1988 Imperial 280sf engine swap and restoration (pics)

[zool]

Re: 1988 Imperial 280sf engine swap and restoration (pics)

Update:

Got a few more things done, tabbed in the coffin box stringers

and wrapped the tall sections with eglass



and coated the other side of the firewall..

 

[zool]

Re: 1988 Imperial 280sf engine swap and restoration (pics)

also started building the hoop house base..

ened up going 36' x 16' so i have room for a work table.




have to do some leveling after i add the studs.

 

[archbuilder]

Re: 1988 Imperial 280sf engine swap and restoration (pics)

looks like the boat is moving along and the winter tent is starting to take shape!

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: 1988 Imperial 280sf engine swap and restoration (pics)

My Oh My!!! Somebody's been Bizzzzzzeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!

 

[zool]

Re: 1988 Imperial 280sf engine swap and restoration (pics)

looks like the boat is moving along and the winter tent is starting to take shape!

So far so good Arch, i was low on resin so it used it where necessary to make progress, and did other tasks....im stoked about the tent!

New batch came in today

 

[zool]

Re: 1988 Imperial 280sf engine swap and restoration (pics)

My Oh My!!! Somebody's been Bizzzzzzeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!

haha yeah, im going with the surge offensive! lol

 

[tpenfield]

Re: 1988 Imperial 280sf engine swap and restoration (pics)

Zool - I'm subscribing in. Looks like a great effort.

My brother bought a 1987 Imerial 24 foot, (new) . . . definitely not the best built boat, and I believe that they stopped production in 1989.

It is interesting to see the stringer design in the engine compartment versus the mid-section of the boat. The reduced height of the stringers probably cause a bit of excess joint stress at the bulkhead and transom. Not sure if you can do much about that, but the quality of your work will make it better than it ever was. :thumb:

 

[zool]

Re: 1988 Imperial 280sf engine swap and restoration (pics)

Hey Ted, welcome aboard, glad to have you here.

Yeah, by far not in the major league of boats, and I though long and hard before going into this. The hull is 1/4 or more thick in most areas, but the poor workmanship was in the laminating of the wood substructure. Youre pretty much right on about the midship area being the weak link. The short stringers where it meets the transom wasnt a problem, because it has wrap around shelving tying the transom to the hull sides and around onto the firewall, forming big gussets. When it hung under the bulkhead, it lifted the stern and i assume the weight of the engines/drives caused some hooking and delammed the stringers/bulkheads midship. Plus running an Imperial family fisherman out to 30 fathoms like a Bertram didnt help either


I think doubling the transom thickness, stringers and coffin box, and the epoxy bedding should go a long way in stiffening it all...plus its new mission is to just cruise/fish the coastal waters with the admiral.....my weekend warrior days are fading in the past.

Appreciate any input u have along the way!

 

[zool]

Re: 1988 Imperial 280sf engine swap and restoration (pics)

Update:

This morning i got another layer of glass over the tank area stringers, so now after that cures, i can paint the coffin box and then finally get the tank back in. After that I can finish putting in the wood structure including the firewall, motor mount pad, and the shelving.

I started working on the motor mount pad when it got too hot too glass in the sun....smoked another batch of resin..



The old mount came out in one piece making a good template.

The original pad was made from 2x lumber, so i did the same with some fir I had on hand.

 

[zool]

Re: 1988 Imperial 280sf engine swap and restoration (pics)

Got it rounded over, sanded and temporarily together for test fit.





now to fish it back out, wet it out.

Im losing steam...

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: 1988 Imperial 280sf engine swap and restoration (pics)

I wish our congress had your work ethic!!!

 

[saginawbayboater]

Re: 1988 Imperial 280sf engine swap and restoration (pics)

I second WOG!!!! Nice work Zool!!!

 

[archbuilder]

Re: 1988 Imperial 280sf engine swap and restoration (pics)

nice work! Keep up the steam you are heading down hill now!

 

[zool]

Re: 1988 Imperial 280sf engine swap and restoration (pics)

Thanks guys, ill resteam after this weather pattern passes....

*****dreaming of a tent*****

 

[zool]

Re: 1988 Imperial 280sf engine swap and restoration (pics)

Cutting some pieces of neoprene to glue to bottom of tank. Gonna try 5200 fast cure and see how that works



also got some stickers lol, like i dont know its flammable

 

[GT1000000]

Re: 1988 Imperial 280sf engine swap and restoration (pics)

Excellent forward momentum...really like how the hoop tent is coming.
Hope the weather turns for the better...
BTW, technically the tank itself is not really flammable...

 

[zool]

Re: 1988 Imperial 280sf engine swap and restoration (pics)

Excellent forward momentum...really like how the hoop tent is coming.
Hope the weather turns for the better...
BTW, technically the tank itself is not really flammable...

Ok Gus, good point, you got me, truth be told, i was soldering an overhead copper air line for a drop hose, and splatted a big drop on the tank near the feed tubes :facepalm:....I guess it doesnt really matter, but it will bother me everytime I see it for some reason lol

Sticker was a cheap fix

 

[zool]

Re: 1988 Imperial 280sf engine swap and restoration (pics)

Update (sort of)

Not much done on the boat itself so far this week, after the downpour my carpy tarpy drenched the inside so no glassing til it dries out again....but i did get some progress on the shelter..







found some extra vinyl windows with screens in the barn, so im framing the gable ends for 4, to get some ventilation.

 

[GT1000000]

Re: 1988 Imperial 280sf engine swap and restoration (pics)

Shelter is really taking shape...

Are you gluing all the PVC connections, or just gonna press fit them for future disassembly?

 

[zool]

Re: 1988 Imperial 280sf engine swap and restoration (pics)

No glue, its gotta come down at some point, i may just use some packing tape at the joints just before i put the plastic over it...Im hoping it holds together til after paint and interior work..ray2: