Moonshine Baby H-54 Restoration Part III

Part 3

With the woodworking & finishing out of the way, the graphics are next.

Preparation began with 2" overlapping masking tape. The images are transferred by pressing down on the outline with a pen. Remove the template and cut out (very carefully) using an exacto blade. After sanding to achieve some tooth in the varnish with 320 grit, White, Black and Gold (metallic) acrylic enamel was sprayed. The gold color was used as a 'base' for the leaf. The perimeter of the deck is outlined in Gold leaf and trimmed off with Black enamel. I applied a stain over the leafing and spattered that with methanol to get the 'look' I was after. This 'look' will also appear more on the cowlings. All the leafing was sealed with clear coat (sprayed) to protect the leaf.

The Moonshine Baby template was created by looking over earlier photos in her history and selecting a font similar on my computer. I enlarged each letter and printed them out 8.5 x 11 paper. I layed out the letters until the spacing of each letter looked correct. Then taping the individual pages together to make the template. (In the photo above, you can see the template hanging on the wall). After the White enamel was sprayed and had a chance to dry, I outlined all the numbers and lettering with Black enamel.

I made the flag template, drawn freehand, looking at old photos from 1962.

The template for H-54 was traced from the original numbering off the old deck.

Over the winter I took the original trailer in and had it sandblasted & primer applied. Then moved it to my work to borrow their welder and some steel. I boxed in the frame above the axle and added new crossmembers & bracing. The trailer had a pretty good bend in it and I was not able to get it all out, so I built the uprights from square tubing and welded so the boat at least sits level. But you can see the bend looking from the side. I painted everything up with black polyurethane and added a new axle, reworked springs, whitewall tires and chrome rims that have a 1960's look to them. Aaron Carlson Company donated the African Mahogany decking for the trailer. Overkill I know, but it sure looks nice. A custom built tool/parts box, and a tripod support for holding the nose of the hull are eventually added. Trailer weighed in at 1220 pounds.

Moonshine Baby H-54 campaigned the first 3 years using a stock Ford 390 out of a Daytona race car. The team ran the Ford with an aluminum intake manifold fed by six Stromberg "97" 2-bbl carbs and an aluminum flywheel. When the 427 motors became available from Ford in 1964, crewmember Clift Wartman & owner Dallas Kremer wrote to Ford asking for help in their hydroplane racing endeavor. Ford responded with free 427 motors to use. More about this on the history webpage.

In the fall of 1999, I purchased a 1966 Ford 427 sideoiler block and was having it rebuilt. While waiting for that motor to be completed, I located a complete 1967 Ford 427 centeroiler motor that originally was one of two that were installed in a 1968 48' Chris Craft. I found the motor to be in excellent stock condition with good compression & low hours. If you can locate one today, most Ford FE 427's have been rebuilt or modified several times by this point in their history. I will eventually put all those 6 carbs back on this motor & aluminum flywheel as time & money permits.

The original cast iron marine oil pan was 2" too tall & very heavy.
A plus was that this Ford already had the oil pickup set up in the rear of the oil pan.
I fabricated a new aluminum oil pan and windage tray from 1/8" thick, T-6061 aluminum.
All plates went to the welder for heli-arcing.
A 1/4" tube was added into the side of the oil pan which serves as a dipstick & oil 'drain'

Fitting the motor down into the hull and setting up the motor mounts.
If you're building a cradle for your restoration, don't forget to factor in clearance to allow movement for your mobile engine hoist.
I didn't....and I had to put spacers between the casters & cradle framing.
Space is a premium right now so after the motor is installed in the hull it will be time to put the hydro on the road trailer.
I can almost pick the hull up by lifting the motor after it is bolted in and set it on the road trailer.
But I'm near the end of my capacity for my motor hoist and don't want to risk it. I'll need to enlist the help from my farmer neighbor and his tractor.

The Hallcraft gearbox (10% overdrive) is bolted to a 1/2" thick, cast aluminum brace that came with the hydroplane. I fabricated & welded the entire gearbox assembly to the rear motor mount plate. When installing or removing the motor, the gearbox unit goes too. I can also remove the gearbox easily in the boat by uncoupling the chains and removing 2 water hoses & 4 bolts. Alignment pins insure the gearbox is kept centered. The front/rear motor mounts & gearbox mounts I made from 1/2" thick T-6061 aluminum. These mounts rest on the four cast aluminum motor mounts that came with the hull & bolt through each engine stringer. I had a machine shop turn out the takeoff shaft on a lathe using 4140 steel (hardened) which bolts to the flywheel. Gear spockets (forged, 16 tooth/#50 chain) connects the takeoff shaft and the 1-1/8" diameter monel propeller shaft. The whole works is @ 6-1/2 degrees of angle. I reconditioned the original steering column & gearbox with new bearings. The 2 steering linkage rods were sandblasted, sanded and chrome plated.