1977 Almarine Meteor Jet Boat

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JetDriver
Posts: 43
Joined: Mon Jul 20, 2009 6:28 pm
CMBA Member: 0
Location: Bristol

Re: Hi CMBA

Post by JetDriver »

Hi Huntsman, wow, 3 meteors all at once :D Any more out there? :hmmm:
Pics would be great. Exhaust came with the boat and the muffler is a VETUS item. Your engine should be held by two cross braces, are the rubber mounts for the front brace there? Would be very easy to make one up if its just the brace that's missing.

Here are some more pics, hope they help. Feel free to pick brains, would be great to have 3 meteors on the water!

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new flywheel (old one had bad teeth!)

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1977 Almarine Meteor Jetboat Restoration http://almarinemeteor.blogspot.com/

huntsman 31
Posts: 10
Joined: Mon Aug 17, 2009 3:23 pm
CMBA Member: 0
Location: lincoln

Re: Hi CMBA

Post by huntsman 31 »

hi mate your sea fire looks spot on thanks for answering my problems, i only have one engine brace and two exhausts i think thay came with the boat from new i just have two, my mate has just made me two new engine beds so i need to glass them in first and fill the little holes when it lost its coupling, not in my owner ship.most of my photos will not load up i will try alter my camera if i can. i did get a old but never used jet pump off ebay £180 lucky as you like.will chat more later hope my photos work
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JetDriver
Posts: 43
Joined: Mon Jul 20, 2009 6:28 pm
CMBA Member: 0
Location: Bristol

Re: Hi CMBA

Post by JetDriver »

Nice mate. Looks like it's in good shape overall. The faded gel coat comes up quite well with some cutting polish and a good wax. Should be a straightforward job to fix the hole in the inlet, lucky it didn't sink when that happened!
Can't believe you found an unused pump on ebay, that's a good find, would like to see some pics, also would be a good reference for tip clearances etc.
Have you had the engine running? I know a good guy for BING carb parts if you need them. Is it still on the old Capacitor Discharge ignition? Had to change mine cos the original one was mullered and the previous owners points system was a joke.
Is the jet pump on yours a single or twin stage (1 or 2 impellers)? Presuambly a UA? Noticed you have one coolant pipe coming from the pump, whereas mine has two :hmmm:
Any idea what the aluminium plate thing over the inlet scoop is for?
Looks like you need a new windscreen, you can use mine as a template if you need one making up.
So many other questions :D
1977 Almarine Meteor Jetboat Restoration http://almarinemeteor.blogspot.com/

huntsman 31
Posts: 10
Joined: Mon Aug 17, 2009 3:23 pm
CMBA Member: 0
Location: lincoln

Re: Hi CMBA

Post by huntsman 31 »

hi mate my pump is only one impella and is a "ua" im gutted its not two,as your boat should be faster with the two. i do have some of the old pump left but not all, see photo of gray pump,if you need any of it give me a shout as its the same as yours and ua is rockin horse sh?t . my rotax 637 runs sweet at low speed but has some sort of fuel starvation at high will try gettin a 12 volt pump may be. it came out of a buckaneer with a dodgey ua pump all for £150 i love e bay. im not that clever with engines but the points look like a cdi box. i have no idea on the aluminium in let brace, was going to use it for mounting my steering when i get it, or the wife lets me buy it :grrr: . i,ve had my boat nearly 2 years now, how long have you had yours, have you had it in the water yet ,i can not wait for mine. i am thankful for the template of the screen as it will save me lots of time and yours looks spot no. do you live far from lincoln? i was the little one in the photo fat jay only just fits in :D. have you seen the seafire speedboat vids on youtube there is no jetboats "yet" but all that will change with a pair of yellow ones thrashin about may be three, what colour was mateys or did he not buy it. off on a beer run "the wifes birthday" no she did not want a steering system
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JetDriver
Posts: 43
Joined: Mon Jul 20, 2009 6:28 pm
CMBA Member: 0
Location: Bristol

Re: Hi CMBA

Post by JetDriver »

Tbh the single stage pump may not make that much difference on such a small boat. Should be easy to fit a 2 stage if one comes up for sale, but as you say, rocking horse poo. I've owned boat for about 10 years LOL but have only started work on it properly over the last couple of years. Doesn't help that it's about 140miles from where i live :grrr: as have no space for it in Bristol. This year i've done most of the work as i'm determined to finish this project before moving onto my next, bigger, 4 wheeled project! Its yet to get wet though but reckon i'm only about a month away. Funny you say about fuel starvation but my Bing carb has had the fuel inlet drilled around the needle valve, maybe this is to prevent the same problem by letting more fuel into the float bowl :idea: Could be the diaphragm pump that runs off the crank case pressure causing the problem too though. Do you have a trailer and tow car? Would be cool to take it to a CMBA event just to meet up and swap info over a beer. Have seen the seafire's on youtube, they go like stink even with 15-20hp outboards! The only meteor I've seen for sale was described as "a real whore on the water" :wot:
Sorry to hear your wife doesn't want a new steering system :lol:
1977 Almarine Meteor Jetboat Restoration http://almarinemeteor.blogspot.com/

huntsman 31
Posts: 10
Joined: Mon Aug 17, 2009 3:23 pm
CMBA Member: 0
Location: lincoln

Re: Hi CMBA

Post by huntsman 31 »

hi mate would love to meet up with someone as crazy as me over the meteor. I've tried writing this message 4 times this weekend but it kept wiping my message i hate computers. my tow-car is an 850R but my boat trailor has rust issues around the wheels. But can convert my box/crosser trailor to do the job. When i was 12 i had an a black seafire with a 15 hp outbard hense my love. but would only do 20 mph ish but lots of fun. Do you know what hp the old rotax 637 will put out? :wot: My project car is an MK1 ss eagle kit car. With lots more work than the boat. But i do not know if i am smart enogh to finish i See my photo of the yellow peryl. Will carry on picking brains over months to come. spot on.
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JetDriver
Posts: 43
Joined: Mon Jul 20, 2009 6:28 pm
CMBA Member: 0
Location: Bristol

Re: Hi CMBA

Post by JetDriver »

The seafire hulls looks very quick. 20mph must have seemed pretty fast in something that small. The Rotax 637 as standard generates about 45hp so should be quick, although the old UA jet will probably eat quite a lot of that power. I have lots of data on the Rotax if you need it. Main tip when starting is to wind in the idle screw a little so the choke slider just starts to lift, but never use any throttle. If you open the throttle even a little the vacuum in the idle system breaks down and will not work making it harder to start (something I found out the hard way!). Oh and never use easy start (another thing I learnt the hard way!).

Car looks very cool. Would look good in black or a TVR colour and with headlamps flush with the bonnet.
1977 Almarine Meteor Jetboat Restoration http://almarinemeteor.blogspot.com/

huntsman 31
Posts: 10
Joined: Mon Aug 17, 2009 3:23 pm
CMBA Member: 0
Location: lincoln

Re: Hi CMBA

Post by huntsman 31 »

hi Dom my rotax starts sweet or it did when it was in the buckaneer, it was only the pump that knocked badly when we took it out for a thrash,still got 2 of us on the plane tho, micky mouse must of fitted it with only one arm as the movment in the impella was shocking and held in place with a moody nut and bolt, "finger tight" :hmmm: I gave the buckaneer to my mate, who is doing it up for his son as the wife said i could only have one boat :evil: then one sold on e bay for £180 gutted as it was worse than mine one. I,ve still not done any work on mine, too much going on in my life and its been raining. I need to finish sanding the mounts but last time was itching like a dog with fleas ,i hate fiber glass. The parts i need to get are one cable for reverse,the engine brace,the rubber mounts and my steering , not alot if you say it quick. How much have you got left to do? as i would love to see it on the water and make me pull my finger out to finish mine

JetDriver
Posts: 43
Joined: Mon Jul 20, 2009 6:28 pm
CMBA Member: 0
Location: Bristol

Re: Hi CMBA

Post by JetDriver »

When you say the pump "knocked", was that cos the impeller was hitting the wear ring? How was the impeller moving? Sounds bad, hope mine doesn't do that. I have heard the UA shafts need sleeving or replacing with a stronger shaft with more than about 40hp.
Was hoping to get mine finshed last weekend but car needed some work and as you say, the rain didn't help. Just got to finish shaping the inlet scoop (about half a days work) then fit the jet unit. Have also drilled another hole in the dash so i can fit a volts gauge as i have no charging system so need to keep tabs on the battery. Will look good as it now has a gauge either side of the steering wheel. The old temp gauge was fubar'd so bought a mechanical temp gauge. Very impressed with the quality.
Last jobs are to put together the new trailer, organise 3rd party insurance, a place to test it, sort a date to borrow a friends van with tow bar, and buy a lifejacket! Might even give the thing a polish! Next free weekend is end of September so fingers crossed might be able to get it in the water before October.

The end is in sight! Which is good cos my back cant take any more leaning over that engine bay and my wallet cannot take any more abuse.
1977 Almarine Meteor Jetboat Restoration http://almarinemeteor.blogspot.com/

huntsman 31
Posts: 10
Joined: Mon Aug 17, 2009 3:23 pm
CMBA Member: 0
Location: lincoln

Re: Hi CMBA

Post by huntsman 31 »

The impella was just loose on the shaft like egged from what i can remember who ever put it togever was a bit thick even by my standerd. why are you making an inlet scoop? my new white pump scoop did not fit my boat as its angled at the tramsum "see photo"is that the bit your making? so i used the one that came with the boat :perfect: but the buckaneer,s will fit yours dude so for the price of a beer or two when we meet up i will gladly send it in the post no worries. i am off to lincoln boat club tonight for a beer with the wife and catch up with old friends . i know all about car trouble my old volvo is blowing like a tractor on the cat but one of the turbo stud will snap if they try to loosen it so thats got to come off too, drilled and tapped :twisted: hope the rain holds off to let work start again "i need to come and play too" how will i know if i have or not got a charging system :? as i have no clocks just switches and buttons,sorry can not put any photos on some ulc error or im just being thick

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