Stevens update

[roostwear]

Since I've had a little time on my hands (ok, only one hand for 2 more weeks), I've gotten a liitle work done on the Stevens. Pump is out and being rebuilt, engine is fired and gaining back compression (all cylinders over 125 now). I'm plumbing the fuel system complete... 140gph elec pump, billet regulator, and plumbed in hardline stainless. All the "new" stuff is hidden and done for longevity/reliability. The AFB that was on it was wasted, so I had a bunch of old Holley parts on the shelf and built a "frankenstein" 3310. Set it up on the Mustang, and am surprised how it works! I'm trying to keep the period look to it, so if anyone has an old cast aluminum air cleaner (instead of this funky 70's ps scoop) please email me.
http://www.roostwear.com/stevens/69stevens23.jpg
The gauges I ordered came in and although it's not the old school look I wanted, it's as close as I could get with what's available for 2 5/8" holes. I'd like to thank the dipshit that hogged out the tach hole to mount that really cool 5" monster tach, too. :rolleyes: I'll be having a custom bezel made to mount the Sun Super Tach I have waiting for it.
http://www.roostwear.com/stevens/69stevens28.jpg
It's getting there little by little.... Look for it on the water in October. 50 mph, here I come!

[Boatcop]

Look for it on the water in October. 50 mph, here I come!
Finally.
Some one on here with a boat in my speed range.
Looking good!

[roostwear]

Careful....I may put some squeeze to it and crack the 55 barrier!

[roostwear]

Well, today was gauge day. I had gotten a set of gold anod angled bezels from Rex, but they just didn't match the boat, so off I went to San Dimas to get polished bezels, and I'm much happier with the look. True, it's not original, but there was some damage to the gelcoat arounf the gauge holes, and these covered it and (I think) still ties in with the look of the original helm bezel. Polished the bezels and reverse handle since I had them out, too.
http://www.roostwear.com/stevens/69stevens29.jpg
I'm building this the way I build my rods....stock look and feel, but minor changes to bring the look together. The fuel system is almost done... mounted the pump and regulator under the rear seat to hide it. Bent the stainless hardline from the reg to the carb, but I can't flare the end until this cast comes off.... pics tomorrow.
BTW Rexone, what is this helm, and can I still get a cable for it?
http://www.roostwear.com/stevens/69stevens30.jpg

[roostwear]

Today was finishing the fuel system before I tear it down again for polishing and detail. First pic shows the works hidden under the rear seat. The second is how I tried to hide it up to the carb. No, I didn't want AN fittings showing.... you wouldn't have seen it in 69 would ya? Hose clamps and rubber fuel line....You wouldn't have seen SS hardline either, but it looks a bit more period and is a TON safer than hose. I don't want it TOO slick looking, and certainly not hi tech, but it WILL be shiney as hell.
http://www.roostwear.com/stevens/st33.jpg
http://www.roostwear.com/stevens/st34.jpg

[beerjet]

Looks real good roost.
-beerjet-

[roostwear]

Well, looks like I'll be saving the Sun tach for another project. I looked at it next to the new gauges and it just looks wrong. I'll be getting the matching tach from SW in a 5" to fill the hole in the dash. That way, no need to make a custom bezel (a reque$t from the bo$$), and it'll tie in well with the other gauges.
The worst part is that if you stand back and look at the boat, it's not looking real good, but if you block the trailer from view, it's a lot better. I have another week or so before they ship the new wheels... that'll make a world of difference.
Don't know what the project of the day is yet.... probably pull the intake and logs to send to the polisher.

[roostwear]

I got in a polishing mood today, so I figured I'd show everyone one of my little secrets. Everyone knows you can bead blast aluminum to make it look new. Maybe newly BLASTED, but hardly out-of-the-mold new. Here's how I restore aluminum for an as-cast look. If you're looking for a polished "bling" look, this isn't it... remember, this is a restoration as it looked in 1969.
This is how I pulled it out....37 year old pedal with corrosion, paint, oil, and generally crappy.
http://www.roostwear.com/stevens/st37.jpg
Disassemble it and degrease it WELL using brake cleaner, acetone, etc. Bead blast the piece until the corrosion/paint is gone, but DON'T lay into it! Get an even texture with consistent coloration.
http://www.roostwear.com/stevens/st38.jpg
Here's the only things you'll need to have that as-cast look...polishing cream and #0000 steel wool. I've tried pretty much everything out there and each has it's uses, but for this, I've found Blue Magic works better than Mother's, Simichrone, etc.
http://www.roostwear.com/stevens/st39.jpg
Dip the steel wool in the polish and start "polishing" the part. The longer you work it, the more sheen you'll produce... it's all personal preference. Work evenly over the piece so the sheen is consistent. The high spots (ribs, letters, etc) will have a higher polish, but don't skip over the low spots. Wipe it off from time to time to check your progress. Once you have it the way you want it, wipe it down thoroghly with acetone and buff it by hand with a clean terrycloth towel.
http://www.roostwear.com/stevens/st40.jpg
There you have it. You've erased 37 years of grime and abuse! It'sd hard to tell from the pics, but it has the same finish as the day they made it. Hopefully nobody uses this trick on a car in the same show I'm in.....

[roostwear]

One final note. Many of the pedals I've restored have originally been put on a belt sander to clean up the casting... perticularly around the outside of the pedal. If you want to reproduce this detail, us e coarse emery cloth (like 80 grit) and just "scratch" the surface going in the same direction as it was originally. You only have have to do enough to expose a fresh surface.

[460 jus getn it]

I got in a polishing mood today, so I figured I'd show everyone one of my little secrets. Everyone knows you can bead blast aluminum to make it look new. Maybe newly BLASTED, but hardly out-of-the-mold new. Here's how I restore aluminum for an as-cast look. If you're looking for a polished "bling" look, this isn't it... remember, this is a restoration as it looked in 1969.
This is how I pulled it out....37 year old pedal with corrosion, paint, oil, and generally crappy.
http://www.roostwear.com/stevens/st37.jpg
Disassemble it and degrease it WELL using brake cleaner, acetone, etc. Bead blast the piece until the corrosion/paint is gone, but DON'T lay into it! Get an even texture with consistent coloration.
http://www.roostwear.com/stevens/st38.jpg
Here's the only things you'll need to have that as-cast look...polishing cream and #0000 steel wool. I've tried pretty much everything out there and each has it's uses, but for this, I've found Blue Magic works better than Mother's, Simichrone, etc.
http://www.roostwear.com/stevens/st39.jpg
Dip the steel wool in the polish and start "polishing" the part. The longer you work it, the more sheen you'll produce... it's all personal preference. Work evenly over the piece so the sheen is consistent. The high spots (ribs, letters, etc) will have a higher polish, but don't skip over the low spots. Wipe it off from time to time to check your progress. Once you have it the way you want it, wipe it down thoroghly with acetone and buff it by hand with a clean terrycloth towel.
http://www.roostwear.com/stevens/st40.jpg
There you have it. You've erased 37 years of grime and abuse! It'sd hard to tell from the pics, but it has the same finish as the day they made it. Hopefully nobody uses this trick on a car in the same show I'm in.....
Blue magic is the shit. Thats all i will use and it works wonders. Far better then Mothers.

[roostwear]

I finished the pedal assembly last night and will post pics this afternoon.

[IMPATIENT 1]

Hey Roost, I Know You Were Stripping The Stevens. If You Want To Remove Paint Offa Gel Faster Than Sandin It Off Try This Stuff:
Klean Strip Paint Remover For Fiberglass Boats , Supposed To Be Tha Shit For Removing Paint Offa Gel Without Gel Damage.i Bought 2 Gallons Of It To Strip Mine This Fall.sure Beats Sanding It Off, Pressure Washing It, Or Scrapeing It All Off.i Had Paint Lift On My Bow This Season And Used Some Of The Stripper To Remove The Bad Paint For Repair,took Me Like 20 Minutes To Remove All The Paint On The Bow.just Be Sure To Wash All The Stripper Off Immediately After.

[roostwear]

The pictures above are the Stevens. I haven't had to sand anything... they never sanded before they primed or shot the topcoat, so all I had to do is peel it off with a razor blade and wash the primer off with acetone. :D The metalflakes in the pictures is the original.
Sounds like a great way to get paint off if someone painted it right, though!

[YeLLowBoaT]

The pictures above are the Stevens. I haven't had to sand anything... they never sanded before they primed or shot the topcoat, so all I had to do is peel it off with a razor blade and wash the primer off with acetone. :D The metalflakes in the pictures is the original.
Sounds like a great way to get paint off if someone painted it right, though!
I hate you... I have spent about 60 hours sanding off the old paint on my boat...

[roostwear]

Blue magic is the shit. Thats all i will use and it works wonders. Far better then Mothers.
What I've found is that Blue Magic works best on aluminum and polished brass, and Mother's works best on magnesium. I think I spend too much time polishing........ :)

[roostwear]

I hate you... I have spent about 60 hours sanding off the old paint on my boat...
Don't hate me because I got unbeleivably lucky :D Trust me, I know how lucky I got. Before I bought the boat I was looking at it and picking at the edge of a couple paint chips.... that's why I bought the boat, I knew the paint would come off easily. I think the old owner wondered why I was chipping paint off when I was looking the boat over the first time.....

[roostwear]

i'm draggin ass today, so all I did is minor detail work on the pedal assy and hardline the pcv.
http://www.roostwear.com/stevens/st44.jpg

[superdave013]

nice work Mike. I LOVE that on the dash shifter!! Hardline looks great. Good job on following the contour of the rib on the engine mount. I bet that was not as easy as it looks.

[roostwear]

That tube isn't one a cnc bender will knock out.... whole lotta compound curves/planes and "massaging". You know I like doing the custom one-off stuff :D
Looks like that reverse lever is going to attract some attention, huh?

[lbzboyhb]

i have a set of cables and a helm helm wheel has a piece missing from where the cable wraps around it can be welded.. the cables and the out side sliders or covers are brand new never installed both of them let me know if ya need them..

[roostwear]

I'm going to be removing the cable and reconditioning it. There's really nothing wrong with the helm, just a lot of dried up grease inside the cable making it drag. I seriously doubt this cable is available any longer. Oughta be a ton of fun... they glassed the cable in in 2 places. Thanks for the offer!

[lbzboyhb]

sounds good let me know if you need it i switched mine over to the single large and dont need the cable set up hung onto it for some one that might need it i even have the steering arm that goes on the jet.If you can use it or want it you can have it for shiping cost or pick it up.. project looks great by the way

[Jake W2]

Cool project Roost,you gona be able to save all the gel?
To bad its not a Tahiti I would send that petal up your way.I never gave it away you guys voted to give it to old rigger and that is just not gona happen.
Cool to see a project to restore as was, but to bad you are not going to bling up the alum with a full polish. I really love that original metal flake V drive(his name has slipped my mind) that is polished up but still original.
Good luck with it hope to see pics of on the water.
Jake

[roostwear]

Cool project Roost,you gona be able to save all the gel?
To bad its not a Tahiti I would send that petal up your way.I never gave it away you guys voted to give it to old rigger and that is just not gona happen.
Cool to see a project to restore as was, but to bad you are not going to bling up the alum with a full polish. I really love that original metal flake V drive(his name has slipped my mind) that is polished up but still original.
Good luck with it hope to see pics of on the water.
Jake
Jake, it's gonna have a TON of polish...kinda the jet equivalent of a trailer queen. All the original Edelbrock hardware is going out for a full show polish... all the fasteners are being replaced with polished stainless, and the trailer is getting teak steps with polished stainless carriage bolts to go with the Halibrand lookalikes.
The gel isn't going to look new and will be the last thing I will detail. It'll still be a cool look. The bodyman that does my showcars wants to lay down new metalflake... maybe later.
If that pedal's looking for a good home, I'm just a PM away.:D