Jim - BTW, one more post and you get to 1000 (superhero status I think).
Don't let Jim downplay his participation. He showed up with a trailer full of heavy equipment he had gathered for the project, including a monster engine crane, tanks and a cutting torch (you never know when you may need that), a welder for Jason to weld my busted trailer fender, and lots of misc tools. He was ready for just about anything we might run into. I think he even had a set of house jacks in his truck incase we needed to raise the garage to get the engine out.
Jeff & Gregg showed up with an arsenal or high tech waxing, polishing, and cleaning products, as well as a vast assortment of power tools to help apply these products. They kept sanding and buffing and sanding and buffing until they were finally satisfied with the finish - many thanks for the effort. You guys need to make me a replenishment product list, so I can get you restocked for the next boat you choose to transform. That stuff doesn't come cheap, so I will keep hounding you if you don't provide me a list. Thanks to Jeff, I now have a windshield that looks better than new, and exhaust risers that look like mirrors. I had no idea how good this stuff could look. Leave it to these guys.
Jason & Brian were able to get enough sand out of my engine water passages to replenish my kids sandbox. I don't know how the lake water was even getting thru there to cool the motor. I suppose over 34 years you are bound to pickup some sand. It was very reassuring to have Brian there to help, since he had already been thru a lot of what we were doing with the motor, and could tell us what to do, and more importantly , what not to do. Huge thanks to Jason for running the engine project, as that all worked perfect, with no issues. Jason was also able to relive high school shop class, while welding my trailer fender.
My dog is a little sad, all that engine work really took it's toll on her swimming pool (from catching oil, gunk, crud, sand, oooze, etc..), but more importantly, it saved my garage floor.
I don't really have any good pictures to post. Jim & I both looked a little chubby in my pics, and I didn't feel they did us justice. I was using my Iphone, which normally takes pretty good pics, but I think with the garage lighting, they came out kind of blurry. So refer to Brian's pic's posted above.
Thanks again to all for a job well done.
Scott
