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93 Echelon overhaul


amarfanhar

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Spring is here finally I have some money to fix her up. I need some help from the crew. Here are my plans...

- I need all new vinyl upholstry. I've thought about ordering the skins from Chee and having someone local install them.

- I need a bimini top for my Roswell Wake-Air tower and some tower speakers.

- I would like to add a floating wedge.

- I need a new cover.

- My budget is $2,500- $3,000

1. Any recomendations or sugestions on any of these needs?

2. Does anyone know a Salt Lake City shop for upholstry, covers, bimini tops or tower speakers?

Thanks,

Todd

Here are some pictures I took last fall after buffing out most the oxidation.

http://picasaweb.google.com/amarfanhar/93MalibuEchelon?authkey=Gv1sRgCNO7iqzUh_nepAE#

Edited by amarfanhar
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Hey man, here's to a good season. Cheers.gif But I think you might be running over the budget. Are those listed in order of importance?

Here's what I would do:

1. The upholstery. Ripped seats make the boat feel 100 years old. New ones make the whole boat feel new. I don't have any experience with Chee, but his reputation precedes him. I'd say get skins from him and do the labor yourself. It's really not that hard. This will leave some $ for the other stuff.

2. The cover. You have to protect your new upholstery. I'd have that done locally, a bow cover and then another cover that wraps over the windshield and goes around the rub rail to the back. Snaps under the rub rail. When my cover fails this is my plan.

3. Bimini - That's another custom job I think, that'll eat up $500. No experience from me, so no help, sorry

4. Floating wedge - can't see under the swim deck with the picture shadowed, do you have a manual one currently?

5. Tower speakers - pretty sure you are out of $ at this point.

Also, in light of recent threads, you may want to check your trailer tires. Instead of a new stereo HU, that has taken a priority on my boat, and since you trailer yours a lot you should make sure you have good rubber.

Just my $.02

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Agreed, you might be able to get 3 of those items done, but 3k will go fast. You're going to have to prioritize.

-I'm guessing skins alone (just material) will be around $1500.

-A custom bimini...no idea but if you want it attached to the tower I'm guessing at least $500 if not alot more! And tower speakers can range from $200 - $2000!

-Not saying you can't but I'm not sure if a wedge will go on your '93. If you can a guy on ebay sells them from time to time for around $700.

-Evolution covers are the only way to go, imo, you'll have to call Cory on the pricing. That would be and was my #1 priority when I got my boat.

Good luck, have fun!!

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Just for reference points on upholstery.

On my 93 Skier, I've had most of the items redone by a super awesome local shop that does incredibly inexpensive work. So your prices might be higher (I hope their higher, or my impression of my upholstery guy might have to change).

I chose grade 8 vinyl (scale of 1 - 10 for weight, backing material, color-fastness etc.)

Back seat bottom, one color (off white) was $140 with new foam..

Back seat back was $120, reuse the foam.

Engine cover was $375 with 3 colors of vinyl, a pattern, piping, new carpet, new netting and new cupholders.

Observer seat bottom was $140 with new foam one color.

Helm seat was $210 once color.

Bolsters aren't done yet, and I don't have bow seating.

And that's $1,000 already.

Just reinforcing that you'll want to prioritize - and don't skimp. You have a really nice boat - get nice stuff! :thumbup::biggrin:

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I've got an even older boat than you. (87 sunsetter). Upgrading the interior made it seem brand new. I worked with Chee and actually redesigned/customized to be different from the original design using sketches. I was very pleased with the results and Chee nailed it for a lot less than my local upholstery shops quoted. He also uses the newest from malibu, which is good vinyl (and foam in my case). Then again, I've seen some great price quotes on Craigs list but of course you have to be careful. It's so easy to spend $1000 bucks on a boat -- but well worth it for interior. That's my opinion. Good luck.

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I just had the entire interior done on my 90 Sunsetter by a local guy. In order to keep it cheaper, I took everything out and delivered the pieces to him and then I am also reinstalling it. This saved me about $800 but the whole interior was still $2250. I purchased carpet and put it in myself, which was about another $200. So, along with others thoughts, you may not get to do everything on your list this year. I'm doing mine in stages: this year interior, next year repaint exterior stripes and hopefully add a tower...

Good luck!

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martinarcher

I've got an even older boat than you. (87 sunsetter). Upgrading the interior made it seem brand new. I worked with Chee and actually redesigned/customized to be different from the original design using sketches. I was very pleased with the results and Chee nailed it for a lot less than my local upholstery shops quoted. He also uses the newest from malibu, which is good vinyl (and foam in my case). Then again, I've seen some great price quotes on Craigs list but of course you have to be careful. It's so easy to spend $1000 bucks on a boat -- but well worth it for interior. That's my opinion. Good luck.

I'd give Chee a call. After seeing pics of ruggers interior that's the way I'll go if my boat needs a third interior. Biggrin.gif His boat really does look like a new Bu inside. Clap.gif

Call Cory, aka Evolution Covers and get a cover from him for your boat. You won't be sorry. His covers are simply awesome. Don't put snaps in your boat. Bash.gif I could kill the previous owner of mine for putting them on! Blowup.gif

Here's my Evolution cover (post #25)....

http://www.themalibucrew.com/forums/index.php?/topic/20623-evolution-cover/page__st__20

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I'd give Chee a call. After seeing pics of ruggers interior that's the way I'll go if my boat needs a third interior. Biggrin.gif His boat really does look like a new Bu inside. Clap.gif

Call Cory, aka Evolution Covers and get a cover from him for your boat. You won't be sorry. His covers are simply awesome. Don't put snaps in your boat. Bash.gif I could kill the previous owner of mine for putting them on! Blowup.gif

Here's my Evolution cover (post #25)....

http://www.themalibucrew.com/forums/index.php?/topic/20623-evolution-cover/page__st__20

I called Cory at evolution and he doesn't have a pattern designed for the echelon. Did he make a pattern specifically for your Skier? Did he charge you more? How did he make the pattern?

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martinarcher

I called Cory at evolution and he doesn't have a pattern designed for the echelon. Did he make a pattern specifically for your Skier? Did he charge you more? How did he make the pattern?

I worked with him over the phone to find a Skier locally that he could pattern. Bakes Marine ended up helping us out and let Cory pattern a customers boat. It certainly didn't cost more in fact Cory helped me out a bit since I helped him do some legwork finding the Skier we used to pattern. He now can make the same cover for other Skier owners. Thumbup.gif

Give him a call and discuss it. Tell him about my Skier and he'll know exactly what your after. You'll get a Bu crew discount too.

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Follow up....

I just ordered new skins from Chee!! I also bought a Swallow Inland Surfer Wakesurf board, and insulation kit for my inboard motor box. I'm heading down this week to southern Utah and the next week to Lake Powell. When I get back... I'm going to install the new skins, the motorbox insulation and a new steering wheel. I'm still working on finding the following...

- a tower bimini

- a floating wedge with bracket

- a new cover

Thanks for all your sugestions keep them coming.

Todd

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I agree with the above posters.. Try and get an Evolution if you can... A good cover is well worth it and really an Evolution is not that much more money than other covers..

I don' think the wedge will be worth the money personally.. It will help with surfing but a good ballast system for your Echelon will put out a nicer wake/wave... Of course it takes up Valuable space in the boat... On my old Echelon I used to put a bag under the rear seat (seats lifts up and acts as a small sundeck), on the side we surfed (beside the engine cover), and one in the bow (closed bow).. This was quite a few years ago and Ballast bag shapes have been improved since then... If you do go for a wedge try and find a used manual wedge rather than floating.. It will save you some money and give you the same real value on resale... Be prepared to do some platform work with the wedge as well.. Water splashes thru the platform holes and splashes people sitting in the back of the boat when it is in the up position plus your platform won't have a wedge access door...

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Water splashes thru the platform holes and splashes people sitting in the back of the boat when it is in the up position plus your platform won't have a wedge access door...

He's right, it does, at least mine does at higher speeds (slalom, footing, tubing). Not much at all, but if you're in that back seat you'll get sporadically hit with teaspoons of water. One of the next things on my list is a newer platform without the open slats to keep that water under the platform, and with an access door.

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I would do the cover before doing all the seats. You don't want to do the seats first and then have something happen to them beofore you get a new cover. So I would do cover, seats, wedge, then speakers. I say do speakers last because I hate when I see some rusted out civic rolling down the street on 22s bumping music out of a nice system while the hood, doors, and trunk are all different colors from other junked cars. I think comfort and function should come before bling, plus I think your budget is too low to do everything. Maybe hold off on the speakers or something for a couple months or until next year.

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The wedge advise is great. I don't know if its worth adding if it is going to effect splashing or performance at high speeds. I am just looking to add a bigger wave for surfing without sacrificing all my little interior room... What I'm saying is I want a V-drive comfort in my little echelon and adding a wedge could do it. I have about 1200lbs of fat sacs that I'm using now it just takes up so much room and is a pain to fill and empty when we surf.

I have 2 covers for my boat... a cotton canvas cover for indoor storage and a poly cover I bought for the rain for $100. They do the job. I just cant tow with either cover on and I cant use it for a moreing cover in the rain on the water...which is rare. Evolution doesn't have a design yet for my Echelon. I'm going to continue buggin him for one because I don't want to settle for mediocracy in a cover again.

I have a sweet aftermarket stereo in the boat already with a nice sub. It is however missing the tower speakers so I can hear it while were behind the boat and this is what I'm thinking to add. I might just be the rusted out civic on the water :rofl: but I paid next to nothing for a boat that will pull a skier way better than your VLX. :thumbup: And I'm not in debt and I own it free and clear.

Thanks again for all the sugestions. I'll post pics once I get my new skins installed.

Todd

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martinarcher

The wedge advise is great. I don't know if its worth adding if it is going to effect splashing or performance at high speeds. I am just looking to add a bigger wave for surfing without sacrificing all my little interior room... What I'm saying is I want a V-drive comfort in my little echelon and adding a wedge could do it. I have about 1200lbs of fat sacs that I'm using now it just takes up so much room and is a pain to fill and empty when we surf.

I have 2 covers for my boat... a cotton canvas cover for indoor storage and a poly cover I bought for the rain for $100. They do the job. I just cant tow with either cover on and I cant use it for a moreing cover in the rain on the water...which is rare. Evolution doesn't have a design yet for my Echelon. I'm going to continue buggin him for one because I don't want to settle for mediocracy in a cover again.

I have a sweet aftermarket stereo in the boat already with a nice sub. It is however missing the tower speakers so I can hear it while were behind the boat and this is what I'm thinking to add. I might just be the rusted out civic on the water :rofl: but I paid next to nothing for a boat that will pull a skier way better than your VLX. :thumbup: And I'm not in debt and I own it free and clear.

Thanks again for all the sugestions. I'll post pics once I get my new skins installed.

Todd

Can't wait to see the new skins! I love seeing guys like us keeping th classic Bu's looking great!

What wheel are you getting. I think that is my boats weak link. The dash and the wheel will be the next to get the upgrade treatment. Biggrin.gif

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