pull-on
Roofers do it on top.
- Joined
- Dec 31, 2008
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For quite some time, I really really wanted to get a Hallett 18 Mini Cruiser. In fact, my old boss got one that was a v-drive and that boat stuck out in my mind forever. So early last year, I decided that I wanted to get one. And the plan was to get it to match my 270T. So the search was on. I opted for a jet drive since v-drives are fairly hard to find. Meanwhile, I was selling my blown flatbottom v-drive to make room for this.
I found one in Bouse, Arizona. So my son and I set out from Rancho Cucamonga one morning to Bouse. Upon arrival, we checked it out. Although it checked all the boxes, we just didn't 'feel' it. So we headed home. During the drive, my son found one on FB marketplace. So we messaged the guy and he quickly responded. So a couple days later, we headed up to Lake Los Angeles and took a look. It was a complete basket case. But I loved it. So I bought it and hauled her back home.
Here's a picture of us leaving his property. This was around February 2020.
It is a 1976. The interior was redone and in the back of the truck. But only two seats and a bench. The boat had a 460 BBF with a Berkley JC pump, on a clean trailer.
So, as the year went by and we spend a lot of time at the lake, I was making my plan. After some talking with @Hammer and Steve Vossmeyer (RSS Gelworks), my son and I stripped the boat of the remaining bullshit (including glass tanks) and dropped the boat off for a re-gel. Like I said, I wanted to 'somewhat' match my 270T. So I told them what I wanted and let them do their magic. And just like David F*@king Copperfield, they performed their magic.
Here are photos of the regel and the day I picked it up.
They replaced a rotten stringer, repaired the floor, gelled the bilge and inside transom, added gunwale supports for the fuel tanks. It turned out absolutely bitchen and they killed it!!!
At this point, my son and I were onto the next step. As we were brainstorming, he came up with the idea for the floors. Most jets, especially the 70's jets, all had carpet. Well, this being a Hallett, it would be a damn travesty not to put teak and holly in it. So we did. I went to the local lumber yard that sells teak, picked up a few sheets, and put it in.
At this point, the damn snowball started rolling. I got with Nick of Mad Skillz Fab and he made me some new aluminum tanks. They were perfect.
Nick is a skilled tradesman. A damned artist. So I asked him to build me a trailer for the mini. Of course, I want a trailer similar to my 270T, so it had to be a triple axle with black wheels. Oh, and it had to be a road dolly. So Nick got some measurements and went to work. I'd say he killed that too. I also sold the old trailer.
Next was the pump work. I took it to Tim at Place Diverter and spared no expense. His team tore into it. Cleaned it up, new powder coating, stainless A impeller, droop, place diverter controls, trim pump, the works.
The next step for me was interior. I took it to Rene at Riverside Boat Upholestery. I told Rene what I was looking for. I wanted a river cruiser look to my interior. Rene said I got you, and again, he killed it. I also sold the interior that came with the boat.
At this point, I was in the middle of building the motor. I took the old Ford to my machine shop. They built a short block and did all the head work for me. I got it home and started assembling. The 460 got stroked to 520". Compression is low because we were putting a twin turbo on it (which I'll get back to shortly). Engel cams hooked me up with a sweet cam, and we were off to the races. However, during mock up, the twin turbo set up didn't line up the way I wanted. So I ditched it. I'm searching for a blower now.
I found one in Bouse, Arizona. So my son and I set out from Rancho Cucamonga one morning to Bouse. Upon arrival, we checked it out. Although it checked all the boxes, we just didn't 'feel' it. So we headed home. During the drive, my son found one on FB marketplace. So we messaged the guy and he quickly responded. So a couple days later, we headed up to Lake Los Angeles and took a look. It was a complete basket case. But I loved it. So I bought it and hauled her back home.
Here's a picture of us leaving his property. This was around February 2020.
It is a 1976. The interior was redone and in the back of the truck. But only two seats and a bench. The boat had a 460 BBF with a Berkley JC pump, on a clean trailer.
So, as the year went by and we spend a lot of time at the lake, I was making my plan. After some talking with @Hammer and Steve Vossmeyer (RSS Gelworks), my son and I stripped the boat of the remaining bullshit (including glass tanks) and dropped the boat off for a re-gel. Like I said, I wanted to 'somewhat' match my 270T. So I told them what I wanted and let them do their magic. And just like David F*@king Copperfield, they performed their magic.
Here are photos of the regel and the day I picked it up.
They replaced a rotten stringer, repaired the floor, gelled the bilge and inside transom, added gunwale supports for the fuel tanks. It turned out absolutely bitchen and they killed it!!!
At this point, my son and I were onto the next step. As we were brainstorming, he came up with the idea for the floors. Most jets, especially the 70's jets, all had carpet. Well, this being a Hallett, it would be a damn travesty not to put teak and holly in it. So we did. I went to the local lumber yard that sells teak, picked up a few sheets, and put it in.
At this point, the damn snowball started rolling. I got with Nick of Mad Skillz Fab and he made me some new aluminum tanks. They were perfect.
Nick is a skilled tradesman. A damned artist. So I asked him to build me a trailer for the mini. Of course, I want a trailer similar to my 270T, so it had to be a triple axle with black wheels. Oh, and it had to be a road dolly. So Nick got some measurements and went to work. I'd say he killed that too. I also sold the old trailer.
Next was the pump work. I took it to Tim at Place Diverter and spared no expense. His team tore into it. Cleaned it up, new powder coating, stainless A impeller, droop, place diverter controls, trim pump, the works.
The next step for me was interior. I took it to Rene at Riverside Boat Upholestery. I told Rene what I was looking for. I wanted a river cruiser look to my interior. Rene said I got you, and again, he killed it. I also sold the interior that came with the boat.
At this point, I was in the middle of building the motor. I took the old Ford to my machine shop. They built a short block and did all the head work for me. I got it home and started assembling. The 460 got stroked to 520". Compression is low because we were putting a twin turbo on it (which I'll get back to shortly). Engel cams hooked me up with a sweet cam, and we were off to the races. However, during mock up, the twin turbo set up didn't line up the way I wanted. So I ditched it. I'm searching for a blower now.
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