Hello everybody, my name is Ken. I have a '76 Wriedt Maverick with a 455 Olds that's mostly stock with Hooker headers. My pump is a Berkeley 12JB-A that has been recently rebuilt by Jet Boat Performance. I got the boat back in 2006 when I got out of the Marines and had no idea what I doing. I was 23 at the time. Long story short, I almost sunk it because the hose that goes from the jet to the motor broke off, pumping water in the back of my boat instead of through the motor and my bilge stopped working.
It was the first and only time I took my boat out on the water. I bought it off of ebay from a boat dealer in Reno, NV who told me it was "ready to go". It was not. So when I get back home, I start looking at everything and all the hoses are old and cracking, the carbs are leaking everywhere, the front engine mount was about to fold in half (tube under the oil pan) from rust, and the rear main seal blew out (not sure how that happened, maybe from it being under water?). So I pulled the motor, parked the boat and little by little doing things here and there. I did some minor upgrades to the motor, installed a double roller timing chain, 10 qt. oil pan, high-volume oil pump, high flow fuel pump, rebuilt the carbs, all new seals and gaskets, and had the heads checked out at the local shop. I got some 4-point Guardian engine mounts off of ebay to replace the 3-point crap. I had to replace the carpet because when the rear main seal blew out, some oil came out and was all over the carpet. The seats were original so they were getting to the point of needing to be replaced. The hull is in great shape. The gas tank is fiberglass and its built into the hull / bow. Not sure if I like that so I might change it to a aluminum one, but keep it in front. The jet I had rebuilt and now it has a new shaft with a inducer and new impeller and new seal / gaskets, etc. Like I said at the start, it has water injection Hooker headers which I never seen before. I have looked at a lot of jet boats and never seen anybody have Hookers. I bought some Bassett's in 2007 with the bell tips cause I like that look but now on the fence with the Hookers. I have been taking my time with the boat because I want to get it right the first time and I want it to look nice. Not ghetto rigged or anything. I got friends and family telling me that im never going to finish it, but some times it just takes time and money. Right now, Im at the point of installing the motor. Anyway, here is a pic of my float when I bought it.
