1978 Nautique Mechanical Refurbishment

good choice!

I used a heat gun and a plastic putty knife like you use for body filler. Any remaining glue can be removed with a rag soaked in rubbing alcohol

Any suggestions for removing old decals, the correct craft since 1925, flag? They are worn out but still stuck to the boat well, I don't want to dig holes in the gel getting them off.

The carpet and upholstry were original I think and I know the skirt on the trailer was. The brown hull was paint and there was reddish bottom paint under that on the low side. I hadn't gotten to fixing the paint when the BFN came up so I can't swear to the gel color on the hull.

One note I should have included with that engine pic...it was all pre-CCFan. Thanks guys, I know better now.

Gary, have never seen one that color, the "Brown Pearl". Is that an original color? Thanks

Thanks Greg, nice photos, post some of you 79 pics when available please.

Nice day here, used onand off, and 3m rubbing compound and an orbital polisher to clean up my gel coat. Looks a lot better, thanks to all the CCF posters about how to do this.

ya I know New Albany,I used to live in dublin, so very familiar with Cbus. Well too bad you arent closer to canton, I would offer to lend a hand.

Doc,
where you at in OH?

Probably try it in about 10 days, then tranny to Medina to visit Eric's FF hospital, and engine to be worked on locally. Thanks a lot Justin, how is your project?

ya may want to measure a bit and run the hoist up all the way and see what kind of clearance you have. You could always remove the oil pan to gain some clearance. That would be a last resort though. Watch the valve covers too, the chain will want to bind against them and you wouldnt want to crush them so if you use the lifting rings that are on the heads you cant make that chain too short. Just dont get in a hurry.

Also on mine the drive coupler was really froze on. After I removed the four bolts, I worked a putty knife inbetween and pushed forward on the engine and it came free.

uhh well, it has been documented. I just did it. Just unhook the wiring harness, the batter cables, the water line, the throttle and shifter cables, the 4 bolts in the coupler from the tranny to the shaft... I dont think anyone really did a step by step. Its not too difficult. Do you have a cherry picker? Just make sure you have clearance to get over the side of the boat, so dont make your chain to long or you will not be able to get it over. I know some people have had to let the air out of a tire to get it over the side.

Thanks Gary, that is the type of result I am shooting for, really amazing when you see the starting point on some of these boats.

I found Eastwood paints has a Dark Ford Blue used from mid 70's through 1980. Gary your color, and engine look great, where did you get your valve covers?

Ok, thanks, old Ford blue is name I thought I had looked at the auto parts store,and internet search. I will check again, it is definitely a darker blue and green than Keegan's. There are at least 3 shades of Ford blue depending on the era.