Highschool Riviera Build Project
Moderator: BruceDow
Re: Highschool Riviera Build Project
Perhaps you can just modify the cover rather than remake. It's going to be a box regardless. Add some curved corners and or exterior trim pieces. You might be surprised. Looking great so far.
Re: Highschool Riviera Build Project
Hi,
Its been awhile since I have posted an update. Since last summer, not much has happened - I have the subdeck on, I have the entire Interior built out - I am waiting on the upholstry, and I have the engine rewired - this leaves a relatively short list of things to do before this summer, Including:
While this is a large list, once again I have cleared a three week period of my time at the end of the year at the beginning of the summer to work on the boat. Last year I was able to accomplish a considerable amount in that time; which is why I am confident in my ability to complete the boat this year. I think I should be able to get the boat running and driving at some point before the end of summer, with next years task being the fit and finish of the boat; the swim platform, wooden trim pieces, drawers & cubbyholes, mahogany floors, etc. I haven't had much time to work on the boat since I have been away at college - but I plan to continue working when I am home for breaks; I plan to get the rudder installed and encapsulate a large portion of the interior by the end of winter break. Thank you for all your wisdom and support these last few years.
-Michael
Its been awhile since I have posted an update. Since last summer, not much has happened - I have the subdeck on, I have the entire Interior built out - I am waiting on the upholstry, and I have the engine rewired - this leaves a relatively short list of things to do before this summer, Including:
- Alternator/Front of the engine
- Throttle/shift cables
- Rudder
- Dashboard
- Dashboard Wiring
- Exhaust Tubing and Tips
- Encapsulation of interior
- Fuel tank & Plumbing
- Carpet
- Bilge Pumps & Weepholes
- Decking
- Chrome Fixtures
While this is a large list, once again I have cleared a three week period of my time at the end of the year at the beginning of the summer to work on the boat. Last year I was able to accomplish a considerable amount in that time; which is why I am confident in my ability to complete the boat this year. I think I should be able to get the boat running and driving at some point before the end of summer, with next years task being the fit and finish of the boat; the swim platform, wooden trim pieces, drawers & cubbyholes, mahogany floors, etc. I haven't had much time to work on the boat since I have been away at college - but I plan to continue working when I am home for breaks; I plan to get the rudder installed and encapsulate a large portion of the interior by the end of winter break. Thank you for all your wisdom and support these last few years.
-Michael
Re: Highschool Riviera Build Project
Hi guys!
Its been another year since an update has occurred. Since my last update, I have spent time in University, so I have been away from the boat for quite some time.
But I have gotten a few small things done. I have run wires for all the accessories I can think of - and I ended up rewiring the engine yet again. I tried to clean up the engine wiring as much as I could, but the wiring harness left over from the car is quite prohibitive, so it still looks quite messy. But I have made sure each and every wire is labeled at both ends, while also grouping like items together - (starting fuses are next to starting fuses, ignition fuses next to ignition fuses, etc.) I dont believe I have shared a picture of the engine wiring before, but it is quite complicated - everything on the plywood panel attached to the side of the boat is just for the engine. I have also drilled holes for the water pickup and the rudder, and I am waiting for the epoxy to set up on those holes right now so I can do a final installation and get cracking on the cooling system. I have also fabricated some brackets to hold the behemoth of a heat exchanger. The only place to mount it was above the transmission behind the engine.
While looking at this heat exchanger, I found that running the cold raw water from the bottom then the hot raw water out the top was the easiest way to do things, but I am unsure if this is common practice. Does anybody else run from bottom to top? While progress on the boat has slowed, it most certainly has not stopped.
Thank you for your support,
-Michael
Its been another year since an update has occurred. Since my last update, I have spent time in University, so I have been away from the boat for quite some time.

While looking at this heat exchanger, I found that running the cold raw water from the bottom then the hot raw water out the top was the easiest way to do things, but I am unsure if this is common practice. Does anybody else run from bottom to top? While progress on the boat has slowed, it most certainly has not stopped.
Thank you for your support,
-Michael
Re: Highschool Riviera Build Project
Hi Michael
I used the Toyota fuse/relay box which incorporates all those relays and wiring. Also the fuses normally used by the chassis were used for the boat's circuits. My heat exchanger is fed from the bottom. After the pickup the raw water goes through the seacock then a "T" for flushing, next through the raw water pump which is mounted beside the bellhousing and driven by a jack shaft from the front of the engine. This position is nice and compact, but a real PITA if you have to replace the impeller. Next time the engine comes out I am going to mount the pump at the front of the engine. The pump feeds the transmission cooler then up to the heat exchanger. I could not find any info on flow rates through the heat exchanger, but I had them for the transmission cooler so the raw water pump size and drive speed was designed to meet the transmission cooler's requirements. This flow rate was found to keep the heat exchanger working efficiently too. I was lucky as the 1UZ non-VVT engine has threaded mounting holes on the cylinder heads, so the heat exhanger is mounted off those. I understand the VVT heads don't have those pads. Keep up the good work.
I used the Toyota fuse/relay box which incorporates all those relays and wiring. Also the fuses normally used by the chassis were used for the boat's circuits. My heat exchanger is fed from the bottom. After the pickup the raw water goes through the seacock then a "T" for flushing, next through the raw water pump which is mounted beside the bellhousing and driven by a jack shaft from the front of the engine. This position is nice and compact, but a real PITA if you have to replace the impeller. Next time the engine comes out I am going to mount the pump at the front of the engine. The pump feeds the transmission cooler then up to the heat exchanger. I could not find any info on flow rates through the heat exchanger, but I had them for the transmission cooler so the raw water pump size and drive speed was designed to meet the transmission cooler's requirements. This flow rate was found to keep the heat exchanger working efficiently too. I was lucky as the 1UZ non-VVT engine has threaded mounting holes on the cylinder heads, so the heat exhanger is mounted off those. I understand the VVT heads don't have those pads. Keep up the good work.
Re: Highschool Riviera Build Project
What engine and gear is that??
Oak is over rated, everything about it takes extra time; then it warps, splits or checks !!! 

Re: Highschool Riviera Build Project
Thank you Ozzieboat - I have been scratching my head about the heat exchanger for awhile. The only cost effective raw water pump configuration was crankshaft driven. I am making an aluminum "hockey puck" adapter that will fit inside the crankshaft pulley, allowing me to have a surface to mount the raw water pump to. Unfortunately to get the engine out of the car, we had to cut the wiring harness, which left the fuse box in the car. Since I have the 3uzfe engine with VVT, I believe we have different heads. There are some places on the top of the engine where I can thread bolts into, however they are oddly placed. Initially I tried to use these bolts to mount the heat exchanger, but they were too irregularly placed.
I also noticed your throttle body seems to be on the side of your engine - mine is on the front, which makes putting an air filter on it a challenge.
kens - I am using a 3uzfe mated to a zf63a - It makes about 290hp, 325 lb-ft torque, and it weighs only 430 lbs. I chose this engine because it was far cheaper, incredibly reliable (in cars), higher HP, and lower weight compared to its mercruiser counterpart.
Thanks,
-Michael
I also noticed your throttle body seems to be on the side of your engine - mine is on the front, which makes putting an air filter on it a challenge.
kens - I am using a 3uzfe mated to a zf63a - It makes about 290hp, 325 lb-ft torque, and it weighs only 430 lbs. I chose this engine because it was far cheaper, incredibly reliable (in cars), higher HP, and lower weight compared to its mercruiser counterpart.
Thanks,
-Michael
Re: Highschool Riviera Build Project
Hang in there Michael. College is very important and you will definitely benefit from it . Think of it like this. By the time you finish, you'll have a boat nearly ready to go. Even if it takes a few more years, you'll be able to enjoy it both the building and the riding. My hats off to you for doing both of these at the same time. Keep at it. You won't regret it.
Re: Highschool Riviera Build Project
Oh, is that the engine from the Toyota ski boat venture of some year ago?
What gear ratio is the ZF-63?
What gear ratio is the ZF-63?
Oak is over rated, everything about it takes extra time; then it warps, splits or checks !!! 

Re: Highschool Riviera Build Project
Yes, these engines are what Toyota used in the "Epic" boats. The one I used, as pictured, is an earlier model to Michaels. 4 litre, 260hp, 200 lbs/ft at 1000 RPM and 250 lbs/ft at 4000 RPM. 300 lbs lighter than a Chev 350. In my Monaco it consumes 12 Litres/Hr at 3000 RPM which gives a cruise speed of 30 Knots. The down side is that there is a bit of work to convert to a marine engine, although there are some "Epic" engines on the market.
Re: Highschool Riviera Build Project
I believe that the zf63 has a ratio of 1:1.5 - but I do not know for sure. I bought it for $400 off of ebay - it shifts quite nicely, doesn't leak, and was supposedly rebuilt right before I bought it. It came from a man converting his 1987 chris craft center console to diesel. Either way, I believe it was a good find.
Re: Highschool Riviera Build Project
Heyo -
Another quick update. Since last posting I filled all the small gaps between the sub deck and the sides of the boat, and I have also permanently mounted the shaft log and the rudder post. The sealant really is messy stuff - unfortunately I ran out of gloves halfway through the process, and woke up with my fingers stuck together. I don't know why, but I hadn't looked down the shaft hole yet, but in doing so I was delighted to find the end of the transmission line up near perfect with the shaft log. Even though I am attending college, I find that the boat project is a good calming way to spend my time between homework, study sessions, and exams. Even though progress has slowed, university has given me the opportunity to appreciate the boat building process more than ever.
Thank you guys for your support,
Michael Shade
Another quick update. Since last posting I filled all the small gaps between the sub deck and the sides of the boat, and I have also permanently mounted the shaft log and the rudder post. The sealant really is messy stuff - unfortunately I ran out of gloves halfway through the process, and woke up with my fingers stuck together. I don't know why, but I hadn't looked down the shaft hole yet, but in doing so I was delighted to find the end of the transmission line up near perfect with the shaft log. Even though I am attending college, I find that the boat project is a good calming way to spend my time between homework, study sessions, and exams. Even though progress has slowed, university has given me the opportunity to appreciate the boat building process more than ever.
Thank you guys for your support,
Michael Shade
Re: Highschool Riviera Build Project
My update posted twice, ignore this post I don't know how to delete it.....Sorry!
Last edited by 18shamic on Thu Apr 09, 2020 6:01 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Highschool Riviera Build Project
Hi all,
During all this madness we are all living through, I am fortunate to have been able to find solace in the boat building process. As many of you know, universities have switched to online classes, which means I am living at home where the boat resides.
While in Quarantine I have been working hard to get the boat ready for this summer. (Like I haven't said those words before) Since I last posted, I have done quite a bit of work. I have completed the install of the rudder, hydraulic steering cylinder & Lines , plumbed fuel lines & return lines to where the fuel tank (will) sit, as well as finished a majority of the cooling system. The remainder of the cooling system should be finished by the end of the weekend. This includes the side exhaust, which were a larger challenge than I anticipated, due to the curvature of the boat's sides. But every problem can be overcome, it just takes a little bit of patience and perseverance. After the cooling system is completed, my to-do list is getting short.
Off the top of my head the remaining list includes:
Thank you,
-Michael
This isn't really a high-school project anymore...
During all this madness we are all living through, I am fortunate to have been able to find solace in the boat building process. As many of you know, universities have switched to online classes, which means I am living at home where the boat resides.
While in Quarantine I have been working hard to get the boat ready for this summer. (Like I haven't said those words before) Since I last posted, I have done quite a bit of work. I have completed the install of the rudder, hydraulic steering cylinder & Lines , plumbed fuel lines & return lines to where the fuel tank (will) sit, as well as finished a majority of the cooling system. The remainder of the cooling system should be finished by the end of the weekend. This includes the side exhaust, which were a larger challenge than I anticipated, due to the curvature of the boat's sides. But every problem can be overcome, it just takes a little bit of patience and perseverance. After the cooling system is completed, my to-do list is getting short.
Off the top of my head the remaining list includes:
- Dashboard - (I have a CNC cut file designed, I just need the wood - I also already have all the wires run to the proper places in the boat, with a few spares)
- Top layer of decking (Once again, just need the wood - I already have a local supplier set up too
- Install fuel tank (Already have a mount made up)
- Shift Cable
- Driveshaft & Engine Alignment
- Prop
- Deck Fixings
- Send the upholstery off
- Repaint the boat (It has suffered a ton of "hangar rash" I was thinking of changing the color to black? What do you think?)
Thank you,
-Michael
This isn't really a high-school project anymore...