1988 Imperial 280sf engine swap and restoration (pics)

[zool]

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

Update:

Today I ripped the top ledge of the firewall level to the existing decks and wrestled it back in the boat to its final resting place.....im done moving this beast.





when i built the frame bracing on it, i left notches on the ends to butt in the seam boards.




I cut the 2 side seam brace sets
and notched the aft sleeper bulhead side for the forward brace set to lock into



and started test fitting the pieces

 

[zool]

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

Clamped it all in place, then took it all back into the shop

 

[zool]

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

Laid it all out and marked the set pairs.



Used a router table this time to round over the edges that will be tabbed.



got em glued, screwed, and partially coated.



It was a bit humid in the biodome, so I threw 2 of the windows in, to control the breeze.

 

[archbuilder]

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

Mr Zool, I am as usual impressed with the quality of your work, outstanding. You could bring a tear to the eye of an architect with that attention to detail. But the details are where it is! Glad to see the biodome is working out....perhaps some fans for the hot days? I stood the first column for the new barn today...nice feeling!

 

[zool]

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

Thanks Arch, youre too kind. Basically i see things in microcosms...so the details are the big picture! lol..even the mondane tasks..

Cangrats on the barn groundbreaking.....that wouldnt be the future home of a party "toon", would it ?

 

[1kwik72]

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

Zool-
Hats off to you on a very nice restoration! Very nice workmanship! I'm looking forward to seeing the finished results...I'm sure you are too.

 

[archbuilder]

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

Yes it would be the future home for the toon....unfortunately it didn't escape the tornado either. I will have to replace some of the deck mounting brackets and it has some dents in the starboard pontoon. I was disappointed about that, the main reason I bought it were the dent free toons! You are correct, its all in the details....take your time and get them right and everything will fall together! You should keep a log on how warm the "warehouse" stays vs outside. I'm curious how much free heat you are getting from the sun.

 

[zool]

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

Zool-
Hats off to you on a very nice restoration! Very nice workmanship! I'm looking forward to seeing the finished results...I'm sure you are too.

Thanks kwik, its gonna be a long bumpy road, but i plan to get there!

 

[zool]

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

Yes it would be the future home for the toon....unfortunately it didn't escape the tornado either. I will have to replace some of the deck mounting brackets and it has some dents in the starboard pontoon. I was disappointed about that, the main reason I bought it were the dent free toons! You are correct, its all in the details....take your time and get them right and everything will fall together! You should keep a log on how warm the "warehouse" stays vs outside. I'm curious how much free heat you are getting from the sun.

Aww man, that stinks, maybe the dents will pull out?

Yesterday it was in the 50's here, but must have been 75 in the dome...walking outside from in there was like walking into an air conditioned room in the summer...im definately gonna put a thermometer in there. Ill track it for a while...

 

[GT1000000]

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

That is some excellent joinery...very impressive!

 

[archbuilder]

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

Wow that is impressive on the heat gain! I updated the toon thread with the latest on the "barn". right now a couple of columns and a long hole in the ground for the footing....

I'm pondering painting the top half of the toons now, but who knows, that is a way down the road. Any updates on the zool express? I'd love to be tinkering with your boat, digging holes and tying rebar sucks

 

[zool]

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

Yea, masonry is hard work....nothing to update, had to do some things around the house, or ill be living in the boat! lol

If i can get 50's in the tent when 30's outside, im golden.....we'll see.

A new barn is awesome!!!

 

[zool]

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

That is some excellent joinery...very impressive!

Thanks Gus, that area gets the pounding when ppl jump in, hope this helps some...its all hatches there too

 

[pckeen]

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

Hi Zool - great work, love the boat house. It will allow you to work all winter.

Put some dessicant in the boat. My wife and I have one of those commercial portable car shelters - basically a huge plastic tarp spread over a frame. We live in a very snowy environment for about four months of the year. We didn't use it for anything except storage. Anything non-porous or sealed (including a tent trailer, lawn mower, boat motor etc.) did just fine. Unfortunately, any fabric that was in there, and that wasn't sealed, ended up mildewing. Basically, the moisture cannot escape from a shelter like that - and the plastic acts as a greenhouse - heating up any moisture on the ground. I don't know how marine fabric would do in there - I do know that our tent trailer, and the fabric inside it - was absolutely fine.

 

[zool]

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

Thanks pck, I noticed the humidity right away...I still have to add 2 more windows, the door, thermometer, humidy meter, and a louvered fan soon....but it still may be an issue. It wont really matter this year as im doing a full color change on the interior, and all the fabric and laminates are coming out.

When I put the new soft goods inside, ill have to be really careful, or maybe do that last, after the tent comes down.

Ill definately try the dessicant, like whats used under shrink wrap.

I wonder if plastic vapor barrier on the ground will solve some of the condensation?...hmm

 

[bigdirty]

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

....

I wonder if plastic vapor barrier on the ground will solve some of the condensation?...hmm

Hey man, I'm thinking that may make maters worse.. My thought and theory here, you need more air movement in/out of the structure, and maybe even a dehumidifier.. i would think putting it on the floor will trap MORE moisture in there... although the catch 22 is, the more ventilation the more heat you will loose as well.. :cold:

 

[archbuilder]

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

Zool I'm thinking the ground is where most of your water vapor is coming from. That is why we use vapor retarders under floor slabs, you would be surprised at how much water can migrate into a building via the floor. Covering the ground would probably help, but that would be a pain to walk on / work on. maybe you could cover it, then put some old plywood (or even carpet) over it in the area where you work / walk. I think the de-humidifier would work, but you have to keep it powered too.

 

[Okieboatguy]

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

Zool, Just a 2 cent thought and expanding on what arch posted. Maybe heavy plastic landscape plastic, then put down some cedar bark or dark colored gravel. If you could get the bark or gravel dried out over a few days of ventilation, and it was dark in color, it may actually help in the winter by helping to hold the heat and warm the space?????
Work with what you have, grasshopper... Not against it...........

 

[zool]

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

Arch, BD, OKie

The under concrete barrier is the stuff im thinking, we're pouring a new slab in the adjacent building soon, cuz im refinishing the inside, so ill be buying a bunch anyway. theres a low water table there, and im sure its the culprit. Plus, I noticed the grass is still growing in there!..I wasnt planning on landscaping in the tent lol. I put the door on and It was 60's here today, and seemed in the 80's inside. Im thinking the vapor barrier, then a roll of that fake grass carpet will make laying underneath, and finding dropped screws, ect easier to deal with. Crushed stone is another choice.

all in all, its not a major problem yet.

 

[1kwik72]

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

Mulch and crushed stone will hold moisture. Ventilation or a serious dehumidifier is the right solution if moisture is a big problem.