Been waiting all winter for this... :-)

[Chili 18]

Went out yesterday. Nice and WARM finally. Floated at senic locations, and did some fast blasts to keep the flys at bay. Amazing how a mile out in the lake, bugs can find you. Oh well. Thought Id share some pix...:-)

[goatee]

sweet, i love the dash and steering

[Ed Donnelly]

How do like your shotguns? .....Ed

[Lenny]

Whose exhaust are you running? , is that leg RED ???, and what does the stainless on the engine allow for. (exhaust risers ? )

Got any motor pics ?

Nice dash, very nice. :yes:

[Fish boy]

Great lookin Boat Chili! What cha got under the hood, looks like it aint the average bear ;)

[Chili 18]

Wow, Thanks for the complements guys...

Fish, sadly, it is a pretty average bear under there... 5.7 vortec crate. Supposedly 310 hp. ie... reliable

Lenny, IMCO 'Thumper" manifolds and risers, polished. Hey, I didnt name em... Plates on hatch are polished aluminum. lower plate is cut out to clear riser. Tried a few scoop ideas before ordering the metal. The vortec heads are a tad taller apparently. And the new risers were a bit higher also. So, that was my solution. The stock spark arrester didn’t fit either, so figured w.t.h. and put a 4 in arrester on... Red leg, yes. no real reason... just an Alpha but it may as well look cool.... [i think] Also nosecone and Hydro q4 prop. {Like the prop}

Ed. Shotguns take the bark out of the volume but leaves the rumble. At least it deflects the sound down and not broadcasting it out at idle. The harbor dnr guys said it was "fine". At speed, they have no restriction. I like the fact they help keep the backwash and waves out of the engine. Quiet, no.

The dash is cut from cast cell? Acrylic. Supposedly very uv resistant. The fuel gauge is behind the wheel because its not important when clutching the thing at speed. I put the blower switch by the fuel gauge / and starter/ as a reminder that its important to use it...

Bob at Bilt Rite did the interior. Good stuff!

A supercharger might be fun if I keep the boat. Otherwise, its 'done' and ready to just enjoy for a while...

Cheers...

[Magicallbill]

Chili,
Cool shots&a good lookin' rig
On the pics,I recognize Waco(The beach shot) I'm assuming the lighthouse shot is St.Joe?
Maybe we'll meet up this summer sometime when we drop in at N.Buffalo

MB

[Magicallbill]

Wait a minute..
Is the beach shot Waco or Warren Dunes?

MB

[tamburello]

Chili-

That's a great looking 18 you've got there! I like the updates. Hey, no shame in running a stock SBC/Alpha when you can have a fun day blasting around the lake and not end it with a towline tied to the bow. There's an 18 with a red Alpha here in Holland named "Hot Stuff" it looks like it could be your twin.

It's been a while since I've been to Michigan City on the boat but from what I recall the pier looks like the one in the picture that you posted.

Where do you do most of your boating? I have a white 18 named "Hard Candy" with a blue center and waterline stripe that I keep on a trailer at Macatawa Bay Yacht Club. Aside from an annual trek down to Kentucky for AOTH and a few trips to various lakes up north, we usually run out of Holland between South Haven and Muskegon depending on how bumpy it is.

Let me know if you're ever up in the Holland area. dykemas@sbcglobal.net

- Jeff

[Chili 18]

Hey MB and Jeff,

The lighthouse is Michigan City, IN. I ramp in New Buffalo and usually head south to the indiana dunes, or sometimes north to Warren Dunes. Its all good eithor way... :-)

I'm on a pretty short teather due to family duties... So dont know what my day is like till its happening. Such is how it goes at times.. When the gods smile upon me I can sneek out for an afternoon...

But if anyone is going to be in the N.B area, give me a heads up and hopefully we can meet up and terrorize the shoreline :)


Jeff, Nice looking boat! I tried finding the raised hatch like yours has but had no luck. So thats why I did the scoop etc. Even called the factory. They said they looked around for the molds to make one for me, but no luck. I thought about doing some serious glass work myself, which didnt sound like much fun..... So, thats my story...

Cheers,
Chili