need some help here on an old lund im looking to purchase - S-18 Big Resorter 78

[daveshady]

Thanks Guys she is getting there im in real hope that they got the steel flex on over
the weekend but not holding my breath. Will find out tomorrow and if not try and
SEE what the hold up is. Lil Frustrating but gotta expect that when its not in
your control and I know my lil project is nuttin compared to some of the builds
they are doing there.

[daveshady]

Hull is almost ready for the steel flexing and paint..... They are saying this weekend it will be in the booth.
The weather is not helping as need temps up so it has to be in the heated booth to do this. Other boats
ahead of mine in line already..... DAMN YOU NOVEMBER WEATHER IN APRIL!









When they water tested the hull they had a few rivits under the runners and are going to drill a small hole in the areas that are marked and Inject Steel flex into the runner and they have done this before with good results of sealing up a rivit from the inside. Do it all again and Id have the hull coated from the inside if possible before welding in the floor..... oh well Live and learn more time, more money but it wont leak.

Tonight I truck bed linered the spare tire carrier that has yet to be installed and getting BORED I even coated the
power pedastal tubes for the seats lol...... Man I need this tank back before I start overdoing (lol) the trailer!

[daveshady]

SLAMMED IT!

2+ inches of clearnace still inside. When we load the boat back if needed the fender
can be unbolted and moved up a lil bit.

BEFORE



AFTER





I have gotten so bored waiting for the hull to come back thatI even
HERCULINERED the pistons on my seat poles lol.... more durable than
paint and they looked a lil ratty before.




I need the hull back before I go OVERBOARD lmao

[ezmobee]

I need the hull back before I go OVERBOARD lmao

Too late methinks

[daveshady]

yeah your right.. to late lol

I also pulled the wheels and moved the fenders up about an inch just to make sure
all is good. Easier to do with no boat on the trailer. They are supposed to be painting
this weekend.... we will see.......

[daveshady]

Got my new Rims and Tires yesterday.







Sure was nice of the bird to sit on the side bunk and crap all over the fender lol....

[daveshady]

Installed the Stainless Steel closed end lug nuts on the wheels and put on some new bearing buddies that
have the fill indicators in them.



Look a lil blingey need some lake grime on them lol.... But wont rust


Well they are back on my boat now and headed towards the finish.

Its in the paint room getting steel flex injected into the runners on the bottom. Upon water testing there
were a few issues that came from there so we are making sure to address as many of them as possible.
Bottom of the rig in all of its 1978 glory.



One of the guys from Phowler Boats getting messy lol injecting some steel flex in the areas they wanted to
make sure are good to go.



Overnight they applied the product to the bottom of the hull, paint is next then hydroturf and its out of there and
back to me where I can then get the motor mounted up again and get this tub on the water.

[daveshady]

Yes were in the home stretch of the paint process. - Telling me will be ready to leave by Wed next WEEK!

Base Coat going on, More color then pebble coating then shadows ect. Cant wait to see it DONE!
I had to drop off the trailer so when its ready to go to the interior shop at phowler its lower to the
ground lol. The tub looked so small upside down.







Cant wait to see the finished paint on monday.

[daveshady]

We have PAINT and Hydro Turf!!! Paint is meant for Open water hunting just broken up a lil wavy works well.















Soon It will be getting its mortor back on may take it back to paint to paint
it also similar as the boat, then start putting all the stuff on I need for now
to just GO FISHING!

[daveshady]

limited to 6 photos lol last one for now

[Expidia]

Man, that is SWEET! When I first came across this thread and saw what you bought I said to myself "this guys a whacko for buying that in the shape it was in"
You certainly proved me wrong. I have a Lund 14.9 Classic and when I see those pics your 18 is HUGE!

I pity those poor duckies, they will never see you coming now They will think they are flying over a floating motel or something and then BOOM . . . hahahha.

And real nice job on all that metal work you did!

Maybe I didn't catch the pic, but did you install any floatation material?

[daveshady]

Floatation foam was put in under floor before it was skinned out.

Left bunk adjusted, spare tire moved back
new trans straps put on. Just droped her
off at The marina to get the Motor put
back on after its tune up.







Commin along to the finish... of course they are never DONE

[daveshady]

I missed her maiden testing friday. The marina has the motor back on all gone thru
tuned up and river tested her. It ran great motor is as smooth as it gets for a big twin engine and the boat handled well got out of the hole and on plane quickly.

I still have work to do before I take it on the water. This weekend I got the onboard
charger mounted in a bracket we made for it under the front deck, the battery box
installed rivnuts instead of pop rivits to allow removal. Trolling motor mounted and
I also pulled wire from back to front. I only needed wire for bowlight up there
but pulled a 4 wire trailer wire instead cause ya never know. Got the seats poped
in and cover put on sunday just intime for the big storm to roll in with 60mph winds
to test the cover.... It passed

Few pics from the weekend.

Motor on.. The thing only weighs 200# but it just looks larger.



Used some fuel line around the cut out for the new
beefy battery cables to run thru.



New bow light



The trollin motor fit perfectly in the mount so it can
be removed after trips.



The mount we made for the onboard charger. It has
been mounted on wood on the bracket as not to
cause any problems when charging up.



Rivnut. I had saved a bunch of these that were discontinued long ago from work.
Glad I did. The battery box and lid were rivited in by the makers and these will
allow me to be able to get at the charger if needed.

Exciting photo....

[daveshady]

New cover.. Fits not like a glove but hard to find a good
cover for old V-bow boats over 16'. Cant afford a custom
cover for it right now so this will do fine. And it survived
the storm.



Most important to me... Gordy seems to like it.



Boat goes back to paint to fix one spot on hydro turf up under front deck and paint motor sometime this week.

[daveshady]

Local Company did the honors of putting the numbers and such on this AM.






I really hate IOWA and the nice BLUE STICKER!!!



I love how deep this boat is, the power pedastals are in the ALL THE WAY UP position.

Fire extinguisher - Life vests - put in the rear battery and gas tank and Going to take her out FRIDAY!

[daveshady]

WELL SHE HIT THE WATER!!!!!

Mississippi River wind 5-12 when we left SOUTH.... When we came home 20-25 south and headed south.
She handled the WAVES that were violent very well. Boat is FAST gets right up and on plane QUICKLY!

http://youtu.be/7_jJdieDPWk

Short Video before my hat started to blow off!

Lock and Dam 13 ramp back in the quite water.





And in the DRINK it went..

Ride out was not bad like I said ride back was borderline vilolent 8)



My wonderful wife enjoying the calm water out....
It was really to ruff for more pics. When the waves are
going north with the wind and south current its
gets nasty out on the big pool.

[daveshady]

Well only had time to take her out once more and very happy with the performance up the river and back.
lots of speed and handles well. Got to use the I-Piolt to get me out of the shoreline of the backwaters
and to the deeper water for the outboard. I can see that comming in handy for duck season for sure with
the wireless remote and picking up decoys and such.

Since then haven't done much still haven't installed the depth finder decided i don't need one
up front since i mostly shore fish and surface. I did tape off and bedliner coat the gunnels
of the rig for durability. Paint just doesn't cut it well when banging around and i got 3 coats
of herculiner on the rails. Give it 30 days and will be FLAT black just like the trailer. put in 4 black
cleats for just bumper tie offs and stuff still haven't decided on anchor points for the
anchors for open water hunting.



Water must reach that blue button and then it kicks on



Bedliner coating on the rail



The coating is just on top and around the front and back. Glad I taped it well and put plastic on the inside and out.

Turned out quite well I think and will add durability to the gunnels.

[snowman48047]

Nice job on the rebuild! It should make a sweet duck boat. As an avid duck hunter myself I have a question though. Why the addition of the large platforms both fore and aft? It seems like more "low" floor space would be better. It kinda of resembles a grizzly det up...

[daveshady]

decks, the boat will be used for fishing and hunting, I also only hunt with 1 other person so we have 8 feet of open floor space between us to use. The open water diver hunting its nice to have the dog on the rear deck where he can watch and go overboard from either side quickly. I plan on getting a rear hatch cover for the back made yet also to make it solid for him to stay there. Duck season for me is 20 days a year so I wanted a boat that I could still enjoy the rest of the year. Duckin just aint what it used to be that is for sure.

[ziemann]

I want to say that I really enjoyed watching the progress on this boat. It is way cool seeing this boat restored- She will serve you well....

[daveshady]

I added a CMC 130 power tilt trim last week, Performs even better now and easier on the BACK!











Quick pick from the launch the other day.

[daveshady]

I want to say that I really enjoyed watching the progress on this boat. It is way cool seeing this boat restored- She will serve you well....

Thanks very much, so far so good still have things to be done for ducker season but I have time at least.

[Huron Angler]

The rig looks great Dave, very nice work

I really like my CMC PT-130 that I got with my boat, should make it easy to bring the leg up if you hit some shallows.

Easy on the back is right, plus the few seconds it takes to run into the back and tilt it up.

Good luck with the boat, hope you get plenty of use out of it

[PierreEmond]

Very interesting thread, I wonder if it would be possible to put the picture back. I am considering a similar modification on a similar boat.