Floor is out!!!

[56mulberry]

Engine is in!!!!!!! Finally after 2 1/2 years!!!!!  GOnna try to get it all buttoned up for a test fire this weekend if possible.  Still got to change impeller and some minor things........D

[56mulberry]

Well--the engine is IN and everything is hooked up---so went upstairs and had some supper and then came down and hooked up battery and turned key and NOTHING!!!

SO did some trouble shooting and wire testing and multi-meter using and ended up finding the main ignition wire from the engine to the key switch had been spliced with one of those dreaded crimp connectors and then had heat-shrink tubing over it but one end had not been crimped in the connector but the heat shrink had been shrunk over it so it was not visible---fortunately it was not deep under the floor fore so was able to get it fixed pretty easily and voila! after a little cranking to get the fuel from the tank to the carb and POW she fired up perfectly.

Only two problems I see right now are: a fuel leak at the carb body fuel fitting that needs a different fitting--hopefully can find one at shop tomorrow-- and also it is not idling right now.  I started it without the water pump being hooked up and only let it run about 30 seconds at a time (as in took the belt off the water pump so as not to damage pump impeller) and then let it cool 5-10 mins--probably oversafe but since it has been sitting 3 years I wanted to be careful.

I am running an Edelbrock 1409 rather than a Holley since the old Holley was shot according to P.O. and the Edelbrock was supposedly new (basically used a few hours then the Mastercraft/351 it was on was sold and it was removed and boxed up til I got it...)  WIll see how it goes though...

HOpe to park it in the water on the trailer tomorrow or Sunday to water/trailer test and of that goes well then we will launch it and see what happens.

THEN I have to install the complete interior including all the little aluminum trim pieces, and a few other things and then on to the carpet, which i will do last, so as not to get any stainage or anything during final assembly of everything else.

In case anyone has an answer to exactly how the trans cable is routed or could shoot me a good pic of one on similar baot I would appreciate it--not sure mine is quite right...

Also--I  WILL double-clamp all the exhaust couplings yet, and I am going to pull the SS elbows back out now that I have them positioned and will mark them to have my muffler guy weld some 2" spouts on the inside walls after the bend so that I can put a "crossover" pipe on the exhaust--like an "H-pipe" made out of 2" exhaust hose which should help it run a little better--kind of an old hot-rodder trick for V-8 dual exhaust improvement--might make a couple extra ponies--who knows.

Here are a few pics....

[Joel]

Man!  Youve come a LONG way...  Looking good and the hull looks BRAND NEW!  Be sure to post lots of pics of your carpet install - I'm gonna need to do mine before too long and a pictorial would be fantastic help     No use in reinventing the wheel   

Your gonna need to talk with Ron or Dan about the tranny cables...  Although I think Phil has the same year / setup...  might help to get a few pics of how his, or Rafe's, Skier's engine / tranny are set up!!

Joel

[phil]

Looking good!!! Can't wait to see it completed.

[56mulberry]

GOt tranny cable squared away--found a pic of "before" that I thought I lost--so "after" is OK now.

COuld not get the Edelbrock 1409 to idle plus it was leaking fuel out the bowl somewhere--so I switched the Holley back on this morning and she cranked up instantly and idled perfectly!

So we put the interior all back in and all the aluminum trim and the driver seat and a few other odds and ends took it to the lake!!!

At first it was leaking a good bit of water around the prop shaft thru-hull fitting but I realized it was the nutted kind --guess it has a graphite string wrapped around in there or something--so I tightened it 2 full turns and it stopped leaking completely and then ran it easy (maybe not over 2000 rpms?) for about 30 mins straight with a look-see under the engine cover every 5 minutes or so.  Since all looked good we opened it up a couple times up 20 3100-3200 rpms.

My friend followed me in his boat in case a tow became necessary (fortunately it never did!!!) And my starbord SPeedo was working but my port speedo was not--the pitot  or something is broken off the end of the pickup tube on transom....but his boat matches his GPS and at his 25mph I was 24 mph ---so it seemed close---I ran up to 36-38 with no problem at all on the speedo--assuming it stayed accurate

Now just have to order and install carpet and we will be golden!  Ohh, and I have to register it this week so its legasl for the 4th...thanks everyone for all the help....DOUG

[Joel]

FAN-FREAKIN-TASTIC!!!!        Post some pics when she's done, interior upholstery, hull, motor, carpet, etc, so we can get a full view - great job!!!

Enjoy your "NEW" boat!!!   

[56mulberry]

GUEss that thru-hull prop fitting is supposed to drip slightly to keep lubed?  Not surer totally will research more.

Here is a pic of RIDE #1 !!! No side hull sticker yet to show off the American Skier name but hopefully this week that can happen and will order carpet this or next week too!!

Will post detailed pics when completely done...but enjoy this one just to prove all the hard work on my end and the expertise on the forum end and all the kind words from everyone in between are for real!!

[Mike Harry]

She is looking good man! And I really love that creamcicle color!

[Joel]

Yep... every now and again hard work does pay off      And, yes it should leak a bit to keep the shaft lubed - which reminds me... I need to check mine   

Cant wait for the final pics...  BTW, Ron Tanis has brand new, based off the original design & right off the printer, "Skier Girl" graphics for the rear port / stbd sides...  I think that year had them, but better to ask Ron.

Very very cool!!!   

[56mulberry]

yes- it did have the shields at the rear with the girl on them, I removed them when I sanded the hull along with the cracked "American Skier" stickers- Ron and I have been dialoguing (sp?  ) about the bikini girl graphic and the side-hull graphic at length for several months now--I am actually having my test fit paper "American Skier" bubble script sized and printed tomorrow or Wed and if the size and fitment is perfect it will be printed thur or fri and hopefully I can install it this weekednd for the 4th festivities!!!

I will post pics of hull graphics once I put them on the boat--and I will be ordering my bikini girl shield from Ron as soon as I get my side hull done. I am also doing a transom "outline" American skier graphic also at the same time as side hulls.

And I am VERY partial to the orange "creamsicle" colors also--in fact, when I try to explain the "tangerine and cream" color scheme to folks who have never seen it I always say--"its kind of like a melted orange creamsicle...." Funny you use the same analogy!

hioping to post a video of a driveby soon also....thanks DOUG

[RonT]

Sounds like you need the new hull shield graphics now to complete her....

[Joel]

Doug,  Do you have port / stbd bow cleats???   I have the same style on mine & while they dont HURT anything I wish the previous owner(s) wouldnt have installed them - when they get loose, they are a PITA to tighten   

[56mulberry]

YEs I do--black ones which look original to the boat--and YES they are a PITA to tighten. D

[56mulberry]

Sounds like you need the new hull shield graphics now to complete her....

Yeah Ron--gonna get in touch with you shortly for a set of those--If my hull graphic comes out as well as I anticipate maybe we can trade a set for a set...? 

Letcha know---either way I will be needing a set soon. Doug

BTW ran the boat about 6-7 hours this weekend with no apparent issues

Ran 165-175 degrees all the time--165 under way and 175 when idling--maybe close to 180 if idling very long but it performed flawlessly!

My wife is an abvid competition level slalom skier from the "old days"--like the late 70's and 80's and she skiied behind it and LOVED it--said the wake was perfect and the torque coming out of water was insane.

Seems like that boat goes about 0-25 in 3 seconds!  I like it.

I just have to do carpet and graphics now to get it right--will do a few more pics when done--

Oh and by the Ron--you'll have to ignore the Fly High by B.I.  extended pylon--- but my boy and all his friends like to board and my wife skiis so it gives me the best of both worlds--plus can pull it off at will to "restore the intended historic integrity" of the craft......and I only gave $100 for it anyways so couldnt pass it up...... DOUG

[Joel]

Doug,  you may want to re-check your cooling hoses connections and your impellor pump.  My boat was operating around the same temps as you describe, but gradually began to crawl upwards > 180 F.   After many inspections with no real "smoking gun" for a cause, I replaced the 160 F Thermo-Stat with a 143 F Thermo-Stat with limited success.  I finally discovered my impellor pump rear seal had a slow leak (causing a suction pressure drop) - this was indicated by a few drops of water a minute from the rear of the pump.  After removal we found the rear seal was shot and one of the two bearings inside the pump was going bad.  We replaced the seal and both bearings.  Now she runs just under or at 160 F all the time     I got lucky since we caught the bad seal and more importantly the bad bearing EARLY or it would have wallowed out the pump housing requiring a costly repair.

Joel