Tilt Front - My Efforts

phantomjock

phantomjock

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Retired Again!
There are a few threads on tilt-front ends, thought I'd add my efforts and progress so far.
To begin with - I pealed and pulled the front clip and traded it off for a tilt setup.
12694aac07754a91d.jpg
Can't say it was a great deal - but I didn't want to mess with "flogging"all the bits.

I got it home on a borrowed trailer:
12694c0a33a640855.jpg
Set up in driveway and pealed and stripped:
12694c0a4860397fb.jpg

You all know that can be revealing process. Here are some cracks and damage I'll need to deal with:
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Flipping over I found my first BUBBA!
12694c0a48616f35b.jpg

If you look closely its bent steel barstock, with a welded tab. Note, the back isn't even welded to the piece 'glassed in! More bubba on the other mount too:
12694c0a4861d34f1.jpg

I removed the hood frame (lip) to clean up and re-enforce the whole clip.
LOOK DARLIN' MO-BUBBA! Some mighty-fine choice in composite filler:
12694c0a48627417c.jpg

Man - What bunch a Bubbas built this thing?:stirpot:
OMG! Its a
12694c0a486323871.jpg

Ok- Ok - its a "wreck-lers." But it is an early one (#15) so maybe they figured out a better filler for this spot!

Having messed about in boats a long time - I am a bit of a composites engineer - so I wanted a stiffer, stronger set up without too much added weight.
Next step making some templates for a composite core layup:
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The templates were used to cut and shape Balsacore:
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Next it was suit up and Lay-Up:
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All that was followed with a vacuum-pull to laminate the core to the frontend, then layups (again under vacuum). The project is on hold but once I get through some house renovation, I'll get back to it.

Cheers - Jim
 
Balsa core?? that brings back funny memories....high rise apt. I was on second floor overlooking the parking deck, open the sliding door and drop out a heavy extension, year was 77-78 something....

14' Rhodes Bantam sailboat, needing mahogany rails, and a new bottom/flotation...it was balsa core, which not knowing jack about boat construction, surprised hell outta me, no wonder the boat was so heavy, the balsa was all soaked with water....

so out came a heavy bolt with a saw blade on the end chucked into a electric drill looking like from a monster movie....cut out the glass all around the edges and centerboard....lined with closed cell styrofoam sheets, layed fine cloth and epoxy over top, then another layer of heavy roving and glass resin...here is the funny part....

it's a ~500 unit high rise complex ~15 stories, pool on top deck....
even had a glass elevator on the outside
AND the fresh air intake for the entire building HVAC was right near the boat, and so ~500 units got SICK with poly resin STINK, even I got a headache from it when inside.....I never heard a thing about it, but in the lobby, folks were commenting and cussing.....:rofl::rofl::stirpot:

But the question is, why BALSA?? I would do a closed cell foam kinda like we using on the camper rebuild project, surely the company that made the reject seconds we got for FREE, does make it thin....

:cool:
 
Gene -

I've used all sorts of core materials - blustyro, foamcore, closed-cell, dyvinacell, etc. As to the Balsacore, I have a bunch on hand for a Fender-Flare Mold on my planning sheet - and wanted to do some pre-work with the material. As it turned out it was a good deal - but not as good as free! There is a boat builder I know in the JAX area that had some bits I could get -- but was a long drive and odd shapes/thickness.

As for the Balsacore, it conformed very well and is still pretty light. Plus the scrim held everything in place. Some foams can be well conformed using a heat gun - thermoformed. But you have to check resin compatibility too.

Stiffness is related to core thickness. The complete nose section is very stiff now, and none of the floppy-ness it had previously. Still easily handled by one person -- except for the awkward sizing of it.

I'll probably open the top of the raised portion for the "scoop mod" -- and then some exits for the laydown radiator mod I have planned. So it will be loosing some weight and still have the needed stiffness too.

Cheers - Jim
 
I do remember a checkerboard pattern to the old OEM balsa, and did something similar with the foam, I remember the price was maybe 10% of what something would cost today....about 75 bux covered the whole repair job....that and a royal headache....:lol::crutches:

speaking of headaches, how's your beaches doing where you are?? smell anything??
 
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