1980 Grumman 4.6 Sportsman all aluminum build

[Flatbotm]

My piano hinges came in tonight. (4) 12" (2) 16" (1) 23" (1) 55"

 

[Flatbotm]

I am working on the Grumman tonight. I welded in a crossmember for the gas tank area bench. I had to weld it in front of the side boxes for the gas tank to fit.

 

[Flatbotm]

The rear bench face was from some of my scrap. Riveted, welded, and some sealant in there too so hopefully no noise.

 

[Flatbotm]

Here is a ghetto paint drawing of my basic layout. Nothing is exactly to scale. May add a few more access points and possibly a rod locker. Open to suggestions.

 

[Flatbotm]

Ranchero50 you were right on with the aluminum thickness. 1/8th is definitely overkill. I'm going to try and use some thinner material in some areas. I underestimated the stiffness of aluminum.

 

[Ranchero50]

That's fine, as payment for good advice you can send me your bender when you are done. :wink:

 

[Flatbotm]

Ranchero50 my bender would have come in handy when you extended out the transom of your boat! I we were closer I can always be talked into bending tube for cold beer! I wish I had a mill. I recently had to have some machine work done to put 2008 Ninja front forks on my 82 KZ1100.

 

[Flatbotm]

I started making my first hatch and I made it too tight not leaving enough room for the piano hinge. I'll chop it down tomorrow.

 

[Ranchero50]

Try to account for your carpet as well. My goal was 3/8 at the hinge and 1/4 on the other sides. I had to put some fuzzy velcro down to keep it from vibrating as I don't have the carpet in yet.

 

[Flatbotm]

I'm not running carpet. I'm going with nautolex and I don't think I'm wrapping it. I was going to cut it with a razor blade at the edge. I left 1/4 total both directions I think I was a little fat on my cuts. How much room do you need at the opposite edge of the hinge with no carpet? 1/8th? I was going to run a strip of scrap nautolex for the anti rattle?

 

[Flatbotm]

Last night I re cut the hatch frame. Next time measure 3 times cut once. I started sanding on the yellow last night. What a PITA changing the color of this boat is gonna be. This yellow is some stubborn stuff.

 

[typed by ben]

Flatbotm » 45 minutes ago[/url]"]I started sanding on the yellow last night. What a PITA changing the color of this boat is gonna be. This yellow is some stubborn stuff.

yellow is very tough. at work my boss accidentally had some machine guarding powder coated yellow and ended up having to remake it all because the yellow was so difficult to get off. even if you think you got it all off, when you sandblast the powder you just shove some of it down further into the metal. then when you bake it comes right back out and ruins whatever color you put over it. very aggravating.

 

[Flatbotm]

My build is some what un-conventional I have a lot of scrap and I'm using thicker flooring than necessary so to finish out my floor framing I welded some kickers out of scrap.

 

[Flatbotm]

I made a little progress on the Grumman in the last few days. Sunday I plasma cut all the sheet. My goal is to have it fish-able by the weekend. Just on my little water shed.

 

[Flatbotm]

Here is another one of all the cut pieces sitting in the bow.

 

[smackdaddy53]

I missed this build, glad I checked it out! Nice project man!

 

[Mojo]

Dude,

You know you love the Yellow! You just have to embrace it.

In all seriousness thou It's starting to look good. Great work!

Mojo

 

[Flatbotm]

Thanks Smackdaddy 53 it is starting to come together. I won't have the rod locker done by this weekend but I'll have enough floor to fish out of it.

Dude,

You know you love the Yellow! You just have to embrace it.

In all seriousness thou It's starting to look good. Great work!

Mojo

Hahaha. Embrace the yellow. I'm embracing it with a sander! I've always been more of a olive drab kinda guy. I'm still unsure on the color except I've ruled out yellow.

 

[magoo]

lookin good bro!

All downhill from here.

 

[Flatbotm]

I did a little hatch work on the bow last night.