Restoring my MFG

[*EdC*]

Re: Restoring my MFG

Hi Moon,
Woosterken is absolutely correct. It is very difficult to guess-imate the cost of a restoration. One of the biggest questions I had to wrestle with was, "How far do I want to take it". With that decision made, I then need to decide what "needed" to be done and then, what I "wanted" to do.
The hull and transom needed work. So that's were I began. I can tell you , I spent about 3 grand to get it back to show room condition. It included, a new transom, various hull patching, deck repairs and a ton of sanding. Then, all new gel coat. Most of the grunt work I did myself.
Having the hull done was a big thing. But, it's only the beginning. I then turned my attention powering it. Here is a link.
http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=296896
With the engine 99% complete, I can only say....... I got a shoebox full of reciepts! I'm afraid to total it up But, I know it's more than I put into the hull. Hope that gives you some idea...........

 

[moonfish]

Re: Restoring my MFG

Thanks. I know it's sorta blunt to ask. It just seems like FG boats are such an all over the board type deal. You know how every summer people want to buy $800 ones have have them look like yours? I don't want to wear those pants.

 

[pduquette]

Re: Restoring my MFG

Your logo's are looking great Ed ! I re-did mine in gold / black/ boat color after filling the holes . peter

 

[*EdC*]

Re: Restoring my MFG

Your logo's are looking great Ed ! I re-did mine in gold / black/ boat color after filling the holes . peter

Cool idea Pete! Wish I thought of it! I guess, I was too narrow minded, with wanting to retain the original colors and all......:redface:

 

[*EdC*]

Re: Restoring my MFG

Hi Guys
Well, here it is October all ready. Unable to accomplish much on my boat last summer, I'm pushing to get as much done as I can. And, what the weather will allow here in New England.
I finally got my motor permanently mounted. I'm still not sure about the wisdom of that decidison Anyway, the only logic I have for doing this now, is to provide an end point for all my cabling. After getting the dash done, I really wanted to get going with the steering, throttle, shift, power trim and electric runs going aft. So, having the motor mounted eliminated any guess work."so far"
One problem I ran into, was finding heavy duty, stainless fender washers for the mounting bolts. The boat stores didn't have 'em nor any hardware stores. Grainger had them, but at $7.20 each "ouch" I kept looking. Finally found a company called AFH Fasteners. Good people, reasonable prices.
I decided to buff 'em up a bit. "I like shiny things"

Found some nice cap nuts too.

I got some 3/8" stainless steel carriage bolts at Lowes and cut them to length.
Next, I measured the center of the Transom. With the help of a friend and his engine hoist, we lowered the motor down, centered the motor and drilled the holes.

I put 3M 5200 in the bolt holes and pushed 'em through. Red Loctite was used on the cap nuts. Should be good to go!

I'm gonna keep at it for as long as I can! Anyone interested in the motor I built for my MFG, here's the link.
http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=296896

 

[*EdC*]

Re: Restoring my MFG

Well, the emblems are done and on my boat! Here are some pics....

Overall I'm very happy with the results. Hope you like 'em too!

 

[rsp95]

Re: Restoring my MFG

Your boat is simply amazing. Awesome Awesome work. Your attention to detail leaves me speechless. I can't wait to see it when it's a 100% complete. How much more work do you have left? Again, great job.

 

[*EdC*]

Re: Restoring my MFG

Your boat is simply amazing. Awesome Awesome work. Your attention to detail leaves me speechless. I can't wait to see it when it's a 100% complete. How much more work do you have left? Again, great job.

Thanks for your kind words..... Once I made the decidison to fix her up, I had to decide how far to go. I decided to return my boat to original condition. As close as possible of course. My thinking is,..... if I take care of the details, the rest would come together.

My current progress is not going as well as I had hoped. Lost most of the summer do to a heavy work load. Now I'm racing against time and weather to get things done,
The fiberglass work is 99% complete. I have some touch up at the bow. That's gonna wait till spring. The interior needs to get done. Along with the wiring and rigging. I still have to varnish the ski racks I made and a whole laundry list of small things.
I'll keep posting my progress as I go. Hopefully, a nice warm spell will come along before the snow flies.

 

[*EdC*]

Re: Restoring my MFG

Hi Guys,
Well the weather has been cooperating , and I am making slow but sure progress. One of the things I started in the spring were these ski racks....

Recently, I've been able to fit them to the boat, and get going on the varnishing.

Here is a photo of the first coat. The look of varnished mahogany sure is beautiful

Currently, I have finished the back sides of each with three coats. I have two coats on the fronts. If I can get just a couple more decent days, I'll get the remaining three coats applied to the exposed areas.
I've enjoyed making these, but I'm now anxious to finish up some of these long overdue projects. I'll get more pics posted soon.!

 

[Landscaping Wiz 808]

Re: Restoring my MFG

I'm gonna keep at it for as long as I can! Anyone interested in the motor I built for my MFG, here's the link.
http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=296896

WOW! I love the progress that your making on this beauty! I meant to post this when I first saw the above picture, but kept forgetting. That cable-stay you have mounted on the aft facing side of the splashwell - Is that a standard Merc product or did you fabricate that? Either way, it's cool cool!

BOB

 

[*EdC*]

Re: Restoring my MFG

Hey Bob,
Funny you mention this....... When I first got the boat, it had a 50 Evinrude on her. For the life of me, I couldn't figure out what the hole was in the splash-well. I did a lot of web surfing and saw some boats with the same thing!!. It also had a weird figure 8 cut out in the dash. I then discovered the figure 8 hole was for a tilt/trim switch. A Mercury switch. A bit more looking around... And I realized the boat was originally fitted with a Merc motor.
Well... you can see where that took me! Anyway...... It is a Mercury part, and it routes the hydraulic hoses and tilt limit switch to the hydraulic pump mounted on the floor below. Pretty cool huh?

 

[*EdC*]

Re: Restoring my MFG

What a nice day it was here today! 65 degrees, no wind and partly sunny So, I decided to work a half day and spend the afternoon varnishing those ski racks I made.
Stopped by the big box store, got some 320 paper and a nice china bristle brush. I was psyched. Best of all, no one was home to bother me!
Started right in on the fourth coat... going Great! When I looked over and saw this Fly coming in for a landing on my new varnish! Now, this fly was HUGH!. Ya know the kind you can put a saddle on! I mean, it was the size of a B-52. It crashed landed........and went belly up OH Maann......
What is it with bugs and new varnish?? If that wasn't bad enough..... A whole swam of those little flies came around! Those stinkin' fruity kind! Three of them, bing, bing, bing. right in it.
OK so I'll sand them out. Just about done, when my neighbor decides to fire up his leaf blower!! This can't be happin'! I hustle the woodwork down to the basement! OH no, what a smell, the whole house reeks!! The wife is gonna' kill me.....
Damn.. forgot about the furnace.... better shut that off for as long as I can! Gotta remember to turn it back on before someone takes a shower! Whew!!!

I guess some days you're the dog and other days you're the hydrant

 

[matt9923]

Re: Restoring my MFG

Awesome work! Relay clean/ pro looking job!!

 

[*EdC*]

Re: Restoring my MFG

Awesome work! Relay clean/ pro looking job!!

Thanks Matt.. Were you been hiding lately

 

[matt9923]

Re: Restoring my MFG

Thanks Matt.. Were you been hiding lately

Been really busy lately. Was on my boat for an hour 2 Saturdays ago, little cold but was fun. Spun my prop but at least i have another one! Working on getting another motor and maybe boat and trailer for free.
Ill try to be around here more. I guess my plan is to do my transom in the spring or do it in my shop this winter.

I bashed the bottom up a lot this summer and it has a gallon of water after a day out boating.... not terrible but i know where the leak is i think!

 

[Mark_VTfisherman]

Re: Restoring my MFG

...%...and it routes the hydraulic hoses and tilt limit switch to the hydraulic pump mounted on the floor below. Pretty cool huh?

I love that fitting, too- neat, clean, organized, symmetrical. I hate disorder in mechanical applications- I figure if it needs to be there then it is easy enough to plan the installation so it doesn't look like roadkill.

 

[matt9923]

Re: Restoring my MFG

I love that fitting, too- neat, clean, organized, symmetrical. I hate disorder in mechanical applications- I figure if it needs to be there then it is easy enough to plan the installation so it doesn't look like roadkill.

Hey man leave my boat alone. LOL

 

[Mark_VTfisherman]

Re: Restoring my MFG

Hey man leave my boat alone. LOL

Ha ha! What a great name for a boat: ROADKILL LOL

 

[matt9923]

Re: Restoring my MFG

Ha ha! What a great name for a boat: ROADKILL LOL

well i was looking for a name.

 

[*EdC*]

Re: Restoring my MFG

well i was looking for a name.

Youse guys makes meez Laff!