1978 SS 16 restoration

[Siva283]

Soo what's everyone using to polish up very oxidized aluminum and stainless?

 

[Sharpie223]

Just to remove oxidation I'll be using wire brush, sandpaper, and an industrial strength vinegar. If you want to polish it shiny, I would use progressively finer sandpaper, at least to 1000 grit, then polish with mother's mag

 

[Siva283]

Just to remove oxidation I'll be using wire brush, sandpaper, and an industrial strength vinegar. If you want to polish it shiny, I would use progressively finer sandpaper, at least to 1000 grit, then polish with mother's mag

I had California 2 step which was cleaning it but it's gonna take forever. I just ordered some star bright aluminum cleaner and brightener.
I have a feeling I'll end up the sand paper route.
I was hoping someone had a magic bullet I guess

 

[BOYS & TOYS]

I would set the seat in and try your idea of steering wheel location before committing to anything. I picked up a 16ft to repair and my legs hardly fit around the console with the stock design.
I spend lots of quality time sitting in my 18ft Holiday planning where to mount things and still moved my seat because it didn't feel right.

 

[Siva283]

I would set the seat in and try your idea of steering wheel location before committing to anything. I picked up a 16ft to repair and my legs hardly fit around the console with the stock design.
I spend lots of quality time sitting in my 18ft Holiday planning where to mount things and still moved my seat because it didn't feel right.

I'm over 6 feet my legs won't fit under. I am closing them in to make cabinets. One will have my 22 gallon fuel tank the other both my batteries and my small 1,000 watt generator. That keeps the weight pretty balanced and gives me room to get more off the deck.

 

[Sharpie223]

I think the purpose made cleaners are just various acids. Star brite lists hydrochloric and oxalic on the sds. The vinegar I bought is 30% (gloves and goggles mandatory!!) from home depot, distilled from a grocery store is 5%. I haven't actually used it yet but I will be trying it diluted to 10% to start. Point is, acids of sufficient strength should remove oxides. If you try anything other than distilled vinegar, use propper ppe and dilute with water to start at low concentration.

 

[Siva283]

I think the purpose made cleaners are just various acids. Star brite lists hydrochloric and oxalic on the sds. The vinegar I bought is 30% (gloves and goggles mandatory!!) from home depot, distilled from a grocery store is 5%. I haven't actually used it yet but I will be trying it diluted to 10% to start. Point is, acids of sufficient strength should remove oxides. If you try anything other than distilled vinegar, use propper ppe and dilute with water to start at low concentration.

Vinegar can be some serious stuff. I am a amateur distiller and had a batch go vinegar and distilled it just to see. It can be nasty.

 

[BOYS & TOYS]

I'm over 6 feet my legs won't fit under. I am closing them in to make cabinets. One will have my 22 gallon fuel tank the other both my batteries and my small 1,000 watt generator. That keeps the weight pretty balanced and gives me room to get more off the deck.

It doesn't sound comfortable to drive like that. I'm 6'3" and I can get my legs under the last 3 boats consoles I rebuild.

The smallest is my kids 14'


Take your time to get the ergonomics right and it will make every drive better

 

[Sharpie223]

Vinegar can be some serious stuff. I am a amateur distiller and had a batch go vinegar and distilled it just to see. It can be nasty.

What do you make? I need to start homebrewing again and have thought about trying my hand at distilling. The problem is I am likely to way over engineer a still and drive the cost through the roof.

 

[Siva283]

What do you make? I need to start homebrewing again and have thought about trying my hand at distilling. The problem is I am likely to way over engineer a still and drive the cost through the roof.

I make whiskey vodka tequila rum. I just like making it. I use alot as fuel in stuff cleaner fire starter. I just like distilling. I use a plated column with reflux and a leibig type condenser. It's about 30 gallons. It's nice you can run it above azeotrope and watch it absorb moisture out of the air and go back down.
I have a rye whiskey that's been aging on a dark toast white oak for 3 years

 

[Siva283]

It doesn't sound comfortable to drive like that. I'm 6'3" and I can get my legs under the last 3 boats consoles I rebuild.

The smallest is my kids 14'


Take your time to get the ergonomics right and it will make every drive better

It's not bad at least to me. But I'm weird I have steel rods in my spine so I find things comfortable most done. I also have long arms I just move the seat back a little more and all is well for me. I have driven boats with the wheel at 90 degrees though they were up higher but that's one position I actually don't worry about since it's always been comfy. If I am wrong though I can always bevel the dash to out on it an angle.
Sometimes I take my seat out and just sit indian style on the floor
It makes it easy to run my crabbing trot line too.
Before anything is permanent I am gonna do a basic mock up and sit in position for a few minutes to see how I feel.
To get my legs under I would have to raise the consoles height. I'm mostly legs. But if I raise the height I mess the windsheild up and I need that in place. I have plans to make or have made a top the encloses the back area and mount my diesel parking heater to extend my season a little longer. Cause it gets cold here in the north east

 

[Siva283]

Starting to get the framing in for the consoles. Next up cutting the panels and staining and sealing everything. Mounting the steering. Then the tedious work of building the pod that will flush mount my fish finder and the gauges.

 

[Siva283]

Rough fitting. I need to get some more trim to finish and I still need to stain\seal the wood. Still some fitting to do. I need to get the windsheild sat in place I might need to shave the trim and I need to make the doors for there on the driver side. I suck at wood work so yes I am using trim peices to hide that. There is so many angles it's unreal.

 

[Siva283]

Yes I know to many that may look uncomfortable but I have steel rods in my spine and positions that are uncomfortable to most are actually comfortable to me. If it turns out to not be comforable I will make a cut below that steering box and cant it up.
I dont know how the windsheild will work with the trim yet I may have to change that to work with the windsheild but the slight angle is there to match the windsheild frame. I need to get the Stereo and amp installed and the power point which is all going on the passenger side and the VHF before I can do final fitment of the passenger console and I am waiting on some lugs and stuff to finish wiring of the fuse box and the switches. The wiring got complicated quickly. Its all going inside corrugated split loom and for the starter wires to the motor I have larger corrugated non split loom I am using for that.
This is still subject to mods. This is the look I wanted now I just gotta see if I am going to be able to make it work.
My other option if by chance the steering is uncomfortable is to just let my girlfriends son drive most of the time. Hes 13 he loves to drive it and he dont care if its comfy. But %98 of the time my hand can rest on top of the wheel which is very comfortable.
This weekend the gauge pod is up on the list and finishing running wiring so I can finish installing the walls in back and mount the controls.
Since I want have access to that back of the controls at that point I am going to use Stainless Steel nutserts with some 4200 to put a barrier between the 2 metals.

Another thing I thought about. My motor has Aluminuim Anodes for the sacrificial metal. Should I change these to Zinc since the boat is also aluminum or are the aluminum ones fine?

 

[SHSU]

Your using the boat, so if you happy with the console that is all that matters.

As for the windshield, I wish I had one fabricated instead of using the original ones. I am 6' 2" and the windshield does nothing for me. I am a good foot higher then it when seated. Since you changed the console might as well redo the windshield.

The anode, I would use Zinc if used in saltwater or magnesium for freshwater. To me makes no sense to use aluminum on an aluminum boat.

SHSY

 

[Siva283]

Your using the boat, so if you happy with the console that is all that matters.

As for the windshield, I wish I had one fabricated instead of using the original ones. I am 6' 2" and the windshield does nothing for me. I am a good foot higher then it when seated. Since you changed the console might as well redo the windshield.

The anode, I would use Zinc if used in saltwater or magnesium for freshwater. To me makes no sense to use aluminum on an aluminum boat.

SHSY

I use it in both Salt and Fresh Water. So I will look for one of each there are two one my motor so I guess one of each would be the way.

The windsheild doesnt do much for me eithier I am 6'1. I have no idea where to begin with doing my own but I had never thought about it. Id love a higher windsheild. When all is said and done I may put the consoles and I could sell the windsheild too or save them just incase.

Do you have an direction or starting points for a custom windsheild? I am not sure how to begin but since mine isnt mounted yet it could definitly be an option. I now havea google project as well.

 

[BOYS & TOYS]

1 Start by putting the seat in the best spot.
2 get some cardboard , knife and tape/glue
3 start building
4 optional liquid beverages

 

[redneck joe]

instead of a new windshield how about just building a base for it to raise it up?

Could be a simple base matching the footprint of the windshield or maybe covering half the surface area avail - put a glove box in it, maybe the stereo if using a full size one ( I like the small round ones) or even just leave it as an open pocket to shove things into.

Agree on the adult beverages but only in the design stage but not on the build. Or so i've been told....

 

[Siva283]

instead of a new windshield how about just building a base for it to raise it up?

Could be a simple base matching the footprint of the windshield or maybe covering half the surface area avail - put a glove box in it, maybe the stereo if using a full size one ( I like the small round ones) or even just leave it as an open pocket to shove things into.

Agree on the adult beverages but only in the design stage but not on the build. Or so i've been told....

I had thought about a base but it would need to be over a foot tall. I did some googling a custom windsheild from what I found isn't in the cards at this point in time. It's going on the would be nice in the future list.
Glove box isn't an option there is no room for one. The gas tank takes up a lot of space insid5the passenger console. I have enough room to get a stereo on there that's about it. The one I am looking at is a full size 6 speaker Pyle system with an amp. Nothing crazy just a 200 watt set up. I like the round ones too. But the deal on the Pyle set up is unbeatable and it's all marine grade.

As far as adult beverages the last person that owned this boat was definitely partaking in them when he was replacing some peices. I thought I couldn't cut straight. Compared to him I'm a master carpenter

 

[SHSU]

You don't want to mix anodes. Magnesium is not good in saltwater and can cause issues. I use Zinc on mine and like you do both Saltwater/freshwater.

As for the windshield, was thinking something pretty simple. Just an aluminum sheet that is bent to support the edge and then a cut out for the windshield (Plexiglass) and bolt on. Nothing extravagant and functional/cheap. Similar to this design, but just for one side.




SHSU