Better than yours 550 freestyle build.

[Foximus]

Id like to state that I started working on this about a week ago.

So I originally started out workin and ridin 550s and I love them to death... naturally my only concern with them is the motor and pump configuration. However at the time I had my 550 piston port motor turning close to 9000 rpms so what did it matter? Anyway I converted, sold my 550 and bought a squarenose. A year later I'm bored with it. After everything Ive done that thing is still to heavy. So back to the Kawi's. This is a project Ive been planning to do forever but just never got around to it. Enter the Dragon!

Took a while but I finally had a 650sx hull donated. Yippee... no motor, no pump, no steering. About as good for riding as a balooga whale. Out comes the Chop Saw! A few trash cans later I have made the 650sx significantly lighter. :arms:

 

[Foximus]

This is the part that took the longest. Finding a 550 hull for free/cheap. For some reason they became impossible to find around CFL. Traded this one for some porting work (which I still have to do... :wall: ) Got right to work and cut the pump out. I got to excited and didnt take pictures of the 550 with the missing pump cavity, but after lots of trimming and measurement I got the 650 cavity lined up and glassed in. I used 1 layer of 17oz biax, 1 layer of glassmat, and 1 layer of 6oz cloth. I did this once on the inside of the hull and once on the outside, so a total of 6 layers sandwiching the hull together. Unfortunately I did not have any 404 around when i did this, so I just made some glass chop to fill in the larger voids. I think I finished around 4 am.... Took some careful grinding (and by careful I mean totally haphazard on my part) to make the chines match up, and I am left with a 2" gap on the back, I will have to cut and flush up the 650 cavity to the 550 angle.

I now have a 140mm pumped 550 hull. :439:

 

[tricky1]

very nice

 

[madscientist]

i would go through the gun whales and reinforce the seams from that angle as well

 

[Foximus]

Flipped the ski, glassed the inside of the pump cavity... pain in the ass to reach down and glass in the cavity towards the end (not pictured). Managed to get one 17oz biax strips down each side and conform. After this I routed the cooling lines and steering tube. I was unable to fully remove the old PVC steering tube, so I used a smaller diameter 3/4" flexible PEX tubing and sleeved it into the old tube. This worked good though slightly messy. Dual cooling for the win, using some toilet plumbing from the Depot of Homes.

I got bored layed it on its side and put in a layer of 7oz kevlar using a 10" tape I had laying around. Unfortunately I took so long that I was only able to get down one layer.... I felt stupid.

 

[Foximus]

So here is where the fun part starts. Because I'm using the 140mm 650 sx pump, I am now open to lots of options that weren't readily available before. Such as a simple x2 trim nozzle :bananapowerslide: Took a grinder to the steering nozzle, made the thing have a lot more throw side to side. Then I flipped the trim ring/nozzle to operate as a up trim instead of a trim down nozzle. Also notched that for more throw. I'm estimating about 30*. I had to cut out about 4" from the back of the ski to get enough room. I feel I will step on this thing quite easily.

 

[Foximus]

So now the trim is in and I realized I ran my cooling lines in the wrong places, I need to run a trim tube on the right hand side since I flipped the trim ring. Cut the old brass sealing cap from the discarded 550 pump cavity, this was a pain in the ass, tons of glue all around there. This time I actually used 3/4" pvc and ran it straight forward. (Since I will not be using a waterbox for this ski, I may or may not run a rear-side exhaust down this side as well?) Swapped the cooling lines and everything worked out good.


So now I'm using the last of my resin from my square nose hood project, and I made a mold and then a set of footholds. Turned out nicely. Made a $200 order from UScomposites this morning, waiting on stuff to finish these as well as EVERYTHING else.

 

[brett]

gonna be tough to build one better than marks (fearlessnuts.) thats by far the coolest 550 ever built.

 

[Foximus]

We'll see about that. I know I'm a big fan of his ski, and mine may not be as pretty but I have a feeling it will pack a bigger punch, and perhaps a bit more innovative.


I picked up a 650ts for 100 bucks with title. Pulled it apart and got more than a few things I needed. Namely a motor in near perfect condition, electronics, and a great skat 15.5 impeller. I pulled the motor apart, advanced timing 3mm and found that the stator and bendix are brand new! Widened the exhaust ports to 53-54mm, rounded the edges and widened the top, mostly to reduce blowback. I also bored out the exhaust manifold quite a bit... Still looking for any 650 exhaust system to use (stock or not) I'm planning on raising the rear transfer port roof a bit and perhaps increase the boost port roof angle.... any tips would be appreciated because I cannot find much kawi 650 specific information.

I will eventually be swapping to better breathing SP750 cases or if I am lucky swapping out to a complete small pin 750.

Im now waiting on motor mounts to be delivered.

 

[turnagainhardcore]

This is going to be interesting how this turns out!! I have been thinking of doing the same, seeing how much I can do with the least amount invested. something that i am not worried about wrecking and just keep doing stuff to it and see what happens, I will be keeping my eye on this thread forsure!!

Keep up the good work and the pics coming!!

 

[Mark Gomez]

HOLY CRAP!

My build was pretty gnarly but more on a traditional 550 level. This is going to be a ripper dude! Dibs on a ride:brap:... Please?

Drop me a line I might have a little something something innovative im working on as far as a handle pole goes.:wink:

 

[Flat Brapp]

Nice build, If you need an exhaust im almost positive i have an old mariner setup laying around somewhere.

 

[Foximus]

Mark... You know youz the bests. LoL. And not to bring a bad note into this... I feel almost guilty saying it... but since the unfortunate news about surfjet louie it seems I will have to make my own tubbies instead of buy some from him... So I guess Ill have to foam the the hull and make make them right on the hull like you did... I also have a cool pole project of my own going, but Id love to see what you have up your sleeve.


So since I'm waiting on resin and other stuff to get here I have been working on little stuff.


Since I wont be using a water box (and footholds eliminated the original one) i ripped out the fire extinguisher tube from the 650 and I am placing it in the nose where the gas filler was.

I also took latches off the 650ts and some scrap aluminum and made a better latch system.... No more rubber band!

Ill post more pics of the pole when I get the resin. :naughty:

 

[madscientist]

i am liking your build bro, hope to check it in daytona

 

[sxi4evr]

Drop me a line I might have a little something something innovative im working on as far as a handle pole goes.:wink:

:headbang: yay for feerlessnuts handle poles!!!

 

[orangefinger]

" THE DOMINATOR 550 " will soon be seen and I think it has a slight chance of competing with these skis....more to come !

 

[Foximus]

what a copout of a tease. Seriously orange.... thats lame.

 

[Polish jet pilot]

Fox, I'll be a big fan of this thread. Last season I did my first "complete 550 build". I use the quotations because we all know that a 440/550 hull without big pump takes away from the real potential of this light ski... I am also quite positive that a shorter than stock pole will dramaticaly increase the abilities.... anyways put in a nice carb in (46-48mm) and that thing will fly..

Props to you!

Andrew

 

[Polish jet pilot]

And I am so sorry for Louie..great guy...and his stuff made miracles on my ski in terms of handling...RIP

 

[Foximus]

Blasted and powdercoated stuff today....

Mariner ride plate, mariner and KTC intake grates, a couple PTO couplers, the motor mounts that Ive been waiting on forever....

Found a couple sources on 750 motors as well, and I'm still waiting on resin and foam to do the pole. Need to locate a good bolt I can counter sync and use for conversion plate bolts since i'm making my own conversion plate as well.


Other than that, no progress has been made. I feel like Ive lost that huge momentum. And finals week blows.