AGUESS
06-19-2000, 08:29 AM
Hi Everyone. I am just starting the restoration of my 66 classic 18. I have some questions and appreciate your help.
1. Rot. How do you know if you have any? I can not see any visual rot.
2. Heat - Stress cracks. My deck has a lot of cracks from the heat. What is the best product to fill them with before I repaint the deck with Imron? Lots of stress cracks, small spider web type on sides. Paint still looks great on sides. How do you fix these? A next year project.
3. Engine. Ford 302 - OMC 190hp. Engine is shot. Water in the oil. Have any of you bought reman engines from your local auto parts store? Did the original 302 engines used by Donzi have 351 heads? Any other info on 302 configurations would be great. I can also change to a 351, which will match up with my current OMC drive (I will have to upgrade my drive gears). This engine / drive setup put in boat in 1974.
4. Gages / Instrument panel. My gages are S&W and three of them fit into a crome panel, which I think was an OMC instrument panel. This came in sections that slid together to form one long panel. The tach, amp, temp fit. However a fourth gage, was mounted under the dash above the ski rack. Not great. The crome is gone and although I found a re-crome shop in PA, it will take 3 months to get back.
What are you using for gages, and instrument panels?. I don't really want to have to re-glass the dash. Any idea where I can find an original type S&W panel, or something being used in new models to hold all gages?
5. Wiring - I have never thought about this, but should replace all of it. Any thoughts if I can not find OMC harness.
Thanks for all of your help. I had sent a question to the Donzi Factory several weeks ago about the current 18 trimout, but have had no reply.
Alex Guess.
1. Rot. How do you know if you have any? I can not see any visual rot.
2. Heat - Stress cracks. My deck has a lot of cracks from the heat. What is the best product to fill them with before I repaint the deck with Imron? Lots of stress cracks, small spider web type on sides. Paint still looks great on sides. How do you fix these? A next year project.
3. Engine. Ford 302 - OMC 190hp. Engine is shot. Water in the oil. Have any of you bought reman engines from your local auto parts store? Did the original 302 engines used by Donzi have 351 heads? Any other info on 302 configurations would be great. I can also change to a 351, which will match up with my current OMC drive (I will have to upgrade my drive gears). This engine / drive setup put in boat in 1974.
4. Gages / Instrument panel. My gages are S&W and three of them fit into a crome panel, which I think was an OMC instrument panel. This came in sections that slid together to form one long panel. The tach, amp, temp fit. However a fourth gage, was mounted under the dash above the ski rack. Not great. The crome is gone and although I found a re-crome shop in PA, it will take 3 months to get back.
What are you using for gages, and instrument panels?. I don't really want to have to re-glass the dash. Any idea where I can find an original type S&W panel, or something being used in new models to hold all gages?
5. Wiring - I have never thought about this, but should replace all of it. Any thoughts if I can not find OMC harness.
Thanks for all of your help. I had sent a question to the Donzi Factory several weeks ago about the current 18 trimout, but have had no reply.
Alex Guess.