Jet boat restoration/mod

[Tass 928]

Tass, Here's a small post on Imron, KEEP IN MIND YOU CAN'T USE 100 GRIT SAND PAPER IF YOU ARE JUST DOING A CLEAR COAT. You would use a finer grit paper depending on the shape of the gel coat.

http://checkmate-boats.com/forums/showthread.php?t=16233

Thanks for that link and the information!

Imron looks like a good choice. I haven't had much time to analize the original finish yet...I still need to make room to get the boat indoors. For now, it's tarped up and waiting in the snow.

 

[ndaniels]

You could do somthing like these that are for Ducati bikes. I kinda figure that the engine will be the focal point on the boat- it might look good?

Couple of photos for ideas:

 

[Tass 928]

belt covers

well guys...here are the covers


I was going for a clean look with no moving parts on the front of the engine. Figured it was safer that way also...engine being out in the open and all...

I agree, the belts have a cool mechanical look to them. I spun up a little crank damper-bling to dress it up a bit. I needed a spacer there anyway because I removed a bunch pullies.

Opinions??? lose the covers ?

 

[yellowfiero88]

Opinions??? lose the covers ?

I like the mechanical look of no covers but it will be safer with the covers on

 

[Jetmate]

well guys...here are the covers


I was going for a clean look with no moving parts on the front of the engine. Figured it was safer that way also...engine being out in the open and all...

I agree, the belts have a cool mechanical look to them. I spun up a little crank damper-bling to dress it up a bit. I needed a spacer there anyway because I removed a bunch pullies.

Opinions??? lose the covers ?

I really like the belt covers! It looks good both ways, but the covers add some mass and sleekness to the engine. It will be a lot safer.

 

[Tass 928]

Project Update Pics

I've been busy with the engine, mainly because I can work on it in short time increments and it doesn't take up much room. I bought the boat in the middle of the winter and did not have any indoor storage cleared for it so all I could do was tarp it it up and park it.

With the warm weather, I was able to pull it out and start stripping it. The BBF 460 is all unbolted and ready to lift out. All of the upolhstery is waterlogged and falling apart. The floor is soft and will need replacement but the motor mount stringers look very good, as does the transom.

I am very pleased with the overall hull condition. The finish is very faded but a color change was part of my plan anyway. there are no stress cracks, spider cracks, chips or scratches anywhere. My plan is to run with the completely exposed engine and only two seats. I am also leaning towards the no-windshield look.

The trailer was never going to be worth rebuilding so I scored a very nice tandem axle, modern trailer that I will modify to support this hull. This old scrap trailer will make a good dolly during the rebuild process.

So, here is how it looks today:

 

[Tass 928]

And a few more pics.....

 

[Tass 928]

The engine

The intake is pretty much all fabbed up. I need to add some fasteners and then send it to the powder coaters. The headers are ford big block that I re-flanged to mate with my heads. Unfortunatly I discovered that they are not high enough to clear the transom so I have another set in the works.

 

[Tass 928]

Few more pics...

 

[TheNerd]

Looking good.

 

[yellowfiero88]

Looks great. Looks like you got the motor part almost figured out.

 

[Jetmate]

Engine looks great. You running dry exhaust? And yea, loose the windshield. The only other thing that might look good IMHO, and was thinking about doing it to mine would be about a 3 inch high smoked plexiglass wind screen curved on the corners and tapered down on the sides. But it would probably be expensive to have made. And I don't even know who could make one. All one piece if you can picture what I'm thinking about.

Great job, keep the pics coming.

http://checkmate-boats.com/forums/showthread.php?t=14018

 

[trd4runner3l]

Checkmate Jetmate

Hey Guys I have a 1974 Checkmate Jetmate, I just had the JetDrive redone by Performance Jet, and I got a Set of Water Injected Hooker Super Comp Headers. Someone Said that the headers might be a prob and would Get 2 Hot next to the Fiber Glass, but wouldnt the Water injection cool it down a little bit and keep it a little cooler? Could I Wrap the Headers with the Special Wrap they sell? Your Help would be Great< I know someone had a Setup like this on a boat where it has and engine Compartment.. and I will be Running with the Cover off., thanks

I would post Pics but I cant figure out how to do it

 

[Tass 928]

Engine looks great. You running dry exhaust? And yea, loose the windshield. The only other thing that might look good IMHO, and was thinking about doing it to mine would be about a 3 inch high smoked plexiglass wind screen curved on the corners and tapered down on the sides. But it would probably be expensive to have made. And I don't even know who could make one. All one piece if you can picture what I'm thinking about.

Great job, keep the pics coming.

http://checkmate-boats.com/forums/showthread.php?t=14018

Hey Jetmate :>)

The headers are made by Basset and are actually water injected. I have a valve that is linked to the throttle linkage. Once the RPMS rise above a certain setting, water will flow to each primary tube on the headers. Hopefully I will set it up correctly and not have water flow back into the engine, hydrolocking it.

After all that.....I have to scrap these headers anyway, they are not going to clear my transom. I don't know why I didn't think to check that before hacking them up. I have another set (ebay score) on the way but I will have to add the water ports to them.

I agree with you on the shorty-plexi tinted windshield. I have the equipment and materials to fab one up or I may go with aluminum and paint it the boat color.

 

[Big Red]

Hey Guys I have a 1974 Checkmate Jetmate, I just had the JetDrive redone by Performance Jet, and I got a Set of Water Injected Hooker Super Comp Headers. Someone Said that the headers might be a prob and would Get 2 Hot next to the Fiber Glass, but wouldnt the Water injection cool it down a little bit and keep it a little cooler? Could I Wrap the Headers with the Special Wrap they sell? Your Help would be Great< I know someone had a Setup like this on a boat where it has and engine Compartment.. and I will be Running with the Cover off., thank]

Dont need to wrap them they will be just fine

 

[Big Red]

I would not scrap the headers just cut the tubes and extend them up higher. When all work is done take them and have them ceramic coated.

 

[trd4runner3l]

Headers

Hey Bigred, the Reason why I asked is because the Guy From Performance jet said it is a big fire Hazzard because the headers get so hot at headers next to the injection lines.. I was looking at the headers good today and the way the water lines are setup, there is a hole under each spot and the lines look like they would leak and just push together, is this normal? thanks for you help, Josh

Dont need to wrap them they will be just fine

 

[Big Red]

Hey Bigred, the Reason why I asked is because the Guy From Performance jet said it is a big fire Hazzard because the headers get so hot at headers next to the injection lines.. I was looking at the headers good today and the way the water lines are setup, there is a hole under each spot and the lines look like they would leak and just push together, is this normal? thanks for you help, Josh

I feel the guy at performance jet is a complete moron and i would stop all dealings with him. The hole you are talking about is where the water drains out of the header when you turn off the engine.

85 percent of jet boats run these headers the other 13% run log style or other water jacketed headers because they dont want the noise or the headers hanging out. The other 2% run completely dry because they are drag boats.

A dry header tube header is dangerous unless on a drag boat.

A pick of my old jetmate after I installed the headers and it is still running the same headers to this day.

 

[Jetmate]

Hey Jetmate :>)

The headers are made by Basset and are actually water injected. I have a valve that is linked to the throttle linkage. Once the RPMS rise above a certain setting, water will flow to each primary tube on the headers. Hopefully I will set it up correctly and not have water flow back into the engine, hydrolocking it.

After all that.....I have to scrap these headers anyway, they are not going to clear my transom. I don't know why I didn't think to check that before hacking them up. I have another set (ebay score) on the way but I will have to add the water ports to them.

I agree with you on the shorty-plexi tinted windshield. I have the equipment and materials to fab one up or I may go with aluminum and paint it the boat color.

Cool,,, I never had headers on mine, but when I first got the boat it had log exhaust manifolds hooked up to OT's (Over Transom) instead of risers for thru hull. They kinda' look like headers but don't have individual tubes to each exhaust port. They were wet but can't remember exactly where the water hook up was, I'll have to dig them out. Pretty loud too. That's why I took them off.

You say you have the means to fab up plexi glass. I'm interested in how it is done. Is it hard to do?

 

[trd4runner3l]

my headers

this a pic of what my headers look like, and when the guy seen pic, he was like don't do it, you really don't know what your getting yourself into!