1983 Wellcraft Restoration Project: Pulled Engine

[lmannyr]

Re: 1983 Wellcraft Restoration Project: Gutted Cabin

Re: 1983 Wellcraft Restoration Project: Gutted Cabin

Below are before and after gutting the cabin pictures.

What is the best method to remove all the glue and dirt? There are are a few areas needing reinforment glassing, and some areas that will be paint finished (floors, head closet, below kitchen cabinet).

Where can I pick up windows? I would like to install windows flush with the outside.

Thanks

PS I'm loving this project.

 

[dsredbaron]

Re: 1983 Wellcraft Restoration Project: Gutted Cabin

Re: 1983 Wellcraft Restoration Project: Gutted Cabin

Just saw your thread for the first time and thought I would check it out because I just completed the exact thing you are going through on the same boat. I am 90% done now and am into the boat about $7,000. I can post come pics later. My advise to you would be to start mechanically first. Ensure you have a strong running motor and stern before moving to the cosmetic stuff. The engine is everything and if you dont have an engine you have a pretty boat that does not move.

As for the engine, start with ensuring you have good compression. Then move to the cooling. One of most important items is to ensure your engine stays cool.

I have had no problems sourcing parts so you should be good there. My biggest challenge has been in finding a Bimini Top for my boat in any color. Does anyone have any thoughts for me in this area?

Thanks

 

[lmannyr]

Re: 1983 Wellcraft Restoration Project: Gutted Cabin

Re: 1983 Wellcraft Restoration Project: Gutted Cabin

So far I've put in 2k for the boat. Gutting out hasn't cost me a dime yet. Yeah, I know, that will change soon.

Thanks for stopping by and welcome to iboats.com. Do you frequent another forum for your question regarding your restoration?

I'm 95% done with gutting the cabin. The other 5% is vacuming all the rotted wood, dust, particles glue, etc. What did you use to remove the old glue and crap from beneath all the fabric?

I'm looking for some sort of agent that will not hinder the integrity of the fiberglass obviously.

Next (before fitting the interior) is working on the powerplant.


Luis

PS Can't wait to see your pics.

 

[Mark42]

Re: 1983 Wellcraft Restoration Project: Gutted Cabin

Re: 1983 Wellcraft Restoration Project: Gutted Cabin

Only buy stainless hardware. If you buy chrome plated, it will start to go to crap in short order. Stainless will last much, much longer, and can be polished out.

 

[lmannyr]

Re: 1983 Wellcraft Restoration Project: Pulled Engine

Pulled the motor last night!

Plan:

Deck it down 25.
Port Polish Intake and exhaust.
Oil flow inprovements.
Hot Tank
New rings
New Crank Bearings
New Starter

It had a Rochestar (sp) Carb. Not sure if I'll keep it yet, if I stay carbed.

Would like to go EFI but not sure how to convert. I think I would need new heads and manifold - still researching.

Just keeping the forum updated. Thanks for looking.

 

[dsredbaron]

Re: 1983 Wellcraft Restoration Project: Pulled Engine

Wow... Engine pulling... Now that my friends is a chore... Here are a couple pics of my boat which is the same make, model, and year as yours. I am almost dont with the restore... I would love to do the captains console if anyone had any ideas on where I could get a new one or one made. See the pics for more details...

See attachments

 

[EricR]

Re: 1983 Wellcraft Restoration Project: Pulled Engine

Did I read correctly you said "port/polish heads"?

WHOA!!

This is a fairly heavy cruiser not a 16' Donzi. These sort of improvements are throwing money away in your application. The heads on that thing are made for torque production, and if someone wants to take your money to port away on those things fine, but you can buy a set of Dart or Edelbrock heads for less than you'd put in those. I play with small block Chevies in other applications. Trust me, the consensus of those that play with 'em is porting a set of stock castings is only worth it if you do the work yourself. And again, you are going to hook this thing up to cast iron manifolds and prop hub exhaust driving an Alpha 1 unit in a boat that will probably scale in at 5000# or so.

I'd cocentrate on getting it back together stock.

 

[lmannyr]

Re: 1983 Wellcraft Restoration Project: Pulled Engine

I pulled the engine a few days ago. Stripped it down. The only pieces left are the crank, a couple brass plugs on the rear, and cam.

I'm planning on honing, decking it down .005, baked and peed, and check for cracks. I'll have them inspect the crank and hopefully it's reusable. If the crank is not reusable, I'll stroke it for 383 cubes with same pistons.

I didn't do much research before removing the head and did not tag the rockers nor the push rods. Not sure what to do there. I might also port and polish the heads while at the machine shop or do it myself.

Closed cooling.
Possibly new push rods and rockers.
New piston rings (not sure what brand or size yet)
New gaskets
New water pump
New oil pump
MSD Ignition
All new hoses.

Anyone know what kind of hp/tq improvements this will yield if any?

 

[EricR]

Re: 1983 Wellcraft Restoration Project: Pulled Engine

I advise putting these engine questions in the I/O and inboard forum-but here goes.

If the deck is fine, why deck it? Before you do stuff like that, think about why you are doing it. "decking" the block is done if the deck surface is uneven, or if you are trying to achieve some specific compression ratio. What is your current deck height? What head cc have you got and what is your compressed head gasket thickness? What is the compression ratio of the engine stock and what are you trying to acheive? If you don't know the answers to those questions, don't go telling the guy at the machine shop "Take the deck down to five thousandths" .....You could end up with something like 11:1 compression that will detonate like crazy on pump gas. And never live in such a low RPM high load application as yours.

Now, when you deck the block, you also throw off your pushrod/rocker arm geometry. And depending on how much was taken off, your intake manifold may have to be milled too. This opens up a can of worms.

If you take the block to a machine shop, have them dip it and check it for cracks. Then they will be able to tell you what it needs. If any of the bores are pitted, they may need to bore oversize, which will require new, oversize pistons. I have also seen more than one marine engine used extensively in salt water that once "cleaned up" in the hot tank was pitted through the block from salt water rust. Not worth fixing.

Do you know someone knolagable about engines that could come look at it and see what it's like? I saw water in a couple cylinders from sitting or something- that may be cleanable with a ball hone.

Some of the other things you ask about? Well, closed circuit cooling (fresh water cooling) is great for the longevity of the engine. MSD igniton probably won't provide any better performance than a properly working stock inginiton system, from what I have seen. Others may disagree.

Listen man, I'm not trying to discourage you from this venture. But what I see is you wanting to do things that won't work well with the overall combination.

 

[lmannyr]

Re: 1983 Wellcraft Restoration Project: Engine torn down.

Re: 1983 Wellcraft Restoration Project: Engine torn down.

No offense taken. Thanks for the info. The motor came off of a 1983 boat. Not sure what the compression was before and I don't know what the current deck height is ether. I don't know the cc of the heads. I don't know how to figure out the cc. I'm thinking on getting a graduated cylinder I figuring it out my self.

I purchased a chevy small block ID book. The book does not mention my head for some reason. The heads end in 369.

What I'm trying to acheive is some 300-350 hp. The NADA says the boat comes 260hp. I would just like to make sure since I have to rebuild anyway to ensure adequate power for the 23 foot aft cabin. If I need the power, it's available. I don't want to say later gosh, if I only had I bit more ( even though I will anyway).

I pulled the crank and cam out today and they don't look pretty. I'll start a thread in the merc i/o area and post pics. This engine must have already been rebuild. #7 and #8 cylinders were chiped at the very base of each.

I'll continue my research before any actual mods are done. Thats why I post what I think and see what type of feedback I get. I'm learning everything as I go along. Thanks for the educational response!!!


Luis

 

[EricR]

Re: 1983 Wellcraft Restoration Project: Pulled Engine

I'll look for that post. That engine was likely 260 horse rated at the crank, later on the system was changed and ratings became propshaft ratings.

Getting 300-330 out of that engine without raising the powerband high will probably require stroking it. Then outdrive longevity comes into play. Mercruiser used the Alpha 1 behind the 330 horse 454 one year I think but they realized that was not the best idea.