1980 Ski Nautique Total Restoration

Cool Pete, it was a brand new NOS part when I installed it. I just don't want it to lock up and send metal throughout the engine. It probably has about 600ish hours on it and hasn't been out since I installed it. Only loosened for timing adjustments.

phatsat67 wrote: Points till I die.

Same here. Everyone over here at the marina is trying to convince me to change to EI...
But I'm sticking to points, since the engine still runs like a charm... So, no motivation whatsoever to change anything

Here is the Fram canister I mentioned above. I reinstalled it a few nights ago after cleaning it up and replacing the internal filter element.

phatsat67 wrote: My points have somewhere in the neighborhood of 600-700 hours on them and I haven't touched them once since they were installed.

Exactly what I and others have said many times!! The EI conversions are simply BS hype bling!! Some not reliable and do absolutely nothing to the performance of the engine.

Seems like the opinions around these parts about electronic vs point ignition is every bit as robust as foam vs no foam. I have no presuppositions about how it will work for me. The conversion was simple, and just as simple to reverse, at probably 5 -10 minutes. PerTronix has been around for a long time, that in its self doesn't mean everything, but it does mean something. With over 3,500,000 units sold they are relevant. I will see for myself.

During the rebuild of the Holley 4160 I dropped the electric choke cover with element inside. It proved to be pretty rotten and the element broke away from the cover. I may have been able to epoxy it back together, but decided it was probably a bad idea. So that was a $30 lesson. Fortunately a local speed shop had the replacements in stock. The fuel line from the pump to the carb was not metal all the way, so I replaced it as well. Got it installed on the engine last evening.



Hopefully, tonight I will be able to orient the distributor and makeup the Taylor 8mm plug wires and get them installed. That should pretty much finish up the engine work until I mate it with the Velvet Drive and install it. Earlier this week I dropped the old skins along with the doghouse, coaming pads and seat frames at a local upholstery shop. Earlier on I had decided on Christine's, but changed my mind recently. I am confident that Christines would have been a great choice. The lady who reupholstered my boat 20 years ago is out of business, but I found out some of her employees are working at the shop I decided on. Hoping for a good job since I am pretty picky.

While I am waiting on the interior I am turning my attention on the carpet installation and reinstalling the coupler on the prop shaft. Looks like the proper method is to hijack the kitchen stove and bring it up to 500* before installation?

Thanks, Zach. Good idea. Yes, adding the complete exhaust manifolds with risers made a huge difference that was obvious just in pushing the stand around. Since it will be a few weeks before I reinstall it I will figure out a way to crib it up on the stand.

Good to know those springs are still available!

The reason for having 2 different springs is because the advance curve is exactly that- a curve. The shorter/lower tension spring is engaged first, as rpms increase and the spring stretches, the longer/higher tension spring is engaged as well. This allows for a steeper advance slope at lower rpm and a shallower slope at higher rpm.

I hope you have better luck with the Pertronix than others have... My experience has been that the reduced performance and spotty reliability isn't worth the extra cost over points.

My points work nice

I will say however that current points dont seem to be manufactured as closely as they once were. The points in my boat are NOS from who knows when. The guy had a pallet of NOS 87- Prestolite standard rotation Dizzys on ebay years ago. I should have bought more than one.

I have heard that Zach,no demand anymore. I wonder if Echline from NAPA are still any good? They should be fine until you take a file to them

Started on the carpet tonight, going to take me a few nights. Hope to finish on Friday evening in order to attempt loading it back on the trailer this weekend.

I better stop this before it gets out of hand since there seem to be some around here with a thing for red Correct Crafts! Its actually maroon or burgundy. The picture does make it look red., though.

Man, that carpet looks pretty darn nice

OldCuda. I had my local carpet store order it for me. The name is burgundy Ship And Shore delux. They got it from Value Mills in Dalton GA. I ordered 2 pieces of 6' x 20' and it cost $130.80 for each piece. If I had to do over i would have ordered 2 pieces at 16'. I also got 2 gallons of glue, and that was way more than i used.

Very nice! Love the color

Pete, I cant say for sure since we seldom trailered her. She stayed on my boat lift year round since at least 1992. Today I was able to pick the tongue up with some effort, probably 100 lbs, but the engine transmission, seats, doghouse, and fuel is missing.

If i need to scoot her forward after all the above is reinstalled i will do so in order to make she she isn't tongue light.