Number 1
 

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...056846c2d9.jpg

looks like perfection!!!

That's it! That is why I wanted your boat so bad back in the day. Love it.

Engine 2 - Starboard side
 

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...e561fcd45.jpeg

Great project Steve. Love seeing things like this done right. Not everyone can afford to, and nothing wrong with that, but seeing a rebuild with 0 cut corners is great! Inspiration to some of the things on my list to do.

Pics
 

Eliminating exhaust tips......Engine shot
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...672388750.jpeg

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...450508692.jpeg

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...f36cc89f05.jpg

You'll like the through transom tail pipes, alot cleaner and no rubber joint, lookin good sir

I cant believe how clean this boat is, coming from a fresh water area sure help to preserve these things, and the engines look new as well, good to see the boats being put together the right way with mostly all new parts, tell your rigger to hurry up will ya.............:D

This thread saves me a drive up to Brand X every few days. It's like a virtual visit. LOL

Drooling from home...LMAO

Where is PM203? He had the cleanest Gladiator for years, I figured he would chime in on this one!

Looks great Steve!

You should hear how the conversation went regarding me selling it. Short version.... after a couple years of Bobby asking me if I'd sell it, he and I were casually chatting about nothing special and I flippantly said something to the effect of... "I just don't think I'm ever going to get around to resto-modding my Gladiator. Maybe I'll sell it. What's it worth without motors and drives -- $X.XX dollars? I've got too much money invested in them to let them go with the boat" Bobby quickly said yes.... it's worth EXACTLY that.... and the rest is history! LOL Couldn't have gone to any two better Cig guys! :-)

It defiantly went to good home and boating family,

And when Joe delivered the boat to me and before I paid him he
made me promise if & when I want to sell it he has the rite of !st refusal.

He's now buying another boat so he told me he's waving his rite.

It will be interesting to see how you like sitting after all those years of standing

Diamond Stitching
 

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...192943bdae.jpg
Longer Diamonds or Shorter?
I think were going to go with a little longer than the longer ones on the piece on top

I really like the longer ones!!

I like the longer. The short ones are too square.

It looks like a failed attempt to do diamond stitching... the level of refurb your putting into into the Cig would draw attention to the "Square" diamonds being "odd"

I agree

Longer

Make'em ovals............ Cig style. LOL

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...e4721b819e.jpg
Whichever one YOU like.

Old harness
 

Installing new harnesses for SmartCraft & VesselView system.
Boat had Merc HP 500's before, different wiring
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...9a243b8253.jpg

What engines did it come with?

Engines
 

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...bb94d36f48.jpg
I believe they were Merc 500 H.P.'s

Not that I'm still bitter, but... This boat was originally sold to me my via David Woods / Pier 57, with David stating they were fresh rebuilds. I'll skip the details, as it's already out here in another post on OSO, that upon inspection (by his guy, Billy Moore - great dude btw), the motors were showing to have problems. Per David, he told me to just take the boat, have my guys go through the engines and he'd cover anything that wasn't right on the motors.

Heads were rotten, and much more. Called David with the story (and sent pics - from Trevor @ Legendary Marine showing they were rotten) and David reneged... and to add insult to injury Scott Sjogren heard about the issue, as he acquired Pier 57 shortly thereafter, and offered to cover the rebuilds. Before I was able to email Scott the invoices etc... Scott called back stating Woods told him he better not cover any reimbursement as it would be seen as egg on Wood's face. To boot... Woods and I had formed (what I thought was) a fairly tight friendship over the years... to the point I covered an entire dinner bill for him in LOTO, for A TON of his clients he invited, so that he could quickly leave, as his girlfriend became very ill during the dinner.

Anyway... I say this to clarify the HP question --- they had about 350 HP when I got it.... it came with appx 600 HP motors when John V had it (original owner). Cam change and a couple other things Gary @ Carolina Racing did.

Rant complete... Carry on. LOL

Wow! Now the plot thickens!?!?! Im bored. Joe I need more details. So did you sell the boat to lucky strike ? What are you running now?

This is LS's thread. I don't want to hi-jack it anymore than has already been done. So... here's the last hi-jacked post.

Short answer: I bought it in 2010, as the 2nd owner. When all of the engine problems surfaced, I created a thread here on OSO to share, "my opinions" as to what Woods did. It's all there,

At the time, I just sold my Skater and was moving into a different line of boating. Woods called and asked if I'd be interested in taking this boat off his hands... so I did, with the idea it would be a cool limited edition collector boat keep behind the house and buzz around in the lake with, from time-to-time... and this was one of the even fewer with side-by-side motors, which was a must, for me, considering this specific model.

After the drama... I rebuilt the engines / drives etc... and enjoyed the boat for nearly 10 years. Had been wanting to resto the interior for a couple years, and had been in talks with LS Jr. about who may be the best person to do it... and I just never got around to it. It literally stayed parked for two seasons. So, I finally realized, as go-fast boating was no longer my #1 go-to for boating, I needed to make a decision about what to do with the ol' girl --- and, I've been fighting to put off hip replacement surgery since appx. 2013... hence the change in scope from go-fasts to larger boats.

From there... the rest ties back into my previous comment in this thread where I mentioned I was casually talking to LS Jr. about selling it. Again, couldn't have gone to a better pair of guys.... and Jason too, if they'll let him in it! LOL. :-)


*If you're REALLY bored, here ya go. BTW... I gave Todd a flyer on his comments. I believe he was going through a divorce that year. LOL:

https://www.offshoreonly.com/forums/...7-hey-joe.html

[QUOTE} This is LS's thread. I don't want to hi-jack it anymore than has already been done. So... here's the last hi-jacked post. [/QUOTE]

Joe...Feel free to hijack my thread anytime.
This is the first I've heard about the drama you had with Pier 57.
Sounds like a used car dealer horror story!
I've modified my avatar and removed the Pier 57 name.
Thank you again for selling me the boat & it will be restored to perfection!!
Jason from Brand X is doing a 1st class job on this limited Lip-Ship Edition.
I can't wait to get the new "Lucky Strike" Gladiator in the water and go bang a few waves.

Sorry about your trouble Joe but thank you for sharing your story. lucky strike I have to agree with Joe on this one. Its your thread and should be about you and this amazing restore your doing. Please keep us up to date on your progress. When its finished we are all expecting a nice ride in it!lol....

That sucks you lost a friend. Used car salesman used, boat salesman, what’s the diff. I’d never expect a used boat to be anything other than as-is once you agree to buy it.

New wiring harnesses
 

Had to replace them to accommodate The 525's.
And the SmartCraft & VesselView

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...7f3fdebde5.jpg

Both in
 

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...c1d0d213c.jpeg

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...6be7a9121.jpeg

Wow! Looks amazing! Man your getting closer!!!

New Embroidery For New Interior
 

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...81271cfcb1.jpg

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...a6f1c92f65.jpg

Looks great. I was talking to Jason about your project this morning. Getting close

An updates???

Looking Great!

Well???

I pinged LS