You call that early?:p Hey Rob i can pick you up at 10&30, where you got diesel the last time you came to Chucks.:D

Should be off Friday if all goes well tomorrow at work.

Same here.....Issues with a 3.6 VVT motor are about to put me on the unemployment line. Give me a call tonight at home.

I'm now officially scheduled off on Friday. If you cats don't make it, I'll put the damm things in myself without your sorry azzes.

John - Dianne will be standing by with sutures, and I'll get you a longer ratchet handle to use on those bellhousing ring bolts this time.

Seriously - Thanks for the assistance!!!

That was the result of excess Capt/Cokes from the prior evening:D And besides, Chicks dig scars.:grinser010:

And after/If I get this motor back together I'll be more than happy to be hanging upside down by my big toe in a your bilge. I know I won't be getting dirty thats for sure.:D

Wow, just read this from the beginning chuck. I have always admired your boat and the attention to detail you give it. congrats on a sweet outcome...Rob

8-8:30am......ish!!!:D Dianne loves me I'm allowed to be a little late:hitfan: I'll take two eggs over easy, Scrapple and homefries and low acid orange juice:party-smiley-004: See you in the AM!!:cool-smiley-011:

Yea I said scrapple!! Waste not want not!!:D

You'll get bacon, and you will like it.

we need a video diary of todays progress ........ :)

Incredible attention to detail! Fantastic job Chuck, thanks for posting. I've thorouly enjoyed following the progress.

Kurt

Big day, thanks to my wife, RAddiction and Sox! We finished installing the bilge blowers, platform, generator and.....

THE PORT ENGINE!!! :evilb:

Since we were limited on how high we could lift the engine by the ceiling of the shop, we had to set it down on wood legs, extend the lifting straps, and finish dropping it in. Tricky (and a bit hair-raising for RAddiction, who was in the bilge). but it worked....

Engine(s) by mood light. These are the lower lights that were installed last week. It is actually brighter that it appears here (bright enough to work), but a very cool effect.

Taking the day to re-organize the shop tomorrow, but hopefully we'll get to THE STARBOARD ENGINE ON Sunday.

Phew.....:drink:

Why isn't this on the water yet Chuck? :D

Chuck, do the cables today:grinser010:All in all things went well.....a few years off my life while in the bilge but Dianne got me a drink when the motor mount bolts were tight. This project is off the hook, the rigging is awesome, the motors....I mean engines are works of art with the serp belt system chuck made and the plethora of powdercoated parts, diamond plate and polished parts.:cool-smiley-011:

..Serpentine setup made by Chuck, yes I said made, pulleys and all!! Look at the precision fit with the bilge hoses, impressive.:cool-smiley-011:

John & Rob - Thanks a million for all the help. Glad to see the boys back home where they belong.... :D

A nice "before and after" comparison...

Very impressive work! I have been following this for a while. Looks like the hard part is over. Congratulations!:ernaehrung004:

THATS LOOKS GREAT:cool-smiley-026: I am going to redo ours next year . Thanks for some tips.:D

You and Dianne are more than welcome Chuck. Got it done today, hope the exhaust goes together easily. Thanks for the Handle:D

Hey....Where are the engine "Mounting" pictures at?:evilb::D

You are welcome Chuck, Remember, the engines wouldn't have made it in without "Big Joe" :D

Thanks to Dianne for feeding us that outstanding food and for the parting gifts :ernaehrung004:

You guys are the best!!

umm... exhaust are not installed... gonna be a fun part doing it '' in place''

The headers aren't bad at all to do with the engines in. On the other hand, trying to get to the starter and ground cables, engine mount bolts, and steering lines with the headers on is impossible...

Tons of room.....Ok...pounds of room. I can stand between the engines and I'm not skinny:p

Looks Great.......congrats

Chuck, How are things progressing? Going to Maryland tomorrow......:evilb:

Late start today - We went to see Stevie Nicks last night. :cool-smiley-026:

Water heater plumbing is DONE, generator exhaust is DONE, all 16 seized bolts have been drilled out of the muffler wedge mounts and replaced by Heli-Coils, 16 new bolts have been machined up, and three out of four headers/tailpipes are back in. The fourth header needs some repairs to a leaking outer tube. LOTS of bling from the LED's reflecting off the headers.

The outer set on the starboard side turned out to be a real bi#ch, which I could not understand until I remembered that the batteries were out when I took them off. If I had pulled the batteries today, it would have saved me a TON of time, dropped tools and cursing. Oh well....

Getting c-l-o-s-e...

Is that what caused the leak? :D Looks great!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

DAYUM!!! Chuck, That looks awesome. Gotta get me some of them thar L E D's:D I see Big Joe is still hard at work:p

We went to the marina yesterday and fired up the AT....ran for about 15 seconds and then sputtered and died, no fuel pressure:angry-smiley-038: The pump has power and ground and runs just not enough pressure:traurig001: Hopefully be able to find a pump today or tomorrow.

Spent Sunday working on new gaskets for the mufflers where they bolt to the transom. It's a long story, but the tailpipes do not come through centered on the mufflers, so the center hole has to be offset from the OD. I bought 1/4" belting material (from McMaster-Carr, of course...) and used a fly-cutter to cut the center holes, then cut the OD with snips and cleaned up the edges on the disc grinder. I also installed the water hoses to the headers, installed the port side door in the platform in front of the engines, cut the holes in the bottoms of the mufflers for my underwater exhaust and worked on the flapper valve air cylinder and return spring package. MAN! That stainless is tough, tough stuff...

The Admiral spent most of the day attacking the transom and the bottom of the boat with an air buffer, buffing compound, swirl remover and wax. What a trooper! :drink:

We also re-assembled the bimini top with the new (matching!) gray canvas made by the local canvas guy. It came out OK, but I don't understand why he had to cut up/destroy my old blue bimini canvas. I was planning on selling that. It was big-$ Sunbrella, and in good shape. :mad:

Seven days left, and then it has to go back to the marina....

AT is ready for next weekend, other than a little cleanup! :p

Hey Chuck, No pictures? Camera broke?:D

Come up here and take some for me. BIG push this week - We want to bring it down to the marina Sunday afternoon.

1. Patch and install inboard starboard header; fit tailpipe
2. Powdercoat muffler mounting wedges.
3. Fit and weld downpipe outlets to all four mufflers; polish and mount on transom
4. Repair three cracked muffler support brackets (stainless, of course...)
5. Cut, fit and seal edges of wood for starboard engine platform door; install door.
6. Figure out location and mount engine flush fittings
7. Bleed power steering; top up all hydraulic fluids
8. Plumb up pneumatics for muffler valves; fix air pump
9. Re-install TV panel and TV in cabin
10. Install new DSC VHF radio; wire to chartplotter
11. Re-assemble chartplotter mount with new WX weather radio
12. Feed DVD cable to chartplotter so I can watch Roger Waters in the cockpit......
13. Oh, yeah: Re-install drives, change gear oil, install props
14. Install new rubrail on starboard rear corner
15. Install sunpad and trunk cover
16. Collapse

Got any days off this week? :signs069:

Yes I did, yesterday. :party-smiley-004: I can probably give you a few hours this friday and/or sat night.

C Spray,

Gotta chime back in again...WOW! Looking beautiful, you are doing a FIRST CLASS upgrade of that 382! Keep up the pace and "Git 'er Done". It's a real Gem you are gonna have there! Good luck on finishing her up and good luck with the first dunk. Everyone, including me, will want to see the launch and first ride. You will be rewarded with several summers of pleasure for all of your hard work.

Dave

"And" would be best. What time are you free? (Thanks!!)

AXA - Thanks for the kind words. I'm thinking of it more as an upgrade than restoration, but either works... :D

You are very welcome...check the edit!

Dave

Hey Chuck everything looks great!! unfortunatly I will not have any free time this weekend to help. I wish I could sorry :(