1980 HydroStream Vamp resto-mod

Last task for today is install the brass drain hole tube. Its a flared tube, so you smother it with glue, slide it into the drain hole on the boat, then using the flaring tool, you flare the end to keep it nice and tight in there.

Tomorrow I will be wet sanding and buffing the hull. I have the topside to do, then I have the left side of the bottom of the hull to do. Once thats all done I can move on to putting in the wiring, gauges, radio, carpet, seats and deck hardware.

 

Little test patch of wet sanding and buffing. Yeah, this is going to look real nice.

 

Did part of one side, not perfect, but it looks good. Im running low on 1000 grit sandpaper as I can only get a 1 foot section of hull per per sheet. So I just ordered 200 more sheet, got 100 1000 grit, and 100 1200 grit. Having a surplus will make sanding go by much faster than having to use the paper until its 100% gone. I can change out sheets often to maintain a good cut.

With the sand paper I have right now I plan to sand out the places that deck hardware is going so I can start getting that put on (radio, gauges, cleats)

I am thinking of putting vinyl on these sides though, I think it would look pretty good to put some sort of billboard on the sides like the boat originally had (see picture at bottom). Just not sure what color I want to do. Might have to order a couple of colors and do tests.

 

Little side shot to show how well the rear caps ended up after cutting them off and then putting them back on.

 

Started laying carpet down, just test fitting right now, I will glue it in once I get it all right in there. I will be putting a single sheet down the center, then the float pods will be carpeted over with their own sheets.
Not gluing it down though until I am done wet sanding. No point in putting it down just so it can get all dirty from the sanding.

 

No boat news today, dishwasher took a shit last night, parts were $270 to fix it, but the dishwasher was 7 years old and the cheapest one they sell when I got it. So new dishwasher time! Got a new one and installed it, now I am going to sit and drink while it washes my dishes.

 

I wasn't going to "like" that because it cost you $$$...

Then I read the last line.

 

Actually was not too bad, menards had a $900 dish washer on sale for $500.

 

No Menards out this way.

 

Its the walmart of hardware stores. Also got a sweet flashlight on clearance, its a little pocket one with a magnetic charger cable.. also got some frozen pizzas for dinner.

 

Sand paper showed up today! But, my daughter has dance competition till 6pm tonight. Hoping to get back in there tonight then most of the day tomorrow, really hoping there is no rain tomorrow so I can pull the boat out to sand it in the sunlight.
Plan is to get all the sanding and buffing done, then move on to putting in the carpet. I have a plan for the stair carpet, stock it covered the stairs but not the lip between the main deck and the entrance to the stairs. But to get a nice seamless look I want to continue the carpet over that lip into the main deck. Thinking more about it, I really should of cut that lip out so the bottom of the stairs was level with the main deck. But its too late now to do that, maybe if I do a color change on the top half of the deck down the road I can cut that part out and smooth it out.

 

Made some good progress sanding this evening, my DA is taking a beating though, I have to hit it with a hammer a few times to free the rusted up bearing in it. Pretty sure after this job is done, the DA will be trash. I would love to use my air powered one, but I dont have a hook it pad for it and the air hose would just get in the way.

 

First pass with the buffer, lots more buffing needed, but its shaping up pretty good.

 

Looking really nice!

 

Most power tools come apart without any special tools and the bearings are standard sizes available from any industrial supplier or McMaster-Carr.

 

Yeah, I tried taking it apart, even the screws are rusted up But its a cheap Hart brand one, I think I paid like $34 for it.

 

Alright, all sanded and buffed out. The sides and the lounge area are not sanded to a gloss because they are going to be covered anyways. But the rest has a nice gloss to it.

 

Looks amazing, getting so close.

 

Carpet is in, seat bases in, cleats in, foot pedal in, shift/throttle linkage in, rear anchor light mount is in, rear tie down eyes in, fuel lines in!

Tomorrow I am going to pick up 3/8 plywood to build the side panels, need to get foam and vinyl to cover them on wed.

Going to order the longer throttle cable once the motor is on so I can actually use the foot pedal.

So the plan for tomorrow is to build the side panels, install the mounts for them, and then move on to putting all the gauges, fish finder, and radio in. Also going to install the steering wheel and cable tomorrow night.

All I will have left after tomorrows jobs are done is to install the motor, install the bow eye, nav light, put in the motor wiring along with the rest of the wiring and fuse boxes, then screw down the battery trays and do the teak wood trim.

Im days away from having this boat in the water!

I did change my carpet design a little bit to make things a little easier, instead of trying to carpet the float boxes I have ordered a gallon of marine topside paint in black. Just going to roll on the float boxes black and be good.

Last thing that needs to be done after everything is to build the rear bench and the front lounge seats, these items are not 100% needed to get the boat going, but they need to be done by July when we take the boat with to a weeklong stay on a lake. I do need to carefully plan the rear bench seat though, I need to be able to fold down the backrest to get to the fuel tank and also I want to put storage under the seat for fishing gear.



As for the motor, I have decided I am going to drill it myself as the shop is 3 weeks out right now. After reading up on it, seems that most motors are drilled crooked from the factory to begin with, so being slightly off is not a big deal. But doing it myself means that I can take extra time to ensure its as straight as possible.

 

I have to both laugh and marvel - you list off everything above -- and will get it done.

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Meanwhile it has taken me 2 weeks to put a timing belt on a Subaru...