Another BFN Rebuild

Wow I am impressed! It’s taken me just short of 2 weeks to make it through this thread. I’ve been on CCF a few times just looking at a thread that may have pertained to something I was doing at the time, but this is the first thread I’ve dug into since creating an account a few weeks ago. Did I start with one of the five longest threads on this site?? Lots of valuable information and pictures in this resto. Thanks for taking the time to document all of it. The suspense had been killing me to see what the top speed was going to be but I never let myself skip all the leg work to find out. I stuck it out through all 31 pages and even popped some popcorn for the heated arguments with 79 (kinda funny I was getting worked up about a conversation that took place 10 years ago )

I’m positive I read maybe 8 pages and 9 years ago that someone made a comment about this boat pulling the World Series winning Cubs team on a tube run around the lake...so now that the Cubbies finally won a cup it would only be right for that to actually happen. I mean it was only 98 years in the making!

Do you pour the antifreeze or suck it in?

Stop feeding the trolls...   

Geez you guys...Get off Tim's back. Anyone who knows Tim, knows he has a fleet of ACBS boats that are show room condition that could easily qualify and win at an ACBS event. Anyone who knows Tim knows that he is all about speed, boating, skiing but mostly Barefooting. He's the Prop Guru and how many times have we all sought his knowledge of props for which set up for which CC we own. Tim is one of few guys who'll travel across the eastern US to hang out with fellow CCFans because of a love, and passion for the sport and CC's which is a hellava lot more than a lot of you and he lives in the Northeast corner of the US! This Barefooter is a tractor for pulling footers PERIOD. END of STORY!!!!! It's a beast and if you've ridin in it then it's a thrill of a lifetime. It's not OEM, It's not the prettiest of the Benjamin fleet but it's well known who owns it and it's history. Hell, if he could slap a turbine engine in there and have room for six guys then who gives a rats @$$...I for one would help him do it as I've helped him install an upgraded motor in his another of his Classic CC's. It's his boat, one of his pride and joys and a modified toy on the water. That's the joy of the darn thing as for him and for many it's just flat out fun tinkering and modifying it to perform like HE wants it. It's a guy thing and boys will be boys especially when it comes to their toys. Cut him some slack for Pete's sake!

Riley wrote: Finding that perfect survivor is great, if you can find one, but then you want to pamper it and not fully use it for what it was intended for.

Yep, except boats are much more friendly to intended usage as opposed to a survivor car. The 85 is probably structure and gel wise one of the nicer "survivor" 2001s out there and I use the crap out of it. I think I did around 100 hours this season on it.

Finding that perfect survivor is great, if you can find one, but then you want to pamper it and not fully use it for what it was intended for.

8122pbrainard wrote: TRBenj wrote: No need for any ACBS talk in this thread, Tim, Why not? Are you against Scott's comment in this thread?

I think Tim meant to say "No need for any ACBS talk in this forum"

No need for any ACBS talk in this thread, you can move it over here if you’re so inclined. My BFN is certainly not a “restoration”, and was never intended to be. We did a functional rebuild on a boat that needed it badly- and now I use it as intended, often and hard. Original appearance was maintained (save for under the motorbox) as much as practical, but that was never priority #1. ROI was never a consideration, it is not for sale. You can’t buy a boat quite like it at any price, new or used... that’s why it was built.

Quick update while I am here: 500hp 454 bottom end rebuild #2 went the same way as #1 this summer, teardown is imminent and expecting to find another spun rod. Initial diagnosis is low oil level due to all the extra plumbing, it appears the system may require almost 5qts over the original capacity, much more than I expected. The very quick drain back gave me false high readings on the stick. Lesson learned (finally).

The (stock) backup engine went in shortly after in early Aug, and we ran out the season that way. Boat pulled reasonably well at the Bucket, giving us a tick over 47 on our feet with a full race load. 51-53 unloaded depending on prop. A top end upgrade at the end of the season now has it running over 56 (53 with a skier). That should get me by for now. Hope to keep skiing through Thanksgiving.

We can't explain to you why buying something is different from creating it.

I am just stating my opinion. I have collected several classic cars, restored and originals. My passion now is the originals, anyone can restore and modernize any car or boat. Sure, they may be better in your opinion, but I like the way an original survivor feels. My investment in survivor cars has really been good to me. I am now getting into survivor boats. i think this market will keep getting stronger too. TRBenj always seems to give his opinion, now I am giving mine. Not saying anyone is right or wrong here.

89Nautique2001 wrote: Wouldn't it be easier just to wait and find a nice solid original boat? They are never the same after they have been rebuilt IMO. Plus you have way too much time and money in them that you will never get back.

Scott, finding this year/hull/model in "solid" condition would be nearly impossible. Additionally, "solid" is relative term as we all know these boats in "original" condition have some amount of rot.

Having been in this boat several times I have to agree - it's not the same but SO much better.

Not sure he ever mentioned getting his money back or trying to turn a profit. I'd be shocked if this boat wasn't in the Benjamin (or CCFan) family for decades to come.

Ok, Tim, I’m ready to race your boat right now. Will be the only time I’ll win, and have the louder boat!

Can’t wait to see and hear the final product.

Ken

Good to hear you're seeing light at the end of the tunnel.

75 Tique wrote: I was inspired by one of Tim's "Functional upgrades"

I just found out that Tim did yet another LED upgrade:

New transmission from a newer BFN, hoses and cooler are from the previous set up. Lines are NPT on one end and some sort of flare on the other (looks like a single flare but only mates to a double/inverted flare). Had one bad mate from the original assembly and had to go shopping for adapters- all the lines/cooler from the other set up were an hour away. Got it sorted.

I assume you meant the trans cooler plumbing snafu and not the engine oil cooler plumbing (custom AN lines required).