VIP Vindicator Restoration

[aspeck]

Re: VIP Vindicator Restoration

Looks great! Can't believe you are selling it on CL after all that work!

 

[Icyharp]

Re: VIP Vindicator Restoration

Looks great! Can't believe you are selling it on CL after all that work!

LOL that ain't going to sit well...............:facepalm:

 

[ezmobee]

Re: VIP Vindicator Restoration

Dammit Art beat me to the joke

 

[Timc58]

Re: VIP Vindicator Restoration

I have managed to get it on the water to do some test and tuning! Even though it is February I HAD to get it out and play. I love the power of the mildly built 302 and the boat handles great. I need to go to a higher pitch prop and have a few carb tuning issues to work through. But all in all, the drive train is perfect.

hey, if you don't mind me asking, what is a good deal on the vindicator you restored, there's a yellow one in my area in about the same condition as your when you started out.... Very oxidized, interior needs to be redone, and i know it hasen't run in about 7 or 8 years. just looking for a place to start my bartering

 

[Robhred3]

Re: VIP Vindicator Restoration

enjoyed reading about your vindicator restoration and thought I would post a few photos of mine since i have not seen a yellow one.

 

[Dzrtcj7]

Re: VIP Vindicator Restoration

I really like the yellow boats! I believe they are a lot more rare than the red. Nice looking boat! I really like how you did the interior!

@Tim, in rough shape I would start around $2000. Verify the running gear is in good shape because they will have a big impact and consider how much work you are going to do yourself. In good shape market value is about $6500, so you've got to be pretty careful to not get more into it than what its worth. Good luck!

 

[Robhred3]

Re: VIP Vindicator Restoration

Thanks Dzrtcj7, do you still have your red one? I ended up having to rebuild the transom in mine due to some soft spots. Anyway, I got her on the water today after a long process and she ran really good. FYI - I copied your interior job because it looked great.

 

[Robhred3]

Re: VIP Vindicator Restoration

 

[Dzrtcj7]

Re: VIP Vindicator Restoration

Rob,

You've got an awesome boat. Looks great! I still have mine and have used it a ton! My only complaint is the small fuel tank ... This winter I'm putting a new floor in. I have my fingers crossed that I don't find any more soft wood.

 

[Dzrtcj7]

Re: VIP Vindicator Restoration

Uh oh ...

Finding plenty of water soaked foam so far. Good news is, it should be faster!

 

[Robhred3]

Re: VIP Vindicator Restoration

Can you tell where the water is coming from? I always have a little water in the bilge after i cruise for awhile and I think its either coming from the ladder screws under the swim platform or the tow hooks on the back of the swim platform.

 

[Dzrtcj7]

Re: VIP Vindicator Restoration

I've spent a lot of time trying to figure out where water gets in mine, and I'm convinced that it leaks around the rub strip. I've climbed to the back of the boat, while people are sitting on the swim deck (submerging the rub strip) and watched water running it. While I have it torn apart this winter, I plan to pull the rub strip and seal it up.

Also, my boat sat outside, uncovered for years. All of the passages in the bilge where plugged with rotten leaves and sludge. I suspect this is where a majority of the saturating of the foam happened.

 

[mtsumedi]

Re: VIP Vindicator Restoration

I am in love with these red VIP boats. There's an all red VIP Vision in a warehouse across the street from my work and I asked the guy if he wanted to sell it and I got the "hum ho oh I don't know" from the guy and was told to call him back. When I went to call back he never answered again. I ended up buying another boat but man do I love the looks of this one.

 

[Robhred3]

Re: VIP Vindicator Restoration

Just a few more photos of some updates i recently completed

 

[Robhred3]

Re: VIP Vindicator Restoration

how many gallons does yours hold? I believe mine has a 28 gallon tank which seems to run for a while however it was made out of aluminum and when the boat was being neglected the electrolysis caused some pitting so that had to be repaired before i could use it

 

[Dzrtcj7]

Re: VIP Vindicator Restoration

I really like that gauge cluster! Did you build the carbon fiber panel?

I'm pretty sure my fuel tank is about 15 gallons, which is not even close to enough. It's a plastic tank. I'm considering other options while I've got it opened up.

 

[Robhred3]

Re: VIP Vindicator Restoration

Thanks! I found a company by the name of mar-lan industries which happened to be local so I went over there and found the carbon panels along with the guages and a complete wiring harness for our boats that looks identical to the factory ones.

 

[Robhred3]

Re: VIP Vindicator Restoration

Have you made any more progress on floor?

 

[Robhred3]

Re: VIP Vindicator Restoration

Latest project is the custom side exhaust tips which will give it a little more growl

 

[Zx6rman96]

Re: VIP Vindicator Restoration

Latest project is the custom side exhaust tips which will give it a little more growl

Would love too see pics. We just purchased a 1996 vindicator over the weekend. We got to test it out on the lake while the weather was decent. I was hoping for it to be a little bit louder at idle but since the thru hull is at the waterline or just below its not really as loud as i want. I really dont want to go down your road of moving the exhaust. I was trying to see if i could find a trumpet style tip where its flared really big at the exit hoping more of it would be out of the water.

Do you have any idle pics of your boat in the water? Any suggestions on making it louder?