New Excalibur project !!
 

I just made it home with my "new" project boat !!!!

A 1979 24' Excalibur

http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p...r/P2630447.jpg

I CAN'T WAIT to get started on it!!

Hull looks to be in GREAT shape..

http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p...r/P2630446.jpg

http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p...r/P2630452.jpg

....I DO have a lot of holes to fill...

http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p...r/P2630451.jpg

I plan on replacing the transom (it was a TRS boat) and refinishing the entire hull..

I haven't decided what drive to go with yet but I know a standard Bravo I won't live long with the engine I have planned..;)

Doug

NICE!! When I was younger the family had a 78-79? 24' with a TRS. Spent a lot great summers on that boat.

Good to see you with a boat again Doug.
Now you have two to work on, LOL..

Cool, get after it and keep this thread updated.

Any specifics you can share? I would imagine an XR or the likes would live with at least as much HP as that hull is going to handle.

I don't know if an XR will cut it as I seem to have a problem with only putting in as much horsepower as the hull will handle....
...maybe one of the "aftermarket" drives though....

Here is my last ride.... 21' of hull 598 hp at the flywheel in FULL marine dress. ;)

http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p...g?t=1269210020

Cool project - can't wait to see progress pics.
Congrats on another Excalibur in Texas!!

Finally made some progress....

I filled in the thru-hull pick up and sanded the hull..

http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p...r/P4280045.jpg

http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p...r/P4280046.jpg

http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p...r/P4280044.jpg

Sprayed the primer...

http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p...r/DSC00516.jpg

http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p...r/DSC00519.jpg

....Then painted it with Nason Ful-Thane 2K Urethane.

I used G.M. Olympic white.. It came out B R I T E !! :drink:

http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p...r/DSC00521.jpg

http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p...r/DSC00526.jpg

http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p...r/DSC00527.jpg

Nice project....looking good!

those strakes look nice and sharp. how did you flip it?

rig it with 700 horse velvet drive and a #3 ssm. Actually i dont think the engine bay in these boats even has enough room for anything but merctrans or bravo conversion

I flipped it with a backhoe and a bunch of old foam dock floats.. Now the trick is going to be flipping it back over without messing up the paint...



It's going to be rigged with a standard Bravo for now 'till I start blowing up drives..

Working on piecing an engine together but am torn between a supercharged 454 or a big cid n/a engine to start off with..:evilb:


Doug

More Cubes... A nice 540 would push that thing really nice. Easier on drives as well.

Finally got some more work done on 'er ... :drink:

Surprisingly, the transom is SOLID ! Soo instead of tearing it all out I decided to plug and re-cut it..

I made plugs for the multitude of exhaust holes and glassed them in...

http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p...r/Photo270.jpg


http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p...r/Photo267.jpg

I cut the inner transom on a 45 then made a plug that matched

http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p...r/Photo269.jpg

http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p...r/Photo268.jpg

Still have a bit to do but it's getting there !

http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p...r/Photo271.jpg

...........I also got some of the interior mocked up ...
I got a rear seat and hatch from a Superboat.
Bolsters from a Carrera...
Some of it needs to be recovered but it's a start...

http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p...r/P4280517.jpg

http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p...r/P4280514.jpg


I also picked up a Dart Big M tall deck block...
Gonna be a 555 to start out with ! :evilb:

Great project! Please keep us posted with the progress!

Yea transom looks good

..........Got the transom all closed up.. :)

http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p...ps2befa786.jpg


.........Pulled it out for some air....

I still have to adjust the trailer some...

http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p...psdb98a284.jpg

Found the center line & X dimension...



http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p...psf2c01051.jpg


Cut the transom for the Bravo


http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p...ps09aee32b.jpg



http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p...ps406e63ec.jpg

Great job. I always wanted an one. I love the lines. What tires and rims do you have on the truck? Bada$$ ride!

Very cool to see real progress on this old girl. Keep it up?

Coming along nicely.....did you use the same upper bolt holes from the trs for the bravo.....or does it just look that way?

I filled everything in then re-cut / drilled everything but I think it did come out pretty close to where they were..


Doug

Beautiful! Nice job! I do know those hulls were build extremely strong (and thick!) I'm curious if you had to re-glass or reinforce the stringers or replace any of the old wood.

Nope ! Everything looks good so far... No rot at all !

The stringers are only 6" so I'm fabricating some engine mounts that will spread the load over a foot on each side to hopefully prevent any issues.. :)

Doug

there only 6 inchs tall? mine has at least 12 inches thats odd

What kinda of primer did you use just regular automotive primer? An clear will stand up?

I used the Nason 2K Urethane Primer which I see now has been discontinued..
The paint is Nason Ful-Thane®2K urethane single stage paint.

Hopefully it'll hold up. :whistle:

Doug

Cool project, I had a 1979 that I restored a long time ago. Had a trs with merc trans, bought a new 454 mag from merc added a b&m 174 blower gill exhaust v6 timing module, gaffrig gauges full Latham steering. Etc.
I suspect it was about 450 hp, and would run 75-78 on the liquid filled gaffrig speedo. Should have never sold it.

Is that a typo 450 up I would think that set up would be 550-600. How did the blower fit with the merctrans out back i am restoring mine right now have almost the exact same setup but I didn't hunk I could fit a blower

.....Got a little more done..... Mocked up the steering...

http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p...ps8672f0ba.jpg

.......And, the worst part of the project thus far... The cuddy.....

Before.... Yep.... That's SHAG carpet :picard1:

http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p...boatpic008.jpg


What a miserable job... Removing 34 year old carpet glue .....
http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p...ps54856f8c.jpg


I painted it with an urethane alkyd enamel floor paint from my local hardware store.. Seemed to cover good :)

http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p...psce15444b.jpg


Doug

Go the trim tabs mounted....

http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p...ps1e2f8658.jpg


http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p...psc833d2fa.jpg


http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p...ps0c537722.jpg

Yet another afternoon spent with my grinder...:grinser010:

Got the bilge ready for paint.



http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p...pse528d99d.jpg

Any updates? I wish i would of never got rid of mine should of done the project. Now I'm looking for one again lol

Haven't worked on it in a while... Took a break to build a garage.

I AM picking up the engine pieces from the machine shop today though !!. :evilb:


Doug

FINALLY !!! It goes in to the garage....

http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p...ps36214ce8.jpg




http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p...psbf2368bc.jpg




http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p...ps858de2e7.jpg



....Now just have to figure out where I left off....

Git her done!

looks awesome man cant wait to see it finished

Tried to replace the Excalibur with a Python over the weekend.. I understand that they weren't the best built boats, but WOW ! Both the Pythons were 16 years newer than my Excalibur, and both of them had soft floors and rotted stringers....

REALLY made me appreciate what I already own, so I got back to work on it....


http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p...psdc05fda9.jpg