1985 Wellcraft 210 Elite Restoration

[sprintst]

Re: 1985 Wellcraft 210 Elite Restoration

Cool to see a boat done with a family history. You'll enjoy the boat even more after.

 

[chriscraft254]

Re: 1985 Wellcraft 210 Elite Restoration

I like that it has a personal history as well and in general wellcrafts were and are good boats.

Couple things, you can definately make this boat better than original and don't be afraid to change things that don't make since, the factory for sure didn't always get it right.

I'm assuming your going to be rebuilding the stringer system. Don't forget to check the blocks/stringers the motor is sitting on. Have you checked the transom yet?

While planning ahead, I would think twice about putting carpet back in that boat. Good luck and enjoy..

 

[jbillingsley]

Re: 1985 Wellcraft 210 Elite Restoration

Got my driveway rearranged today. Now the boat's finally in a spot where there's room for me to setup a gantry to pull the motor out. Happy that I'll be able to resume making progress on the project.

 

[Bomber Goober]

Re: 1985 Wellcraft 210 Elite Restoration

Checking in with another local tip for supplies.This week: RESIN 41/2 gal of boat building fiberglass resin , I gave him a call and he wants 90$ for a 5gal pail with no hardner. He can get any amount you want and he said he was getting ready to go have his buddy pour him some more.He claims he uses it for boat building. Sounds like someone is selling it out of the alley behind a pool building shop. But for the savings I'm willing to give it a shot. I should be going up next weekend to pick up 10 gals and ill check back and let you know if it looks decent

 

[jbillingsley]

Re: 1985 Wellcraft 210 Elite Restoration

Awesome, thanks!

 

[jbillingsley]

Re: 1985 Wellcraft 210 Elite Restoration

Picked up some lumber this weekend for the gantry, then after discussing the design with my dad last night (a mechanical engineer), reworked my gantry design. Also, learned AutoCAD today. I just submitted it to him for review, but here's the draft design.

 

[jbillingsley]

Re: 1985 Wellcraft 210 Elite Restoration

Single 2"x12"x10' top beam with 2"x12"x5' crossbeams, gusseted with 3/4" plywood. Vertical beams are 2"x6"x14', sandwiching the top beam. The base on each side is a 2"x6"x12', with 2"x6"x8' crossbeams, with all intersections gusseted with 3/4" plywood.

 

[jigngrub]

Re: 1985 Wellcraft 210 Elite Restoration

To use those 2x uprights and lifting beam you'll need to plumb and level your gantry to nearly perfect... I personally would use 4x4 uprights and 4x6 lifting beam.

Have you gotten around to removing your fuel tank yet? Could we get a couple of pics when you do? There's a bit of a debate going on here as to the reliability of bedding in an aluminum fuel tank with expanding foam because of moisture and corrosion issues.

I'm looking forward to you starting work on that sexy beast of a boat... and if you find the resto is too much for you my earlier purchase offer still stands.

 

[jbillingsley]

Re: 1985 Wellcraft 210 Elite Restoration

Thanks for the input. Going to rework the design this evening.

The fuel tank is still in the boat. Going to use the gantry to get that out as well.

 

[jbillingsley]

Re: 1985 Wellcraft 210 Elite Restoration

Revision 3. Increased the span to 12', as I realized it would have been uncomfortably tight to the sides of the boat and trailer. Back to a pair of 2x12's for the top beam, 2x10's now for the vertical posts, all crossbeams on edge. Getting pretty quick with AutoCAD. I'll be sad when my trial ends.

 

[jigngrub]

Re: 1985 Wellcraft 210 Elite Restoration

Doubled 2x's will work well for the lifting beam and uprights.

 

[wellcraft-classic210]

Re: 1985 Wellcraft 210 Elite Restoration

Glad to see your using plywood gussets---- Hopefully lagged or bolted. Would not hurt to add that in between layers on your cross beam either. Plywood will not crack under stress. Metal reinforcements available from most lumber yards near the joist hangers might be worth considering as well. You may be trusting parts of your body to the mechanical integrety of this at some point.

Nice dwgs-- Great way to review the design before you buy or cut materials.

 

[jbillingsley]

Re: 1985 Wellcraft 210 Elite Restoration

Finally got some nice weather. Gantry construction has commenced. Today's task was getting the beams that will be doubled up bonded together with PL.

 

[jbillingsley]

Re: 1985 Wellcraft 210 Elite Restoration

Taking shape.

 

[jbillingsley]

Re: 1985 Wellcraft 210 Elite Restoration

The motor is out! Will post pictures later. Now I can make some real progress.

 

[jbillingsley]

Re: 1985 Wellcraft 210 Elite Restoration

 

[jbillingsley]

Re: 1985 Wellcraft 210 Elite Restoration

While the motor is out and since I need to replace a head gasket, I'm going to do some mild upgrades to it. Current plan is to install a Scoggin Dickey Vortech Head kit (https://sdparts.com/details/scoggin-dickey-parts-center/sd8060akit), a Comp Cams XM264HR, and a Simrek drive shower. I'm thinking this combo will get me back to stock performance and possibly into the ~300hp range. The remanufactured block it has in it has dished 8.5:1 pistons, but is impeccably balanced (my dad and I installed it/removed it/sent back to the machine shop three times.) The lower CR definitely hurt its performance. On the original engine it'd run upper 50's, last time it ran it was low 50's.

I put thought into doing thru-hull exhaust (a friend got in my ear about it), but have decided against it. The cost far outweighs the performance increase and given that it'll primarily be used for water sports and cruising the lake, I don't need to be the loud boat on the lake, just need an occasional smile on my face when "clearing out the carb".

 

[jbillingsley]

Re: 1985 Wellcraft 210 Elite Restoration

If I calculated correctly, the 64cc chambers of these Vortech's should get me back to a 9:1 CR (guessing 20hp there) and the better flow should net 20-40hp, I don't think the cam will do much other than reduce valve train parasitic loss, and the drive shower should help extend the life of my Alpha. Thoughts welcome.

 

[jigngrub]

Re: 1985 Wellcraft 210 Elite Restoration

Have you removed the fuel tank yet? Curious to see what kind of shape it's in since it was foamed in at the factory and is 28 yrs. old.

 

[jbillingsley]

Re: 1985 Wellcraft 210 Elite Restoration

Not yet. Tank removal is top of my list for this weekend.