right in the trash when it got here, wow had like 1/2" of mold on the inside from being stored outside covered up tight.

Pics should explain condition now, such a shame. The Cabin has survived very well nice and clean.

What I am doing is,
All new interior, starting to pull out today, changing color a bit.
Having top deck of boat completely wet sanded to bring back the shine, sides are fine.
Installing the updated tear drop vents in engine hatch.
I am getting rid of the green color and replacing with a darker grey.
I am keeping Hockey stick paint job,I am old school and do like that look, but will be repainting black as it is a little beat up, and replacing green with the darker grey.

Engines: have 84 hours now, really do not need much just went thru them to make sure they are O.K., serviced drives all good.
I am updating fuel cooler pumps with the newer ones.
replacing trim indicators there are frozen pretty good.

I store my boats inside during off seasons I just cannot understand why someone spends this kind of money and does not take proper care.

Now the big decision. Do I sell my all original 1979 28SS or keep?? [ATTACH=CONFIG]517032[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]517033[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]517034[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]517035[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]517036[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]517037[/ATTACH]

Congrats man. Looks like a good project... Look forward to seeing her dressed up.

For the life of me I don't understand the neglect part either. Mine was super SUPER dirty when I bought it. Thankful I didn't have to replace the entire interior. All it takes is a little TLC but some people just don't want to fool with it.

BTW I really like that trailer.

Congratulations!.............but unlike most, I know nothing about this boat......was it up for sale a long time?

Thank you, I am pretty excited, if you search member name Sean there is quit a bit of info about this Café, he is the one who updated the dash and engines, he bought this boat quit some time ago in excellent shape, he sold it in excellent shape,
I already have almost all interior out goes in tomorrow to get started 3 weeks heads to fiberglass guy.

Thanks!! I have never towed with a goose neck everyone tells me I am going to love it I will find out in a few weeks.

Keep the 28....

I kind of feel the same way, the 28 is a lot of fun and all original.

Dam, don't let Sean see that (it's his old boat)...But I'm sure he'll be happy it went to a good home that will bring it back to life. The guy that had it out here in Cali didn't care for it very well. Nice to see the work you're doing. Great ride with a recent(ish) upgrade in power.

Enjoy!!

Damn, you're right! I do not even recognize it!

http://www.offshoreonly.com/forums/g...tml?highlight=

I know way too much about this boat. I showed those pictures to my wife, I'm pretty sure she would've killed me.
They don't see the diamond in the rough. Just the diamond!

This is one sad story. That boat was in awesome shape when Sean put those 496 in the boat. It was clean and showed great care. Hard to believe people can buy something that substantial and let it get into that condition. Its really a shame. Good luck with the restore, lots of work ahead. Welcome. My advise is to keep the 28, never know how long these restores take, at least you can boat until this gets done.

sweet boat! DAMN i want that trailer. where did you find this boat? i was searching high and wide for mine

yep very nice boat,,cant wait to see it on the Chain this summer..

why dont you start another thread so we could keep track of your project,
besides I am afraid this thread might go down the wrong road with your replies,dont take it the wrong way..

Sweet trailer!

Was this boat once in CT?

Hang on a sec!! You guys mean to tell me that's Sean's old Cafe'? Unbelievable. It blows my mind how people treat items they spend good money on. Damn shame.

How much for the 28???????? :)

Well... My wife says do not sell, she tells me I will regret it as I am one who believes the 28SS should stay all original, that is just my opinion.I have yet to find one as original, so if I sell I will not be able to replace it.
Besides it would be pretty cool to have two Cigarettes in front of the house this summer.:drink:

Right now both engines are out of the 28 I was going to update the steering and controls, but with all the work I am doing to the Café that may have to wait. So to answer your question do not know yet...

Thank you, I tend to move very fast when working on my toys...Now if it was a project around the house forget it... I have someone coming over today to do a sample wet sand on deck to see how she turns out.

Thank you, I cannot wait to get this thing out on the Chain...

What am I missing, " down the wrong road" ?

Since you were out of town, I'll give you a pass on your delayed response time.

I am not sure exactly where it came from originally.

Love that trailer. I had a gooseneck under my gun they tow so good.

It makes me sick to see what people will do with a fine boats, cars, houses etc. We have neighbors at our summer place that just don't care- they have gone thru 2-3 water pumps because they failed to drain them during the winter -

Their boats are a joke - they purchased both a ski boat and pontoon boat a couple of years ago. First week out with the ski boat they ripped the prop off-- didn't realize that you need a certain depth of water to run a boat-- DUGH --last year because of neglect they replaced the pontoon - when the marina came to pick up the old one there were 3 batteries in the boat - nothing wrong with them - it was that they were discharged and the people didn't know that you could re-charge a battery -- so the solution was to buy a new battery....The carpet was stained, and torn in a couple of areas. seats were ripped. we won't get into the empty beer cans and bottles in the storage areas. what is even worse these are professional people - one is an attorney and the other is an IT type. the problem is that they have more money than Daniel boone and they just don't care.

to those that much has been given much is demanded

3pointstar

derail the thread..

Look forward to seeing that boat on the chain this year!!

Sure looks like a boat I had seen a couple of times in southwestern CT about 10 years ago, if so it was a super clean boat at the time.

wow - such a shame to see how people let things go. glad to see that its in good hands now. i bought it from the original owner who kept it in King George, VA and used it on the Potomac. It was never in CT even though I live there now. I used it on the east end of Long Island with trips to Block Island. Good luck with it!

Any updates......?

Yes actually sorry for the delay, I broke my collar bone in a little bit of pain, this is going to delay all my work for about 6 weeks, good news is interior at upholstery guy, and engine hatch gets dropped off tomorrow for updated venting and re gelcoat of engine hatch.I did have entire boat buffed out here in my shop, looks like a completely different boat. I will try and get some pics up this week.
I did get to repair a few minor things before I hurt myself.
I had to take dash apart to fix cabin door barely opened, tracked was all jacked up. that's all better now. Want to install amps in closet and bolt in from behind dash while it is apart. I just cannot reassemble dash until I am healed.:mad:

I cleaned a little bit of the cabin interior, I do not know if pics will do any justice, but turned out great looks like different material.

Also I am selling the 28ss

your 28 is sweet!!!!! that should be a quick and easy sell. beautiful boat!! spring is still a ways away you will have time to get the cafe up and going.