yeah, even with my boat, I couldn't leave it alone and added all kinds of stuff like bezels, chartplotter, etc. etc.

I have lines that run from the hose fittings on the rear deck down to a regular brass 1/4 turn ball-lever valve that is "T'd" into the outlet side at the sea strainers. To flush the motors I close the ball valves to the raw water pickups and open the ones to the hose fittings. I'll try to snap a picture this weekend when I get the boat out.

-Greg

Looks great!!!!

it looks like you've put alot of thought and effort into this little project...it's looking great!

Thanks, Sean & everyone else..... here is the tab/drives indicator that I rebuilt with led back lighting & red pointers.... it did not get attached above.

I left out the picture of the fuel tank access panel, also diamond plate. The compartment will be carpeted around this panel.

:eek: For any of you that wonder.....
No I do not have a press brake, or other metal working machinery. All metal cutting & fitting is done the old fashioned way..... a saw and then file/polish to square or straight edge to fit spec's. I do use a drill press to drill & bevel the holes though.

My wife calls it "bonding with the boat".... I call it ... doing it the least expensive way!! and a little pride, I must admit.

The blocks, one crank, 1 set of rods & pistons, 2 intakes, flywheels, dampners, etc went to the machine shop today. I gop to Louisianna Thursday/Friday to pick up more engine parts & deliver to the machine shop next Monday.
We are line boring the crank journals, boring to .030, decking the blocks, enlarging the intakes to 2.25", CC'ing the heads & cylinders, notching the cylinders and some other trick head & cam stuff, port matching, etc...... these will be some serious 454/468" motors when completed.
Still looking for some 850 Holley carb's also.....

Great job. It looks fantastic.

I did see one other thing that will need to be replaced. You will probably twist the hand off the 80 MPH speedometer with that power.:D

Ah yes, actually it is non-functional. I will be using GPS and getting a new speedo to feed off the nema signal from that. Only one transducer.reciever required then. Let's hope it all works out good in the end. :D

I decided in January to add to the graphics that Fred had on the Sonic, so I took it into "Street Dreams" custom shop... they do beautiful work.... I decided to go ahead with the paint & delivered the boat to them on February 4th...... they wanted 3 weeks to do it. OK>.... it is now nine weeks later & they haven't even finished one side yet!! They are killin' me!!
I still need to install the engines, which have been finished now for 3 months... just waiting the exterior paint work to be done, then in they go, as soon as I cut the new 5 1/2" holes for the exhaust pipes (internal mufflers in dry pipes)... they are wetted but just the last 3 inches!! Then I have to finish the new interior..... it may have to wait for the end of summer for that step!! This boat will be wet this summer!!! Fred's trailer queen has now been dry for over 2 years, between he & I.

Anyway, I thought I would post the new engines to the thread..... remember- what looks BLUE is really PURPLE!! Damned flourescent lamps in the shop changed the picture colors I guess.

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Since the last post on the engines, I have added 2-piece Eickert valve covers, Jacobs ignition, larger valves, custom grind Crower cams, roller lifters & rockers, decked the blocks, align bored the bores, fullly balanced the engine, forged pistons (.030), forged cranks, Team G single plane intake w/Dominator 1050's and HP-6 oil filters. ALL fastners are ARP. If they show, then they are stainless 12 point heads.
I have both 1.36 & 1.50 drives for this rig. Both have Diamond Effect silver paint on the lowers & the uppers are Merc black. The lowers give the appearance of being polished but I will have no corrosion problems with them. The custom electronics mounting plate on the rear of the engines is to mount the ignitions and is also made of diamond plate. I did not use stainless braided lines due to cost, but painted all crimped hose connections to match the engine. :D

Fred's going to be surprised when he see's the finished paint...!!

HP is estimated to be 650 each or better..... the engines were built to run as high as 6500 rpm, not that I will ever see it as I am running 1.36 drives- there but they are capable engines. There sister 502's are running 95 in a 29 Fountain right now with 1.5 drives. I expect great things out of this!! I got to have something to justify the expense & labor.
My wife went by today to check out the paint & reported a "positive" on the graphics changes. That is good news!!:D
I am building new back seat panels, sun pad/hatch base & side panels- which a Sonic has never seen.
I am getting very anxious. Summer is coming fast.

Every detail that you have put into this boat is very impressive. It is one thing to run a great boat like a sonic, but to know that you have contributed so much to it, must be very rewarding. I wish I had the skills that you do to truly make a boat your own. I hope that you get your boat floating this summer, and have a great time with it!
Scott

Very VERY nice!

Just as a teaser.... Fred- are you ready for this???


Just a glimpse of the "added" graphics I spoke......

Please search to find original pictures of Fred's Sonic.

Now look below......

Remember, this is clor coat only, no color sanding, clear coat or pinstriping is done. ... color coats only..

Now- the PORT Bow view

The PORT Stern view

The Starboard Bow

The Starboard Side view

Some Bow Detail....

Some Stern Detail....

a little Starboard Stern Detail....

Fred's graphics were completely removed of course...
The first coat of clear coat went on last night... now to start color sanding and the striping of the Tribal Flames on the sides... then much more clear and color sanding....... this started out simple and progressed from there!!

Hope I didn't disappoint you Fred!! :D


You know what they say...

"In for a penny.... in for a pound!!"

Boat- a hole in the water into which you pour money!!:rolleyes:



Ok, so what do ya' think so far...... may be starting the Top Deck in a week.

That is just awesome work.:cool:

Just a question.....Are you going to keep the boat or sell it when you are finished with it.

I know I get about the same amount of pleasure out of working on mine as running it. Strange maybe, but that's just the way I am.:D

It's fun to have one to work on when you want to. If the work is a "have to", then it is then really work. Fortunately, I have my" Blown FORMULA", TO GO DRIVE UNTIL i GET THIS DONE. I am anxious to find out how it sounds, runs, rides & feels. If I don't like it for some reason, then I will sell it. I have never been in or on a Sonic before- so a totally new experience is awating.
I am seriously looking forward to the next month. I will post the final product tho...
.....Count on it!!:D

Very nice, I like the paint!

Very nice George. It has come along way since we went to NC and picked it up from Fred. Anxious to see it at the grand eagle poker run.

Cool!!

Looks awesome!!

Here is the original paint, as done by Fred's painter & in front of Fred's garage just prior to delivery to me.....
19 months ago!! It's time to hit the water now!!

Too Old's top deck.....

I saw the painter again today.... they have now started stripping the top deck & cockpit in order to do the base coat, then the deck graphics (a continuation of the side graphics wrapped around to the top)..... then color sanding all the clearcoats (deck & sides), pinstriping & several more clear coats.
He said it should be done in two weeks!! Then I haul it 150 miles to the upholstery shop for the new interior & hatch pad to be designed to compliment the graphics design ... while that is being done, the boat goes back to the lake to stab the engines, drives and exhaust. Then back 150 miles to install the interior..... this could get to be work!! It a good thing I retired as this would take another 3 months to do otherwise.... sometimes God smiles on us!!:D
Now if everything goes according to plan.... (ha!!)
I will post more pictures as we progress.

This poor boat has been through the ringer!!!!!!!!! 1st Too Old tore it apart, now you. Get it finished and in the water where it belongs!!!!!


Great Job!!

Great work George. I hope to see it this summer. I want to make an appointment for the Scarab this winter. :)

Pure Energy... Correction...!!

Too Old DID NOT tear it apart. He did No mechanical work of any kind. He only did the graphics that were on the boat when I bought it. He did however strip out the dash wiring to paint it, & it was not rewired when I got it. What I got was totally unusable mechanically- engines mismatched, square port intakes on peanut port heads, loose drives, bad gimbles, etc, etc, etc. So much corrosion the starters had holes in them!! That's why the total rebuild..... everthing is now replaced & upgraded. This is now a "2004" 31SS, not an '88 30SS!!
I think my wife will agree I have "bonded" with boat!! The last year I have spent more time on it and it's related parts than I have with her!! She doesn't seem to mind though..... it makes her happy I am doing what I like to do ( even while she is still working- by choice!!).

What a lucky guy I am. Everyone should have a wife like mine.:D

Nice graphics. It will definitely turn heads!

BF-
Who is painting the boat for you.. Looks great!
TC