550sx to 750 "All or Nothing" build

[Ryan Declark]

Thanks. I tend to do any project I take on like it's my own......and I just can't stand the rushed final product look. That's why this is the "All or Nothing" build. If you're going to spend time and money anyway...........do it ALL or just don't do anything!

Great work man. I aspire to have the knowledge you do. It took me close to a year to get a simple piston port 550 looking nice and running. This is another level. I told myself I wasn't gonna do another 550 but a 701 swapped 550 is looking really tempting.

 

[Myself]

Great work man. I aspire to have the knowledge you do. It took me close to a year to get a simple piston port 550 looking nice and running. This is another level. I told myself I wasn't gonna do another 550 but a 701 swapped 550 is looking really tempting.

The best way to learn I think is to hands on DO IT. The information is out there, all you have to do is search. Remember, we are all built the same, arms legs, hands, brain...........If one guy can do it, you can too!

 

[Donatello]

The new sponsons blend in like they were part of the original design. This ski is going to be one of a kind. Very very cool.

 

[Myself]

The rain finally quit and I got a window of low(ish) humidity to reprime this bad boy! So I cleaned out my trusty old primer gun, masked off the topside and hood, and recoated!

 

[Myself]

And the primer laid out real nice! Just look at those smooth body lines!

 

[Myself]

And then while I was letting my shop air out, I scuffed, primed, and painted the engine.......OH YEAHhhhhh!

 

[Myself]

I worked overtime on other customer stuff the last 2 evenings and today until 2pm. But after that I got the bottom side and handle pole touched up and finished out, ready for 2nd primer coat.

 

[Myself]

I was able to get 2 good coats of primer on today. Everything looks good. I'm going to try and get it wet sanded with soft blocks this week and maybe paint next weekend!! MAN........just look at those smooth lines on those molded in sponsons!! Not too shabby if I do say so myself .

 

[WFO Speedracer]

Damn you, you are making me put way more work into blending these tubbies on this 300SX than I wanted to !

 

[Myself]

I'm sorry bro. But look at it like this......anybody can glue or bolt a set on. How many have you seen fully molded in? I'd guess most folks don't have the patience for this type of work. I like the 'one off' stuff.......cars, trucks, bikes, boats, whatever. And this Jet Ski will be 'one off' for sure.

 

[Myself]

Well, it was lightly raining half the day so I sprayed on some guide coat and started soft block wet sanding with 400 grit. The panels should all be FLAT from previous work. This time around we are trying to just knock the guide coat off while leaving ALL (or almost all) of the grey primer. Just smoothing things out. A bucket of water and a spongy sanding pad is what I prefer. It should be pretty easy to knock the primer down smooth without a lot of pressure.

 

[Myself]

I like to hit all the large areas first while staying OFF body lines and corners. When this is done it should look totally like a RAD 70's panel paint job.

 

[Myself]

Then CAREFULLY go over corners with a long crosshatch motion. Then anything else using fingers or any other tool that fits the surface...........TADA!! Hood ready for sealer and paint.

 

[WFO Speedracer]

I'm sorry bro. But look at it like this......anybody can glue or bolt a set on. How many have you seen fully molded in? I'd guess most folks don't have the patience for this type of work. I like the 'one off' stuff.......cars, trucks, bikes, boats, whatever. And this Jet Ski will be 'one off' for sure.

Hmmm I wonder , I have been rodeoing for a while now.

 

[Myself]

Hmmm I wonder , I have been rodeoing for a while now.

Great minds think alike ! There could be SO many more super nice builds if folks would slow down a bit and take the time to do it!

 

[Myself]

I had water testing on skis to do every night this week after work so I wasn't ready for paint this weekend. I finished up all the 400 wet blockout today. After a good washdown and inspection I found some pinholes in the fairing fill I had to touch up....no big deal. Any large project like this will need little spot fills here and there before paint. Anybody that says otherwise is a LIAR! Anyhow, looking great now and I'm looking for a low humidity window to get paint down.

 

[Myself]

I got a window of low humidity (64%) this afternoon and got the first coat of white on the bottomside, pole, pole mount, and underside hood lip. This is the Pettit EZ Poxy white. It laid out pretty nice but 2nd coat I will thin a bit more or run higher air pressure. I know it can lay out a bit nicer yet! Man, that pump tunnel fill is SOOoooo smooth compared to the stock stepped in area.

 

[Donatello]

WOW!!!!!!

 

[Myself]

We had some more low(ish) humidity this afternoon. I went ahead and got some more painting done. Everything is now white and looks pretty good. I'll let it cure out a couple days and then wet sand. Then lay down another coat. Some of you might be thinking........WHY? Don't touch it, it looks great!! The fact is, you NEED a couple coats to build some thickness. Only one or two thin coats has potential for failing in only a few years. We have 2 medium wet coats right now.

 

[WFO Speedracer]

I have made some screwups over the years , especially when I firrst started out spraying white, the paint jobs that turned out the best were the ones that were resprayed over my failures , shooting over primer is one thing , shooting over paint that has been cured and sanded produces a better finish , always.