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CDMA
05-05-2001, 09:16 PM
Well looks like tommorow if everything goes well might just be the first "new" 18 ride. The alpha swap is done and I am just finishing up a few loose ends. What a job that was. Wound up to be about 300 hours. But from what I have seen so far I think it will be great.

For those that don't know what I have done or am doing here we go.

Restorted my 18 1968 barrel back last year. 350 chevy 280 volvo. It was quiet a looker and as a few here on the board can say it was really in perfect shape. But after a summer the volvo just wasn't cutting it. So I pulled the alpha off the soon to be arneson 22 and went to work. Pulled the deck by hand back in October and didn't really get far till almost January. I gutted in inside of the hull and basically did a George Desmond transom rebuild with a few on my own touches. I used 17 layers of biaxil mat with 1.5 inches of marine ply between them and then vacuum bagged the whole deal. The cross section really looks great there are no voids and the space between the layers of glass is so tight. Then I sandiched the stringers with 3/4 marine ply and glassed them. I wound up with stringers from hell. 2.25 inches thick in the engine compartment. I had a new custom tank built to the original specs and securred that in place. But before I did that I gelcoated the entire interior of the hull. Three gallons later and looks from my dad that I deserved to be in the asylum it was done. I will tell you after putting the deck on the difference is amazing. It is the single best thing I have done. Under the deck is clean and tidy no dirt and very light and easy to see. So then by this time it was my spring break which I never left the boat for. Quite the college life huh???? http://www.donzi.net/ubb/wink.gif

Now as it stands it is

350 chevy
Alpha one 2.5 inches up on the x dimension.

The conversion was a real pain but looks good. I am very interested to see the speed gains because I never touched the engine power wise. I re gasketed it but no "improvements". I was running 58 witht the Volvo my goal is 63 with the drive swap. After that sometime mid summer my new 350/383 should be ready. The machine work is done on the block I just have to pick a rotation assembly. Nothing to crazy thinking about 375 hp all said and done with marine exhaust. After that and the new trailer is taken care of it is time for the 22. I am really getting anxious.

Like the first restoration (shhh....last year...I am taking next year off) I learned a lot. All the work really came out good. And I think unless parked next to Mr Pearsons boat it will hold it's own anyday. But then again I don't have a budget for his boat...yet.

The rh steering thing with the Alpha went well. The steering cable was no problem to route and even the old morse shifter was used. I am really happy in the end I am hoping for a really nice looking boat the looks as much like a classic as possible w/ a modern or more modern drive set up. Unless you look at the back it still looks to the nut and bolt original. Kinda nice.

Next step in the trailer. I can't afford a rolls and I am having way too much fun doing all this stuff myself and learning so much that I am basically building my own trailer. I have a Cox 1989 galvanized roller trailer the is really in perfect shape but it is ass ugly and it is impossible to get enough tounge weight with the ass heavy 18 due to the roller configuration. So I am tearing all the rollers off and adding two cross memebers in addition to the 3 already there. There will be 5 keel rollers and then I am going to add two bunks per side. Then what I sort of was thinking of doing was painting the trailer to match the boat. There is no rust and I am sure it would look really great but a few people have expressed opions that it would just be too much yellow. I sort of think it would look cool but let me know what you think. The trailer would be yellow with black accents and bunks. Chrome wheels and chrome dimond plate fenders. Now keep in mind my boat is all yellow with no black stripes however it still has a bit of black in it with the interior and the covers. So if yellow would look bad what other color??? Black silver??? Ideas???

So that is it for now there was so much more but I just don't have time to write it all down. I would love to get some pictures up but I just don't have a scanner or a digital camera so it sort of is a real pain but I will try it soon.

Chris

Dr. Dan
05-05-2001, 10:16 PM
Chris, sounds terrific, will you be at Lake George? ..send some pics down to Scot and he can put them on this post if you like! As for the color, I think the yellow would look great, there are some on the registry if you browse through...Doc

boldts
05-05-2001, 11:53 PM
Chris,
Are you taking reservations to do outsiders Donzi boats? My 69 sure could use your gifted hands and mind. As for the trailer, you have the right idea in making it a bunk trailer. I added new bunks to mine a few years back (2 each side) and it really made the boat easy to load at the launch ramp. Trailer color? It's yours isn't it? Doesn't much matter what anyone else thinks if you like it. I like the matching yellow with black accents and a old style black Donzi logo on it. Just think, it will be very visible to others on the road. Got to reduce the chance of someone hitting the rig.

Scott Boldt

superhatz
05-06-2001, 02:52 AM
Hey Chris...Do you ever sleep?

Christian
05-06-2001, 01:59 PM
Hey C
i hope u bring that set up to AC
so we can all see this cool boat!

GEOO
05-06-2001, 03:04 PM
Chris, I don't know where you find the time!!! Can't wait to hear how she run's. GEOO

CDMA
05-06-2001, 03:57 PM
Sleep hahaha funny... I remeber that.
Wed .... 2 hours
Thursay...4
Friday...4
Saturday....7!!!!!!!!
Sunday....2 labs one test tommorow....guessing 0.


Sleep is one of the reason's I don't post as much anymore. I manage to find time but it is rough. My weeks are shot with school and between trying to make $$$ for this thing and actually working on it time is scarce. I never got it in today. A couple nit picky things I want to take care of and just want to be sure not to rush it.

I have been thinking that the yellow trailer really will look nice. Maybe add a few black accents and take it from there.

Well I will keep you all updated.

Chris

CDMA
05-06-2001, 03:59 PM
Lake George = Weekend before finals

RickR
05-06-2001, 04:19 PM
Sounds like you're ready to get on the water. Way to GO!
Let us know about the sea trials.

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RICKR
mailto:riggerb@aol.comriggerb@aol.com</A>