89 Top Gun Rebuild
 

This is how it looks now. I plan on posting more pics as I go through the rebuild process. Any help or input is always appreciated. I'm very excited to get started.

Good luck with it! Someday I hope to restore a top gun

Before I could even get stareted on the boat, I had to make room for it in my shop. As you can see, I need a bigger shop. I decided to see what worked and what didn't before I started dismantling everything. To my surprise, almost everything in the cabin worked. Then I took out the interior and removed the floor to inspect stringers and fuel tanks. I believe I need to remove the fuel tanks next to further inspect the hull.

The old interior is available if you know anyone looking. I was able to purchase newer interior to put back in .

mmm... got elbow grease? lol!

great project to follow!

Good luck with your project! You may be pleasantly surprised with the fuel tanks. There are a lot of older Guns out there with no issues and original tanks.

:food-smiley-007:

With your money, you wont need to buy a project...:cartman:

Good luck with the project!, I love the classic lines of those Guns!

You have a great little helper there!.....His involvement experience will last him a lifetime!.......Good luck with the project!

Yeah ok.... And which one of us has the finest low hour example of a straight bottom gun????

Thank yall for the encouragement. And Skippy he is a great little helper, I hope the boat gives us great experiences and memories for a long time.

Great boat! look forward to seeing the rebuild.

Cool project. Love the all Red hull. Don't see many of those around.

What you gonna put in it for power when the time comes?

I'm not sure about the power yet, right now I'm thinking a mild upgrade rebuild on the original 420's but you know how that goes. If I can afford it when the time comes I'd like to see 650 hp a side which is about max on TRS drives from what I am reading and hearing. Unless I find a great deal on some motor drive package.

I see you have a baja 250! what an upgrade from a 25 footer!

cool, what are you expecting it to cost

It is definately an upgrade! I cant wait to feel the difference in two boats. Although my Baja has been a good fun boat. And as far as cost I would love to get it on the water for under 30k. I can do almost everything myself so Im hoping that will save a lot.

How fast was one of those with the 420's in it? I love the red.

low 60s

don't want to ruin your hope but... to be in water at 30k... give me your way to do things right cause i never found it!!! spent much more restoring boats...

I looked at this boat and saw the potential. Good luck with your build. I too have done it and if you are resourceful, you can get it done without breaking the bank. My only mistake was that I stared too many projects on the boat at once and it took me much longer to get on the water than what I originally planned.

Good luck.

the 420s are a good platform to start with, stroked to 496s ,

As long as the 25 year old saltwater blocks and heads aren't rotted away...

IMO I would just get new blocks and heads to build off of.

well if thats the case bigger cubic inch, m/t your engines look awesome and the numbers are impressive, sure you dont want some n/a talldeck 540s

Thanks man! I wouldn't mind some blown 540's !

ive got a set of n/a 540s, fresh with brodix heads we could do some trading

We'll have to see what my budget looks like when i get to motors, I would love to see some big power. I wont know a lot about my motors till i tear them down. Right now im trying to see what i have to do to the rest of the boat. A pair of 540s would be nice!

:food-smiley-007:

Nice project!! I like the red & huge cockpit / interior.

It is an 80's Cig. from FL?, maybe those packages on the engine hatch fell from a small airplane back in the day. Your budget could be huge!! wishfull thinking hehe.

Thats funny! I wish i could find something to help the old budget. unfortunately I've been through it pretty good and nothing so far. the blocks of wood on the hatch arent worth much either.
BTW I'm going to get back at it right after christmas and I'll have some more pics.

mine has 540 900hp blower motors an #5 drives

What's the deal with these? I think I've seen you try to trade them off to almost every member on here?? Don't like them? Lol

You can definitely get this boat on the water for less than 30k. Just have to be very careful in your purchases and plan ahead!
My hawk will be ready in the spring with Ssm 3's and 600-650hp blower motors for way under 30,000 total "investment"

lil red just thinkin of going back to blown, dont think i can take it going slower will feel like im dragin a achor, actually these are going to be a pretty good setup, its just once youve been blown, you cant go back.

and with the economy ive seen several sets of blower motors sale way cheap, i know what it cost to build a pair with good stuff, and some that are in the classifieds are a deal atleast if they have what they claim they have in them, theres a few guys that have bought what were supposed to be 540ci plus only to tear them down and have 502s

Ahh I hear ya there man!

Is it just me but does your boat look exactly like a 38KV Scarab? Did they share hull designs?

I always wondered about that, the flat deck Scarabs and old Flat deck Cigs look very much a like....

I'm not 100% Sure but I dont think they are made from the same mold.however they do share some caracteristics. I think the KV has a wider beam. I think it's very possible that some design ideas came from the Cig. Larry smith was the designer for scarab and I would imagine he designed his own boat. I have always thought they look very similar, maybe someone else would know more.

I agree. Blown is the way to go!

top gun isnt exactly a flat deck cig

I think a 38 Flatdeck scarab with Trs will be faster than a 38 Flatdeck cig with Trs with equal power