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Bass tracker II to Flats skiff

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    #16
    With the corona I’ve been working on the boat motor. No major motors issues with it, but I’m converting it to a tiller steer. This motor has less than 30 hours on it but it spent its whole life on one of those orange safety boats on a merchant ship. They just had to pull the motor because they are required to have motors no older than a specific age.

    Problem number one was converting the motor to a tiller steer. It had side console controls and the bracket/bolts that holds the tiller handle on were completely rusted and corroded. So I had to grind what was left of the bolt heads off. Remove the old handle bracket. Then grind the studs into a rectangle and use vice grips to get them out. Took about 8 hours of patience, beating with a hammer and heating parts up repeatedly.




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      #17
      Upon further investigation to the lower unit - I don’t think it’s a long shaft. It just has a kit that was installed to extend the lower unit. The problem is there isn’t a parts list for the kit used online. So I started breaking it down to see if I could figure out what was what. It came apart like a regular lower unit. Extension was just a block with extended studs into the midsection of the motor. Obviously the extended studs will have to be replaced. So I doubled up the bolts and were able to back the studs out. I believe there is a shaft extension but of course it didn’t come out with the shaft. So that will be a pain to fish out. And I think I I’ll need to buy a new shift rod that’s shorter.




      So I’ll have to buy new stock studs, a shift rod, and bolts to bolt on tiller handle.

      So far I only have $750 wrapped up in this motor.


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        #18
        IN for this one.....hehehe

        I've got an old, mid 80's, 17' tracker with a classic 50 on it....been thinking about doing the same thing...

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          #19
          Real cool project, keep it up

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            #20
            Having somewhat of a hard time. [emoji3061]

            So thought there was an extension on the driveshaft. I had the motor laying sideways on a motor stand. So I thought I just couldn’t get the extension to slide out. So I stuck a 5/8 dowel rod up in what I thought was the extension then it wouldn’t slide out. I kept trying to pull until it broke. So then I took the side cowl off not knowing I had an easy view of everything. So I drilled a hole in the side of the dowel rod and stuck a metal bar in there and hit it with a hammer. It just broke off again. So now I’m taking a step back trying to figure out how to get this booger out.




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              #21
              Sub'd

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                #22
                Update: I got the wooden shaft out safely.

                The bad news is that there wasn’t an extension on the driveshaft like I thought. Turns out Mercury made a kit for the lower units but still used a long shaft. So I’ve changed plans a little bit. I’m just going to keep the long shaft and utilize a jack plate. I can switch lower units later on down the line if need be.

                Since I took all the cowlings off I’m in the middle of repainting them and making them look like new!

                I finally picked up my boat from my buddies and have started stripping it down. I’ve removed all the old foam. Pulled livewells, back areas(just two areas that were just filled with foam), started removing rivets from the top rail, and started trying to remove the transom.

                I found a new diamond blade that’s made to help cut aluminum, works pretty good! Except I’ve burned up my angle grinder on the thicker aluminum. I spent $15 on that angle grinder from harbor freight 5 years ago, so I’ve got my money’s worth out of it! That was my stopping point for today until I can go pick up another tomorrow.




                I’m trying to decide if the best way to add a tunnel would be to utilize some C channel or just bend some aluminum sheet and weld it in.


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                  #23
                  Looks like a lot of sweat and elbow grease! Looking forward to seeing the finished project.

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                    #24
                    Forgot to get a picture other than this one. But I removed the wood transom today. Good thing because the wood transom was starting to rot at the bottom. The down side is bass tracker put like 30 rivets in the wood transom. So I’ve got a ton of holes left in the aluminum....trying to figure out the best way of tackling that obstacle of plugging them all up.




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                      #25
                      The right stuff

                      are you putting a new board there? if so just paste alot of that right stuff to the holes and let it squeeze out when you remount the new one.... wipe off excess

                      obviously best would be to weld but im a cheapie and thats what i would do

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                        #26
                        Originally posted by Eagle19 View Post
                        Forgot to get a picture other than this one. But I removed the wood transom today. Good thing because the wood transom was starting to rot at the bottom. The down side is bass tracker put like 30 rivets in the wood transom. So I’ve got a ton of holes left in the aluminum....trying to figure out the best way of tackling that obstacle of plugging them all up.

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                        Best way is to get them welded up and ground flush. But be careful grinding. As you don't want to get that hull material any thinner than it already is. Welding would not only prevent any leaks in the future (providing the welder knows how to weld aluminum on large flat thin surfaces), it will also allow you new material should you want to re-drill any holes for "setting" new rivets with a rivet set on the aluminum wood-cover. Or bolting anything up.

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                          #27
                          Impressive for sure!

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                            #28
                            Got a new grinder and went to town on cutting the tunnel in. Had to change blades and forgetting the new grinder had a trigger on the bottom, I accidentally bumped it and it cut my finger pretty good. Blessed to say the least I didn’t lose it. Definitely unplugging that sucker from now on.

                            Got oh so close to finishing cutting the tunnel. But then it got too dark. But I picked up 95% of the aluminum I need. So I’ll be working all weekend on it.

                            Should have major updates the next couple of days!


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                              #29



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                                #30
                                Glad it's no worse. The wifey prob wouldn't like you not having a ring finger. Keep it cleaned up so your finger don't get sick.

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