built the battery boxes and a couple "platforms" for the aft, port and aft, starboard corners in the bilge. i needed someplace to place my hydraulic pumps for the drive trim and the eventual k planes trim pumps.

going to work on tabbing them in today.

here's a few pics:

i received the florida marine fuel tank and i've painted it with a good epoxy primer and an acrylic urethane topcoat to prevent it from corroding as the original did.

here's some tank pics:

in preparation for the new tank i decided to examine the stowage compartment that shares a bulkhead with the tank area. glad i did as i found the compartment floor to be completely rotten. seems as if pantera never sealed the bottom of the plywood "floor" of the stowage bin. i made new bulkheads and a new compartment floor and assembled it with 1708 and ve resin.

here are some pics:

in further preparation for the tank install i've glassed in the new stringers from the tank/bilge bulkhead forward. i will glass the rear/bilge stringers after the tank is in place and i can install the rear bulkhead and glass it together as a unit.

i used ve resin and 1708 fabric to splice in the new stringers. two layers of fabric over everything with two additional layers of 6 inch wide "tabbing" 1708 at the hull/stringer joint. it's super stiff!

next up is the actual tank install. :party-smiley-048:

here's a couple pics of the repair:

a couple more:

the tank is between the stringers! :evilb:

i've finished the glass work on the front cabin stowage compartment and placed the tank in the boat. it feels good to be moving in a forward fashion as opposed to grinding things apart.

i will foam in the tank today.

some pics:

starting to cut the tabbing and fit it for the final assembly.

also working on the helm.

i've decided to add a couple gauges and move some stuff around so i had to fill some of the factory cutouts.

i will be monitoring fuel level, water temp, oil temp, oil pressure, voltage and vacume.

a couple pics:

nice work VC. Thanks for the pics

Rob, may wanna consider water psi to the list too.

$.02

Lookin nice !!!

x2

i didn't think of water psi but that's a god idea. i guess the theory is that you will see a drop in water pressure before you get the motor too hot for the oil temp to indicate trouble?

your really doing a great job on that thing!! any ballpark on timeframe til you hit the water? looks like your moving along super fast!! a bunch of us from buffalo will be in ohio end of july lets see that bad boy out there!!

I think the water pressure is more valuable than the vac gage as a permanent one to have so use that spot and rig a temp vac gage for tuning etc....

hey tim. the boat will be done next summer as i still have to locate and build up an engine.

when you guys come west to the islands i'd like to join but i'll have to use my hot rod micro boat.

thanks for the compliments and advice guys.

what kind of power are you looking to put in it? did the boat come with the mopar motor in it when you bought it?? i cant remember

If you need more room on the dash, relocate the hr meter if you haven't already.

Nice work - It all looks awesome...

stormrider....the boat didn't have an hour meter but i have room for up to seven 2-1/16" gauges.

tim....the guy i bought it from pulled the 426 hemi and is having it built up for a vintage A990 64 dodge drag car. it was in front of a volvo 280 that came with the boat and i sold. i was going to try to repower it with a hemi because it would have been ultra cool but, the price of a properly prepared hemi (15,000 to 17,000) is double that of a bbc and the lack of availability of exhaust and a bellhousing to mate it to a bravo drive turned me off. the previous owner had a hemi bellhousing machined to work with the volvo drive and he had a set of edelbrock log jet boat manifolds, pointing forward, and routed 180 degrees to exit at the transom. cool stuff but, not what i wanted to get into.

it will be powered by the typical 500 or so inch bbc with an, old fashioned, carb.

the hemi would have been awsome but i dont blame you with the costs for sure! when you get ready for the motor build and rigging let me know i might be able to help you find some parts. keep up the good work!!

hey any updates??

hey tim. no updates. i've been putting in a driveway and doing alot of boating. in the fall the glasswork will resume. will you be at the sandusky sandbar this weekend?

i cant i have family coming in from out of town :( i was there with bigboat28 for the barge party. it was a blast. ohio has some really nice boating. im going to the lunch run on sept 1st in erie pa tho. this summer is going by way too fast.. and my weekends are filling up with weddings ugh why cant people get married in january???

keep us posted.. looks like there are some other cool 24's getting resurected too

started back on the pantera yesterday! :evilb:

i managed to glass in the port side main stringer and the port side battery box.

i'll post some progress pics tomorrow.

i'll also be building a rotisserie to flip the hull so i can "blueprint" the bottom. i have all the steel, i just have to cut in and weld it up. it's going to be cool!

Hello everyone. Just logged on to catch up.

I haven't given up on the restoration, it's just too damn cold to do any glass or paint work here in Ohio.

I have a pile of stuff to take to the polisher and I'm looking into having the interior done as well.

Anyhow, hope everyone had a good New Years.

Come on spring time!

Hello all.

I'm in the process of fabricating a rotisserie so I can rotate the pantera 360 degrees.
I'm looking to patch up any scrapes and whatnot on the bottom and paint it first. Then back on the trailer for the sides and deck.

Also, I've been in contact with xt innovations. They will be doing the upholstery work over the summer when they slow down a bit. I won't need it until next year so I'm in no hurry.
It's going to maintain it's pleated "70's" design.

Anyhow, just thought I'd post a quick update.

Have a good night guys, rob

1st see if you can find ridefast77's 28 Sonic build . He carried his boat to someone with a travel lift and they very gently rolled it over using just the lift straps and set it on the trailer upside down . Way easier then rotisserie and cheaper . Maybe $100 each way .

2nd NEVER , NEVER, NEVER carry anything to an upholstery or body shop and tell them there's no hurry or just get to it when you can ..

3rd Pic's where are they ? We need visual stimulation

2 unless you want free storage for a long long while ........


2nd NEVER , NEVER, NEVER carry anything to an upholstery or body shop and tell them there's no hurry or just get to it when you can ..

I'll post some pics later.

The rotisserie will be 100% free as I own the fabricating equip and I got all the steel for free from a demolition at work.

The ability to rotate the hull is going to be nice too.

I'm not too concerned about the lead time on the upholstery as I'm two years away from needing it.

Pics later.

Built the front rotisserie this week. The back will be quite a bit easier. It's as stiff as a wedding dick.

Getting ready to flip the boat and prep the bottom for paint. (Thinking of gelcoating the bottom. Still undecided.

Here's a few pics:

http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/b...ps3fca1fb9.jpg

http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/b...psc36ddcbc.jpg

http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/b...ps05323e9a.jpg

Transom template ready to cut. I need to confirm that I have it payed out correctly and the right x dimention before I commence to cutting. The rear rotisserie mounting plate will bolt to the bravo gimble mounting holes.

http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/b...ps067efb73.jpg

Looks sweet rob!

Is it going to be ready this summer? Bring it to middle bass July 20 weekend. You will have to call and get a dock if you are interested.

Maybe in a couple years. I'm taking my time with this boat. I'll die with it if all goes as planned.

I'm after some power and I hope to have it in color by this fall. We have a new baby and I'm 43 years old. First one and she has occupied a bit of my free time. Lol.

Upholstery this summer, color by fall and power by next spring and I might have a fighting chance at spring of 2014.

I just finished welding the rear rotisserie. Almost time to flip the old girl.

Have a good night fellas, rob.

Drilling the transom:

http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/b...ps02b574c1.jpg

http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/b...ps9f27da7d.jpg

http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/b...ps32293a23.jpg
http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/b...ps514607f0.jpg

The stern rotisserie:

http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/b...ps7105cf89.jpg
http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/b...psded15e98.jpg

That's a 12" by 12" by 1/4" thick steel plate that is through bolted where the top 4 gimble holes are. I ran out of gas for the mig so I'll weld the axle to the plate this week.

Almost time to flip the old girl!

Nice!

New mill:

looking good what kind of power is she making??

500 hp Tim. We are going to port the heads and intake, have the carb worked and put a good ignition on it.

good choice!!! that should give you years of reliable enjoyment!! nothing worse than having your a$$ hanging out of the bilge all the time. now get back to work!!

Major hurdle today fellas. The floor is back in!

I'll write a detailed description tomorrow but here's a quick pic:

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