1976 Bicentennial Restore

[Rist420]

What is bet Len?

This is the reason for my attachment to this boat. The below pic is me in my uncles boat in 1985. This was the boat I grew up in and loved this boat very much. He sold it in 1993 and I was 16 at the time. Only had enough money to either buy the boat or buy a car. Unfortunately I bought the car, the boat was sold and that was it. He then bought a Checkmate, which sucked big time. Ever since he sold the boat, I was on a mission to find one, fix it up, and have a picture with my son in the drivers seat when he is 7, which is how old I was when this pic was taken. My son is now 4.5 yrs old now, so hopefully I will have it done in the next two years (I better have it done next year!!!!) The looper on the back of my uncles boat was a 1975 115 Johnson. Made the boat run in the mid 60's. The 1500 XS Merc that will be on mine will probably get the boat to the upper 70's???

Now you know the reason for this restore. I am looking forward to taking her to various outings to meet all the folks out here on this forum. Thanks for all the input and encouragment!

[varmint1]

You'r gunna have one sweet Viper. How rare is the Bicentennial Edition, I love it. Like the rest of us ,take one step at time.

[ccrick]

Ryan, any progress? Call me when you get the floor out. I would like to see the stringers and how their mounted and just look it over. Let me know. Rick. <----no more of this for the year. Got time to help!!!!

[HST4ME]

It'll look something like this.

[Hippie459MN]

That looks like sonics viper.

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[HST4ME]

That looks like sonics viper.

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*shudders* man that was a nightmare! lol

[olyball]

Love the picture. I took many rides on that same boat. The "Dopp Boat" we called it. When you're done with the restore, I hope to see it take a run on Sand Lake again. Good luck with it.

This is the reason for my attachment to this boat. The below pic is me in my uncles boat in 1985. This was the boat I grew up in and loved this boat very much. He sold it in 1993 and I was 16 at the time. Only had enough money to either buy the boat or buy a car. Unfortunately I bought the car, the boat was sold and that was it. He then bought a Checkmate, which sucked big time. Ever since he sold the boat, I was on a mission to find one, fix it up, and have a picture with my son in the drivers seat when he is 7, which is how old I was when this pic was taken. My son is now 4.5 yrs old now, so hopefully I will have it done in the next two years (I better have it done next year!!!!) The looper on the back of my uncles boat was a 1975 115 Johnson. Made the boat run in the mid 60's. The 1500 XS Merc that will be on mine will probably get the boat to the upper 70's???

Now you know the reason for this restore. I am looking forward to taking her to various outings to meet all the folks out here on this forum. Thanks for all the input and encouragment!

[VultureNo2]

I didm't know him but I did pass him on the lake all summer. I had a blue vulture on the chain at the time. What did "Dopp Boat" mean?

[Sonik]

It'll look something like this.

Heeeeey, I'd recognize that hole in the bottom anywhere J/K bro...S'all good Lynn, you can admit it....it was fun I'm glad I didn't try to finish grind and lay in the new stuff myself after what you went through...I'd have made a big mess of it no doubt.

I've never seen a bicentennial boat up close and personal and wish I had made it to Jasper this year to check out the one that made it. Keep after it man!!! All the busted knuckles, tool throwing, and itching pays off when you string 'er out that first time and you can't stop smilin'

Rick, I'll bet that its put together the same as mine was/is. Individual stringer bonded to the bottom with core between...not stringer ON core like some of the "newer" boats. Once I cut along the floor register the floor came up with no problem. There was some chooper residue on the tops of the stringers which was a piss-poor way to try and bond the floor to the stringer tops but it held well enough that there were no signs of vibration or rubbing on the floor bottom.

[olyball]

I used to go to the lake rjlehr13 was referring to in the picture when he was little. Went every summer sterting in about 1977. Dopp was the owner, from what I can remember, I was 5. I grew up in the same city as him. You said you passed him on the lake? Sand Lake, Tawas, MI? My parents live there now, I would love to see the boat.

I didm't know him but I did pass him on the lake all summer. I had a blue vulture on the chain at the time. What did "Dopp Boat" mean?