X-18 Restoration

[terry]

Thought you guys would like to see the progress.
It is a 1973 X-18. Hope to have it totally finished by Christmas. It's getting a new Mercury 377 Scorpion and Bravo XR drive. Everything is being replaced....every nut, bolt, screw, wiring,
guages, seats.....etc.

I have removed the deck and fuel tank, cut and ground out the existing transom and rear stringers, and middle and front bulkheads.

I am adding several more bulkheads....adding foam coreing to all the running surfaces for added hull strength.....installing a larger fuel tank and moving it back for better center of balance and gravity. I'll try to post more as it moves along

http://www.donzi.net/photos/x18rafter.JPG

http://www.donzi.net/photos/x18bare.JPG

http://www.donzi.net/photos/X-18bare1.JPG

http://www.donzi.net/photos/X-18bare2.JPG

[olredalert]

-----That is one gutted hull!Ill be looking forward to the updates,as this sounds like a very cool project.Where will you put the X?........Bill S

[Greg]

Ted, Thanks for posting the pics. It looks to be a very interesting project. My fiberglass guy and myself got the transom in my 18 and the stringers reinforced, then his girlfriend left and he crawled into a bottle of vodka and won't come out. That was about a year ago. Like to try to finish up this winter. I'll be following this thread very closely. Cool project. Thanks Greg

[knee deep]

I just finished the whole process with my '68 18 2+3, and you know what they are right about the **** eating grin. I don't know how often I wanted to take a sawzall to the whole project. Are you going to paint the inside of the hull? I used interlux gray bilge coat and am very happy with it. Good Luck!

[BUIZILLA]

Ted, you goin' with a LH drive shorty since it's a left steer?

J

[BUIZILLA]

Judging by the last pic, it must be a pretty damm big alternator.. :D :cool:

J

[David Ochs]

Geeez Ted, You sure are optimistic to have her finished by Christmas! It's looking great, keep up the good work.
Dave O.

[terry]

Thank's guys, Bill...I am planning on going up 2"
on the X-dim.
Knee...I am going to use Gel-coat inside the hull and Imron the inside of the engine compartment....then diamond plate the entire engine compartment including the transom like my 22.
Jim...not sure about the shorty yet but it will remain a left hand steering and rotation. David......Christmas is my goal anyway :D

[Tomahawk]

Neat project Ted. Just curious though - what do you mean by "adding foam coring to all running surfaces." Maybe laying foam on the inside of the hull and glassing it in? Looking forward to the end result of this one.

[terry]

Tom, that is exactly what it means. :)

This is what the before picture looks like

http://www.donzi.net/photos/X-18smile2.JPG