Upgrading the KDX to DVX specs => KVX :)

[Christian_83]

So i kept the slow, but steady pace.
Got the back ends glued in. Let it cure till tomorrow, grind transition smooth and prepare to lay 2-4 layers of carbon over the seem outside and bag it, after this repeat inside, if its not impossible.
also i have to make pieces for the angled back piece that meets the tray.

 

[Sanoman]

Awesome work! @Christian_83

 

[Christian_83]

Thanks Don

 

[Christian_83]

So a little progress made, with huge amount of hours lol.
Had to close and "reinforce" the gap made from shortening the hull.
So thats the scupper side bagged and done, next is exhaust side and then its tray time, and soon the hull should be back together with a fair amount of prob 40-50+ hours spent lol

 

[DAG]

Looking great!! only 50hrs.. do mine next?

 

[FlyinRyan324]

Great work! Keep it up!

 

[Proformance1]

Looks legit, did this on a SJ years ago, I said never again. Definitely learn a ton from doing it this way. Did you take all your measurements on the DVX and Helium from the pump shoe?

 

[Christian_83]

Thanks guys, happy that some follow this project lol.
@DAG, haha then i wouldn't have time to ride my own
@Proformance1, the measurements are taken from the part on the jetski in the pump area, that almost flushes with the pump shoe, and then to the back of the hull

Debagged scupper side today, came out really great - actually better than i hoped, so thats great. Just gotta do some minor trimming and clean up.
Bagged the exhaust side today. Hopefully if this flow continuous i will have footholds glued ind and done before exit of the next week

 

[Christian_83]

So small steps today, debagged exhaust side and turned out as good as scupper side. Needs some cleanup.
Also Grinded the intake duct/pump shoe, due to galvanic corrosion. Carbon + saltwater + aluminium = a biatch that corrodes like a lot :/ So it comes with some layers of carbon fiber, wich was loose due to the corrosion of the shoe, so im gonna put 2 thin layers of glass to isolate it. then maybe 1 or 2 layers of carbon - if any at all.

My OCD got to me, so i took the scupper side, and gave it 2-3 more layers in all corners.

 

[Christian_83]

So got some work done, had to make a carbon bracket, to make a new back piece of the gunwale, the dvx have an arch, were the KDX is straight down. In order to get the DVX footholds to fit this arch much be made.
So i made one set, that wasn't wide enough, used a foam block sanded to match as template.
The next brackets i made was 2 foam blocks glued together. This collapsed during vacuum and heating. dont know if it was the contact glue or epoxy.
So i wanted the 3. set to be right. Made a template out of 2 pcs of 2x4 screwed together, sawed the arch, filled this with filler and laid tha carbon on this and bagged it.
These came out great. I got them trimmed today, test fitted. Cut the gunwale side on the hull to match the arch and now glued the pieces onto the hull
Hoping to get to gluing in the Footholds tomorrow, then final part will be to make a foam cored carbon piece, to fill the void space on top of the gunwale to flush the top of the foothold More to come, stay tuned

 

[Lm12]

Looking good. Let me know if you need any graphics.

 

[Christian_83]

So some progress today, got the clamps of the "brackets" and the were perfect
Got some final trimming done to the footholds and got some epoxy glued mixed up. quality epoxy resin mixed with 50% west systems 404.
@Lm12 thanks man, i do have a friend who does my graphics and got most years DVX vector files from Xscream
BTW the last pic with the weight pushing down to footholds, the container is filled with distilled water, not acetone

 

[chixwithtrix]

Really awesome build, like...real 'build' haha
Nice work

 

[Christian_83]

Today the glued was cured and the footholds was rock steady
I made a foam block to fill and raise up the gunwale, then wrapped it in carbon and bagged it.
Put on layer of carbon on the end of the footholds to close the hole, then tomorrow filling up with layers and vacuum bag it and glue in the "filling foam core carbon piece"

 

[Sanoman]

Awesome work,my friend! Love how it's all coming together

 

[Christian_83]

Awesome work,my friend! Love how it's all coming together

Thanks buddy. its so nice to be close to finished. The amount of hours and a bit of frustration going through a project like this is crazy lol
Oh yeah, and my vacuum pump broke down yesterday :S
So today i glued in the foam cored carbon "raisers"

 

[Christian_83]

So i did get the foam wrapped in carbon and glued to the hull. Yesterday i put a few layers over the "seams", so closer to done than every before

 

[lavis]

Awesome thread mate, you have done a amazing job nice work
so keen to do it to mine after reading this.

 

[Christian_83]

Soo 99% done, have had some challenges with getting vacuum, so what better thing to do than bagging the whole hull lol.
Next up is getting her prepped ready for paint. Im thinking about a flat black with some metallic in and then some neon graphics like the old scheme, it did cross my mind to get some really nice blue, purple isn color. But a flat black is always bad to look at
I weighed the hull before i started cutting in it, hull (48lbs) with mid shaft, GP800 mounts, cables, and some other hardware was 30.6kg
After i cut out footholds and the piece of the bottom i was at 29.0kg So today im at 30.3 kg with the work i did, so pretty happy 300 grams under target weight

 

[clouse22]

awesome thread. cant wait to hear ride report.