'74 Chieftain 21' I/O is home, the rebuild begins !

[FrankenCub]

Oh for sure, I couldn't do anything without knowing for sure what I'd be using for a tank. Now I don't have to stress over that hold up. Now just waiting on weather to warm enough, and rain to stay away, so I can finish sparing the transom. Then I'll be bolting things back together ! Guess I better get the gimble housing and other goodies to the car wash for a good cleaning lol.

 

[jbcurt00]

Congrats on snagging a good tank, that fits

 

[FrankenCub]

Thanks I haven't gotten it to my friends fab shop yet for a quote on a stretch job yet, it seems no one wants the gas in my truck to get stale. Hopefully Friday I can find some time. Will be raining still anyhow.

 

[FrankenCub]

It looks like I will be staying with the 20g the tank has. I talked to my friend at his fab shop today and although he did give me what I think is a reasonable price to stretch it to 68" long, but after we figured out the volume gained it would only be an 8g increase. So....not really worth the cost. I did leave the tank with him though, he's going to weld up the holes where some yahoo drove nails through it trying to 'fix' their Sprayliner. Maybe I'll just add a tank in a stock location with batteries where the other one resided. The nail hole fix is $20 so I'm good with that.

 

[Watermann]

That's not a bad deal at all, most of the fab shops around here will put a hurt to you and take forever doing it.

Hope your weather settles down and warms up for you.

 

[FrankenCub]

Yeah I can't complain bout the price to weld up the holes. It helps that I've known him forever too and he takes care of the locals pretty good. I was expecting the weather to be decent tomorrow so I got a couple parts cleaned up and the transom bracket blasted and ready for primer/paint. Now they are calling for rain showers off and on, the rest of the week doesn't look much better. Kinda spotty with the rain. I may talk to my buddy that has a barn next door and see if I can get my Chief in there to work on it and get parts spared and painted. No electric, but not much else I can do but wait out the rain.

 

[FrankenCub]

Wow, 2 days in a row of great weather ! I got a lot accomplished but between running gas through my truck and working double time on the Chief I haven't taken the time to get any new pictures. Wife unit's second surgery is tomorrow so I wanted to get as much done as possible, either tomorrow morning or evening I will get some update pics.
Finally have the transom finished and installed. Almost felt sacrilege for drilling holes in that big piece of shiny limber lol. Transom bracket and gimble housing are now in their proper home and the respective hardware has been reinstalled. I started the pieces for the rotted bow support, just have to get it test fitted then glued and screwed. I really like this stage of reassembly ! I'm tellin ya, it's better than sex ! :whoo::eyebrows::lol:

 

[oldhaven]

Yeah, this will be a bonus week in the Northeast for rebuilds after the bad one last week. I'm in the same situation with mine, getting a lot done and taking pictures but no time to post. We can wait a bit for photo proof. Best wishes with the surgery.

Ron

 

[Watermann]

Sounds like some great forward progress on the stern drive area, looking forward to seeing the pics.

 

[FrankenCub]

Yeah, this will be a bonus week in the Northeast for rebuilds after the bad one last week. I'm in the same situation with mine, getting a lot done and taking pictures but no time to post. We can wait a bit for photo proof. Best wishes with the surgery.

Ron

This has been a good week for boat work, very happy for that. The weather guessers are calling for thunder storms tomorrow, but warm weather. Maybe the storms will pass. Thanks for the well wishes sitting at the hospital now.

Sounds like some great forward progress on the stern drive area, looking forward to seeing the pics.

Yes it is, it really makes thing feel so much better seeing it take shape. I had hoped to get the engine back in place last night but forgot I need a new o-ring for the exhaust to gimble housing mate so I was scrambling this morning trying to find one. My local NAPA could get them but would take a few days to come in. While waiting at the hospital I will call a couple local marine dealers. One of them should have it so if they're open after surgery I will grab it on the way home. I started sorting out some of the wiring this morning too, that needs to be cleaned up and organized to suit my tastes.

I grabbed a quick pic this morning to fend off the pitch forks lol, lest see if I can post it from my iPad.
Nope, too big. Will try to send it to Photobucket.......

 

[FrankenCub]

This should work better.

 

[Watermann]

Hey there she is, oh yeah nice feeling and a milestone to cover up that empty bilge with some cast iron! :thumb:

 

[FrankenCub]

I picked up the exhaust o-ring today while it was raining, by time I got home it quit so I finally have the engine sitting in it's home and bolted down. Set the font on blocks so I could get the front mount out to rebuild the wood there. Now just a good day to spar that and get it assembled. Sorted out the wiring mess too. That turned out to not too bad. The original boat wiring is in good condition just had PO wiring wrapped all over it that went nowhere.
Tomorrow is calling for some pretty good storms so it may be a wash

 

[FrankenCub]

I may be wrong, but isn't it May 15th ??? IT'S FRIGGIN SNOWING ! :cold:

 

[Watermann]

Good lord really? Snow in May! :shocked:

Sorry man but I'm in shorts and a t shirt sweating right now after cutting out my transom and gluing it together. :fear:

 

[FrankenCub]

Yes, sure was. Nothing that would accumulate but I was watching if fall and melt on my deck. It went down to 30 last night. Supposed t be in the low 30's again tonight. In the 40's now so I think I'm going to putter on the Chief some before it starts raining. I can see how this summer will be already, cold to make up for the lack of winter we had this year. I really hate NY lol. If only I had the money to relocate.........

 

[FrankenCub]

I started in re-riveting the stringers as there were quite a few loose rivets and ended up running out. So in my travels to get more I figured I'd pick up some longer ones for the deck. Not happening around here, no one carries anything larger than 3/16 x 1/2 max grip length. I really wanted to go to 1/4 for everything but nothing available. I'll place an order tonight for a couple hundred 3/16 rivets. Will .626-.75 be long enough grip length for 1/2 deck ?

 

[Watermann]

I'm not familiar with that size but the large flange rivets I buy at http://rivetsonline.com/aluminum-aluminum-mandrel-w-large-flange-head.html are .625 - .875.

For the thickness:
Deck: .500
Rib: . 090
Deck covering is the variable but the ones I listed would work even with carpet on 1/2" decking.

 

[FrankenCub]

I was looking at McMaster-Carr. It looks like they are the same max length just McMaster lists a smaller grip length. I will eventually be laying vinyl over the rivets so no problems there. I may get the standard head diameter to save some coin, it all adds up. The wife still isn't able to work and wont be for quite some time, her biopsy came back yesterday, not good. So, we're squeezing by on my income only. Not doing too bad so far.

Got everything all tidied up on the transom today and got the transom cover back on. Boy does that ever feel good !!

 

[cj8mule]

Very nice Chief. Your build is bringing back some fond memories for me. One of the best things about restoring these old boats is you get to make it how you want it.

The 165 is a great motor for your boat and will give you some great economy. You can expect around 5 mpg on plane. I used 10 gallons last weekend for 12 hours of trolling and 9 miles on plane.

Mine had a cabinet/counter top on the starboard side of the cuddy. (I believe there was a fidge or something next to the countertop the PO took out). The port side had a sink / cabinet with water jug underneath. I saved the sink and water jug if you would like them give me a PM.

--dave