Delcraft Tunnel Boat Complete Restoration

[Tom Smyth]

floor board in. Seat mounted. Cockpit done except for steering stuff.......

[Tom Smyth]

So this boat was originally raced with no rear cowl, just a tonneau cover snapped in place. somewhere along the line it did get a rear cowl made from a sheet of fiberglass. Here i have installed the old rear cowl to get an idea how tall it was and the length. I plan to fabricate a new rear cowl using 3mm Okumi ply. enjoy.....

[WaterZebra]

Looks a $1000 better than a snap on tonneau cover!

[1954bmw]

Are you going to add a raised piece or hump at the rear to kind of blend in that tall black motor??

[WaterZebra]

I tried a "hump" on a Glastron Moli once. It looked dumb. You can see the relief Tom has cut for trim out position for the Merc. I'm still trying to imagine this boat with twin 150's bolted on at one time.

[Tom Smyth]

I tried a "hump" on a Glastron Moli once. It looked dumb. You can see the relief Tom has cut for trim out position for the Merc. I'm still trying to imagine this boat with twin 150's bolted on at one time.

it had a 1350 and a 1400 on it at the same time. Set the SJJ speed record that way in 1972

[1954bmw]

So how do you think that beast ran with two different engines??? Was the 140 a power ported engine, would they have had a different power curve, how would you set up something like that???

[Tom Smyth]

So how do you think that beast ran with two different engines??? Was the 140 a power ported engine, would they have had a different power curve, how would you set up something like that???

well it ran well enough to set the record. He says he never opened it up during the run.

[WaterZebra]

well it ran well enough to set the record. He says he never opened it up during the run.

I'm betting the thing had little or no freeboard at the stern just sitting there. Wouldn't be surprised if he had someone holding the stern up to start like an alky hydro and right back on the trailer when done making the run.

[Tom Smyth]

Activity on a couple of tasks. Got the steering plates in and test fitted them. Deciding whether to center the Pulley or the vertical pivot axis at the same height and distance as the motor hinge pin. Do not want to slacken or tighten the steering cable when at different trim angles.

Second started layout on the rear cowl. Matched a couple boards to the same outline as the top edge of the cockpit. then cut the first piece of three internal support members. A bit too high to start. Work will continue this week. Plan to use 3mm Okumi for the rear cowling.

[Tom Smyth]

second iteration of wing plates received. After a few quick measurements and a trip to the bending machine, we should have the pulley perfectly aligned with the centerline of the motor hinge pin. the exceptional WIDE cockpit on this boat presented a few challenges but we have cracked that nut i think.

[WaterZebra]

Activity on a couple of tasks. Got the steering plates in and test fitted them. Deciding whether to center the Pulley or the vertical pivot axis at the same height and distance as the motor hinge pin. Do not want to slacken or tighten the steering cable when at different trim angles.

Second started layout on the rear cowl. Matched a couple boards to the same outline as the top edge of the cockpit. then cut the first piece of three internal support members. A bit too high to start. Work will continue this week. Plan to use 3mm Okumi for the rear cowling.

Tom - If you plan to use gimbaled eye bolts with the pulleys, make sure to "trap" the gimbals with over sized washers connected to the steering arm bolt. Use grade 8 bolts!

[Tom Smyth]

Rear cowl bulkheads cut and fitted to the cockpit. Next is lightening them and making the sockets for the cowl to fit into.

[Tom Smyth]

So the rear cowling frame is done and fitted to the cockpit. Made the little bracket that it sits in to hold it in proper position. Tried to bend a scrap ply piece of 3mm over it. Damn that stuff wont bend. Going back to 2 mm for the cowling. the attached pic shows how well a scrap piece of 2mm i had left from the front cowling bends into shape. Probably put a layer of mat and glass on the inside though to stiffen it up a bit when its all done.

[WaterZebra]

How do you plan to keep it in? Jeep hood rubber snubbers? Pins?