Sidewinder Hull I.D. help with more info

[sidewound]

http://www.jetheaven.us/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=265&papass=&sort=1
Hey everybody,
I'm back with more info. The boat is a 72 18 footer with a 455 and a 12jc. The motor is out of the builders this week and it was 15 degrees today.Wisecracks about how warm it is where you are always appreciated. Anyway.It has tags on each side saying "SIDEWINDER Palo Alto" I'm wondering about a model name. I got some info on my last post but am trying to nail it down.
WHATDAHECKIZIT
Thanks Sidewound
[ December 02, 2002, 08:33 PM: Message edited by: sidewound ]

[hack job]

http://www.jetheaven.us/photopost/data/500/8my_powerless_sidewinder-med.jpg this might help!
[ December 02, 2002, 08:29 PM: Message edited by: hack job ]

[sidewound]

Thanks Hack,
Hey I know it's ugly now but if I ever figure this photo thing out I'll show everyone my progress. The motor is done this week and is in the mid 400 H.P. range. Nothin too radicall and will run on GOOD pumpgas. 9.5 to 1. At least they say this week. Peace on you all and thanks to all who have and are giving advice and help. May your boat squirt and you not have the squirts. (Flu season in Gods country here ya know).
Sidewound

[wyldweazel]

Oh my god, I can answer a question. I know what your boat is. I have one. It is a Taylor Sidewinder. Ha! My boats uglier though. And my trailer is uglier too. hehehe. It looks like the windshield is missing. If I can remember how, I will post a pic of my boat. Check out www.taylorjetboats.com (http://www.taylorjetboats.com)

[wyldweazel]

here's a pic of my boat. Sorry about the size. As you can see I have my work cut out for me. http://free.***boat.net/gallery/Forum_Graphic_Depot/P10100031.JPG

[bmff]

Sidewound,Thanks for your reply last week. I have the same hull as yours--no hull# and no model. When I found it the original gel was still intact and there were no signs of decals,etc. Only the metal Palo Alto plates. If you havent already,check out WWW.teshio.com/JetBoat (http://WWW.teshio.com/JetBoat) . Look in Marlin,Sidewinder, Tahiti and Taylor. There is also a Wriedt and possibly other splashes but no pics on this site.

[Old Guy]

Does it look anything like this.
http://files.triton.net/old1/swfrontq.jpg
old

[sidewound]

Hey Old it looks exactly like that, same paint even.

[Old Guy]

sidewound:
Hey Old it looks exactly like that, same paint even. That paint is gel coat. Did it myself. Never again. Sold boat w/junk 455 and trailer to nephew for $500. He and his girl friend are havin a ball with it.
Oh, that's me and my grandson after a near 80mph ride. I think he messed his pants.
old

[sidewound]

Hey Old Man,
I've been told it may be a Taylor. Any thoughts on that? What was yours? Mines a 72.
Thanks man. PEACE MAN
Sidewound

[Old Guy]

sidewound:
Hey Old Man,
I've been told it may be a Taylor. Any thoughts on that? What was yours? Mines a 72.
Thanks man. PEACE MAN
Sidewound Mine was also a '72
Title said Sidewinde
Apparently nobody cared about the r on the end of the name. It had an assigned (by the State) id number. I noticed when I was working on it that the factory id number was put on the rear aluminum trim near the right side. When I got the boat ($500) it was in bad shape. It had fallen off the trailer and had a crack in the bottom about 40" long. The owner didn't have a clue how to repair fiberglass and made a real mess out of it. Water leaked in under the floor and rotted out the floor and most of the transom.I replaced the floor and transom, and put new gel coat on the whole boat.
I put the motor back in the boat and put the boat in the lake. Then the fun started. I spun a bearing the first time out. About $6000 later, I have a real good 462 olds. I just put it in a '76 Sleek Craft tunnel. That's another story.
old

[Oldsquirt]

sidewound:
Hey Old Man,
I've been told it may be a Taylor. Any thoughts on that? What was yours? Mines a 72.
Thanks man. PEACE MAN
Sidewound Sidewound, if the it says "Sidewinder of Palo Alto" on the sides, it is a Sidewinder, not a Taylor. Palo Alto is a city about 35 miles south of San Francisco.
I think this may have been the only model they built, but not sure. I used to see lots of these around NorCal. I also believe, but am not 100% certain, that Sidewinder, Taylor and all the other look-alikes were "splashes" of a Tahiti model.

[Old Guy]

Sidewound, my '72 aloso said Palo Alto on it.
old

[sidewound]

Thanks ol squirt and old guy,
I was under the impression that it was a true sidewinder boat. Old guy, my 455 is now punched 40 over. Does that meet the 462 cu. in. criteria?
Please tell me your secrets. 80 in this tub? I've got a good Berk 12jc and the mill will be right at four and a half stallions. Could I expect even similar numbers? Also do you have any research on which loader grate may work well with this hull. Thanks PEACE MAN

[Old Guy]

Sidewound, .030 over gets you 462, so you're bigger than that. I never had it on a dyno but the pump was original except for a new wear ring and an Aggressor AA impeller. It would turn 4800 rpm. I tried a droop and a Place Diverter. It didn't like the droop, so I took it off. The neighbor's boat was radar 'd at 79.9 mph. He couldn't quite catch me in the Sidewinder. Don't sell the "tub" short. It's a long way from being the worst hull design. That's probably why it got splashed so much. The insert pump made it difficult to do the shoe/ride plate program without replacing the pump. I didn't like the seating setup in the Sidewinder so I kept looking for a different boat that I could put the olds in. I ran across the Sleek Craft with a junk 455 in it for $500 and the rest is history.
I worked with Lynn at Mondello and told him I wanted a good strong motor that runs on pump gas. No blower, no NOS, no turbo, through hull exhaust. I started the program before the Edelbrock heads were available, so that cost a couple $K before I got it right. It looks like you can go pretty good without going over 5k rpm. I've been watching the olds stuff on the boards for a while and concluded that it's a good motor but if you don't learn from the experience of others, it probably won't last very long. The olds is supposed to have "oil problems". It doesn't. It has oil RETURN problems. Some considerable effort needs to go into getting the oil from the overhead back to the pan. You can restrict the amount that goes up there, but if you go too far in that direction, you'll have a problem from that. I recommend doing a search on "olds" on these boards and read everything there. If it's not clear, ASK.
old

[Marlin455]

Sidewound- I have pretty much the exact same hull, with a 455 and a JC pump- I am in the process of rebuilding the entire boat(Paint, motor, pump, interior, etc.) and am interested in any and all info and tips to get this boat going any faster- I have pics listed on the Banderlog forum under "The Marlin before" thread. I know Diggler has a Tahiti like this, and he's getting mid to high 70's out of it with a mild 455, so the hull can't be TOO bad!!LOL I'm from just North of Scranton, PA and would love to compare notes with you- you can e-mail me at chopcor@epix.net if you want. Thanks, Stan PS_ WyldWeasel- I know where there is a boat EXCACTLY like your Sidewinder- it's a 72, with a 455 and JG Berk Pump. I was going to buy it and part it out, so if you need parts, let me know!

[oldphart]

I had a Tahiti sidewinder that was stolen and wrecked about 3 years ago, same hull as in the pictures. That was about the best balanced rough water boat I have ever owned. With an Aluminum head 455 oldshit and berkely it did a GPS 69 MPH with my fat but in it. It was in sept. hot boat 3 years ago in Jet Tech. just before it was stolen. If any of you know where a similar hull and windshield can be found please Email to KHAWES56@ Earthlink.net Thanks