300/440/550 Frankenstein kawasaki 1978 440 + 1986 550

[adet16v]

I bought a 650 and 440 on a trailer about a year ago and when i got there to pick it up the dude asked me if I wanted this junker 550 he had laying around too and threw it in for free. Neither the 440 or 550 were anywhere near running condition so I combined the two of them into this project.

Currently running.

'86 550 piston port
mariner head
mariner waterbox
factory half pipe
mikuni bn 44
westcoast flame arrestor

BEFORE:

 

[oxnard111]

looks like a bunch of work, but good luck. If you can look for a reed valve engine to throw in that puppy.

 

[adet16v]

Since then, The ski has been fully painted, new turf, top and bottom end rebuild on the motor, rebuilt carb, painted the motor, some fiberglass repairs, bondo... the list goes on....


AFTER PICS:

 

[djyox]

looken sweet!!!

 

[Wolf Child]

how do you guys get bondo to stay on a water craft?

I just repaired 2 fist sized holes in a PWC and there was NO WAY I'd trust bondo to hold. even as a filler putty. I just built it up with chopped glass and epoxy resin, then ground it back down flush. IMHO.... this is the only SOUND fix you can do.

 

[cookerq62]

Adet glassed behind the old outlet and the just faired it in with bondo. I looks perfect. The previous owner reinforced the exhaust outlet with a road sign. This ski came out awesome for how little he spent and for how much of a pos the 2 skis were.

 

[douglee25]

Coooooook!!!! Adettttttttt!!!! We better be riding soon!!!!

Doug

 

[Shonuff]

how do you guys get bondo to stay on a water craft?

I just repaired 2 fist sized holes in a PWC and there was NO WAY I'd trust bondo to hold. even as a filler putty. I just built it up with chopped glass and epoxy resin, then ground it back down flush. IMHO.... this is the only SOUND fix you can do.

Don't use a polyester-based product like Bondo for marine use as it absorbs water. :woot:

 

[Shonuff]

And lookin' good.

 

[Idok]

you can use MARINE bondo...that works

 

[WAB]

How much water could it really hold? I would not think much if any. It is sealed in with several layers of paint anyway.
I used regular auto body filler (bondo) on my Squarenose ski to smooth out some spots. :shrug: I think you will be ok.

that 550/440 ski has some a long way :biggthumpup: it looks terrible in those first pics.

 

[douglee25]

Bondo is fine for a fairing compound (ie smooth rough spots before paint). Bondo is no substitute for epoxy compounds when doing fiberglass/SMC repairs on watercraft.

Doug

 

[adet16v]

i layed mutilple layers of glass both from the inside and outside where the hole was, then on the outside i used some bondo just to fill in the ruff spots and built it up above the fiberglass surface than sanded it down by hand flush. I was really pleased with how it came out.

this was a fun little project and as cook said it was very cheap... all told I think about 200-250 dollars was spent on getting it to where it is now... and yes it has come a very long way, the thing looked like a f'ing gumball when we started, it had 5 different paint layers on it. FIVE.

I have more pictures of it finished up and pictures of the engine all finished up and painted, they are on my roomates lap top, I will post them up this weekend when he gets back

 

[adet16v]

heres a few more in the meantim

primer then paint

painted head and flywheel cover

 

[adet16v]

a few more