- Location
- Reno,NV
I managed to reseal a bunch of them as long as they are not cracked, then using your method with the shut of valve and they have run for years .....
Flipping couches for fun and profit
- Thread starter WFO Speedracer
- Start date
Myself
manic mechanic
- Location
- Twin Lakes AR
I saw the lines, I thought those were just marks from the case halves.
WFO Speedracer
A lifetime ban is like a lifetime warranty !
- Location
- Alabama
Don't worry I thought the same till he pointed it out and I blew the pic up and looked closer .
- Location
- 1 Mile High in Colorado
Not fun, and very little profit margin, but I recently dipped my toe into the waters of couch flipping to find a river beater / wife craft. I also wanted a nicer trailer out of the effort so I ended up with 2 Kawasaki 750 couches. 1995 SS Xi and 1998 Xi Sport.
I first purchased the 1995 SS Xi and said to myself - done! But then I found the 1998 Xi Sport with the ideal singlewide sitdown trailer I had been eyeing up. Even better - it had an in-state title!
So I had already gutted, cleaned and rebuilt the 1995 SS Xi, including carbs and crank seals on the 750 small pin. I threw this on my old Load-Rite Bandit trailer, which can haul about 25 mice, or 1 lightweight jetski. This sitdown is really stretching it's limits!
Next up - fixing up the 1995 Xi sport with the 750 big pin in decent condition. This sucker was ran into a big rock and punched a hole in the hull. I begrudgingly put my fiberglass repair hat back on (many bad memories of this a decade ago...) and it actually looks okay now. I reinforced the front Vee with 5 layers of 1208 biax. Everything else is 3 layers of 1208. The rear of the hull had some holes as well - just threw 2x 1208's over them. The main goal is just to have something the wife can cruise around on but I can also take on river trips and not kill my superjet in the rapids. The main things I like about the newer 1998 is - no stupid trim adjust to break, rear sponsons so it's not constantly 180'ing, splash guard molded into the hull, slightly better engine? Simpler electronics too - although I did delete temp sensor and use block offs to go to premix on both of these.
Someone had attempted to repair this previously - it was pretty hideous and very fragile - so it needed to be redone if I was going to keep it.
In the end - my goal all along has basically been to wash the costs -
$850 for both skis and the trailer, sold the 1995 and my older trailer for $1400! So probably $400 in parts between them to repair and tune up everything and another hundred or so in stuff I've not tracked accurately.
The end goal was really a river cruiser and a newer "free trailer" to build up and not account for my time - which has ended up being a lot more than I expected so I have some ragerts...
I first purchased the 1995 SS Xi and said to myself - done! But then I found the 1998 Xi Sport with the ideal singlewide sitdown trailer I had been eyeing up. Even better - it had an in-state title!
So I had already gutted, cleaned and rebuilt the 1995 SS Xi, including carbs and crank seals on the 750 small pin. I threw this on my old Load-Rite Bandit trailer, which can haul about 25 mice, or 1 lightweight jetski. This sitdown is really stretching it's limits!
Next up - fixing up the 1995 Xi sport with the 750 big pin in decent condition. This sucker was ran into a big rock and punched a hole in the hull. I begrudgingly put my fiberglass repair hat back on (many bad memories of this a decade ago...) and it actually looks okay now. I reinforced the front Vee with 5 layers of 1208 biax. Everything else is 3 layers of 1208. The rear of the hull had some holes as well - just threw 2x 1208's over them. The main goal is just to have something the wife can cruise around on but I can also take on river trips and not kill my superjet in the rapids. The main things I like about the newer 1998 is - no stupid trim adjust to break, rear sponsons so it's not constantly 180'ing, splash guard molded into the hull, slightly better engine? Simpler electronics too - although I did delete temp sensor and use block offs to go to premix on both of these.
Someone had attempted to repair this previously - it was pretty hideous and very fragile - so it needed to be redone if I was going to keep it.
In the end - my goal all along has basically been to wash the costs -
$850 for both skis and the trailer, sold the 1995 and my older trailer for $1400! So probably $400 in parts between them to repair and tune up everything and another hundred or so in stuff I've not tracked accurately.
The end goal was really a river cruiser and a newer "free trailer" to build up and not account for my time - which has ended up being a lot more than I expected so I have some ragerts...
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WFO Speedracer
A lifetime ban is like a lifetime warranty !
- Location
- Alabama
This one just became mine today , and it couldn't have come at a better time .
The customer is leaving it here to cover the shop bill , he gets the trailer back.
The Inner crankshaft seals on this engine are completely shot , we installed an electrical solenoid last year to cut the oil supply off when it wasn't running , somewhere down the line it stopped working and it is stuck in the open position .
So when I went to Summerize it this year the engine was full of oil again , I got the oil out and got it started but it never would completely clear out , it smokes up the entire yard when I fired it up, then after sitting a short amount of time the engine was full of oil again.
I have a good used crankshaft sitting in a box on the workbench ready to go in it , meanwhile I have another RFI that just needs a few parts to be wrapped up and ready to sell, this ski has those parts .
So I am going to rob the parts I need , pull vinyl on a couple of seats , then sell the green RFI and then repair and sell this one , it needs nothing cosmetic other than a new hood deflector , I may even have that here I will have to look , if not I will have to buy a cheapo one and paint it to match or I may get away with just painting it Black.
The customer is leaving it here to cover the shop bill , he gets the trailer back.
The Inner crankshaft seals on this engine are completely shot , we installed an electrical solenoid last year to cut the oil supply off when it wasn't running , somewhere down the line it stopped working and it is stuck in the open position .
So when I went to Summerize it this year the engine was full of oil again , I got the oil out and got it started but it never would completely clear out , it smokes up the entire yard when I fired it up, then after sitting a short amount of time the engine was full of oil again.
I have a good used crankshaft sitting in a box on the workbench ready to go in it , meanwhile I have another RFI that just needs a few parts to be wrapped up and ready to sell, this ski has those parts .
So I am going to rob the parts I need , pull vinyl on a couple of seats , then sell the green RFI and then repair and sell this one , it needs nothing cosmetic other than a new hood deflector , I may even have that here I will have to look , if not I will have to buy a cheapo one and paint it to match or I may get away with just painting it Black.
Attachments
WFO Speedracer
A lifetime ban is like a lifetime warranty !
- Location
- Alabama
My buddy has a rough looking RFI with a good engine in it , I am supposed to get it running for him but I believe we are pulling an engine swap and splitting the profit on both skis to get some quicker turnaround times. on these two. I have RFI cases , crank etc , so I can build a bottom end then just swap out the rest after I get the engine assy out.
- Location
- Reno,NV
Looking for a clean 717cc doo bottom end with crank that was previously pressure tested with good inner seals ..... if anyone has that left over , prefer non tariff price price
WFO Speedracer
A lifetime ban is like a lifetime warranty !
- Location
- Alabama
Can't help you out on that one , it's a tall order and if I had one I would have to keep it for myself . I have several 720 project skis that are going to need motors .
I am just going to start putting reman cranks in them , most of these 720 powered skis I have , I either have zero or very small amounts of money in, on a flip ski zero is always a good place to start.
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- Location
- Lake Havasu City, AZ USA
My Brother found a WaveVenture 1100 for free with trailer that had caught fire in the nose section area for some reason. The fire did not affect the engine or electronics. It has excellent even compression and spark on all three cylinders. I just sold it for $300, exactly what my Brother owes me... hahah 
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- Location
- Lake Havasu City, AZ USA
Beside collecting money from couches, the 2nd best part is sawzall time! hehehee
WFO Speedracer
A lifetime ban is like a lifetime warranty !
- Location
- Alabama
I thought about running the trashed hulls through an old Hammermill I have here , we used it to make cattle feed , mulch etc. , basically anything you can shove in the intake of that thing gets pulverized , it has a bunch of steel pieces in that sling out when it rotates and they act like both knives and hammers , there are different size screens in the bottom of it you can change out , the smaller the holes the finer the finished product comes out , basically it beats the crap out of something till it fits through the holes in the screen , it is the noisiest thing you ever heard in your life , like 100 elves inside of a 55 gallon drum with hammers trying to get out.
You would still have to cut them up small enough to get through the intake and all the metal would have to come out of them of course , you would also have to get suited up , and you would really need an air supplied respirator to do it but all these hulls here would end up in maybe 10 -20 bags of SMC- Fiberglass dust .
You would still have to cut them up small enough to get through the intake and all the metal would have to come out of them of course , you would also have to get suited up , and you would really need an air supplied respirator to do it but all these hulls here would end up in maybe 10 -20 bags of SMC- Fiberglass dust .
Myself
manic mechanic
- Location
- Twin Lakes AR
I don't mess around even with a sawzall. The dust from anything like that can cause SERIOUS complications later! I just haul the whole thing to the dump. Costs me about $50 per hull to dispose.
- Location
- Reno,NV
Sorry not a couch but still impressive .... lol 750 SX ..... oh that little hole .... and look at the flywheel ... i found the spring for the bendix in the cases hole ... sprinkles on top of cylinder and pitted head ....
Attachments
- Location
- Reno,NV
as for NO NEED hulls i do not have to cut them up , we manage 130 properties and property rehabs so always a dumpster avaliable .... and i do remove battery, oil and gas ..
WFO Speedracer
A lifetime ban is like a lifetime warranty !
- Location
- Alabama
We do have a dump site here that will take them , it's a sanitary landfill site . just haven't hauled any off lately as it costs money and time , it's a really weird setup , like Orangefinder said gas and oil tanks have to be removed but to dump there you have to go to city hall and get a permit every time .
The permit is by trailer size and number of axles on the trailer , so to game the system a bit I built a 16 ft single axle trailer that holds five skis on the first layer , if you can get them up there at least another four on top of the first five , you have to be able to unload whatever you have on the trailer by yourself so that's an issue I have to address but yeah I will climb up there and kick them off if I save enough money.
It gives flipping couches a whole new meaning.
The permit is by trailer size and number of axles on the trailer , so to game the system a bit I built a 16 ft single axle trailer that holds five skis on the first layer , if you can get them up there at least another four on top of the first five , you have to be able to unload whatever you have on the trailer by yourself so that's an issue I have to address but yeah I will climb up there and kick them off if I save enough money.
It gives flipping couches a whole new meaning.
- Location
- Reno,NV
wow , what a weird process ... mabey get a dump trailer ? then just drive up and tilit it .... lol
WFO Speedracer
A lifetime ban is like a lifetime warranty !
- Location
- Alabama
Then I have to have a huge truck to pull it with , I am trying to keep hull disposal costs as low as possible .
- Location
- Lake Havasu City, AZ USA
I just take hulls whole to the dump here(they don't care). I only use a sawzall on the sides to cut the engine out of the hull.
WFO Speedracer
A lifetime ban is like a lifetime warranty !
- Location
- Alabama
Well I am updating this thread and getting back on the original topic of the thread, yeah , yeah I know it's been way too long and the thread is wayyyyyyyyyyyyy off topic.
At any rate I finally felt decent yesterday so early yesterday morning I made the trek up to the lake and retrieved the GTS , I filled it up with gas and put a battery in it she fired right up so later yesterday we water tested it , she runs perfect , idles perfectly and it pulls out of the hole perfectly with two people on it, we probably rode it for about an hour.
100%
I am satisfied with it so now I am cleaning it up, putting in on another trailer and putting it up for sale this week, we will see what we will see.
At any rate I finally felt decent yesterday so early yesterday morning I made the trek up to the lake and retrieved the GTS , I filled it up with gas and put a battery in it she fired right up so later yesterday we water tested it , she runs perfect , idles perfectly and it pulls out of the hole perfectly with two people on it, we probably rode it for about an hour.
100%
I am satisfied with it so now I am cleaning it up, putting in on another trailer and putting it up for sale this week, we will see what we will see.
WFO Speedracer
A lifetime ban is like a lifetime warranty !
- Location
- Alabama
I am still feeling pretty good today , Cardiologist appt yesterday so that entire day was completely cashed .
Today is trailer swap day , I scored this beautiful Seadoo RFI in the first pic last week but he wants the trailer back , so I swapped it onto the trailer my GTS was on , then I took my 97 GTX off it's trailer so the GTS can go on it .
While I had the customers trailer empty I loaded up the Jammer , brought it home and gave it a bath, I refuse to work on nasty skis even if they are mine or should I say especially if they are mine.
I will go through that Comfab trailer and make sure it has good lights, tires and wheel bearings , I also have to run new wiring for it.
While I was at it I took the Sea couch off my Towgo trailer and put it on that double galvanized trailer I repaired and welded up last year , that poor Sea couch is apparently in neverending limbo mode., maybe one day. At least it is on the trailer with the donor ski I am using for it's powerplant now.
I did have to replace the bunks and brackets on one side, among other things apparently that trailer was caught in a fire of some kind because both bunks were extra crispy , I also had to put all new bunk brackets on it , I haven't put carpet on the bunks yet but at this point it don't matter.
I am putting the Jammer on that Towgo trailer , should be a perfect fit for it and a stand up , hopefully I can make the Lake Marting standup ride on the 28th with at least the Jammer and hopefully the 300SX .
Today is trailer swap day , I scored this beautiful Seadoo RFI in the first pic last week but he wants the trailer back , so I swapped it onto the trailer my GTS was on , then I took my 97 GTX off it's trailer so the GTS can go on it .
While I had the customers trailer empty I loaded up the Jammer , brought it home and gave it a bath, I refuse to work on nasty skis even if they are mine or should I say especially if they are mine.
I will go through that Comfab trailer and make sure it has good lights, tires and wheel bearings , I also have to run new wiring for it.
While I was at it I took the Sea couch off my Towgo trailer and put it on that double galvanized trailer I repaired and welded up last year , that poor Sea couch is apparently in neverending limbo mode., maybe one day. At least it is on the trailer with the donor ski I am using for it's powerplant now.
I did have to replace the bunks and brackets on one side, among other things apparently that trailer was caught in a fire of some kind because both bunks were extra crispy , I also had to put all new bunk brackets on it , I haven't put carpet on the bunks yet but at this point it don't matter.
I am putting the Jammer on that Towgo trailer , should be a perfect fit for it and a stand up , hopefully I can make the Lake Marting standup ride on the 28th with at least the Jammer and hopefully the 300SX .
Attachments
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