74 Chrysler Conqueror SIII SuperBee 340 Jet rebuild and restoration

[73Chrysler105]

Re: Update Tons of rain

Re: Update Tons of rain

You can always use Nylon Staps to keep the hull from flexing.

WoodonGlass I hadnt thought of that and Ihave a ton of Straps. Hmm I think I had kind of decided to put the cap back on to glass the floor though will probably put it back onthe trailer seeing how easy it all has been.

 

[73Chrysler105]

No new updates to the boat

No new updates to the boat

Between sporadic rain bursts (I am not complaining about the rain we need it) and life happening the boat hasn't gotten much done. Wife had me make the custom full sized trundle bed for the twins one weekend my nephew threw a rod through the side of the engine the next week so that's the project for the next weekend which was this past weekend. The new motor for his car is in but still has some issues. Hopefully can get onto the boat this coming weekend. I have since let go of the second job to have more time to work on projects which is good but money is going to be very tight for a while. Once the Jag sells will be back on track. With all the ran the boat keeps filling with water so I tilt it to drain it and have found a few areas where the keel damage is through the hull. At least now I know the worst spots and how bad they are. I think I have decided to use Oops untested theory of installing removable foam into the boat by encapsulating it in thick mil plastic. I am planning on using a hot seam sealer to seal it as well, may use a vacuum sealer.

Just thought it would be a good update. I am also planning on putting the boat back on the trailer once the new bunks are installed and the fenders removed. I am debating on putting on the new roller bunks because I am thinking they may induce warps in the fiberglass.

I also had a thought ad question and again I am getting ahead of myself but with the amount of damage I have to the keel and the underside of the hull I am seriously considering re-gel coating the entire hull. One problem I am planning on using epoxy for all my repairs. From my understanding since gel coat is poly based it won't adhere to the epoxy.

There in lies my question:

Is there a gel coat that will adhere to the epoxy?
Should I use Poly on the exterior repairs and epoxy on the interior?
Use Poly on the hull entirely inside and out and the epoxy on the transom, stringers and floor?
Or just coat the entire exterior of the hull with epoxy tinted white? I already have the white tint.

I am adamant on using the epoxy partly because it is already bought and paid for.

Of course I am still debating on pulling an Oops and extending the boat 3-5 feet for extra passenger room and if I do that its definitely going to be a longer than this summer launch date I think.

I would really like to hear thoughts on the gel coat and see what others think about stretching it.

 

[73Chrysler105]

Re: No new updates to the boat

Re: No new updates to the boat

Well Getting some work done scored an old Sears Kenmore sewing machine from Freecycle yesterday its that light olive green so probably about a 50's-60's model that's about when that color was real popular. its missing the foot switch so need to replace that and it turns a bit slowly. Motor seems fine but will tear it down clean all the old grease off and grease and lube up the motor and all the gears with fresh lube then see how it runs. belts in workable shape but cracked so will need to replace that and then get to ordering the zipperfoot and heavy guage needles for the vinyl sewing. On the boat got in replacement gauges and switches big scores there. Made the saw horses to hold the cap up. Most of the bracing on the underside of the cap has to be replaced cause it was just tabbed in and some of it doesn't fit the lines of the cap so it was bare fiberglass. They did use some type of cardboard ribs on the deck and on the edges of those are where all the stress cracks are in the gel coat on top. Removed the windshield while I was under there as well. Well not much else has gotten done yet. Been still raining a lot here and had to finish a couple other projects. Trying to finish the custom chopper build right now.

 

[73Chrysler105]

Re: updates

Re: updates

Been a long time since I had posted an update. Progress is moving slowly. Scored a 96 Magnum 360 to use for the boat need to replace two valves in it and get an intake for the carb to fit.

On the other end the small crack I found in the pump housing is worse than I thought now that the entire housing is removed from the hull.







The crack does go all the way through the housing. Need to figure out the best course of action at this point. Since its the suction side and not the pressure side it might be fine with something to seal it or a simple grind and weld on the inside. Or I can grind and weld on both inside and outside. The housing is pretty thick at the flange but gets thinner as it gets more into the water intake area.

What's everyone's thoughts? These housings are pretty rare to find since its a Chrysler design made from 72-79 only. It woul dbe easier to buy a complete parts boat.

Also the wear ring is pretty beat up and if I am going to grind and weld the inside anyone have any ideas on how to remove the impeller?
How about repairing the wear ring?

Thanks for the advise in advance

 

[73Chrysler105]

Re: Opps Updates

Re: Opps Updates

lol.....if the helium was able to float a sody bottle it would help......but thats only because it (once attached to the hull) would make the hull lighter. there for displace less.
it would be the same as tying a bunch of helium balloons to the boat.

compressed soda bottles would help in the voids in the foam.......but foam has far more anti crush......it wont even crush under several atmospheres like a air filled soda pop bottle would

Oops I just had a wierd thought regarding the Soda bottles. Why not fill the soda bottles with foam, that would give the soda bottle the anticrush properties while at the same time keep the foam from getting soaked. Then would scatter the bottles around the hull and fill it with foam where it would surround the soda bottles. So some of the foam would be susceptible to being water logged but not most of it. I was planning on putting the bottles in the freezer with no caps. Sealing and capping them and then bringing them out. then they would be under a greater pressure and be larger air pockets in the poured foam. These air pockets would take 100 years to break down and become water logged. At the same time after watching Friscoboater with his foam the bottles would provide a crush point for the foam pressure in the case that too much foam was poured in an area. It was just a thought I just had.

 

[73Chrysler105]

Re: 74 Chrysler Conqueror SIII SuperBee 340 Jet rebuild and restoration

Some progress finally to the build. Bought the Arauco Plywood this weekend from Home Depot with Two tubes of the PL Premuim. Had them cut the rough rectangle cut of the transom with a few extra inches. Took my cardboard cut out of the transom and trasced it over the plywood. Drilled some pilot holes and screwed the two pieces together. Cut a rough cut outside the lines and test fit then started the trimming process. Still have a little more trimming to do in order to get it completely fit.

 

[73Chrysler105]

Re: Opps Updates

Re: Opps Updates

Also picked up a under deck tank recently and thought it would fit but seems as though its a little too tall. With no spacers (it sitting directly on the hull) the top of the tank is directly under the floor of the boat.Leaving the filler neck, vent, fuel supply nipple, and sending unit into or above the floor. In the best position these would be in the middle of the walking area. If I mount it with the filler to the stern of the boat then they would be under the back seat and this could be workable but then if the tank was full when launching gas might spill out of the filler on the side wouldn't it? The stock location for the tank is on top of the sole below the front deck in front of the dash area. This is a good area but also a great storage area which the stock rectangle 26 gallon tank pretty much takes up all the usable space. I can modify the tank to fit sacrificing some capacity, sell it and use the stock tank, sell it and buy another tank or have one made, use it with the filler to the stern of the boat place it farther into the bow where the filler coming through the floor wouldn't be an issue either. What is everyone's opinions?

 

[73Chrysler105]

Re: Opps Updates

Re: Opps Updates

One more thing the strakes on my boat had supports in them a piece of 1" x3/4" plywood that was glassed over. I was thinking of using peanut butter to just fill the area and glass it over or should I put the 1" strip of plywood back in peanut butter the voids and glass it over? Either way its getting peanut buttered and I have enough to peanut butter all 4 of the strakes on this thing if I need to. The plywood I pulled out was pretty much all rotten except for a few sections or maybe just one of them but they were not sealed just glassed over.

Here is the area

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: Opps Updates

Re: Opps Updates

Grind out the strake depressions as good as possible. Fill with PB then add a 8" strip of 1708 over them. You'll be good to go.

 

[73Chrysler105]

Re: Opps Updates

Re: Opps Updates

Thanks WOG thats just what I was planning but wanted some confirmation.

 

[1977American]

Re: 74 Chrysler Conqueror SIII SuperBee 340 Jet rebuild and restoration

Do you have the drivers seat for the boat?Are you going to use it for your restoration?Met a guy today that has a 1978 chrysler conqueror that needs the seat.If not any knowledge on where I can help him find one?

 

[73Chrysler105]

Re: 74 Chrysler Conqueror SIII SuperBee 340 Jet rebuild and restoration

77American sorry never saw the reply. yes I have my seat and I am reusing it. I can get him some dimension or possibly make him one from mine. It is a cool captains chair.

On another note I finally got some progress on the build. I finished grinding the transom and surrounding area down and have glued the wood to the transom skin. Below are a few pics. Once the transom is glassed in the cap is going back on and the stringers are getting built then the bulkheads and the motor mounts. Installing the gas tank after that and then floor with the floatation. lastly will be the pump and motor.

Speaking of which I finally have it up on an engine stand ready to be gone through.

Oh and I think I found an anti-itch solution.
I went into the bathroom stripped to my skivvies and covered (bathed) in baby powder. I looked like I had just finished grinding. Be very liberal put on lots and get it all over hair, neck, arms, legs, face and everywhere else. The only place I didn't put it was under my skivvies, which ironically is the one place it was made to go on babies at least. This fills the pores with baby powder, which doesn't itch, so the fiberglass dust has no where to go. Then put your clothes and safety equipment on and go grinding. When I got done I shook myself all off then took a cool shower. No immediate itch no lingering itch not even a next day itch. The only itch I got was from the lingering powder on the hull the next day when I was installing the new wood for the transom and that is a small spot on my forearm and I knew it as soon as I did it.


Here are some pictures of the updates

The motor on the right is for the Jet boat the one on the left is for the Carlson Vdrive in my signature


Me after Grinding for 2+ hours


The Transom all Ground Down


Inside clamped down


Outside all Clamped down

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: 74 Chrysler Conqueror SIII SuperBee 340 Jet rebuild and restoration

Worst halloween costume EVER:

Yikes




Nice work grinding.

 

[73Chrysler105]

Re: 74 Chrysler Conqueror SIII SuperBee 340 Jet rebuild and restoration

that hat was brown when I started