New Spectra 20

[SpectraPat]

 

[SBMech]

Welcome! Very nice project, if it's a factory hardtop engine cover I believe that was pretty rare! Please post pics as yo go along...we all love to see em built!:thumbup:

 

[SpectraPat]

Welcome! Very nice project, if it's a factory hardtop engine cover I believe that was pretty rare! Please post pics as yo go along...we all love to see em built!:thumbup:

It is the factory hardtop. It's a 1980 with a merc 260 I/O. After doing some research on the motor & drive I believe it was changed out with a R/MC Alpha. I'm guessing around '83 or '84. Here are a few more pics.

 

[74 spectra20 v-drive]

Great looking project, I wish you luck with it. What are your plans for I?

 

[SpectraPat]

Great looking project, I wish you luck with it. What are your plans for I?

My plan is to find out what condition the current engine and outdrive are in. I would like to get it running well enough just to take a couple of spins around a local lake or maybe use it for a summer or two. In the meantime, I will shop around for a used 454/bravo package so when I'm ready to restore the boat I will have all the componets ready to go. The pain in the wallet is a little easier when you buy parts here and there before you start

 

[HaulsBalls]

Here we go Pat! Get that damn kitchen done so we can have some real fun, a little wet sand and polish will make her shine like new. There's still time to get it running for summer, or we can just have a driveway float party for now.

 

[Forensic]

Welcome to the boards SpectraPat. I am looking forward to the restore. There are several on here and its always fun to watch.

 

[DeltaSigBoater]

Welcome to the boards!

Awesome setup... Where on did you find that at?

 

[SpectraPat]

Here we go Pat! Get that damn kitchen done so we can have some real fun, a little wet sand and polish will make her shine like new. There's still time to get it running for summer, or we can just have a driveway float party for now.

Thanks! I've done many driveway parties, great fun. On the really hot days i've been known to use the sprinkler for effect. Stereo blasting and neighbors wondering "who is the redneck" haha

 

[boatluver83]

yes drive way party in deed!!! any help don't hesitate to ask, i'll be there!!! let me know if you need help installing the bimini top..... oh I might have a boot for you too!!!

 

[SpectraPat]

yes drive way party in deed!!! any help don't hesitate to ask, i'll be there!!! let me know if you need help installing the bimini top..... oh I might have a boot for you too!!!

Thanks!
Enjoyed meeting you and your dad. Great Havasu stories from the good old days....good times!! Keep me posted on the boot.

 

[stickman07]

Way to score. Welcome to the SPECTRA family.

 

[HaulsBalls]

close up
View attachment 355520

Enough screwing around Pat, let's get that thing wet! Still plenty of boating time left this season.

 

[SuperJet]

Thanks! I've done many driveway parties, great fun. On the really hot days i've been known to use the sprinkler for effect. Stereo blasting and neighbors wondering "who is the redneck" haha

Cool boat, a 20 is on my bucket list of boats for sure. Speaking of redneck driveway party. When I was first getting my Sanger ready, I was siting behind the helm enjoying a drink one night after work. My dad was washing a car or something in the street and I must ave been zoned out, because the next thing I know My dad yells "look its just like you're at the river" and proceeds to hose me down. One the memories I will always hold close

 

[SpectraPat]

Cool boat, a 20 is on my bucket list of boats for sure. Speaking of redneck driveway party. When I was first getting my Sanger ready, I was siting behind the helm enjoying a drink one night after work. My dad was washing a car or something in the street and I must ave been zoned out, because the next thing I know My dad yells "look its just like you're at the river" and proceeds to hose me down. One the memories I will always hold close

::beer

 

[HaulsBalls]

Sitting around today after yesterday' knee surgery and found some old pics of my first boat. I also found a picture of the 1st Spectra we road in as that young married couple. I was mistaken, it wasn't a 20, it was a 19. Still the memory is clear on how nice that boat rode compared to my 16' Regatta. (that's Parker Dam in the background, circ. 1980)
View attachment 356797 View attachment 356798 View attachment 356799

Looks just like our old 16' Regatta! Wish I had some pics to compare. Make sure you heal that knee up cause the Performance Regatta is here! Then you will realy be motivated to start on the Spectra.

 

[boatnam2]

Cant wait to see the project develop, i got the sister ship.

 

[74 spectra20 v-drive]

kitchen and Patio look awesome! What do you have in mind for the Spectra?

 

[SpectraPat]

kitchen and Patio look awesome! What do you have in mind for the Spectra?

I have a nice little 383 that Barry (Obnoxious001) built for me. Fortunately for me, he lives on the next street.

 

[SpectraPat]

More demo pictures

 

[SpectraPat]

Surprised that there are no gunnel supports. Also no evidence that a turning fin was ever installed. Did they make some 20's with no fin??

 

[nrbr]

Do you need a turn fin with an outdrive?? I hope not I didn't put one in mine lol. Looks like a fun project!!

 

[74 spectra20 v-drive]

383! how about the blown motor in the background??

 

[SpectraPat]

383! how about the blown motor in the background??

That's one of Barry's projects. I wish it was mine! Not quite in the budget 💰💰💰💰

 

[SpectraPat]

Do you need a turn fin with an outdrive?? I hope not I didn't put one in mine lol. Looks like a fun project!![/QU

I don't know? I've seen some other Spectra's outdrives on RDP and they have them???

 

[SpectraPat]

Finished removing bulk heads and checking all the stringers, No delamination I'm still going to wrap the stringers with 1708 before I install the new floors. I'm also going to lay 1 layer of 1708 in the engine bay to clean it up before painting with Bilgecoat. My concern is the way the front bulk head was tab in. This must have been a "Friday" boat when it was on the assemble line (if you are old enough to remember that saying). I guess it doesn't matter, it held for 30+ years.

 

[obnoxious001]

383! how about the blown motor in the background??

That went in a 19' Schiada V drive.

 

[SPECTRALEN]

If you look closely at the one I removed, you can see it was tabbed all the way along the top. I can't remember if it had tabs on the back side or not?
I tabbed the new one both sides, all the way around and then covered any exposed wood with cloth and resin.

 

[SpectraPat]

If you look closely at the one I removed, you can see it was tabbed all the way along the top. I can't remember if it had tabs on the back side or not?
I tabbed the new one both sides, all the way around and then covered any exposed wood with cloth and resin.

If you look at holorinhal's thread (81 spectra 20 makeover) it looks more like the one I took out of mine. It also apperars that he didn't notch around the bow supports on his as well?? Now I'm really confused? Do I need to be flush at the bottom and leave a gap that big at the top? If I leave the 1/4" all the way around the support will that still be to tight and cause cracks?:yikes

 

[boatnam2]

I wish barry was my neighbor...

 

[SPECTRALEN]

Everything I was told by the experts was that you can be sitting on the bottom of the hull with your stringers and bulkheads, but to always leave a gap to the sides 0f the gunnels and the underside to the deck so you won't leave an impression to the surface.
You can use some 1/8 cardboard scraps as spacers while you tack the piece in place, then pull them out when tacked up and tab it all in.

I remember that when I set my front bulkhead I used wood shims, like the kind you use for installing door frames in houses, I put those all around the sides and top and it kept it in place while a couple tabs were setting up.

 

[SpectraPat]

Everything I was told by the experts was that you can be sitting on the bottom of the hull with your stringers and bulkheads, but to always leave a gap to the sides 0f the gunnels and the underside to the deck so you won't leave an impression to the surface.
You can use some 1/8 cardboard scraps as spacers while you tack the piece in place, then pull them out when tacked up and tab it all in.

I remember that when I set my front bulkhead I used wood shims, like the kind you use for installing door frames in houses, I put those all around the sides and top and it kept it in place while a couple tabs were setting up.

Ok, that's what I read too. Just seems funny that the same hull has so many different methods of construction. :smackhead

 

[nrbr]

Any progress??

 

[SpectraPat]

This is a super busy time of year at work so not much progress with the boat. I did pick up this pair of power flow exhaust and risers from the boards for a really good price. The powder coat was chip and missing in areas do I decided to strip the coating and will get them re-shot in the next few months.

 

[SpectraPat]

I also have removed the trailer and I'm converting it to a flat bed that I sold to a guy at work for his toys. Nice thing about the old trailer is no "V" in the center rails. Just cut off the bunks, add some angle and wood and "presto", you have a flat bed.

 

[RiverDave]

Surprised that there are no gunnel supports. Also no evidence that a turning fin was ever installed. Did they make some 20's with no fin??
View attachment 373657 View attachment 373658

Do you need a turn fin with an outdrive?? I hope not I didn't put one in mine lol. Looks like a fun project!!

When Stacy had her boat it didn't have a turn fin in it.. Driving it, it felt like it needed one to me. The boat would "slide" quite a bit, and not grab and turn very hard. Mostly due to the lack of lifting strakes on the back of the hull if I had to guess.

Finished removing bulk heads and checking all the stringers, No delamination I'm still going to wrap the stringers with 1708 before I install the new floors. I'm also going to lay 1 layer of 1708 in the engine bay to clean it up before painting with Bilgecoat. My concern is the way the front bulk head was tab in. This must have been a "Friday" boat when it was on the assemble line (if you are old enough to remember that saying). I guess it doesn't matter, it held for 30+ years.

View attachment 375322 View attachment 375323 View attachment 375324

I think they are supposed to be tabbed?

Everything I was told by the experts was that you can be sitting on the bottom of the hull with your stringers and bulkheads, but to always leave a gap to the sides 0f the gunnels and the underside to the deck so you won't leave an impression to the surface.
You can use some 1/8 cardboard scraps as spacers while you tack the piece in place, then pull them out when tacked up and tab it all in.

I remember that when I set my front bulkhead I used wood shims, like the kind you use for installing door frames in houses, I put those all around the sides and top and it kept it in place while a couple tabs were setting up.

I've always been told to leave a gap everywhere.. I can ask around about it sitting on the bottom, but I'd think you'd let the stringers do that work, and leave a gap for the bulkhead.

RD

 

[Scapegoat]

I also have removed the trailer and I'm converting it to a flat bed that I sold to a guy at work for his toys. Nice thing about the old trailer is no "V" in the center rails. Just cut off the bunks, add some angle and wood and "presto", you have a flat bed.

View attachment 380845 View attachment 380846 View attachment 380847

Any updates on the trailer:skull


Nice meeting you

 

[SpectraPat]

Trailer finished and ready for delivery next week.

 

[SpectraPat]

I had a few hours yesterday so I washed and buffed a small section on the boat using 2FORCEFULL's buff & cut method. WOW, what a difference!
Can't wait to do the entire boat. Thanks 2FORCEFULL for your excellent tutorial.:thumbsup

 

[74 spectra20 v-drive]

Looks great! I love the wood grain I wanted to keep on mine but it was too torn up... Also, haven't seen too many of the Orange Spectras, a ton of Yellow, that color looks great

 

[SpectraPat]

Update is long overdue so here's a quick review.

I started rebuilding the new trailer when I had free time.

 

[SpectraPat]

I added a swing away tongue, new winch post, and welded a stand off mounting plate for the trailer jack. I didn't want to weld the jack to the trailer just in case I need to replace it down the road.

 

[SpectraPat]

I built the spare tire carrier and added rollers to the back cross bar to prevent the "driveway drag". I also welded up a couple of tail light buckets and was planning to french in the tail lights but I'm still undecided.

 

[SpectraPat]

I used my new toy (220 v plasma cutter) to cut the d-plates and various other stuff. Had a little fun when I first bought it to free hand cut a 3/16" plate sign for my son.

 

[SpectraPat]

I cut the cat walk boards and coated them with "skate paint" (that stuff is bullet proof). Then I welded up a pipe tube to clamp on the back to rotate the frame for welding.



I reinstalled the axles and installed new u-bolts, springs, hangers, and hardware. It was an extra $30 for bronze bushings, bolts with zert fittings and HD hangers. I know, its overkill but what the hell....why not?



After reading a few articles on electric brakes I decided to try it. I will mount a kit that has a small battery for the emergency cable that will engage the brakes if needed.



I bought these wheels from an RDP member awhile ago. I sandblasted all the paint off, then had the unibolt holes welded, re-drilled, and polished. They should really look nice once I get them mounted up. I also set the fenders on the tires just to get a feel of how it will look when I get them mounted.

 

[SpectraPat]

Needed a dolly so I could work on the trailer. I had some old square tubing laying around & bunk supports off the old trailer, added some harbor freight casters. I made the cross braces slip into the bunk supports so I can break it down and store it on the side of the house....works great!

 

[SpectraPat]

Engine assembly is under way.....

 

[74 spectra20 v-drive]

You're getting after it man! Looking great

 

[SpectraPat]

stripped all the gauges and remaining hardware.



Helm was so corroded I had to cut it off!



My plan was to have the gas tank filler and vent tube moved forward 6" and slide the tank further back so the sending unit access would be under the bench. It was previously located in the main cabin and had a black access cover.....ugly!



I had a little surprise when I examined the tank a little closer...



Nothing that $$$ can't solve. New tank has everything in the right place now.

 

[SpectraPat]

Power washed the inside and scrubbed the entire inside with "purple" degreaser...repeat. Let the boat dry out for a week and now the sand storm begins.