Chris Craft, input wanted?

[bajaunderground]

Re: Chris Craft, input wanted?

UPDATE: As some might know I scored a major serious industrial sewing machine...for free-ninety-free, after a few extra pieces for vinyl ($35) I've decided to tackle the interior mybadself...

Ordered all new vinyl from veada.com (12 yards of arctic white, 3 yards of the navy blue with 1/4" foam backing, 24yds of piping, 16 yds of the hide'em welting and a spool of 16oz bonded polyester thread)
Crunching the numbers, here's my total:

Boat: $500.00
Motor: $950.00
Misc (cover, oil, impeller, bellows, etc): $360.00 (was $400.00 but I sold the engine stand I paid $40 for in this amount for $40)
Oil and additives: $130
Salvaged Searay steering wheel from JAS:$25 (waiting on delivery )
Vinyl: $334.00

TOTAL:$2,145.00

I have some funds for LEDS off the back and for interior lighting and maybe $300 for Seadek in lieu of carpeting for the interior and swim platform.


~Brett

P.S. The sewing machine is prolly worth around $400+ so in essence, the extras I bought will end up free with profit. My old swimming coach from HS makes leather furniture and might be interested in the Juki after my little project, says he's been looking for one...well, I found one!

 

[dingbat]

Re: Chris Craft, input wanted?

Chris Craft is one of the oldest Marine Manufactures in existance...

The original Chris Craft was sold and the name changed to Chris Craft industries in 1960. The company has changed hands 4 times since. Most recently in 2000

 

[bajaunderground]

Re: Chris Craft, input wanted?

The original Chris Craft was sold and the name changed to Chris Craft industries in 1960. The company has changed hands 4 times since. Most recently in 2000

True; however, many, many manufacturers are bought and sold utilizing the same "Branding" it happens in EVERY product type...Autos (Audi owns Lamborghini), Motorcycles (AMF used to own Harley-Davidson) Appliances (Lucky/Goldstar a.k.a. LG), consumables (Burt's Bees wax), etc...that doesn't mean it's loses it heritage?

I guess, what's you point? Or are you just being "that guy"?

 

[jasoutside]

Re: Chris Craft, input wanted?

Salvaged Searay steering wheel from JAS:$25 (waiting on delivery )

Sorry Brett, hang tight man, it's acomin. I have been way too busy lately and have actually been trying to avoid the Post Office all together, ifyaknowhattamean.

OK wait a minute, with me getting that steering wheel over to you.....am I aiding and abedding a glasser guy????

 

[bajaunderground]

Re: Chris Craft, input wanted?

Sorry Brett, hang tight man, it's acomin. I have been way too busy lately and have actually been trying to avoid the Post Office all together, ifyaknowhattamean.

OK wait a minute, with me getting that steering wheel over to you.....am I aiding and abedding a glasser guy????

Most likely both! No biggie on the time, most of our lakes here are frozen and I told you to take your time and "after holidays is fine", so yeah, iknowwhatyoumean! I just didn't want to miss an opportunity for a quick little stab at my aluminum wielding brethren!

 

[bajaunderground]

Re: Chris Craft, input wanted?

FYI: I had a 95 Concept. As you have found out, it is in fact a Ford 302. With the 2 BBL it was rated 180 HP, nothing to write home about. Like yours I bought the boat with a blown motor and it wasn't worth rebuilding and I went with a 351 Windsor. The Windsor is a little taller but fit under the dog house (lay out pad) with no issues. Bell housing and mounts bolted right up as well as the exhaust manifolds.. All the front mounted stuff, alternator, raw water pump (yours is belt driven) engine water pump, power steering bolted up fine. The only thing that didn't swap over was the timing indicator (302 and 351 are on opposite sides of the crank pulley) and the oil pan dip stick. The 351 was "lightly built" and came in right at 300 ponies and man did it ever wake that boat up! On the plus side, with that drive and hull I was able to get away with changing props without havening to change gear ratios and that saved some cash.

Oops, one more thing. If you go with the Windsor be aware they had to be the WORST engine in the world for changing spark plugs when they have marine exhaust manifolds. I ended up using a short "racing" spark plug meant for using with headers so I could get a plug wrench on them.

Yes, every time I replaced plugs I had/have to remove the exhaust manifolds...what a pain! As far as HP goes, according to all the documentation I have this motor produces 190PSHP (mercruiser of same vintage are rated at flywheel). It's also sad that Chris Craft considered the 5.0L an upgrade over the 4.3L 4bbl (205PSHP)...more HP, prolly better fuel economy.

Anyway, I thought about all my options when I repowered...the short block was the most cost effective.I did think about adding the 4bbl intake and carburetor...might some day. If I want to go fast I'll get another egg beater...

Ciao,

~Brett

 

[bajaunderground]

Re: Chris Craft, input wanted?

Thanks Bubba! Didn't want to offend the power boat gods by using anything other than manufacturer suggested plugs! Napa, here I come!

Happy Holidays...BTW, I'm jonesing for my vinyl to be here...I'm ready to cut-n-sew-n-staple.

Oh yeah, I did go ahead and purchase a Harbor Freight Central Pneumatic 20g wide crown stapler...$22.99-25%=$17.23+tax TOTAL= $18.56.

TOTAL PROJECT COSTS: $2,163.56 and counting

 

[bajaunderground]

Re: Chris Craft, input wanted?

Update:

Vinyl arrived tonight (5:45pm) Started some of the easier portions of the project! These 2 pieces were a pain, they have compound angle in every direction, no real flat surface to work with?!

The Center Backrest (I didn't get a before pic as I disassembled a couple of weeks ago playing around.)



Starboard Bow Backrest:Before If you can notice the double stitching pattern, let in water to the foam, which stained it. I eliminated it in the new backrests.



Starboard Bow Backrest:After



Tomorrow I'll tackle more!

~Brett

 

[LippCJ7]

Re: Chris Craft, input wanted?

Bud you are learning quick, Nice work!!

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Chris Craft, input wanted?

Gentle heat gun can get rid of wrinkles. Experiment with scraps first.

 

[bajaunderground]

Re: Chris Craft, input wanted?

Update:

This upholstery job is about 3 x as tough as the Baja...the the Baja. all the panels were flat, lay them against the vinyl, make a pattern...

The Chris Craft doesn't really have any "flat" surfaces...Much better than my baja (difficulty level...having to make patterns for dry, rotted or non-existent vinyl...I've pulled over 3,500 staples (the Baja only had less than 2,000 when all said and done!!!)

Here's the bow cooler cover: before


After (added a little flair)


Bow Seats: before


Bow Seats: after


Port Side Panel: after (those arm rest were a PITA)


Starboard Side Panel: after


Only thing left is the bench seat armrests (2) and helms seats (2) and Sunpad (I Might have not ordered enough?)

~Brett

...To Be continued...

 

[bajaunderground]

Re: Chris Craft, input wanted?

The seating portion of the bench seat was kinda a weird design, I wanted to simplify (which meant making up my own patterns...If I wasn't running so low on vinyl, I would've played around with the ends more? Now its a continuous 1 piece as opposed to 2 separate cushions sewn together. I will say the drain between them was genius...but it caused the wooden base to sag where they connect to the hinges on the base...so I reinforced with some old marine ply I had left over from the Baja...

Rear Bench: after (mind you the seating part is not on it's base, it's just resting on the ground) BTW, these took me approx: 10 hours.


Rear Bench from side: after

 

[bajaunderground]

Re: Chris Craft, input wanted?

Sunpad:Before



Sunpad: After







I'm almost done. Need to order more vinyl for the helms seats...got the Port side rear bench armrest ready to sew...once I pull the plethora of staples...does it ever end?

 

[jasoutside]

Re: Chris Craft, input wanted?

Man, you've got mad upholstery skillzzzz:thumb:

 

[JASinIL2006]

Re: Chris Craft, input wanted?

+1!

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: Chris Craft, input wanted?

Suggestion...Vinyl Stretches just a bit soo... Measure from your old patterns and then shorten them maybe about 1/4 to 3/8". When you stretch and Staple you'll get a much tighter and better looking fit to everything and the wrinkles will go away too! Once you get out in the Sun and you sit on em and use em it will all come together much better. Overall nice job. I learned a LOT my first time around and I learn even more everytime I sit down an make another stitch. I don't think the learning process ever stops!!!!

 

[bajaunderground]

Re: Chris Craft, input wanted?

Suggestion...Vinyl Stretches just a bit soo... Measure from your old patterns and then shorten them maybe about 1/4 to 3/8". When you stretch and Staple you'll get a much tighter and better looking fit to everything and the wrinkles will go away too! Once you get out in the Sun and you sit on em and use em it will all come together much better. Overall nice job. I learned a LOT my first time around and I learn even more everytime I sit down an make another stitch. I don't think the learning process ever stops!!!!

As always I appreciate your assistance and input...however, with the compound radii and angles, if I made any of the panels shorter I'd pay the price at the corners...I've pulled as tight as I feel comfortable pulling (don't want the staples to pull out the first time someone sits down). The old vinyl has been stretched (in the sun for many years) that it not only doesn't lay flat, it mostly has a curve too it. If the Baja vinyl job was equivalent to Junior High, this one is Masters level! I am learning a lot about curves and radii that the Baja didn't have...I love the challenge...I've covered both rear bench seat arm rests 2 times...overall, very happy with the way it's going to look installed, I just want it too look professional...or as close as I am capable of!

Agreed on the learning process...

~Brett

 

[further]

Re: Chris Craft, input wanted?

Looks awesome Brett! You're flyin through this stuff. Didn't know you had this thread goin over here, thought you'd be over in the dry dock... Signed up and tagging along. Gonna read up on the rest of it.

 

[bajaunderground]

Re: Chris Craft, input wanted?

Needing a little help here...

I've pulled apart my helm seats, they have a 1/8" sheet of plastic (black) that the inner cushions attached too, then those are velcroed to the seat bases, which are an injected plastic...trying to find a product that would act similar to the plastic backing, flexible, yet can hold staples. Any ideas? Anyone whose had a seat cushion apart on a boat build in the last 18 or so years has seen this plastic.

I can snap a few pics tomorrow?

Thanks,

~Brett

 

[further]

Re: Chris Craft, input wanted?

Hey Brett,
Try Tap Plastics - looks like they may have a replacement for what you need that you cut to size.

High-Impact Strength PVC Sheets : TAP Plastics