Winter Modifications?
 

Is anyone doing winter modifications? I have a HUGE list, hopefully I'll actually gey 10% of them done!! All little cosmetic things to keep her looking new.

What mods are you going to do this winter Chris?

Well who knows how much I'll get done (I also want to get the 68 Firebird done) but here's a partial list:
paint dash
paint throttles
paint side air vents
paint switch plates
change gauge bezels
add sea strainers
add water pressure gauges
add dash warning lights to coincide with warning buzzer
add 2 more stereo speakers (not using 2 channels, will make 800w total!)
maybe add scoops to the engine hatch (Lisa's idea!)
replace carb floats
touch up trailer and replace bunk carpets

Damn! Maybe I should just buy a new one!

Wow, that's one hell of a list. How do you plan on replacing the trailer bunk carpets with the boat still on the trailer?

If I still have the boat, I think that I'm going to add trim on the throttle.

I haven't figured out how to do the carpets yet.

I had an idea a while ago that I have never tried, but might give you access to the forward bunks. Crank your trailer jack all the way up. Put blocks under the forward part of the keel until it supports it. Then let the trailer jack down. In theory, the bow should be suspended by the blocks like you see a lot of boats blocked at marinas.

That will probably work.
Any more news of that rumored New Years party?

It's on! Plan on being here New Year's Eve. That's 12/31/02. :D

I will have more details when it gets closer.

I'll be the one in costume on 12-30-02!:eek: ;)

Chris,
You have nearly as much to do as me!! No doubt you will get most of it done as four of the items are all related to the dash. I caution you to get some wire markers and mark every wire you disconnect!! I assure you that it is not fun tracing all the wiring down. If your Sonic is like mine, there are two wiring harnessess....one down each side of the boat. You will find that BOTH are connected to each fused connection even though only one wire is used. This is a potential for disaster and a wire not used.... if grounded can blow the fuse feeding the other side of the boat! I disconnected all the actually unused wiring and all my dash lites are much brighter now. One other thing that you can do to massively improve the dash is to put in at least a 6 ga. battery & ground lead & connected to Buss bars (add them) under the dash & wired to the battery switch. Use these buss bars as the battery source for all your switches and accessories and as the main ground buss. This can clear up a lot of things, it did for me.:D

Thanks for the tips!:D I was planning to mark everything, I'm not really looking forward to tearing it all apart, but I think it will be a nice improvement and make the boat look newer than it is (1997).

I pick will get my Stainless Marine Super Sea Strainers next Friday, The first progress this winter! I don't really plan on doing anything until after the holiday.

Chris - what is the purpose of the sea strainers?:confused:

Oh ya, and costumes are not required for the party even if you show up a day early! :D

I have a lot of sea weed at the camp. The sea strainers have a mesh that fliters the water for the engines. Saving impellers, plugged orfices, etc.
Check out http://www.stainlessmarine.com/strainer1.html

Won't work. The blocks will end up supporting the boat and the trailer. The boat and trailer won't separate because of the weight on the back.

If you lower the tongue of the trailer all the way to the ground, (floor jack), and then block the transom to hold the back of the boat in the air, you can then crank up your tongue again, and the boat and trailer will separate. Then use your tongue crank method to block the front up in the air under the keel.

I just asked the wife if she would like an MP3 player for her car (10 hrs of music on one disc is better than having a changer in my opinion) and she replied if I'm going to spend that money, it should be spent on the paint I need for pimpin out the boat!:eek: Now thats why I married her!!!:D

Wife
 

That's cool, I brought mine to the upholstry shop on Sat.
After finding out how much my design was going to cost, I tried to come up with a cheaper one.
Then she said "just go with your design, you know you won't be happy with any other one''. GAWD I love that gal!
She knows me so well

Wives are so cool
 

I got the go ahead do all the mods to my sonic this off season but there is no $$$$ in the acc. after buying her a new SUV for Christmas.

I think I'm putting a new 386 on my list for next year.

Well, the OSO member I was buying the strainers from stiffed me. Didn't return my call hasn't contacted me. So I guess I'll keep looking.

need bearings in the starboard motor and maybe scoops for the sun deck. Oh and intercomm!

Made another deal on used Marine Machine strainers with Tres (Martin Marine), OK price, shipped same day, very organized. Hope they will get here today!!! :D

Don't forget to include photos of your work!!

I just got the Marine Machine sea strainers, nice units. Big though. Now I just need the weather to get back up into double digits so the rubber hoses will be soft enough to work with!

GO4BROKE, I have not gotten my membership yet, so I can't view the photo. Can you post them in the photo gallery so I can see? Thanks.

Those things look like pool filters, they ought to do a great job!

Just got both motors back in, cockpit upholstry is in shop for new custom design, gel coat nicks will be next....

http://www.offshoreonly.com/gallery/...=1&ppuser=1017
Now if I did it right click on the link above to see the strainers Ken.

I'm nowhere near done but here's some progress.
Steps and cup holders-

Sea Strainers and shut off valves:

Steering wheel and hub

Motors back in and My wife bought be potable intercomm for Christmas....no Scoops this year,Powder coated my Grab rails in the cockpit and am having a new cockpit cover made as we speek should be done tomarrow! maybe a seatrial this weekend.
Don

Winter Mods since Nov. 2002
Port motor and heads comlete rebuild
Starbord cyl. heads complete rebuild
16 new fuel injectors,2 fuel pressure regs.
New exh. manifolds and risers
4 shotgun exhaust tips
Drives torn down and checked out, new impellors
chips and scratches in gel coat repaired
Scratches in graphics repaired
cracked bulkhead repaired
Fabricated new cabin door frame (see above)
remove cockpit upholstry
powder coat grab rails and seat support brackets
reinstall new custom cockpit upholstry
carpet cockpit and cabin with walkoff mat(this stuff is great!)
New CD player and rear speakers
new batterys
retighten every nut,bolt, and screw I could find.
Fired both motors yesterday, will hang drives and splash today....pics to follow

Just completed with all projects:

New Quality trailer axles.
New 4 wheel disc brakes on trailer.
Re-plumb brake lines with SS lines; and solenoid, and associated mods.
Polished entire aluminum trailer.
Pulled Rocket stickers off of trailer (it is no longer a POS Rocket Trailer, it is a Sydwayz Trailer since I rebuilt the entire damn thing).
4 new Goodyear D rated radials installed.
New lights on trailer.

Removed bolsters to make pattern for new carpet, re-installed today.
Installed new drop in carpet from R&R Textiles, 40 oz Purple (SWEET).
New style Sonic Racing sticker on port dash.
Wired in new accessories; depth finder, GPS, cigarette lighter and power cords for cabin fans; tidied up under dash.
Re-installed new tach from Faria.
Re-installed drive after painting lower.
All fluids and filters changed/cleaned.
Scrubbed bilge clean since had to use hammer/screwdriver method to remove oil filter (SOB).
FINALLY moved that damn halon extinguisher to transom from aside the stringer on floor in bilge, (cut foot open too many times).
Re-caulked some worn trim in cabin.
Installed 6 billet cupholders, which needed some coersing.
Installed new billet step plates.
Fabricated emergency bilge pump assembly with alligator clips.
Ordered new anchor light base, (old one worn).

Waiting for after first sea trial of season to replace plugs, and pull cap and rotor for cleaning.

Two new 550hp/502s.......almost ready to go in
Replaced all fuel lines
Lots of misc. items

Chris - I the mods look awsome!! I especially like that steering wheel!!

Thanks Brian!

New bezels to match the wheel

New water pressure gauges to go with the sea strainers. After I install the super chargers I will also add boost, oil temp, and fuel pressure here. I think I can do it without disturbing the logo much.

Very sharp looking!

Used the new intercom Sunday it rocks !!!!