Mustang 17 rebuild

Got back in town and back on the project. Engine in pretty well buttoned up and will post pics later. Now working on the hull. Mike on Dirty Jobs should take on a re-gel job!! This has got to be the nastiest job going in boat rebuilds. You can see in the pics just how bad the blisters are. Look like potato chips glued to the hull. Fortunately only the area below the water line is affected. Hope to shoot gel this next week. Have to finish grinding then patch, veil, fair, sand and prep first.

Engine is "mocked up" while I degree in the camshaft.
Specs:
302 bored .060 over, Sealed Power pistons and rings
Comp Cams custom ground cam shaft .486 lift
Edelbrock Performer type dual plane intake
New Holley marine carb
FloTek alum. cylinder heads, ported and polished
Intake and exhaust manifolds port matched
Needle bearing roller rocker arms
Mallory ignition w/ Flame Thrower coil
Cleavite 77 bearings
High volume oil pump
I realize it ain't stock or original but with the motor cover down who's to know??

   

you better check your flame arrester clearance to bottom of dog house I have a tricked out mustang that had clearance issues had to make a spacer on bottom. btw nice work.

8122pbrainard wrote: Duane, Wow! It sure looks and sounds like you built up one H of an engine! Watch yourself when you get out in that boat. Why the high volume oil pump?

Pete, Advice on the "Watch yourself" is well taken. I will heed your advice as that has been on my mind also. The boat has had no ill manners before and hope it stays that way. Of course that was before removing about 300-400 pounds of saturated foam. Engine will be about 75 lb lighter also. I am looking more into acceleration rather than sustained WOT runs. The hull has about 1/8" of hook in the last 24". I can either leave it as is or flatten it out.    I made two battery box locations, one standard under the seat and another in very rear. That will allow me to move weight around if needed. Am sure open to suggestions on the hull configuration (hook or flat). High volume but standard pressure pumps have always been my choice in cars I have built. They tend to work well on "seasoned" engines. ie: lifter bores,side clearance issues on reground cranks ect. It's just cheap insurance.

C-Bass,    Using a 9" Milwaukee disc grinder with 24 grit disc. I plan to fair the entire hull that was below the water line. That is where the blisters are. Taking it down to bare glass because of fear that they may reappear. Hope to shoot gel by first of week. Grinder gets HEAVY.

Duane in Indy wrote: 8122pbrainard wrote: Duane, Why the high volume oil pump? High volume but standard pressure pumps have always been my choice in cars I have built. They tend to work well on "seasoned" engines. ie: lifter bores,side clearance issues on reground cranks ect. It's just cheap insurance.

Duane,
It's always been my opinion that high volume pumps are used on engines with larger than normal bearing clearances and not needed on a fresh rebuild with clearances to spec. I sure may be wrong and it sounds like you've rebuilt more than I so fill me in on your ideas.

8122pbrainard wrote: Duane, It's always been my opinion that high volume pumps are used on engines with larger than normal bearing clearances and not needed on a fresh rebuild with clearances to spec. I sure may be wrong and it sounds like you've rebuilt more than I so fill me in on your ideas.

Pete, You are correct on your thinking. Seasoned engines tend to have clearances toward the high side because of wear in lifter bores and side clearances on the crank due to regrinding the journals (also if you have drilled .016 holes in the oil plugs to lube the timing chain better).. Clearances between bearings and journals diameter is in spec. Not crazy about High Pressure pumps but I like idea of extra volume to make up for any leakage. High pressure is only needed when you are running a lot of compression and need that extra cushion of oil. Just one of my habits I guess and pumps are cheap. I always use new pumps on rebuilds.
Race team mentality I guess as we go thru LOTS of parts per weekend. (8000 hp eats parts)

peter1234 wrote: Pete . if someone is so hell bent on taking these boats to a level speed wise .maybe some grinding , reglassing and general reshaping?

It can be done however I feel it takes plenty of experimenting and guessing. If you think about the evolution of the hull all the way from the start with simple displacement hulls to what's out there today plenty has happened. Back in the "gentlemen's" racing days when they were putting BIG HP's in displacement hulls, there was plenty of the experimenting and guessing and plenty of crashes too! All the boat manufacturers including CC have gone through the changes and the risk. Several, including myself have mentioned the riskiest are tabs on a high HP Mustang hull to intentionally plant the nose.

Look at any boat of the era including CC and you'll see they all ran bow high and for a reason. Even as the HP's were increasing, they kept the engine towards the aft to keep the bow high.

Been a while since updating so I thought I would share a few pictures. Am very close to making some noise. Have to finish plumbing and wiring. Oil is in and pre lubed. Need to hang tranny and starter and odds and ends. Hoping to bolt it up to the dyno for the run in if we have the right brackets. Exhaust usually goes out thru the roof, that won't work with water so may have to figure out something with buckets and pumps. Gauge panel on rear of engine contains the oil pressure, starter solenoid, main breaker, hour meter, remote starter and kill switch. With the doghouse down it all looks original Anyway here are the pics.

Finally racing season is over and I can concentrate my efforts back to the Mustang. Hull faired out and ready for gel


Ready for wet sand and buff


As soon as my masks arrive I can apply stripes and Mustang 17 to the sides. Still up in the air as to whether use paint or gel for the graphics and then clear. Have 1 gallon of clear gel coat on hand.

Recommendations ???

BTW: Gel coat is a major PITA

C-Bass wrote: Looks good Duane. You manage a much quicker pace than I did. How did the gel application go? I agree that re-gel is a PITA. I remember that dust all too well.

Craig, Once I figured out what I was doing it went much better. Shot with a 3.0mm tip. Last coat thinned with more Styrene than the build up coats and orange peel was tolerable. Sanded next to last coat and then layed down several thinned coats. Last one with wax additive. That makes sanding much easier. Hope to flip the hull over soon. The deck should be easy in comparison to hull. The hull had blistered badly below the water line..
Duane

Great work, that's going to be a sharp boat.

Duane,
I sure agree that it's looking fantastic!

Got one side shot now. Will wet sand in a day or so and then buff it out. Move on over to the opposite side next.