New guy here.. In the beginning

[Thunderbolt]

Hi folks,
I am the new guy on the block. I've been viewing your forums for the last few days and am hopeing I am in the right place to build a boat. Or is this place for boats already built?
Heres the scoop.. I found a stored up, since 95, 16' Thunderbolt with a 350 olds and a Berkley jet drive. The motor has Hardin Marine bling bling all over it but has been sitting so long I'm going to be hrs getting it back to a shine. Boat came with a single axle trailer.. I offered the guy a price and to my surpirse.. rolled home with it..he wanted it gone..
We went into the motor a lil .. it has a 650 holley, air scoop, motor looks pretty stock but is very clean on the inside and turns over {by hand}, looks to need a couple freeze plugs and an alternator and other lil things but for the most part the boat is complete.
I wanna make it run, but I'm not looking for a race boat {yet} thinking maybe a rebuild, cam, different intake and so forth..
Any ideas and helpful hints would be appreciated... it's gunna need a paint job, don't think you can bring any gelcoat shine to a few areas.. any good places in Va to paint boats?

[snake321]

summers almost here. Get it runnin and shine her up. Start takin it apart and you never know what'll happen...wait for fall

[Thunderbolt]

so don't redo it now?.. just get it running.. I don't know a whole lot about this boat yet.. I'd hate to get stranded out in lake anna with you guys zipping about lol..

[DaveA]

so don't redo it now?.. just get it running.. I don't know a whole lot about this boat yet.. I'd hate to get stranded out in lake anna with you guys zipping about lol..
You could hit it with a paint job on the outside if you've got 40 hrs available to prep it- looks like it'll take some work. But look at the bright side of learning about it at Lake Anna- there will be alot of guys that'll share information with you and would get a kick outa trying to help you figure stuff out about it. Plus, always be the one with the looong stronng tow rope- they'll haul you back to the ramp. What are friends for????

[Thunderbolt]

True.. and yes it is going to need a lil work...I see some of ya having a big GTG on the lake in early June, I may stop by to look and get some ideas on stuff I'm going to need to do to mine and hopefully get some helpful tips....I doubt mines a diamond in the ruff.. more like modeling clay that needs shaping lol

[snake321]

gettin towed is part of the deal...

[LynnsJet]

Watch out for this bunch. There are a lot of good people in this bunch but warning. They will tow you in and then post your picture on ***boat. It is one of their favoirte forms of harassment.
Welcome aboard. Come to Jack's at Lake Anna even if you can't bring your boat.
Hey, You could bring it as a "Rat Rod"

[Thunderbolt]

Thx,
If my memory serves me right theres a GTG on the weekend of the ninth of June.. I'm not to far from there.. I may even trailor it there for show and tell and to get some ideas from folks and pointers.. I seriously doubt it'll hit the water.. we're still trying to get info on it..

[Thunderbolt]

Oh forgot to mention.. I think I indirectly know "Groundsfordivorce" I've seen the name on another forums. if he sees this or ya know em.. Tell em "Outlaw" says hi..