RESTO It arrrived!! My 1995 XP800 restoration project!

[emspjay]

Decided to tackle the hood before it got too cold out to use the hose. This took much longer than I expected, the paint was really on there. It took multiple coats of paint stripper and lots of elbow grease with a scotch bright pad. Got 2 pics of before, then one during stripping, one after stripping, then a few after the heat gun and a coat of trim restore.

 

[Matt Braley]

Great save

 

[emspjay]

So I got the bottom done and ready to flip it back over. I agree with all the other 1995 XP 800 threads that say the pink or whatever it is, is a PITA to buff out. I'm going to do a little more work on the sides and back once it is flipped back over before I put the sponsons back on.

 

[racerxxx]

Looks great so far

 

[Paul Bretz]

Quite jealous of this restore!

 

[emspjay]

Thanks Racer and Paul! Racer do you still sell the replacement weld in plugs for the exhaust pipes? If you do I need 8 of them.

 

[racerxxx]

Yep, I still make them. I can get them out this week. Shoot me a pm.

 

[emspjay]

Yep, I still make them. I can get them out this week. Shoot me a pm.

PM sent, thank you!

 

[jdanthony]

Lookin good!

 

[emspjay]

My black Friday seat cover arrived yesterday and I got it installed.

 

[racerxxx]

Cool, I'm still waiting for mine for my extra hump seat

 

[gsus67]

That looks so sweeeeet

 

[emspjay]

Thanks guys. I am pretty impressed with the Elite series cover. It's not strait vinyl it's the 1/4in foam backed vinyl and the extra stitching is a nice touch.

 

[Matt Braley]

Thanks guys. I am pretty impressed with the Elite series cover. It's not strait vinyl it's the 1/4in foam backed vinyl and the extra stitching is a nice touch.

Right that's Jettrim's move that they stole.

 

[emspjay]

So didn't get anything else done until today. Was busy with the holidays and then it has been so cold I didn't even want to bother running my torpedo heater. Starting to get a break from the extreme cold so back to work! I got the rivet holes filled today, filled them with epoxy resin. So next will be to sand these smooth then wet sanding and buffing of the topside will be next.

 

[racerxxx]

So didn't get anything else done until today. Was busy with the holidays and then it has been so cold I didn't even want to bother running my torpedo heater. Starting to get a break from the extreme cold so back to work! I got the rivet holes filled today, filled them with epoxy resin. So next will be to sand these smooth then wet sanding and buffing of the topside will be next.

Wow, I usually just rip a piece of tape and hole punch it and center it on the rivet hole. As soon as I finish I go back and pull the tape and use a straight blade to "scrape" the excess off. Looks good, but probably about 2 hours more work than you needed. Keep up the good work!

 

[emspjay]

Thank you Racer! I could see it taking an hour or two if you sanded the patches by hand but Dremel tool with sanding drum will be quick. I love my Dremel tool!

 

[mikidymac]

It’s easier to use Bondo Glass then scrape off the excess with a razor blade the minute it starts to harden. 100% waterproof and zero sanding.

 

[emspjay]

I have seen the threads using the bondo glass. I thought I had some in my chemical cabinet but I didn't. I had the resin so I went with that because I was being lazy. 40-45 minute trip to the store and $20-25 in gas and bondo? Or resin I had and 15 min sanding with the Dremel, I still think I made out.

 

[racerxxx]

Wait, there's s Wal-Mart 15 minutes from every home in the US, no way you should have to drive that far, LOL. Yes, they sell bondo glass there, it's $12.

 

[emspjay]

The local Walmart it actually 2 miles farther then the closest auto parts store from me, but I hate shopping there. And why do you guys get offended if somebody does something different than you guys? What I did still works and is 100% waterproof. I am not telling people to do what I did, I just posted what I did and you are bashing me.

 

[racerxxx]

You didn't offend me, ask ten guys and get ten answers. I just saw how much taping you did, personally I thought that was excessive, but to each his own. A lot of us have done this multiple times and have streamlined the process is all. We offer ideas that maybe someone hadn't thought of.....for the next guy reading this thread......helping in his restoration. We could easily just not comment or offer help, but that wouldn't be any good for the forum. The Wal-Mart comment as a joke cause you literally see them every mile down the road. We're just here to help and have a good time. I didn't see any bashing, I actually complimented you to keep up the good work.

 

[mikidymac]

Sorry didn't mean to come off as bashing you at all. Your method works just as good. Just giving another option that I found saves some time.

I should start bashing Racer though since he keeps posting at the same time as me. OR maybe its the other way around. LOL.

 

[emspjay]

Cool! Thanks guys! The reason the taping was so excessive is because I'm sure you both know that the consistency of resin is so more fluid than the bondo. I didn't want to accidentally drip it all over everything. I am into r/c boats and reinforce the hulls inside with fiberglass or carbon fiber and I tape off the whole outside hull to make sure I don't drip resin on it. A little bit of tape helps with clean up. And back to work for me!

 

[AdamXP800]

Very nice!!! I love the 95’s