Is this normal for these boats? How do you know if the wood is rotten? What holds that center fiberglass up over the gas tank? Mine seems to be just a little spongy there also!! Not spongy over the port and starboard sides of the cockpit at all!!

That fiberglass hatch is held up by the fiberglass deck on either side, if port and stbd of it are solid you're probably ok. Although, if you go looking, you will probably find something. My stbd side was very soft, that's what started this. You can pull that hatch and check the condition of that forward bulkhead, and from inside the cabin. If its wet, all the wood in there probably is by the way Formula put these together.

I would leave it alone lol

Billy

Back at it today.



Popped open the Stbd belly box. Yummy. That brown stuff is standing water.





Dont stop till you hit the back of their teeth I suppose. Ran out of cut off wheels so couldn't start the other side



Also started taking apart my locked up motor.



Frozen piston. Still need to get the last 2 pistons out, kinda hard when the crank dosn't spin. Everything else surprising looks good.

Still continuing down the rabbit hole, but I see an end in sight. Hope to have all the bad wood out this week and starting templates for new wood this weekend. Resin is ordered.

Billy

you better have the end in sight!!! if not, you will be looking at the trailer. You have guts man, I will give you that. In the long run I think about doing something like this to an older scarab. Complete deck off restoration. Would be interesting for sure....

Sending a PM also.

Brian

P.S. Oh, what do the valves look like on the head from that rusted cyclinder? Rusty also? Wonder if you had a manifold, riser or gasket go bad and it backfilled into one of the middle cyclinders. If the exhaust valve is open, it will drain into the cyclinder and then rust the bore up locking the steel rings to the walls. Might be what you are up against.

Is the oil galley cracked above the lifters or is that just a rust line?

Ill check out the valves tomorrow and post a pic. The rings are def fused to the cylinder, like cold welded lol. Not a crack by the lifters, its a rust line. The one core plug was popped out of the block and the oil was very watery.

Billy

Getting close to being done cutting out wood. One more day of cutting and I should be done with all the rotten stuff. The boxes in the cabin will probably have to come out, but they are so small compared to the mid boxes I'm not even mad. lol



The center stringer that goes from the aft bulkhead to the middle motor mounts is bad, atleast by the bulkhead I removed. Im probably going to cut it back a foot and see if I get to good wood, but I doubt it. Does anyone know if it goes through the center motor mount box or if its just glassed up against it?

Billy

It's a real good start! I love seeing people taking the time to keep these old classics alive!

Thanks! I've read your whole build thread, REALLY nice job. inspiration/motivation for sure! The cabin doors look like they are turning out sweet!

Billy

Not much wood left in this thing now! Starting templates tomorrow. Will get the 2 bulkheads and center stringers back in place before ripping out the rest of the cabin boxes and the vberth bulkhead.

My plan as of now is to PL the new stringers and bulkeads into the "slots" left behind by the old tabbing. The new wood will be coated in resin and then wrapped in 1.5 oz CSM before going in. Then ill make up some PB to fillet transition into the old tabbing, and then continue with the new tabbing using 20 oz woven. Might add a couple of bulkheads inbetween stringers, not sure yet.

I know conventional methods would have me grind down the slots, and lay the stringers off of the deck 1/4 inch, and start with all new tabbing, but I cant come up with a reason why my plan wont work just as good, save me grinding time, and allow me to place the new stringers in the exact place that the old ones were. If anyone has a reason why I shouldnt do it this way, please share..



Ready to get some wood back in this old girl!

Billy

Thanks! Tons of hard work! I look at your thread and it brings back some good and not so good memories!

Keep up the good work!