A 76 Hondo GT comes home

[OhHondoGT]

The original wood looked good after all the grinding, too bad I made a few rookie mistakes and ground through the top layer of it in a few spots. So I laminated down a layer of end-grain balsa and got some epoxy / cloth back over the floor by late fall. I went with epoxy because it's easier to work with, doesn't stink and is supposed to perform very well.

[OhHondoGT]

After the epoxy cured I started finish sanding in preparation for flow coating, I decided that I should start fabbing the new hardware before the final flow coat so I wouldn't have to worry about scratching it.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]
As you can see, everything is going to be new.

[OhHondoGT]

My brother decided to get in on the act and buy a Hondo flat to have some fun with, He purchased this 76 Hondo from Top Fuel racer Mike Robbins in North Carolina. It's getting new hardware also and a floor rehab, but he decided not to go as far as I did and I don't blame him.

[OhHondoGT]

A few more hardware pics..


At this point we're done fabbing and getting back on finishing the floors - more updates as soon as I have them.

[Sharp shooter]

Awesome!!! And 6 time hi point winner and driver of the year! Nice, you're quite accomplished!!!

The paint looks really nice! Hopefully you have a good work cover to protect it through all of this. Is that an Enderle in the action photo? Is that a tunnel ram under it? I like the ford idea and look forward to hearing more about that. The floors look like a ton of work, but it appears the hardest part is behind you so that's got to feel good. I like the GT deck Hondo's, they have a well thought out look and they aren't very common.

I can't see the last 2 attachments, something didn't work....?

[OhHondoGT]

Thanks again SS, the induction in the action pic is an Enderle hat on top of a tunnel ram - it worked really well and was incredibly responsive. As far as our accomplishments, it helped a lot to have a dad with 20 years experience running flats! He always had it set up to perfection and my 2 brothers put in a ton of work to make it all happen, I couldn't have done any of it without them for sure!

The paint in the pics looks much better than real life lol! Between all of the road rash from being drug all over to the races and serving as a shelf for the interim owner, she needs a paint job too but that can wait till after I get to drive it again! BTW, the orange sticker on the dash is the tech inspection sticker from the last race we attended at the end of the 99 season. It was still on there when I picked up the boat, too cool!

Not sure why the last few attachments didn't work, they showed up when I made the post. I'll try to fix them.

[Sharp shooter]

Thanks again SS, the induction in the action pic is an Enderle hat on top of a tunnel ram - it worked really well and was incredibly responsive. As far as our accomplishments, it helped a lot to have a dad with 20 years experience running flats! He always had it set up to perfection and my 2 brothers put in a ton of work to make it all happen, I couldn't have done any of it without them for sure!

The paint in the pics looks much better than real life lol! Between all of the road rash from being drug all over to the races and serving as a shelf for the interim owner, she needs a paint job too but that can wait till after I get to drive it again! BTW, the orange sticker on the dash is the tech inspection sticker from the last race we attended at the end of the 99 season. It was still on there when I picked up the boat, too cool!

Not sure why the last few attachments didn't work, they showed up when I made the post. I'll try to fix them.

Ok I see those 2 pics now!

Looking good! How much of a runner is under your boat? Is it the normal 5/8ths? Looks shallow in that last pic...

What color are you thinking for the hardware?

[2manymustangs]

After the epoxy cured I started finish sanding in preparation for flow coating, I decided that I should start fabbing the new hardware before the final flow coat so I wouldn't have to worry about scratching it.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]
As you can see, everything is going to be new.

Very nice work... AND FORD POWER!!! TELL ME MORE, please...

[OhHondoGT]

Very nice work... AND FORD POWER!!! TELL ME MORE, please...

Thank you. The engine is 525ci, pump gas, 10:1 compression. Ford Super Cobra Jet aluminum heads with a quick fuel 1050 carb. I had it in my 96 Mustang last year that went 9.82 at 139 foot braking so it makes decent power (about 630), I want to try a little bigger cam and a different intake for the boat to see if it will make a little more power. Really hope to run 10 ohs on pump gas, we'll see?

[GotHalos]

Great thread, thanks for sharing! Love the look of the Hondo decks.

Pretty awesome you were able to get the boat back after a long hiatus.