87 SS180 First Rebuild

[astor]

Ordered the paint and supplies for the sides, it was supposed to come friday, I was all ready to mask it off, and get the painting done. The blue paint is sanded and all scratches feathered out. But all the brown truck delivered yesterday was the respirator mask and filters, hardener, reducer, and clear coat.

The base coat is now supposed to arrive next wednesday. Since I had set aside most of this weekend to work on the boat, I pushed the boat outside and moved the trailer inside and started stripping the trailer down to prime and paint. Got the trailer pretty much disassembled into pieces today and started busting the rust with the little grinder.

Also got trailer parts on order, new winch, 2" ball coupler, and trailer dolly and bunches of u-bolts and hardware.

 

[dozerII]

MMMMM gotta love trailer work

 

[astor]

Finally finished the trailer refurb, almost, still have to pull wire for the lights and put the safety chains on.

 

[jbcurt00]

Right nice work. Oughta make a fine chariot for the SS

 

[Watermann]

Great job, I like white clean looking rides!

One of the methods I use for pulling wire if you don't already have some in the tubes. Kite string, tie a cotton ball to the end and use your shop vac at the other end. Sometimes you have to cup your hands or use duct tape on holes. Works good for trailers that have small exit holes for the wiring.

 

[g0nef1sshn]

I will take a boat apart and try to redo it, but you guys redoing these trailers that I see turn things ruined into treasure for real. That trailer looks awesome compared to the original pic. There are a few threads of members I see doing that and they all turn out real nice. Good job on that!

 

[Furrylittleotter]

Wowzers. That turned out sweeter than YooHoo, and look at that boat shine. The fish will probably just jump in to get a better look.

Neil

 

[astor]

Right nice work. Oughta make a fine chariot for the SS

Thanks jb

Great job, I like white clean looking rides!

One of the methods I use for pulling wire if you don't already have some in the tubes. Kite string, tie a cotton ball to the end and use your shop vac at the other end. Sometimes you have to cup your hands or use duct tape on holes. Works good for trailers that have small exit holes for the wiring.

Great idea, I'll have to try that since I wasn't too smart and pulled all the existing wires out without thinking.

I will take a boat apart and try to redo it, but you guys redoing these trailers that I see turn things ruined into treasure for real. That trailer looks awesome compared to the original pic. There are a few threads of members I see doing that and they all turn out real nice. Good job on that!

g0 thanks- didn't plan on redoing the trailer, and it certainly isn't fun work, it ranks down there with stripping paint. I looked at a new aluminum trailer and couldn't justify the expense yet. I still may have to splurge on some new alloy wheels as the painted ones look pretty rough.

Wowzers. That turned out sweeter than YooHoo, and look at that boat shine. The fish will probably just jump in to get a better look.

Neil

Thanks Neil

 

[hayko1971]

Your trailer looks fantastic! Motivating work!

 

[jbcurt00]

The cotton ball trick works w/ an air nozzle on a compressor too, or a little piece of a rag... Just blow the string in from either end of an enclosed run. If you've got enough CFMs, you don't even need the cotton ball.

 

[dozerII]

Great job on the trailer astor, I know how much fun they are.

 

[astor]

Great job on the trailer astor, I know how much fun they are.

Thanks Glen,

I saw this vinyl wrap on ebay and wondered if this wouldn't be a better choice to polishing. I've seen a lot of cars done with the vinyl wrap material, and was wondering how durable it is.

 

[dozerII]

I used some of this vinyl wrap in carbon fiber on the Holiday dash, and honestly don't think it would stand up. Bunks would snag it and rollers would over-compress it like what happens to a keel guard. If you got stone chips in it I think the water would get under it and lift it.

 

[astor]

I used some of this vinyl wrap in carbon fiber on the Holiday dash, and honestly don't think it would stand up. Bunks would snag it and rollers would over-compress it like what happens to a keel guard. If you got stone chips in it I think the water would get under it and lift it.

Glen, I think you're absolutely right on the bottom of the hull, but I look at how well the ~4" vinyl pinstriping on my SS held up over 27 years, that stuff was a real bear to get off using a heat gun and razor, so I think this might be good on the sides above the chines, but normal wear and abuse would probably also prevent it from being used on the bow. Maybe better for a color than for the chrome look.

 

[astor]

Finally dusted off the old project and got her painted and flipped back on the trailer. Not too happy with the paint job, but it is gonna have to be good enough.

Its been a few years since I've touched her, many unexpected life events. but I plan on finishing it this summer.

 

[astor]

another pic

 

[classiccat]

Astor is back at the helm!

That finish is amazing! I thought at 1st your polish went off...then realized that it was the concrete's reflection! :hail:

 

[astor]

put a starcraft decal on it today and the black stripe yesterday. Next up is to install the splashwell and rehang the merc- just waiting on the draintube to arrive.

 

[Watermann]

Looks great from here, welcome back!~

 

[M2HB]

I like it. I can't wait to see it back on the water.