bringing the '66 back to life

[Gerk]

Well now that I know what I will be doing with engine etc... the restoration begins.

Lots of work today and i am exhausted. tomorrow will be another one.

It is beginning to look like a Donzi again.

Some before and after pics here.

20150319_170106_resized.jpg20150320_084054_resized.jpg20150320_084038_resized.jpg20150325_170408_resized.jpg20150325_165235_resized.jpg20150325_155359_resized_2.jpg

[Gerk]

So from a distance, she looks great.
I will be repainting the boat, but how would you suggest I fix this?
Its only bad on the front of the bow

20150325_161603_resized.jpg

[Gerk]

I just wanted to share some progress.
Doesn't look like much since the first set of pics, but the PO painted the whole deck and interior with some silver metallic paint. Lots of sanding and stripping to get down to the gelcoat. Plus the transom was sanded down as well.
The deck comes off next to remove the tank and clean and paint the bilge.

20150329_174734_resized.jpg

[Gerk]

I keep reading through threads where folks are saying to preserve and not restore.

The deck stripe has to be repainted-No question. The red has fades throughout the stripe.

It looks as though I can wet sand the sides and bottom back to original (fingers crossed)

Ugh more stripping silver metallic paint.

The transom will have to be painted as well. (due to the exhaust relocation fix)

My goal is to paint the transom and deck stripe so here's my question.

Of today's paint, which one will match up to the original red of a 66 barrelback 18? I will need to blend the transom with the sides

Looking into awlgrip, Alexseal, any other two part poly.

[smokediver]

I would imagine you could get the paint code and use any system you prefer. As far as paint is concerned , ppg concept is a terrific single stage paint with excellent durability and it is easy to repair. There are several manufactures who offer quality single stage products. The crows feet you posted in the photo is a pita. I hate to say it but the only way to fix it is to take it all the way down to the bare substrate. If you don't they will come back over time.

[MOP]

Can you rent a nut shell blaster? My local glass guy uses his on Baddy's!

If you are going to leave for any length of time don't pain the bottom.

[Gerk]

I plan to strip the bottom to the red fiberglass. If that does not work, I will deal with it at that point.


SO I have removed all the hull side paint. Lots of wet sanding.
There are lots of little tiny dots, almost like a metallic flake, but I highly doubt that is what it was originally.

Is it the primer that was used and it got into the pores, or....
I don't want to sand in too far and get through the gel coat.

I did a test panel in the rear stbd corner. 600, 800, 1000, 1200, 1500, 2000, compound, perfect-it, finesse-it, teflon wax. It came out amazing, but those white specs are there.
You can only see them at about 10 feet, but I will always know it.

What should I do??? Keep them and forget it, or keep wet sanding them out?

20150403_153635_resized.jpg

[Morgan's Cloud]

I believe that what you're seeing is proof of exactly how badly burnt the original gel coat was before it was decided to repaint .

I remember that when I got mine back in '87 it was already 21-22 years old and had lived a hard life in Florida.
It would have been more effective to try and buff blue denim than that gel coat.
The pores of the blue gel were actually visible and open , so much so that after the first coat of primer went on I had to putty almost the entire hull.

To sand back the entire thing now to the point that you've done yours , I believe would reveal the exact same thing.

I think you might have to leave it as is , or repaint again .

[Ralph Savarese]

Best of luck been there done that I uses Detco Sterling polyurethane it is amazing my resto is now 13 years old I replaced all core wood in mine. My dad bought the boat new
66 triple hatch way to go!
Ralph

[Gerk]

OK so I just want to make sure I am understanding.

The tiny specs you see are not the texture, of say, coral reef or something similar of a rough porous make up. They are smooth as can be. I do have a couple very minor areas that do have that rough texture, but I can live with a spot that is the size of a tylenol.
This was not a salt water boat that I know of. I don't see anything that leads me believe that at least.

At this point, I would really not like to repaint the sides. The transom has to be done because of the relocation of the exhaust, the repair is white and painting it is the only way to hide it. I am going to pick a 10" x 10" area of the transom and go nuts and see if they come out without burning through the gel coat.

I know painting is the easy way out, but I am trying to keep it as original as possible. Biggest thing will be matching up the reds from sides to transom

[Gerk]

OK, so I am getting close to when I will be pulling the deck off.

Anything I need to know?
I read something about tabs holding it??

[mattyboy]

usually the tabs are around the floor locker and by the ski locker there may be some by the foot wells.

remove the floor locker tub and crawl up front to take a look

[Gerk]

Thanks Matt, I will see what I can find.
Will it be pretty obvious when I see them?

[mattyboy]

yes you should be able to see them, mine were like 5X5 square roven glass tabs slapped in between the bottom of the floor and the stringers and the ski locker to the stringer

[Gerk]

She is in the shop and the deck is off.
There were more "tabs" than I expected, but good thing I had a buddy help me today.
1 in the ski locker, one on each side on the end of the kick panels to the side of the hull, and one on each side in the center(those were long).
She is off.
Pulled the engine as well.
Next will be cleaning the hull and ready to reinforce the stringers. To me, they were way too thin. Just going to wrap a few more layers of glass and bolt in some plates on the outside for extra support.
Pulling the fuel tank will be fun I am sure. I am guessing I will need to replace, but fingers, legs, and arms crossed
20150411_123703_resized.jpg20150411_144301_resized.jpg20150411_154223_resized.jpg20150411_162939_resized.jpg