89 sunsetter project getting started

[Andrew999]

All the plywood is being coated in resin. I thought about starboard but looking at the price and the complicated pieces I had to make it would be huge sheets and lots of waste that I can't afford. If it was just the bottoms of the seats sure go for starboard. 

After Glassing and resin the stuff is rock solid. I sanded and painted the seat bottoms and it looks decent. 

[Andrew999]

All of the prop parts back from being straightened, trued, and faced for perfect alignment. The shaft was done as well just not pictured. The whole goal was to do it right from the beginning so it's all perfectly straight. The coupler got the face milled so it's dead on when mounted to the tranny. 

The rebuilt carb 

As you can see this boat had all of the maintenance performed at regular intervals. Had to get a whole new water pump this one was burnt up in the back and other obvious problems. 

[Andrew999]

Here is the gutted boat with the transom just starting to go in. Then the stringers in and a nice flat spot for the motor to mount. Some of the details that are being handled at this stage are a completely glassed in floor top, bottom, all around. The motor mounts were a little high up where they adjust in the front so the area where that mounts has been lifted 1/4" to give a better range for adjustment since getting everything straight is on the top of my list. 

Edited September 6, 2016 by Andrew999
Wrong picture and photo bucket sucks

[Andrew999]

Getting closer. The floor completely glassed in 

 

[Andrew999]

The whole plan was to update the boat sort of restomod it and make it better than when it left the factory in 89' so after going all out on the fiberglass inside it now has been gelcoated and waiting for this instead of carpet. Since this project does have a budget I couldn't go all out and make the patterns and have seadeck or gatorstep do the custom stuff for $3k or whatever crazy price it is so I opted for the rolls of the stuff. Same 3m adhesive back. The challenge is going to be getting it straight. 

The underside had some damage on the bottom from who knows a stump getting kicked up or something. Someone did a horrific patch job so that got fixed and came out perfect. 

Before

After

 

 

[Malibu Jordy]

Looking good!  Cant wait for the next update, following for sure!

[Levi900RR]

Looks awesome, I really hope that someday I can tackle a project like this. 

[Andrew999]

Thanks guys. Levi you can tackle it. Just takes some time and cash. My biggest wonder is how much one of these things is worth fully redone and upgraded? Not that I'm wanting to sell it but everything has a price. Here are some more pics of the floor done and gelcoated. 

[MJR63]

Looking good!  Amazing craftsmanship!  Enjoying seeing you bring her back to life.

[Kmfish87]

On September 10, 2016 at 11:33 PM, Andrew999 said:

The whole plan was to update the boat sort of restomod it and make it better than when it left the factory in 89' so after going all out on the fiberglass inside it now has been gelcoated and waiting for this instead of carpet. Since this project does have a budget I couldn't go all out and make the patterns and have seadeck or gatorstep do the custom stuff for $3k or whatever crazy price it is so I opted for the rolls of the stuff. Same 3m adhesive back. The challenge is going to be getting it straight. 

 

 

What material is this? Looks really nice!

[toddthelineman]

21 hours ago, Andrew999 said:

Thanks guys. Levi you can tackle it. Just takes some time and cash. My biggest wonder is how much one of these things is worth fully redone and upgraded? Not that I'm wanting to sell it but everything has a price. Here are some more pics of the floor done and gelcoated. 

I have a '91 and I would loooooooove to restore it like you are doing. I don't know what the value of it would be in the end but to me it would be priceless. 

[Andrew999]

10 hours ago, Kmfish87 said:

What material is this? Looks really nice!

It's Faux teak EVA foam. It is grippy and textured similar to wood and has ridges where the top layer of the grey has been routed out to reveal the black and create the stripes. When I was planning I went to the boat show to see what all the new boats have and I'd say it's a good mix of carpet, the rubber stringy mat, and this stuff. This is just rolls of the stuff that got shipped from China. I'm pretty sure this is either leftover or from the same factory where the seadeck or gatorstep is being made. I got it off EBay after searching for a cheaper alternative 35"x94" sheet at $150 so I ordered up 3 sheets and going for it. 

[Andrew999]

Well guys it's been a while since I posted last but things have been moving along. Here is a big pic dump and update so far. 

Got the engine and everything that makes it go in. Surprisingly all the gauges and everything worked. Realized the steering cable got trashed from being coiled up and sitting out so that got replaced also and an excuse for a new steering wheel. 

Sorry photo bucket sucks and will not post the right picture no matter how many times I do it  

Got the gauges out and cleaned all the crap overspray and paint off of them  question did the hour meter come with a brass beauty ring? I'm assuming that's been changed so much for the low hours idea.

started and then finished cutting and buffing the boat. DA polisher and West marine graduated compounds and she shines up nicely. Wet sanding alone gets tiring. Buffing alone gets tiring but it's so worth it. I wasn't going for showroom shine since it's being wrapped but I think it came out ok. Here's what I wound up with. 

left hasn't been touched right has. 

I can live with it shiny. The gelcoat work on these old BUs is amazing. I'm kinda mad I'm covering it up. It might be resurrected with a new interior matching the colors in a few years.

 

so on to the trailer work since I've been rolling unregistered and without brakes to all over town. Installed new hubs and bearings all around, new disc brake kit, redid the entire attwood surge actuator system up front. New LED lights all over and sanded and painted the sucker. I just need to get it inspected and registered and then carpet some new bunks and put those in and a little paint touch up. It will slide by for now.

and that's what I'm wound up with. Ignore the dirty grease coated wheels. Obviously someone blew out the seals a long time ago. I'm thinking powder coated teal to color match later down the road. 

Its at the wrap place as I'm writing this getting done so I hope I can post that in a day or so. The latest project has been installing the upholstery so far so good until the back seat reared its head but that's another post. Since driver seat mounts for this old boat aren't just sitting on the shelf and the old one was steel for some stupid reason I'm having to fab up a mount myself. I saw someone on here made a seat riser out of aluminum and etched it and all that so I borrowed from that idea and wanted something cheap readily available and aluminum so I got some C channel and plate and fabbed up something. It's going to be a box with the driver seat mounted on top it's 6" tall and that Channel is strong as hell so lagged in its not going anywhere. I figure with the hole in the bottom of the seat it turns into a handy compartment so I walled it off and if I get really ambitious I'll cap the top with a locking door for drugs, money and guns. And really ambitious I'll get it anodized problem is with everyone's minimums they want too much. Suggestions? I hadn't welded in a while and with aluminum being tricky I didn't get back up to par until I was almost finished. 

so there you have it all caught up. At this point things start moving fast so I'll try and keep up. If anyone has any ideas or suggestions for things let me know. I removed the pitot tubes and going to just throw one speedo in for nostalgia and the other turn it into gps speed anyone have a good drop in gps speedo? 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited November 16, 2016 by Andrew999
Photobucket wrong pic

[powbmps]

That looks great.  Can't believe how nice the exterior is looking.

[Michigan boarder]

Are you replacing the rub rail?  Mine is on my list, no idea which channel and insert to get yet.

[jk13]

2 hours ago, Michigan boarder said:

Are you replacing the rub rail?  Mine is on my list, no idea which channel and insert to get yet.

Yours is different than an 89. Search 'echelon rubrail' on this site and you'll find the base rail and insert part numbers that @SmoothWaterMan put up years ago. No idea if they are still available, but I'd find the part numbers and call him directly to see.

[Andrew999]

2 hours ago, Michigan boarder said:

Are you replacing the rub rail?  Mine is on my list, no idea which channel and insert to get yet.

I want to but it's one of those $500 I don't need to spend right away so on the back burner it goes. I don't understand why they are so expensive other than being boat parts. Do you have a good source? 

[Malibu Jordy]

On Thursday, November 17, 2016 at 6:53 AM, Andrew999 said:

I want to but it's one of those $500 I don't need to spend right away so on the back burner it goes. I don't understand why they are so expensive other than being boat parts. Do you have a good source? 

Andrew,  try this kit:  

Taco V11-0809.  Get the 75 footer.  Used this on my 91 euro f3.  Should be damn close to correct for your boat

[Malibu Jordy]

On Tuesday, November 15, 2016 at 10:36 PM, Andrew999 said:

Well guys it's been a while since I posted last but things have been moving along. Here is a big pic dump and update so far. 

Got the engine and everything that makes it go in. Surprisingly all the gauges and everything worked. Realized the steering cable got trashed from being coiled up and sitting out so that got replaced also and an excuse for a new steering wheel. 

Sorry photo bucket sucks and will not post the right picture no matter how many times I do it  

Got the gauges out and cleaned all the crap overspray and paint off of them  question did the hour meter come with a brass beauty ring? I'm assuming that's been changed so much for the low hours idea.

started and then finished cutting and buffing the boat. DA polisher and West marine graduated compounds and she shines up nicely. Wet sanding alone gets tiring. Buffing alone gets tiring but it's so worth it. I wasn't going for showroom shine since it's being wrapped but I think it came out ok. Here's what I wound up with. 

left hasn't been touched right has. 

I can live with it shiny. The gelcoat work on these old BUs is amazing. I'm kinda mad I'm covering it up. It might be resurrected with a new interior matching the colors in a few years.

 

so on to the trailer work since I've been rolling unregistered and without brakes to all over town. Installed new hubs and bearings all around, new disc brake kit, redid the entire attwood surge actuator system up front. New LED lights all over and sanded and painted the sucker. I just need to get it inspected and registered and then carpet some new bunks and put those in and a little paint touch up. It will slide by for now.

and that's what I'm wound up with. Ignore the dirty grease coated wheels. Obviously someone blew out the seals a long time ago. I'm thinking powder coated teal to color match later down the road. 

Its at the wrap place as I'm writing this getting done so I hope I can post that in a day or so. The latest project has been installing the upholstery so far so good until the back seat reared its head but that's another post. Since driver seat mounts for this old boat aren't just sitting on the shelf and the old one was steel for some stupid reason I'm having to fab up a mount myself. I saw someone on here made a seat riser out of aluminum and etched it and all that so I borrowed from that idea and wanted something cheap readily available and aluminum so I got some C channel and plate and fabbed up something. It's going to be a box with the driver seat mounted on top it's 6" tall and that Channel is strong as hell so lagged in its not going anywhere. I figure with the hole in the bottom of the seat it turns into a handy compartment so I walled it off and if I get really ambitious I'll cap the top with a locking door for drugs, money and guns. And really ambitious I'll get it anodized problem is with everyone's minimums they want too much. Suggestions? I hadn't welded in a while and with aluminum being tricky I didn't get back up to par until I was almost finished. 

so there you have it all caught up. At this point things start moving fast so I'll try and keep up. If anyone has any ideas or suggestions for things let me know. I removed the pitot tubes and going to just throw one speedo in for nostalgia and the other turn it into gps speed anyone have a good drop in gps speedo? 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A suggestion for your drivers seat box, as we are all ballers on a budget...lol.  Try using Autosol (the stuff for aluminum comes in a silver and black squeeze tube) and a powerball on a drill. It should give it a nice shine almost mirror like finish on the cheap

[Andrew999]

23 hours ago, Malibu Jordy said:

Andrew,  try this kit:  

Taco V11-0809.  Get the 75 footer.  Used this on my 91 euro f3.  Should be damn close to correct for your boat

Thanks Jordy that looks like it would work out and not as expensive as I thought. Was it the exact same width as your previous rail? Always ballin on pennies over here. I'm still debating on what to do. Powder coat. Grain sand it and let it go or anodize. I got a quote for anodizing it at $70 which I don't want to spend. I don't have anything super polished on this one. 

[Malibu Jordy]

Yes it was the same width and appeared to be almost the same style as the factory rail and insert that came on my euro f3. 

[asp13]

Incredible! Great work, this is going to look amazing when finished

 

[kbsuperjet]

this thing is beautiful! Great work! I would love to see some pic's of the faux teak installed:)

[rugger]

Love the gelcoat interior.  I did a complete rebuild of a sunsetter w/ stringers, floor, etc. years ago.   Used composite flooring but didn't think to gel coat the topside in lieu of carpet back then.  Really nice touch with the gel and seadeck mat flooring.  

 

[martinarcher]

Man that reminds me of my boat!  Right down to the trailer which I did the exact same brakes/actuator/LED set-up to a few years ago.  rugger blasted and painted mine black and I've been waxing it annually for the years I'be had it and it looks the same as it did the day it arrives from CA.  We love this boat!  I'm with rugger - really digging the gelcoat interior.  Nice touch!!