SoCal Jet Boats
Tech Talk => Projects => Topic started by: Omega Tri hull on July 26, 2010, 07:37:42 AM
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I have been reading this site on and off for a year now and have learned a lot. It all started last summer when I picked up a 18’ 1976 Omega tri hull with an AMC 360 and a panther jet. I was drawn to this boat because I have a family of 6 including two under the age of 2. I wanted a project cause I enjoy playing out in the garage. This is my second jet so I had an idea what to look for. This boat didn’t start which help me negotiate the deal down to $1500.00. I decided I would put a couple hundred into it and take it out and see if it was worth fixing up. I dumped the gas, flushed the tanks, installed an HEI distributor, spark plugs, plug wires and a 100 amp internal regulator alternator. I installed a edlebrock 600 carb I had lying around and took it out. I was pleasantly surprised at how well it performed for a boat of its size. Not going to set any speed records but it has a certain coolness to it not to mention the safety factor and simplicity of it being a jet. It planes out very quickly and cuts through the chop due to its deep V. I ran the boat all last summer making little changes between outings. I separated the throttle from the forward and reverse and installed a foot pedal to make it both more fun and easier to drive. I did feel some cavitation only when hitting it hard to pull a skier up. In the winter I decided to give my ride a facelift and make it more family friendly. I cured the cavitation problem by filling the erosion in the pump housing with devcon epoxy putty. I fabricated a full swim step with stainless hand rails. All stress cracks and unwanted holes were repaired before putting on the single stage polyurethane white on the bottom and top/inside of boat. The sides were base coat clear coat polyurethane.with paint I mostly had lying around the garage after many years of auto/truck painting. I tried to reuse most of the original parts and clean up and or paint, including the rub rail. I redid the trailer while I was at it, installing disc brakes and LED lights. The trailer was also painted a single stage polyurethane so it would hold up over time.I put Overton Pre fabbed seats in it. I bought extra vinyl, made all new wood for a new design engine cover, front seats, interior panels etc. All wood was fiber glassed for added strength and waterproofing before going to the upholstery shop to match the seats. The boat has been out a few times this summer. It no longer cavitates under load. Tom at JBP built me a sweet Holley 650 DP which gives it a better punch out of the hole. Here are some before and after pics. Let me know what you guys think. Thanks for all the info you guys put up on here.
Darryl
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that thing just screams I'm cool :thumbup:
i always wanted one
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Looks like a gullwing. Cool. Can you post bigger pictures?
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nice ride can you tell me about how you added disc brakes I want to do that to my trailer :thumbup:
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I compressed these pics using microsoft Picture manager. I agree, they look pretty bad. Can someone chime in as to a better way to send them? As for the disk brakes Gordy, It would be a piece of cake for you. I saw your nice project. I already had drums so it was a direct bolt on to the backing plates. I found the best price at easternmarine.com. They have several kits to choose from. I paid around $475.00(single axel) for the whole kit with a swing away actuator. I purchased the Titan kit. The Tie down engineering kit seems a little easier but I needed the swing away to get it in the garage after adding the swim step.
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I host my pics in photobucket
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(https://www.socaljetboats.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2F%5BIMG%5Dhttp%3A%2F%2Fi956.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fae42%2Fdhuncke%2FP1010190.jpg&hash=f6b40e5857713bbd39a8f0cf5119472eea2a6aac)[/img]
see if thats better.
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no, that's worse.
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(https://www.socaljetboats.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2F%5BIMG%5Dhttp%3A%2F%2Fi956.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fae42%2Fdhuncke%2FP1010190.jpg&hash=f6b40e5857713bbd39a8f0cf5119472eea2a6aac)
see if thats better.
(https://www.socaljetboats.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi956.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fae42%2Fdhuncke%2FP1010190.jpg&hash=fbd9a49a975fea222c037d2a835554a70eeea5b2)
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My Pops bought that same basic boat New in 78, Great party boat loads of room ran 47 mph at 5k (460 ford Jacuzzi YJ Welcome to the boards ! Tom
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real nice boat. i think i might have modded the window set up a bit to try to bring the look a little more up ot date. but other than that that boat is nice. great paint work.
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Nice ;D
Welcome to SCJB
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thats sick.. welcome to SCJB
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THAT is a beautiful boat! And I'm telling you right now, here on the local AZ lakes, it would ROCK! :thumbup:
Welcome, and have fun with it!
Ray
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Everything about that boat (except the windscreens) screams COOL. One of a kind and its just bitchin'. Nice paint design for sure.
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Wow.. That boat is deff. different and WAY badass! :thumbup: And I thought tri hulls were for fishing :screwy: Do you have any pictures of the front? I think the windows look fine on there, maybe just tinted DARK black to bring out the dark paint colors. Kinda curious.. if you dont mind.. What did redoing your interior like that run you? With the gauge bezels and everything?
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Thanks for all the welcome and appreciated replies. My plan was to cut down the windshield but a local glass shop said it was difficult to do with tempered safety glass. I decided to paint the frames the same purple pearl that is on the side of the boat. Maybe a tint on the glass will make it look better. As for the interior, a local shop, Pacific Upholstery did the work. A real nice trust worthy guy. He did the front seats, 3 piece engine compartment both having some double stitched pleats and the side gunnel panels for $750. I supplied the matching vinyl. He did it in two weeks and it looks great. As for the gauge bezels, they are the original working gauges. I used a pourable mask over the faces and painted them the same red pearl that is on the boat. I painted many other items using the colors on the boat. I only have 1 pic showing the front of the boat taken a couple hours after painting. Thanks again guys,
Darryl
[(https://www.socaljetboats.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi956.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fae42%2Fdhuncke%2FP1010016.jpg&hash=b826ce0973f40606b358b333a1e00ad66bcb830e)img][/img]
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Thats a bad ass float! Last year a guy gave me a Glencoe trihull with a 351 Cleavland and a Jacuzzi YJ in it. My buddy is a ferd guy and he has always wanted a Cleavland in his 65 Mustang soooo... i thought this is all you. The boat was a little rough, let me rephrase that, the boat was really rough but we got it running and took it out one night to try it before he put any money in it. With me sitting on the gunnel next to the motor I was throttle control and he steered up front. Mind you there is no seats or floors in this thing, anyways we take off and the boat planes right out and rides bitchen. So he rigged two high back plastic bucket seats out of a buggy and a bench seat i gave him so he could use it for the summer. Well the maiden voyage didnt go so well and the front timing chain/water inlet cover popped a hole and filled the motor with water. The breathers popped off and had a one foot geyser of milkshake coming out of them. :thumbdown: We are rebuilding the motor right now and he is working on cosmetic stuff. He loves this f-in boat and im happy to see him get it back on the water. He will stoked to see the pic of your on here and when i get a chance ill post some pics of his boat.
Matt
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Hey OTH,
Nice Omega. Getting caught up on some of these threads, so I did a little windshield job on your tri.
[attach=1]
I made my own windshield, but you should contact WayneEarl manufacturing in Anaheim. They make custom boat windshields and have everything you will need.
http://www.wayneearl.com/ (http://www.wayneearl.com/)
p-jet