Restoring a 1966 18 2+3 Barrelback

[Buddyc]

I bought Rootsys 18 and cant thank him enough for all of the great work he did getting the red mistress ready. She is just about ready for powerplant.
I dont want to go to radical but on the other hand, am I better off trying to stay origional? I was leaning towards small block chevy 350 with alpha drive.
The interior was sold off so im basically starting from scratch. She also doesnt have dash. There is a new gas tank already installed.
so... Do I try to stay origional? or make it my own like some other classics I have seen?

[Just Say N20]

It is entirely up to you. There have been several boats on the site, including one listed right now ( http://www.donzi.net/forums/showthread.php?t=64285 , pictures in post 12), that have been "re-made" in a non-original way. The key is that they were done exceptionally well.

I am "restoring" a 1967 Ski-Sporter. But rather than keep it original, I have made some changes that I wanted because I thought they would update, or modernize the boat.

On my boat, I did some structural reinforcing that I thought would benefit the boat.

I moved the gas fill from the center of the deck (where I couldn't reach it when the boat was on the trailer) to in front of the cockpit on the port side.

I designed a different gauge layout for the dash.

I went with a new throttle/shift with trim control in the handle, even though the original Morse shift unit with the walnut knob is about as cool as it gets.

I added trim tabs.

I cut an opening in the back seat base, so the battery could be removed without having to take the front of the engine half off.

I feel like I have redone a classic they way it would be built today. After all, it is a boat I bought to really use, so I wanted it to be as user friendly as possible.

Parnell's (Sweet Cheekz) 1979 16 is probably the most "un-original" 16 out there right now. It has a modern paint theme, 2+3 seating with bolsters in front with the throttle/shift levers in the middle of the boat, a 60+ gallon fuel tank, 500 hp small block, Alpha SS outdrive, mechanical trim and tab indicators, carbon fiber dash, lowered cockpit floor, molded in engine vents, and on and on. And yet because of the exceptionally high standards used to execute this build, I believe should Parnell ever choose to sell it, it would bring a premium price. Probably more than an absolutely mint, all original 16 of the same vintage.

[superhatz]

Original.....white outdrive and all....:pizza:

[Buddyc]

Original.....white outdrive and all....:pizza:

I can respect that but just cant bring myself to do it...on the other hand I wont go astray like the 16 pictured.
Actually met someone at the boat show today that does Gelcoating.. after speaking with him he says that Imron would be the best route... Which is a good thing cause I have sprayed it MANY times and love the wet look it gives... its basically bullet proof if layed correctly

[LKSD]

Buddy,


Granted Imron is good stuff, and if you are staying with solid colors and you are used to working with it may be the best route for you to go with. So I dont think anyone will fault you for using it. Off of the top of my head I can think of one company that had good results with that product. Formula was a big user of Imron and had good results with it in the marine environment.

However in the marine applications there are also a few other widely accepted paints that are used that also can and do yield excellent results. Also while it certainly would be fine to use Imron if you wanted to, it is not as commonly used these days on boats. Gelcoat too is also still available and used as well, but it is a bit different to work with and not as commonly used as it once was..

PPG & BASF have products lines that are commonly used by companies wanting more color variety and more intense graphics and schemes. Awlgrip also was quite popular for a long time. While it too is still used quite a bit, it has a newer set up out. Some time ago they had released Awcraft which is designed more as a spray only application with a wider color selection and easier repair-ability. They also recently released Awlcraft HS (high solids) which expanded the spectrum of what is available and can be done a little further. There are also some other companies and brands out there that are also make marine grade products or approved products but these were/are some of the most popular.

Overall depending on what one is looking to do there are some paints that provide easier color matching and repair-ability than others, some offer a larger color selection as well. It really usually depends on what you are looking to accomplish.

Anyway, In the end I would recomend using the paint that will be the easiest for you to work with that will yield the results that you are looking for.. :)

:) Jamie / Lakeside

[Buddyc]

Luckly for me I have been doing custom paint work for many years. Sikkens, House of Kolor, PPG, They are all great products. I prefer a 2 step process. Basecoat/clearcoat. The prep is a little more involved, I like to get it down to 600 wet on epoxy primer with a guide coat...After the basecoat, you can tape to it quickly and put stripe color. I then like to put 3 coats of clear and wet sand again. This will bury the stripe and you wont feel a paint edge. Then clear again. It will be like glass

[New2Donzi]

Buddy,
It is a hard choice - original or custom!
It depends on how you plan to use it. I believe the person writting the cheques gets to decide. Your lucky you have a great start with the Red Mistress.
My barrelback project was just completed this summer.
As said in earlier posts take your time. I choose to do some upgrades but wanted it to look originalish.

Regards....Ed