1982 Baja 16 SS Resto

NSBCraig · #1 July 1st, 2009, 03:03 PM

O.k. I got the picture taking thing kind of worked out, so I guess it's about time I started this thread.

Sometime around fifteen years ago I loaned my brother my van that I didn't use while working on the road and he traded it to a guy in Pompano Beach for this boat and a trailer. (his wife used it to go to bars)

After a few years a friend of his told him he could hook him up with a hotrodded Mercury so he gave some guy a bunch of money and the boat. This guy then moved with the money and hid the boat in the woods.

Years later it was recovered and has been one of my projects ever since.

I'm trying to locate some old photos but for now it will have to start with these taken a couple years back before I decided to completely redo it.

NSBCraig · #2 July 1st, 2009, 03:19 PM

Unfortunately the once perfect interior was quite a bit less than perfect after it's stint in the woods.

So it was first to go.

I stuck some temporary seats in until I could figure out what I wanted.

Here's the temporary dash panel I made to cover the mess! Cut it out of ABS plastic with me circular saw.

Here's my new front seat.

I'm doing it kind of backwards with a bench up front and two single seats in the back so when I get a pylon it will sit in between the rear seats out of the way.

NSBCraig · #3 July 1st, 2009, 03:47 PM

At this point I knew the transom needed replacing. The big diamond plate contraption that was on the back with support bars running through the splash well to a brace across the floation foam boxes was a dead giveaway.

But I really just wanted back on the water.

So I had replaced the cleats, vents, lights, control cables, all wiring/ switches, hoses... and bought all new equipment for it.

Only to have a friend with a little center console who needed a place to store it offer me to keep and use his boat.

Well off came the cap and out came the old transom.

I got it all ready to start reassembly and I had to move, which meant losing my work space.

NSBCraig · #4 July 1st, 2009, 03:56 PM

Along came the Florida iboats get together!

What a great idea I've got no choice but to get it back together in time to go camping and boating.

So I drove to the next town almost everyday after work and helped my friend finish up this fishing boat so I could use his work space.

NSBCraig · #5 July 1st, 2009, 04:06 PM

Off to Oakhill to get put back together!

NSBCraig · #6 July 1st, 2009, 04:12 PM

Here's a pic of me putting the new transom in.

Unfortunately this is about as far as I got by the camping trip.

NSBCraig · #7 July 1st, 2009, 04:19 PM

I wish I had a picture to share of the finished glassed in transom but I was way to excited to think about pictures and just want to set the cap on it and bring it home.

NSBCraig · #8 July 1st, 2009, 04:48 PM

I've got the cap back on, screwed it with #10's and 5200.

Real glad I didn't get ahead of myself and fill the old rivet hole cause they made lining everything up a breeze.

Right now I'm wishing I knew what was up with the weather so I can get back to work.

My splashwell is a bit of a mess from previous ummmm fixes I'll call them that and be nice.

I ripped a 2x4 with my circular saw and matched the angle of the sides of the cap.

Since I don't really know how it was from the factory, I'm gonna mold it all together for a nice clean look. I don't like the aluminum channel for a cover look anyway. Sorry kind of a hard to show it good with camera phone.

NSBCraig · #9 October 19th, 2009, 06:31 PM

New pics of work so far.

Transom/ splashwell and cap job coming along.

Still have a lot of massaging to do before paint.

bigredinohio · #10 October 25th, 2009, 11:52 AM

Looks like you are making good progress with your boat. I wish there were more pictures of your work.

The only change I would do differently would be the use of 5200 for sealing the cap. IMO, you (or someone else) will have a nightmare trying to remove it in the future.

NSBCraig · #11 October 31st, 2009, 04:05 PM

Oh no you'll never want to try to take the cap off again.

I'm molding the cap and hull into one and I'm not gonna use a rubrail. After the 5200 had cured I removed the screws and shaped/ filled in the overlap with bondo. Then I taped it all the way around with 6" e-glass. Right now I have a good amount of fairing/massaging to do before I can paint it. Oh and the dash!

You can see how it's coming in the last pics I posted.

Yeah I know I'm not doing very well on the picture taking thing. It's not as easy as I thought it would be working all by myself when I can around work and weather etc. and taking pictures.