So I'm re-rigging this Hondo ......

[AzGeo]

It was purchased in 1975, and rigged by the owners . It had some different 'design features', and so the current owner brought the boat back to 'where all his parts and this kind of high performance design began' .

This boat had about 600 HP in the past, and never quite took a good set, now that it will have about 800 HP, the current owner brought the boat back to have the prior errors corrected .

I've changed the prop placement, shaft angle and V-drive placement, along with a completely different hull bottom shape . It was a 5/8" runner and now it's a 7/8" runner .

While cleaning, inspecting and measuring all the available parts, I noticed this piece, while scraping all the 3M 5200 off of it .

This is original to this boat and it lasted this long, along with the control handle .

This is THE REASON why I have high standards to all the products I produce and sell under my name . You buy from me, it works, it wins races, it wins championships, and lasts for a long time ..........

 

[Backlash]

Looks like an old-school metal funnel. And a warped toilet plunger....and you forgot to vacuum up your mess.

(Just busting your chops!)

That has to be a cool feeling knowing something you made has survived this long and will continue to provide many more years of service. Pretty badass!! I like the colors on this hull too. Definitely a nice piece!! Thank you for sharing! I can't WAIT to get to the rigging stage on my old bucket.

 

[AzGeo]

it was really nice to see another well built part that has lasted so long . A literal 'blast from the past' . It just got to a point where the bronze and chrome were more trouble than they were worth, in California 1983 .

I've been making all my cavitation hardware out of stainless for my boats since 1984, but will branch out and offer the same parts 'over the counter', in the near future .

You may not know, but I've had a little trouble finding shops that can actually work with stainless steel . I'll need the new models of these when I get my 22' molds done and parts come out of them, so I have a little time to make sure I get the right quality from the right shops . Even though I've tried, I can't do everything myself .........

 

[DtB]

Too bad the Butler brothers aren't around anymore you do remember them don't you?

 

[AzGeo]

No, don't recall the name . Maybe ? Did they buy a gasket company and move it out to Palmdale ? If that is them, I 'rigged and set up' the flat that they raced (and won) in Super Eliminator (7 sec) back in 1984/85 ?

Otherwise, no I don't recall the name . Please remind me ..........

A couple more pix .

 

[Runs2rch]

Your work area looks pretty shade tree Jack Off style!!!

 

[AzGeo]

YEP, it's my garage at home . I'm doing construction while rigging this boat .

Have you ever come into my shop in Northridge or West Hills (after the EQ) and looked them over ? You had more than 16 years to do so .

Did you spend any money in my shop (s) , or just ask for 'free advise' ?

I'm jammed in here, but it's clean and professional .

We'll see how this Hondo looks and runs soon enough .

Thanks for your 'input' ............

 

[Runs2rch]

YEP, it's my garage at home . I'm doing construction while rigging this boat .

Have you ever come into my shop in Northridge or West Hills (after the EQ) and looked them over ? You had more than 16 years to do so .

Did you spend any money in my shop (s) , or just ask for 'free advise' ?

I'm jammed in here, but it's clean and professional .

We'll see how this Hondo looks and runs soon enough .

Thanks for your 'input' ............

I have never met you, and I have never seen your work in person. Just making light of your rant. Reading many of your posts you come off as a real ass. Are you? Or does it just come off that way?

 

[AzGeo]

I'm old set in my ways, and what I do wins races, works very well and lasts .

Since I left SoCal 15 years ago, many here never knew I had a shop, designed and built new boats, engines, repairs, set up and managed race teams . Please look at NADA old price guides for boats .(12' to 32')

I left a GM Engineering Lab position to make my 'part time hobby/business' my full time income . But I never lowered my standards, even if the customer could not afford to do the work correctly . (this makes me a bad guy)

We did custom rigging for individuals and boat companies, we did most of Howard Brown's custom V-drives for over 10 years .

I moved to Havasu to retire and PLAY with boats . I'm finally to the point where I am able to do it .

I don't come here seeking 'paying customers', I want to work on and play with new and different kinds of boat, drive and motor designs, there are plenty of qualified people to work on the normal stuff .

Having been paid to work on boats, cars, engines and the like, since 1969 I am old, set in my ways, and have little time for BS, so YES I am 'hard to get along with', for at least two reasons .

One; I know that I don't know everything. Two; I only offer advise on subjects that I have actually raced and won, worked with or on, so I'm not guessing at an outcome .

I'm Mercruiser and Merc O/B certified, but claim no expert status, and I hesitate to post at all when I read some of the 'bonehead foolish responses' given in these areas .

A long winded ass at that ..........

 

[Runs2rch]

Solid George. Sounds like you are doing what you love. How old are you?

 

[AzGeo]

65 today .........

Hoping to learn something new tomorrow .

 

[AzGeo]

Have been making my own 'motor plate blocks' for a long time . I use a rounded cutter which prevents creating large 'stress risers' in the load bearing areas of the blocks . (look at the regular CNC style blocks, quick and not bad, but not the best engineering methods)

Set in a bare block, using the 'spools' I made up for alignment . In photos, the motor is 1 1/8" too low at the flywheel end and 2" (+ -) at the timing cover end . The boat has a low shaft angle now, using a 12 degree Casale, so the motor must be raised up, to keep things in line . Notice the mock up shaft is in alignment with strut when I hold everything up into place .

Owner wants "1970's style rigging", and so flat V-drive angle braces and the use of a GM 'Powerglide adapter ring' at the flywheel end of the motor . Starting to fab up the motor plates, and I found my old 'K-boat front mounting pattern', just using the lower four holes for this boat .

Shaft log is aligned and drilled, but having moved the V-drive 9" forward, there may now be a problem bracing the turn fin to anything in the installation . I usually brace and mount everything to the motor rails, as they go from the transom to the V-drive .

90 degree braces to the pillow blocks and across the transom, rudder brace, strut braces, motor plates, angle braces, and here the V-drive plate . Like a sub frame within the hull .

Fabbing up brackets for 'dual MSD', coil, switch panel next .

Happy to answer any questions ................

 

[Backlash]

Happy Birthday!

Nice work!!!! Thank you for sharing!

(You DO realize that you have probably forgotten more about boats and rigging than the rest of us might ever know!)

Thank you for sharing, I always look forward to your updates!

Henry

 

[AzGeo]

I didn't know if anyone even saw these from the other day . I enjoy making all of the rigging myself, each boat is 'one of a kind' .

"Birthdays, we don't need no more stinking Birthdays" ...........

I'm still trying to find a bunch of my 'rigging patterns and tools', this garage is so jammed in and piled high . I had to make new 'spools' for the block main caps so it could be aligned . My old spools are somewhere in this garage, and too deep in the piles to find .

Thanks again for your comments, and I'll try to keep remembering how to do all this shit ..........

 

[76 Hondo]

Happy Birthday, and don't call us OLD!

 

[AzGeo]

Happy Birthday, and don't call us OLD!

I speak for myself, and this is not a political post . HA HA

Thanks for the greetings, I enjoy a good party ...........

 

[76 Hondo]

I've got you by a year, just love to watch these restorations of the classic boats, did a complete restoration on my Hondo in 2003 for its 25th anniversary, bought it new in 78. Had Jack McClure do all the custom machining etc. Paint by Phil Whettstone at Miracle Designs.

 

[Roger 1]

Nice Work! Thanks for taking the time to share and explain.

 

[AzGeo]

because how we changed the bottom . It was a 5/8" runner and now it's a 7/8" runner with 'shallow 1/2 degree rocker, in two places' . I moved the V-drive 9" forward from it's original position and a whole bunch of people have worked on this boat in the past, so every change I make has no 'zero point' except the propshaft line and it's angle .

The stringers and floors have been replaced, but not by the same people, and a third shop has done the 'bottom mods' to my specs .

The whole thing is taking so much time, because the stringers are 1/8" different (in height) at the transom, but a full 3/4" different at the new toe board .

Got the motor aligned, rail bolts going in, seat mounts, and strut brace angles going in too . I had to 'pull, grind and replace' the flywheel end motor plate 8 times . With the full motor rails following the tops of the stringers, the motor plates must make up the difference in their heights in the boat .

If I just 'bolted the (even cut) motor plates to the rails and then put them in the boat, the rails would be 5/8" different heights at the V-drive . Nice ......

 

[Backlash]

This is a perfect example of why it pays in the long run to take your time and do things correctly. Just like a home, if your foundation is slightly off, everything above the floor will be "Off." The stringers are no different.

My Dad and I must have trial fit the new stringers in my Howard 6-8 times to make sure things were the best they could be. We were down to shaving 1/16th of an inch off the top of a stringer to get things as even and level as possible across the bottom of the boat. And my boat won't be a v-drive which requires things to be even more accurate.

I wish your stringers wouldn't have been so far off.

Thanks for sharing your wealth of knowledge with the rest of us.

Keep plugging away my friend it's looking good!!

Henry

 

[Gelcoater]

This thread is pure gold,George.:thumbup:
Not many left who do it like you,old school is cool.

 

[AzGeo]

Tied the front of the motor rails to the stringers and seat bases with angles . Set up both seats (multiple holes and stand offs) mounting bases, to rails on the inside and 4" angles to the outsides . Both seats can move forward/back (4") and up or down (3"), and it's all tied together .

Motor plates are in (many times in and out to fit them) and it took time because the stringers are not even . Then I noticed that the flywheel plate is backwards . It's OK, it's only 'scribe'd' into the blue and not drilled . I'll now have to re-layout the pattern for the starter nose hole . (YES, the stringers/rails are that much different)

Motor blocks are 'angle cut' to fit this boat, not generic all one sided .

Crankshaft is centered over the strut, angle is correct, and it's centered into the V-drive input flange . Motor is level with the transom at the deck, and side to side (combing) is off by 1/4" at flywheel end . (don't tell anyone) So is the problem in the hull or the motor mounts ?

This project is picking up speed, while my 12' boat project is out of control right now .........

Thanks for all the kind words, and NO, all the real (old) riggers aren't dead yet .

 

[Backlash]

Lucky for you, you're no longer in SoCal.

Otherwise, you'd have an annoying kid constantly knocking on your garage door asking if it's OK to come inside to play. I'd end up sweeping the finish off your garage floor as an excuse to sit around, watch, learn and do my best to soak it all in. In all sincerity, thank you for posting these details up for us to see. I look forward to them!

Henry

 

[AzGeo]

This deal would already be at powder coating except for the odd replacement stringers . (up and down)

I've got 3 projects to complete and then we could build you a kick ass V-drive boat . We could start in September, and have it ready for Needles 2017 .

Sweep ? This place is so tight I have to 'shop vac' at the end of every work session .

If I can get that 12' boat project rolling, I could get a ton of the stuff out of here, and have more working space .

 

[Backlash]

Thank you for the kind words George I appreciate it. I'd LOVE to finish this Howard up as a V-drive but that idea will have to wait for a different hull and a time when money isn't so scarce.

I'll continue to slowly plug away at this project and get it up and running some day soon. No rush my friend.

I enjoy watching and learning from others when it comes to just about anything. Glass work, woodworking, rigging, welding and fabrication.... Anything creative.

Unlike a true master, I consider myself a hacker. A jack of all trades and a master of none.

 

[rivrrts429]

This is an awesome thread. Really cool to see just how much work and talent it takes to complete what most ordinary folks will overlook.

Keep the updates coming. [emoji106]

 

[AzGeo]

Got the driveline cover drilled and mounted . Both seats are in position, and just clear the shift handle . Put together a small switch panel, and looking at 'clean' ways to mount a new MSD box . (yea, flipped the motor plate around for the starter hole)

Since I don't have any new SS long pillow blocks ready, I'm fabing up a '3 dimensional' transom plate, with built in 1" stand off blocks, to move the cross shaft out and the turnbuckles more 'upright' . We will be using his 1975 chromed Finish Line (original chrome is nice) bronze pillow blocks across the transom .

Water, in and out, will go thru this plate, so no holes anywhere in the new gelcoat .

Laying out wiring, MSD mounting spot, and now a new gauge mounting pod . Original gauge placement is too hard to see from driver's seat, so we go in a different direction . Going with a new 'triangle shaped pod design', and mounting it to the stringer, to look down at .........

 

[AzGeo]

for the jack ass who labeled me as such .

Transom plate with 1" stand offs, to make the turnbuckles more up right . Using his original 1975 Finish Line pillow blocks, and cross shaft .

Also cutting out a 'riser block' for the rudder upper bearing . The original bearing mount was too low, which puts undue stress on the rudder and stuffing box .

 

[Backlash]

I've been so busy the last few weeks I haven't had time for my daily RDP fix! I've missed the AzGeo updates on this project! As always Sir, thank you for sharing this with us! It looks fantastic!!

 

[AzGeo]

Just trying to keep this going forward in all this heat .

Put this up across the transom, and all the holes line up . Need much longer mounting bolts now, and will go with ARP grade 8 stainless to mount the pillow blocks, stand offs, plate and inner transom braces .

YES, it does get 5 pillow blocks, I had to use the center holes to actually bolt the stuff across the transom . The others are just 'pushed into the transom holes, for now .

This is just 'mocked up', and will get more sanding, finishing, and a little 'filling weld' in some low areas, then prep'd to get black powder coating .

Working on the rudder upper bearing brace right now .

 

[lenmann]

I'm really liking how the pillow block base plate flange wraps around the ends mimicking the shape of the transom. Very cool, not sure I've seen that before, but then again I'm a noob.

Keep it up, really nice work.

 

[AzGeo]

I went out into my 'backyard' and sat under my 'shade tree', to whittle this out with my pocket knife .

Since I was called a 'backyard, shade tree mechanic' by a guy I tried to help around here, this is how I do the rigging .

So I had cut this block of aluminum and drilled some holes in it the other day .

My 'rotary table' is hidden under a bunch of stuff, and frankly the curves on this part are not easily adaptable to a smooth curve .

I did all this with 'straight cuts', and will then 'smooth it out with a disc grinder .

Nothing CNC, just an old guy who has been doing this shit by brain and hand for decades .

This is the rudder upper bearing support spacer .

Thanks for looking and comments .........

 

[Runs2rch]

Good work! Any pics of said tree?

 

[AzGeo]

Good work! Any pics of said tree?

You betcha ...........











HA HA HA

 

[Runs2rch]

You betcha ...........











HA HA HA

Needs more water!!!! It isn't producing any 50's or Bennys!!!!

 

[AzGeo]

I'm spending all the Tubman's .............

 

[Runs2rch]

I'm spending all the Tubman's .............

Bwahahahaha!!!!!! :thumbsup:thumbsup:thumbsup

 

[AzGeo]

she wants a new car .......

 

[Backlash]

It's cool to see that all of the craftsmen haven't been set out to pasture!

We spent the week down in Parker (Even though it's officially closed!), and I told Amy "I wanna go up and chit-chat with this guy in Havasu for a minute...."

Well, between chasing her around, keeping the kids entertained with the smallmouth bass population, and meeting up with friends, we just couldn't find any time to sneak away for a visit.

Hopefully that will change and we can cruise up to town later this summer and check things out.

As always, thank you for sharing your projects, your talent and your wisdom with us here on RDP.

Henry

 

[AzGeo]

And I got around to whipping these up this week, along with some transom inside braces to stringers, with lots of accessories attached to them .

Anyway, he wanted the switch panel with one gauge, and the other two 'floating', to be seen between the steering wheel spokes . So the two gauge pod does not have any mounting bracket, until he comes over tomorrow and tells me where he wants them .

We will be removing the original 3 gauge set under the dash, and going with the new stuff ......

 

[lenmann]

Nice!

Crafty use of tube shapes.

Any shots of the v-drive braces?

 

[AzGeo]

He brought the seats with pads and sat in them to 'get a feel for it' .

Everything is very close to being correct, will now finish the base for the 'two gauge pod' .

Made up some pieces to mount the fuel filter, fuel tank selector, fuel hoses, and the bilge outlet hose with a 'trap' , to prevent back washing . Trying to keep everything 'clean and neat', so mounting these items on a transom brace bracket to stringer . Keeping it under the transom and out of sight, but easy to service .

Bracket will get rounded corners and some 'milled slots', to match everything else .

See some of you at the Alcorn's V-drive Party, at Big River tomorrow .........

 

[AzGeo]

Nice!

Crafty use of tube shapes.

Any shots of the v-drive braces?

That is the condition of the V-drive braces as of today .

I will need to work with the 'wiring runs', and then figure out what kind of 'milled slots' I can put in them .

I try to put everything together, make sure it all works together, and can be 'cleaned and serviced' with ease . Then during tear down, I will go over every piece, smooth, shape, mill slots, list required bolts, smooth all holes and slots, size holes for anodizing or powder coating, straighten all lines and edges, orbital sand all aluminum parts with 320 .

The scoop on this boat, looks like an 'injector hat' from the side . Parallel sides for 5", then it tapers to the rear . It's made up of a couple of flat sheets and some tubing, cut and welded together . Powder coated metallic grey, it was a quick and free breathing cover for the carbs .

I like using tubing, when fabbing up aluminum parts . If you are going to weld it together anyway, why not use good 6061 T, rather than 'cutting and rolling 5052' ?

 

[AzGeo]

Powerglide adapter ring, for the flywheel end of the motor . (old school)

So most just drill a hole for the starter nose to go thru, since that motor plate is where the transmission would cover the starter nose . Shown in the last photo . (old motor plate)

Making this a little 'cleaner', by whipping up a recessed round cover .

The neck of the part has a 'slightly larger' diameter, at the flange, to keep the part tight in the plate .

The plate has a small recess to accept the flange, and this will require no extra mounting bolts, it just fits tight in the plate and the adapter retains it when mounted .

 

[SBMech]

WTH George,

You on vacation?

We need more story!

 

[AzGeo]

I have been working on it, almost every day, 4 or more hours each day .

Working on thru hull fittings at the transom . Trying to get all the thru hulls going thru the 'cavitation back up plate', and not drill any holes in the boat . (and not hitting the cross bar)

Welding up some brackets, and having a hell of a time with the 'motor plate mounted oil gauge' .

Starting to bend and mount hard stainless lines, and wiring routes .

Photos in a few days ..........

 

[SBMech]

Alright...it's been a week!

Hope you are well and just busy!

 

[AzGeo]

Alright...it's been a week!

Hope you are well and just busy!

Thanks for asking, and yes I am . Not only with the motor plate, oil gauge, MSD, transom plate, problems, but also a 'financial problem I have been tracking' . (about 2 years)

I have been tracking 'US bank owned derivatives', and frankly the USA is in the middle of a real mess .

I fear the US dollar will be in real trouble, very soon .

Do you know that China, Russia, and a few middle east Arab countries have joined together supporting a new 'China based electronic payment system' ? They all have 'equalized their monetary values', and they all have sworn to be on the Gold standard .

IF this new system is not using US Dollars, the whole program will undermine our US Dollar, around the world and right into your wallet .

It has been reported that OPEC has done deals on this new 'banking program' and the deals were NOT done in US Dollars .

Trading oil and oil sales have been done in US Dollars for a long time, and it is the ONLY reason US Dollars have any world wide value . IF companies and countries trade on this new program and NOT USE US Dollars, our dollar will fall to it's real value which is about 20 cents .

Look this shit up for yourselves .....

I'll be back in the machine shop, tomorrow, as I have been for the past few weeks .

I'll post pix when I have something you can see .

Thanks for asking, I'm kind of in 'slow motion' right now .........

 

[SBMech]

Thanks for asking, and yes I am . Not only with the motor plate, oil gauge, MSD, transom plate, problems, but also a 'financial problem I have been tracking' . (about 2 years)

I have been tracking 'US bank owned derivatives', and frankly the USA is in the middle of a real mess .

I fear the US dollar will be in real trouble, very soon .

Do you know that China, Russia, and a few middle east Arab countries have joined together supporting a new 'China based electronic payment system' ? They all have 'equalized their monetary values', and they all have sworn to be on the Gold standard .

IF this new system is not using US Dollars, the whole program will undermine our US Dollar, around the world and right into your wallet .

It has been reported that OPEC has done deals on this new 'banking program' and the deals were NOT done in US Dollars .

Trading oil and oil sales have been done in US Dollars for a long time, and it is the ONLY reason US Dollars have any world wide value . IF companies and countries trade on this new program and NOT USE US Dollars, our dollar will fall to it's real value which is about 20 cents .

Look this shit up for yourselves .....

I'll be back in the machine shop, tomorrow, as I have been for the past few weeks .

I'll post pix when I have something you can see .

Thanks for asking, I'm kind of in 'slow motion' right now .........

Thanks for the heads up:thumbsup

I won't derail your thread with anymore on that, but I will look into it

Be happy to see any progress, currently my boat (project) is 2 hrs away, so I love to see builds

 

[AzGeo]

I had to order a new Tig machine torch and hose kit, mine is now leaking and shocking the hell out of me . (26 + years old)

While waiting for new parts, I've been working on the double pull spring cavitation kit .

My lathe and mill are well grounded, so I don't expect them to shock me like the Tig torch is doing .

I'll post pix when I have something you can actually see and understand .......

Thanks for asking . G