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1975 Vmate restoration

Just came back in had to stop for a few and relax with a cold brew . Did get the battery box out along with the driver side seat box . This is the funny part . The passenger side completely rotten but dry underneath . The driver side was still real solid and hard to get out . but soon as I made it thru both layers of glass water came rushing out lol . But I did get alot done today and plan on headingback out in a few and do some more . Its kind of addicting lol .

Battery box removed .
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Drivers seat base removed .
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Shot of where both seat bases were
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Battery box and bildge area
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I pulled the rub strip out tonight too before I quit for the night . Also put some stripper on the hull to see how well it worked and what the original gel looked like .....

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After I had cleaned my mess in the boat back up and vac'd it all out I got out the Bleach White and sprayed the inside of the boat where the dark areas were that I thought might be core rot . But it all cleaned up and and looks good . Only part that I dont know about yet is the area under the bow . But will find out when I remove the top half here soon ....
 
doing good William

You are Doing it Right William....It will be a Great Checkmate Once Again, Just Like it Was when I sold it New So Many Years Ago. Can't Wait Till its Done and You Bring it Down to FL. so I can Drive it. Tell Your Dad I said Hi and to Keep you Busy on this Project. Your Friend Always Sammie Action Marine
 
Thank you Sammie , Ive been staying as busy as possible on my days off . But im making ground . Tomorrow im going to start drilling out the rivets so I can remove the top . I will have to get this thing down too you so you can drive it when shes done .... Friends always
 
Ok so I lied . I was going to wait till tomorrow to do any more to the boat but I had time to kill before I head to work at 4:30 pm so I went out and drilled all the rivets out of the rub rail ... My problem is I just cant seem to sit still any more but thats a good thing . And I cant pass up this beautiful weather .... Winters are to cold and long Here in Michigan....

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Rub rail insert and aluminum track laying inside the boat .

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This is all im doing for the day . I have to get ready to leave for work lol ... Even though I rather stay home and work on the boat all day :D I put some more stripper on to see how it did with the hull nice and warm and the paint bubbles right up . Last night it took longer because it was cool out only about 60 degs . Its only 77 right now but the sun is beating on it warming it up .... Lets see what tomorrow brings since I have it off ... Ive done alot in the 2 days ive worked in it . Thursday and yesterday . Done all of it by myself so far !!!

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Good morning every one . Been up and at it already today after working till 3am this morning . My boss tried to kick me out at 10 pm but I said oh no not tonight im staying Send the lower guys home im still loading ... He goes well we should be done by 11pm lol what a joke that was . He goes no really you look tired . I said I am . He says well dont you sleep ? I said no im to busy doing more important things at home than sleeping lol . So I got my 10 hrs and 2 hrs of O.T. Any thing over my 8 hrs is O.T. for me lol ...
 
I removed the trim piece off the transom this morning . Need a new one this one in pretty jacked up ...

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Also got up under the dash and removed the windshield . Bad part was every nut was a different size . so who ever owned it before me just threw some B/S nuts on it they had . Really is it that hard to go to the Hardware store and pick up some nuts and washers :confused:

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Break time

Well I got the deck loose and all the rivets out . But the concrete stuff up under the splash well still has a reall good hold on the transom and you really cant get in there to cut away at it . So im probably going to have to cut the back of the splash well to remove the top . Waiting on my dad to get here and pick his brain and see what ideas he has
 
My dad finally made it over about 1:30 this aftenoon and we both looked the boat over and figured something out . He stood on the tailgate of my truck anf lifted the front top half of the boat up and when he did I was able to put my 3ft pry bar under the splash well and pry the top off with out damage .

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Dad started working on the transom right away too lol .

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While he was doing that I cut the rest of the wood out up in front that I really could get to before . Than got out the spade shovel and started digging out the rest of the foam . So no more floor or foam left in the boat ...

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after I got in there and dug all the foam out ...

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all the old foam from the bow

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Dad hard at work on the transom removal . He broke out the chain saw lol

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He was making progress

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Than he cut away at the inside skin . He said dont worry he will fix it lol . But the lower half didnt want to come up . There is only a little bit left to do now than I can get the transom back in and get the floor and stringer back in ...

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seacast

Well I ordered up 5 gallons of seacast tonight . Not putting wood back in the transom . I did my Trimate this way and have been happy with it . Its 3 times stronger than wood and also lighter . And it floats . I know I will need more than 5 gallons but I want to start than see how much more I need . Its 200.00 for 5 gallons not going to buy 10 gallons and waste part of it . But shes moving along pretty good so far .....
 
Boat is in the garage and I have a fan blowing air acrossed the transom to help dry out the wood left in the bottom . I know once the wood dries it will shrink up and be easier to remove . Was gunna put the dehumidifier but the fan seems to be working already . I can see wood that was wet is changing to a light grayish color now ...So imm going to let the fan run till I leave for work . Than when I get home sometime in the morning ill turn it back on till I start digging out more wood tomorrow ....

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Being at work right now really sucks . Im on my lunch break and all I can think about is working on the boat . Hoping to be out early tonight so I can get a good start on it . I have tomorrow off so I should be able to get alot done and have it ready to be put back together . Now that every thing is apart its just about time to put it back together...
 
Looks great cant wait to see finished product. been awhile since i have been on here. Been busy with other projects this summer. I love these little checks. Its really great when you can pull up along side a bigger boat wave and drive on by. Is that the super ride guide steering you picked up or just the ride guide? is the gear for it alum or brass? looks alum. Keep up the good work. If you haul it to florida for sammie let me know I will haul mine too. Maybe come back with nitros or a turbo MMMMM! Or we all end up in jail lol
 
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