A Florida based 1987 390 Express Restoration

Any advice on where to purchase a windshield wiper motor assembly? It appears that over the years, water has been laying at the bottom of the plastic cover, partially submerging the motor. Time for a new one on the starboard side.

I can see that the threaded post attached to the motor should just slide right through the windshield frame. How do I remove the wiper arm first though? Will it just pry straight off?

Thanks for the advice.
 
I noticed my windshield motor was leaking last time out. So I took it out and sealed it up. then did a test run with the motor. Didn't work!! So took it out back out, took it apart and cleaned it with lube, believe it or not it works great now. Just don't loose the springs for the brushes and blow them out with compressed air, and then spend an hour looking for them like I did. It wasn't that rusty. Looked like it just got water in it for the last time out and that was it.
 
Al! What's the latest? Give us an update!

We have since moved to the Pensacola area so I'm not going to be able to do surprise Q/A visits anymore :grin:
 
Re: A Florida based 1987 390 Express Restoration - Update

BLmicro said:
Al! What's the latest? Give us an update!

We have since moved to the Pensacola area so I'm not going to be able to do surprise Q/A visits anymore :grin:
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Have done nothing over the summer because it is too hot here and my wife decided to open an art gallery which I had to build.
http://artist-alley.com
Best part is it rained like hell all summer and not one drop leaked inside the cabin. Not many 390EC owners can say that! It smells like a new boat inside. Zero "musty" smell. Weather is nice now. Interior is complete. Bottom is complete. Engines are still in "mothballs". My plan is to paint the hull and do the final assembly. There is a lot of new/rebuilt stuff waiting to be installed after it is painted. I still have my day job and as we all know money is not as free flowing as it used to be. Hope to launch next winter. I am leaning on keeping it in St. Augustine - an old boat in an old city.
 
Re: A Florida based 1987 390 Express Restoration- December 2012 Progress Report

Well I did not make the self imposed Dec 2012 deadline. I am about 6 months behind. It was a hot summer and I did not feel like killing myself. Everything is complete and ready to install. I am in the process of prepping the boat for gallons of Dupont Marine Imron. Lots of filling in dings, hull repairs from bad hurricane damage repairs etc. Lots of sanding. Epoxy is my FRIEND. Should be able to shoot paint late Jan early Feb. Then I can do final assembly and install engines. Found a beautiful marina in St. Augustine, FL. Will be going to the Miami boat show to look for electronics and a few odds and ends. Got to have the very best and latest technology. The photos are deceiving. There has been a LOT of work done. See my web site gallery if you don't believe me. Everything is new or rebuilt - EVERYTHING! My shop attic is full of goodies for the boat.

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SkippersList.com said:
Great job on the boat and THANK YOU for posting the DOCS on your website ,,,, finally have a manual for the Vacu-Flush system.
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Glad to help out. My dad was great about keeping manuals & docs. In this case they were in a water and mildew soaked box on the bunk in the stateroom. I had to dry them and then place them all inside a trash can with an ozone generator to kill the mold and smell. The things I do for the sake of boating!

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What a great job, Al!!! I'm happy to see you again on the board and to know your project is going on!
 
Linda and I are very excited now that we have located a beautiful marina with all the amenities. Working double time now to finish the boat.
See the marina here:
http://goo.gl/maps/09jQR

Very protected like your marina in Italy but not as many boats!
 
LOL ... Al I didn't realize you were so close ... I go to Palm Coast, Green Cove and Jacksonville (especially when I'm going back and forth to NC) fairly often. Looking forward to seeing this masterpiece when you splash her.
 
It gladdens my heart to see this restoration.... and I know what it takes to do something like this.

My next one will likely be a diesel 400 EC or 410 DA.

Maybe we'll run across each other out there one day, Al!! We can swap war stories....

Dale
 
Hey Dale:

I have followed your blog and have actually implemented some of your ideas and methods on my restoration. Anyone who does any kind of marine restoration should read your blog. You are amazing and I can't hold a candle to you! I saw your milling machine - very nice. Mine was made 30 years after the Civil War as was my lathe.

One of my struts is bent to the side by about 1/2". I am thinking of mounting it in my hydraulic press, heating it with a torch and straightening it using the measurements of the straight one to get it right. Am I on the right track?

Al
 
Thank you, Al. Your work also inspired me!!

As to the strut, without seeing it, I am a little ill equipped to make a recommendation (but I'll give it a shot, anyway).

Option 1 - replace it. You may be able to find a replacement out there, somewhere. Another option may be to have one cast, but that's expensive. If you did have one rough cast, I can machine the mounting holes, mounting pad, and strut bore for you, if you like. I wouldn't pursue this option until you've exhausted the others, though.

Option 2 - As you said, straighten the one you have. You have to be very careful, though. Depending on the particular bronze alloy of the strut, and the quality of the casting, it may crack if you try to straighten it cold. On the other hand, if you get it too hot, it may crack during straightening too. I'd try to get it up around 700 - 800 degrees F, then start applying pressure in your press. If you have an infrared heat gun, or temperature sticks (temple sticks), these will tell you when you've hit the right temperature. Heat it slowly, over a wide area, and work it slowly. It should come back (and your blood pressure will be up the whole time!). If you get it to the point where it's glowing red, you're too hot. Ease off just a bit, and apply pressure - it should go.

Option 3 - Leave it alone. If it's twisted, and not "aimed" at the shaft log, then you have to fix it. But, if it is just bent a half inch to the side, and is still directed at the shaft log, there may still be plenty of room to adjust the alignment as it is. You would have to make that call. I don't know if you are going to run with conventional packing, or dripless seals, so that comes into the equation as well. Dripless seals employ rubber hoses to mount the seal carriers, and these can be mounted to the shaft log after the shaft is aligned, so the boots are "relaxed" (always slide them down the shaft, and secure the clamps, AFTER the shaft has been aligned).

Hope this helps...

Dale
 
Al,

I didn't mention in my previous post that once you pull and straighten the strut, you'll have to re-align and re-bed it back in the boat. Sea Ray uses a laser alignment system to bed the struts, but I don't have one of those, and I doubt you do either. It can be done optically, with visible light, but it's a pain to make up all the fixtures and baffles. In my case, I checked the strut to shaft log alignment with a delrin shaft that was the same diameter as the shaft log bore (without the bushing). I just ran it through the log, and verified that it lined up with the shaft log.

Once you pull your strut, it will have to be shimmed and bedded to restore the alignment, and bolted down until the bedding compound cures. Shouldn't move after that...........

Dale
 
Dale:

Once again you have inspired me. Your blog mentioned a laser alignment so I went out to the shop to look at the struts - they are out of the boat. One is bent about .25. Both have a .125 twist so that appears to be by design. I am going to bore out a piece of 2" delrin, mount a laser pointer inside with adjustment screws, line up the pointer to the 2" delrin and slide it inside the strut bore. I will then make a cross hair target to fit in the shaft log opening. Should be a breeze to hang the struts and see if I can get them close with shims before I start heating and bending.

What should I bed with? 3M 4000? Sea Ray used silicone rubber at the factory. I was not impressed.

Al
 
Overall, I am not a big fan of 3M 5200, but for something like a strut mounting, which should be permanent, it works well. Other sealants/adhesives work too.

I would make the delrin a couple thousandths in diameter less than the strut bore. That way, you can spin it while it's in the strut, with the laser pointing at the shaft log target. Any misalignment between the delrin itself, and the laser pointer, will manifest as the laser dot transcribes a circle on the target, while you are spinning the delrin. As long as the target is centered in the transcribed circle, your alignment is good. I hope I explained that clearly - let me know if I didn't.

Dale
 
I understand completely. You are an absolute freaking genius! What super advice. You have a PhD in engineering? I was scared to death of doing the strut alignment - now it is going to be a snap.How in the world did you acquire such a robust skill set at the ripe old age of 44?
 
Al,

I do have a mechanical engineering degree, I'll be 45 in March, and I stayed at a Holiday Inn last week.

Dale
 
I have a BSME Univ of Illinois but I went to school in the early 70's and you know what that means.:grin: So I was not always totally focused. In fact I was out of focus a lot. Anyway I just bought a 243 laser bore sight (a precision laser inside a brass rifle shell casing. (EBay $25) This is toooooo easy. All I have to do is bore a hole in the delrin the same size as the shell casing and instant alignment! I stay at Hampton Inn - does that count? Might be my problem all along.
 
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