My brother has one of these, looking forward to seeing your buildWas going to wait until I actually had this one in hand, but I figured the journey is a big part of what we look forward to sharing here. Made an agreement with my wife that if I sold the 16SS after having taken up space in our garage and two different homes for a number of years, I could find the hull I wanted and build another one as a keeper. I hope the saying holds true that the third times a charm...
After prematurely looking for good bones for a new rebuild (I think my wife was thinking "next year"...lol), I have a verbal agreement in place on a '84 MR180 about 3 hours from here. Watched it for about a month and had several conversations with the seller. Plan to hit the road pre-dawn on Saturday morning to arrive around sunrise, look her over, and tow her home.
Keep your fingers crossed for a safe journey with no surprises/disappointments...
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Update time: Was trucking along and then lost a little steam after the weather turned again. Got a few deliveries in, with another one arriving tomorrow containing the remaining terminal blocks and bus bars I need for the wiring. I know you all like pictures, and nothing too exciting to share, but I'll attach a few teasers:
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Questions:
1) Any issue with the Interstate batteries from the local Costco? I'll be running a group 24 for the starting/house (would need to do some modifications to fit anything bigger), and then a pair of group 27's dedicated to the 80lb Ulterra. Sounds like many recommend going to group 29's, but not sure what/where to find them for a dependable/reasonable price.
2) 6 AWG tinned recommended for joining the two 12v together and running to the trolling motor plug? Easy enough to make my own, or just buy some custom? My ratcheting crimper only goes to 10 AWG, but have a friend I could likely borrow a larger crimper from.
3) Plan on picking up a Noco 2 bank onboard charger (5amp per bank) for the trolling motor batteries. Any benefit in adding a single bank for the starter/house battery as well, or will the motor keep it pretty well charged? I'm also planning on carrying a Noco GB40 Boost for IF I ever find myself needing a jump for the main. Not much on the house aside from lights, bilge, livewell pump, and a Garmin 93SV.
3) Any issue with securing bus bar and/or terminal block directly to the inside of the transom under the splashwell? It would be easiest to screw it right into the wood, and will be completely covered/enclosed, so don't really see much opportunity for it to get wet there aside from a fully swamped hull.
4) Trailer fenders - the originals had the carpet backers, are they necessary, or any concern with leaving them off/fenders opened on the back?
Thanks Mob! Hope everyone is well!
Thanks! So no issue/adhesion concerns hitting it with the clean metal primer after treating with the Correseal or phosphoric? Treat(all, not just rusty spots), prime, paint.My understanding is that rusty metal primer just has some extra oils in it, designed creep into rust (more than surface rust), that will be present on the sirface layer if no rust exists. I've tried it before and had adhesion issues between paint and primer. I'd recommend sticking to clean metal primer. If you see rust anywhere, hit it with some phosphoric first and rinse/dry. I've heard good things about corroseal as well, which is a phosphoric based converter that also is supposed to leave an acrylic primer layer. Personally, I like to spray all steel with phosphoric, clean or not. Aside from etching, it helps show where there may be some other contamination, such as weld slag or surface oils. And it does so before you've put in the effort to paint.
I need to stick with the rollers for the rear(as far as I can tell) with the way the trailer/pivoting rear cross member is configured, but plan to replace the front rollers with some short 36"-42" bunks. All the bunk version I have seen have a fixed rear cross member. I suppose I could try to lock it down somehow and/or try to fabricate some short bunk brackets to swap the wobblers out with boards, but figure its been fine on the rollers for 40 years, so might be easiest just to leave it that way. Should be a pretty easy swap to the short bunks up front however, and will provide more support than the existing rollers there.You going to go back to rollers or switch to bunks with the trailer rebuild?
SHSU