Nirvana 1941 Chris Craft

[Alan]

So Bob, what size are the wheel nuts? this might come in handy

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[Bob Vic]

The wheel nuts are the same size as the socket on the rattle gun.

[Alan]

Yeah but now you won't have to tow start it if the battery is flat

[Bob Vic]

Since the engine came back from Craig, I've been busy chipping my way through a seemingly endless list of small but essential jobs on the engine & the hull fit out. A few of these include fitting the final gauge, the oil pressure gauge, figuring out & sourcing oil pressure fittings and water temp fittings on the engine block, lock wiring the crank & transmission bolts, fitting the exhaust & making a flange gasket for where it connects to the exhaust manifold outlet, plumbing the bilge pump, making & fitting the engine hatch support battens and finally fitting the fuel tank. After I get back from the BAD boat races at Windsor, I'll be ready to fit the battery carrier, then drop in the engine & line it up.

[Greg]

Home run now Bob

[WoodRay]

Jesus Bob. What's taking so long..............................

[Bob Vic]

It's me! I'm a measure once cut twice kinda guy!

[rayza1]

If only that were true Bob, those of us with less skills mightn't feel so inadequate

[Bob Vic]

Moving forward now to get the engine in and lined up. First task is to get the skeg and log in line. The shaft log has some prop shaft wear on the bottom of the hole meaning that the alingment was out. Oddly the bolt holes for the skeg were also slightly off, maybe by a half a bolt hole width. I figured that the log was in the right spot so set about aligning the skeg to suit the log. I also made up a jig at the engine end to locate the prop shaft to the middle of the boat betwen the bearers so the task was to align the shaft over three set locations. Yesterday I figured where the skeg needed to go, so plugged two bolt holes then drilled the two plugged holes later in the day once the epoxy had gone off. By placing two 1.5mm washers under the aft bolts on the skeg, the shaft lined up perfectly in the log. I wasn't confident enough to seal and bolt the skeg up permanently, until such time as I at least did a trial fit with the engine. So after making a plate to sit on top of the keel, I pulled out the skeg bolts and set everything on the bench ready for a fresh start today. When I went to bolt the skeg back into place this, it no longer lined up through the shaft log as it had yesterday. Whereas the skeg bolts glided through the holes when fitting the skeg, now they are tight. All I can think of is the humidity is different today, or its much hotter today and the timber was swelled or moved a fraction. Either way... it's too hot in the shed, so it's a job for tomorrow now. (PS the shaft collar is there for positioning and extended skeg bush will be cut back when everything is lock away.)

[Bob Vic]

Very satisfying day today with the engine 75% in & lined up. Now that I know the engine lines up nicely with the skeg & the log, I can go ahead and Sika both into place & bolt up. I also can see now that the fuel tank can be removed without having to pull the engine out.