New to forum :) My Tahiti, and some questions (56k beware)

[TahitiTiger]

Hello all, first of all I am new here. :) I will give you some specs on the boat, from what I can remember. First of all it is a 1972 19' Tahiti Tiger, with a ballanced & blueprinted Olds 455. 10 qt jet boat pan, Mondello cam, oil pump, etc. The boat has a Berkley pump, with a diverter. I am sorry to say I don't now the pump model, but I have been told it has "A" type pump, with a mild stuffer grate. Now for some photos :)
When I bought it
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e369/Qckslvr/DSCF0034.jpg
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e369/Qckslvr/100_0229sm.jpg
The boat was running for a year on a wrecking yard special :D
Then I got more serious
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e369/Qckslvr/Tahiti008.jpg
New Carpet, and Seats, had a spare block on the stand and built it up.
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e369/Qckslvr/Tahiti015.jpg
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e369/Qckslvr/Tahiti017.jpg
Enjoying the lake :)
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e369/Qckslvr/DSC_1823-1.jpg
Ok some questions, I have the classic Aluminum Ram air cleaner, should it face forward or backwards? I have heard both! Next I have an MSD 6AL with a 5500k bisquit, what can I do to waterproof it. One other last question, I have been thinking about enclosing the engine area, for a cleaner look. Will this increase engine temps dramatacly?
I know minor stuff, but it starts well, and gets good fuel consumption.

[raisinL]

Hi and welcome. BTW nice always to see them come back to life and nice job on the interior. I went with all msd marine but to help insure that water wouldn't find my electrical I found a thick piece of rubber cut it out to shape around my ski bar and attached the back to the hull with a 1 inch aluminium bar then polished it {for looks}. Works great I added a pic take a look.
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d78/2dalooch/boat%20pics/IM000622.jpg?t=1173077080

[ironman44bear]

Welcome to the Madness. Where are you located in central cali ? I am in the Fresno area . I am in the process of rebuilding a 75 tahiti tiger myself, complete resto from the ground up. Seems like your project is on the right track. Oh BTW bitchen seats, who did them?
Later Ironman

[atxwrangler]

just mount the msd where you aren't going to squirt water directly on it and you ought to be fine,they are pretty tough!on the air cleaner its personal preferance.not enough performance gain or loss to be noticeable.my first boat was a 78 kona with a closed engine hatch,no motor temp problems,the cool lake water does it's job!you will still have to pinch the incoming water back a little to obtain the proper running temp.just my opinion!you will need however,a hatch blower,to evacuate fuel fumes from under the hatch prior to starting the motor each time!

[SmokinLowriderSS]

Very nice interior work. :)
The hood will not hurt your engine temperatures at all, but it will cost you about 50RPM in higher air temperatures inhaled by the engine.
It opens another can of worms tho.
To avoid fire (and running afoul of the lake-police):
Bilge blower fan (Absolute numero uno)
Marine listed distributor
Marine listed starter
Marine listed Alternator
All those above have anti-flame-spread screens and sealed cases to prevent igniting fuel fumes in the engine area in caser of a leak/spill.
Marine carburetor (has various features to prevent gasoline leaks from going anywhere but into the engine)

[Goad]

thanks for posting those cool pictures.
growing up my dad had a tahiti tiger just like that. I think it was a '72 as well. It would be cool to find it again.
The color scheme was a bit different...more copper then red, and had a design on the bow....but it had the bow tank just like that.....
those pics bring back some memories.

[TahitiTiger]

Thanks for all your support. :D A little more history on the boat, I bought it for $200 with the trailer. The trailer wheels alone are worth $600, so I have been told LOL. The pump was rebuilt, the guy had this sweet 455 all built with a holly 850 cfm double pumper. he said something about having the pump housing filled on the inside. But he took it out, and it was a rocket. First rains came and it had no cover on it! Next season it was locked up. He pulled the heads, and of course full of water, and it ate up a couple of valves. and his new holly was trash. I bought it cause his wife told him dump it, or she would donate it. At the time I was living in Mountain View, CA. I picked up the boat took it to my moms house. Picked up a 455 out of toronado (I think thats what it was), and we on the lake 2 weeks later. I spent a month resurecting the old engine, making sure it was still ballanced. Had to go 60 over bore just to salvage the block, and I lost the J code heads. :( So it has regular 455 car heads on it that I did some porting too. Even the original torquer intake was garbage, and I had a spare performer and stuck that on it.
After its 3rd trip out to the lake we had our first bad experience. "LETS SEE WHAT THIS THING WILL DO!" So on grandma's wrecking yard motor I floored it. What a ride it was! It was kinda choppy so we were getting some cavitation, and it would rev out to 7-8k. My buddy taps my shoulder, I was too busy driving, "um dude is the oil preasure gage supposed to bounce around like that?" Just the I looked over at it, and it fell to 0 PSI, and just as quick the clatter began, and finally siezure. 3 miles from the ramp, we took turns rowing, at mile 2 I decided to hit the key, IT STARTED! No power at all, but enough to get it back to the ramp.
So enough yapping LOL.
*First I like that rubber flap design. :D
*Next I live in Salinas now, and I go to Lake San Antonio all time. (it is a sound regulated lake so I use my water logs, with through transom exhaust. I do have leg burners too though.)
*The carpet came from a place back east I forget the name, but his price can't be beat, and it is genuine boat carpet (soft on the feet)
*The seats, here in Salinas we have an Upholster (sp) Arnold's he does great work. Boats, resteraunts, cars, you name it. Marine vynal, and foam, made me new front barrel seats, all for $900. originally it was $750 but my barrel seats were rotted, and he had to make new ones. (Cash deal) ;)
It still needs to be painted. So after this next season, the engine will come out, get the proper heads on it, check the bearings so forth. And I am going to pull the pump, just for giggles. It will be the same color 70's Metalic Red, with Metalic Gold triming. I want to keep it kinda retro.
I may not be the fastest Jet on the lake, but I am having a ton of fun :cool:

[El Prosecutor]

Marine vynal, and foam, made me new front barrel seats, all for $900. originally it was $750 but my barrel seats were rotted, and he had to make new ones. (Cash deal) ;)
Sounds like a great deal on the upholstery. Nice work on the boat. Might want to keep the RPM down on the Olds though. . .

[robk]

Nice job on the restoration, it looks great. I have a Tiger also and I believe holorinhal has a Kona that's a splashed Tiger. These hulls are a blast...
http://www.ostechnologies.net/boat2.jpg
Rob

[pw_Tony]

Thanks for all your support. :D A little more history on the boat, I bought it for $200 with the trailer. The trailer wheels alone are worth $600, so I have been told LOL. The pump was rebuilt, the guy had this sweet 455 all built with a holly 850 cfm double pumper. he said something about having the pump housing filled on the inside. But he took it out, and it was a rocket. First rains came and it had no cover on it! Next season it was locked up. He pulled the heads, and of course full of water, and it ate up a couple of valves. and his new holly was trash. I bought it cause his wife told him dump it, or she would donate it. At the time I was living in Mountain View, CA. I picked up the boat took it to my moms house. Picked up a 455 out of toronado (I think thats what it was), and we on the lake 2 weeks later. I spent a month resurecting the old engine, making sure it was still ballanced. Had to go 60 over bore just to salvage the block, and I lost the J code heads. :( So it has regular 455 car heads on it that I did some porting too. Even the original torquer intake was garbage, and I had a spare performer and stuck that on it.
After its 3rd trip out to the lake we had our first bad experience. "LETS SEE WHAT THIS THING WILL DO!" So on grandma's wrecking yard motor I floored it. What a ride it was! It was kinda choppy so we were getting some cavitation, and it would rev out to 7-8k. My buddy taps my shoulder, I was too busy driving, "um dude is the oil preasure gage supposed to bounce around like that?" Just the I looked over at it, and it fell to 0 PSI, and just as quick the clatter began, and finally siezure. 3 miles from the ramp, we took turns rowing, at mile 2 I decided to hit the key, IT STARTED! No power at all, but enough to get it back to the ramp.
So enough yapping LOL.
*First I like that rubber flap design. :D
*Next I live in Salinas now, and I go to Lake San Antonio all time. (it is a sound regulated lake so I use my water logs, with through transom exhaust. I do have leg burners too though.)
*The carpet came from a place back east I forget the name, but his price can't be beat, and it is genuine boat carpet (soft on the feet)
*The seats, here in Salinas we have an Upholster (sp) Arnold's he does great work. Boats, resteraunts, cars, you name it. Marine vynal, and foam, made me new front barrel seats, all for $900. originally it was $750 but my barrel seats were rotted, and he had to make new ones. (Cash deal) ;)
It still needs to be painted. So after this next season, the engine will come out, get the proper heads on it, check the bearings so forth. And I am going to pull the pump, just for giggles. It will be the same color 70's Metalic Red, with Metalic Gold triming. I want to keep it kinda retro.
I may not be the fastest Jet on the lake, but I am having a ton of fun :cool:
Typical oldsmotrouble...

[SmokinLowriderSS]

I may not be the fastest Jet on the lake, but I am having a ton of fun :cool:
The only part that REALLY matters a damn. :) :) :)

[Moneypitt]

Don't blame the failure on the Olds, a junkyard BBC won't live in a jetboat either.............MP

[tahitijet]

I'm from Fresno also. I restored mine from the ground up as well it's a 78 super tiger
afterhttp://www.hotboatpics.com/pics/data/500/709P8120090-med.JPG
before
http://www.hotboatpics.com/pics/data/500/709myboat-med.jpg

[TahitiTiger]

If I can find em I have some great pictures of the crank in Granny's olds LOL. It was so shot it couldn't even come close to being turned. LOL But I took my time with the Olds thats in it now, restrictors, elongated oil returns, cam sprayer, retricted push rods, roller rockers, and there was something special about the main bearings I just can't remember what LOL. PLus my oil pan is designed for jet boats :)
BTW does any one make the pop top aluminum fuel fillers new? mine are getting pretty nasty. I was able to clean one of em up but the gaskets are shot. Which is fine for me, I took the saddle tanks out, and left the bow tank. Freaking thing with all three tanks would hold 50 gallons of fuel!

[wickedfab]

do you have the side badge saying its a tiger or is it on the reg? what would the differance be between a regular tahiti like mine and a tiger.....hmmmmmm
just curious
heres a pic...

[TahitiTiger]

do you have the side badge saying its a tiger or is it on the reg? what would the differance be between a regular tahiti like mine and a tiger.....hmmmmmm
just curious
heres a pic...
Mine doesn't have a badge on the side of it saying its a Tiger. Just the Tahiti name name plate.
I did some research of old brochures on the net. I got curious as to what kind of Tahiti it was. The hard part is mine is a 19' which as I found not that common, and then I saw a brochure for a Tiger, exact same deck, same seating arrangement in a 19' 455 olds. So I figured it to be Tiger, and stuck to it . :) (for all I know it could be just another run of the mill "Tahiti") The Tahiti badges are in pretty decent shape too. :D

[holorinhal]

yup that tahitti looks exactly like My Kona.Thats funny becouse My Kona is listed as a Kona Tiger on the registration slip,but I hav'nt been able to find out what the actual modle name is.
Boy I dont think Kona changed a single thing ,when they splashed the Tahiti!
http://www.***boat.com/image_center/data/520/2774kona_002.jpg
mine is getting a complete make over at this time ,including a pump swap ,new stringers
,all new wood for that matter,and new paint.and it sure is a slow go!
show us some more pics....Hal

[kcsteck]

alot of people talk smack about the Tahiti but I also like mine as well and I dont have a million dollars in it. 19ft dont know what model?And yes I have a Olds bored 30 over,290 cam,Victor intake,Demon 850 thats built correct will run with chevy any day. And will out pull chevy for torque. TORQUE MONSTER! Its a great starter boat! When I win the lotto ill step up.
http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i31/kcsteck/Jet%20Boat/MVC-011F.jpg
Casey

[robk]

alot of people talk smack about the Tahiti but I also like mine as well and I dont have a million dollars in it. 19ft dont know what model?And yes I have a Olds bored 30 over,290 cam,Victor intake,Demon 850 thats built correct will run with chevy any day. And will out pull chevy for torque. TORQUE MONSTER! Its a great starter boat! When I win the lotto ill step up.
Casey
Hey Casey those thru-transom exhaust blockoffs look familiar :D Your boat looks great man!

[holorinhal]

Wickedfab,I had talked to Old Rigger,when I was inquiring about Mine being a Tiger.Thats when I found out the Kona was a splash of a Tahiti and Oldrigger said there was a modle called the Tahiti Tiger.
TahitiTiger, Oldrigger,here on the boards,used to work at Tahiti,building boats.He may be able to shed some light on Your hull....Hal

[TahitiTiger]

More pictures I can do :D (I have more of when I first bought than as it sits now :) )
There is supposed to be an engine in here somewhere!
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e369/Qckslvr/100_0230sm.jpg
Purdy wheel
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e369/Qckslvr/smallwheel.jpg
Only cable that wasn't frozen was the steering cable :(
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e369/Qckslvr/100_0228sm.jpg
Hmmmmm bone stock 455 no likey 7-8k redline
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e369/Qckslvr/100_0236.jpg
Big jump in time line here, New BPed 455 installed, and broke in
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e369/Qckslvr/100_0238sm.jpg
Mmmmmmm new seats
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e369/Qckslvr/Tahiti003.jpg
Fiancee (in black) with best bud and his wife, puting final touches on seat bottoms
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e369/Qckslvr/Tahiti009.jpg

[kcsteck]

yeh robK they sure do ...thanks bro. I took off the red and they look sweet! thanks for the compliment. Was alot of work paintin it and restorin it... but fun. I sure learned alot. I owe everything I learned from everone on here who have inspired me and helped me learn about boats and thanks for the great deals on all the parts guys that I have bought from.Robk,delaware Dave,396 ways to spit,Taylormanetc,etc. couldnt have done it without you guys.
Casey

[kcsteck]

hey Tahiti tiger im in Fremont 15 to 20min away from you.If you ever need some questions answered or need to look at somethin on mine that might help you on yours just let me know bro.:D
Casey

[DMOORE]

BTW does any one make the pop top aluminum fuel fillers new? mine are getting pretty nasty. I was able to clean one of em up but the gaskets are shot.
They are still available. I put a new one on my Ski-Centurian a couple years ago. I was at JP Marine in Lakeside yesterday, and he had about 10 of them in a display case. His # (619) 443-3320.
BTW, welcome and nice work on your ride.
Darrell.

[TahitiTiger]

alot of people talk smack about the Tahiti but I also like mine as well and I dont have a million dollars in it. 19ft dont know what model?And yes I have a Olds bored 30 over,290 cam,Victor intake,Demon 850 thats built correct will run with chevy any day. And will out pull chevy for torque. TORQUE MONSTER! Its a great starter boat! When I win the lotto ill step up.
Casey
I love my Tahiti! This boat has proven to be a real kick in the pants. And you are right very torquey. And the best part is I hop in it, hit the key and it starts right up. Reliable as the day is long (knock on wood).
(I have another 455 block in my moms garage, and I have a line on blower. I think I am asking for trouble LOL)

[kcsteck]

hey Tahiti tiger im in Fremont 15 to 20min away from you.If you ever need some questions answered or need to look at somethin on mine that might help you on yours just let me know bro.:D
Casey

[TahitiTiger]

hey Tahiti tiger im in Fremont 15 to 20min away from you.If you ever need some questions answered or need to look at somethin on mine that might help you on yours just let me know bro.:D
Casey
Thanks for the invite. :) And unfortunately I live in Salinas now, only place I could afford to buy a home. :(
And thanks to the rest of you for the warm reception. I love to tinker, and as time goes on, there will be many updates.