RESTO My Carbon Fiber X4's

[Matt Braley]

They both hit at the same time today after working on (and for) these deals forever. As I met Jess today from Westside Powersports (Minnetonka4me's brother 99SPXXX) over in Miss to get the 95 the Uship driver was delivering the 96 to my work.

These are only carbon fiber from the rail down. This part was $6500 to buy back then just over the counter. As we know you could get a brand new XP back then for that much. I have the catalog for the 96 and they claim 50% weight savings.

Much more to come on the specifics but I just wanted to announce their safe arrival and get the thread started. Jess was awesome that's him there on the left.

 

[sc10rr]

those look good! whats under the hood motor wise?

 

[ocod]

Very cool!

 

[manolocross]

Another dual guage hood Matt???? It always cool to see the face behind the name.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Matt Braley]

The 95 with the dual gauge hood is this ski http://www.seadooforum.com/showthre...r-tnt-pipe-msd-umi-hood-trim-system-RARE-FIND that I got from Jess. It's the only dual gauge hood I have. I will probably revive it the way it was and just keep a little race fuel around for it. I like the way the guy tried to make it look like a XP 800 so I may keep that going especially since the correct decals will be available due in part from the work of guys on this forum.

This 95 beat the "new Rave Slant engines" for a couple years after they came out. Eventually I would like to de-tune it to run pump fuel so it could be ridden more often but I have other skis for that. There are some other cool parts on it that Jess did not mention like a Fluid Balance pto and a aftermarket drive shaft(probably titanium).

The 96 had a VE stroker engine in it. It was over 64mph and was purchased by a guy in Cali (he paid $5500) who races an HX. He transferred the whole setup to his race machine he will be entering this weekend at the World Finals in Lake Havasu, AZ. I saved the hull from going to Thailand where X4 racing is still relevant (google King's Cup jetski).

I will probably power the 96 with parts from my Zebra ski. I can't believe I'm gonna have to sell that thing (search Extremely Modified X4) but I have to take a lot out of it to get it down to a $2500 X4 while still keeping it a 60+ mph pump gas ski. I like a challenge and my winter project time is already projected as you can see.

 

[Spimothy Leary]

sweet !!! Me likes !

 

[96spxpos]

So the bottom of both of those hulls are carbon fiber?
Whats the total weight (estimated) on each one? (trying to compare the weight vs a regular x4)

 

[Matt Braley]

I don't know the exact weights or differences really. I estimate that each one is 50% lighter then a stock one. Especially(as Jetskigoodies has found also) since some of the stock hulls got water saturated and took on quite a bit of extra weight. These hulls only were used a few years before they were deemed an unfair advantage that only the rich race teams enjoyed.

The 95 XP800 hulls are made from a lighter fiberglass then the 96's so there is a 20-30 lb weight savings there. My upright engined 95 has a regular white 95XP upper deck but they ground the glass thinner to save weight before they bonded it together.

My 96 is AMAZING!!!! This thing has never had pump gas in it, never been outside a garage outside race day, etc. It's got that castor oil and race fuel smell and the yellow, oh the yellow! No fade whatsoever, never been buffed, never needed it. OK you get it I'll shut up.

 

[jhjesse]

Looks great Matt. Keep us posted on your progress.

 

[Matt Braley]

Here are some pics of the 96. It would be a good candidate for a 951 the way the front bar is there so you could move the mount over but I'm a 787 man. It already has the T tank in it. I wish I had the back piece to those Jettrim mats perhaps I'll have them make me a replacement. Just not sure about the color scheme yet. I'm not giving up the yellow

 

[mikidymac]

I say keep the top deck yellow but sand and polish the bottom to see the carbon fiber. That carbon hull is rare and cool so let it be seen. I always liked the WestCoast carbon/kevlar hulls back in the day.

 

[Matt Braley]

I like that nice carbon fiber look but this is gel coat that I would hate to loose. I'm not even sure if it would look that pretty judging from the side I can see under the seat. I actually like the way the skis look I'll probably just get some XP 800 decals for the 95 and leave the 96. I like purple and it's right at home on both these.

There might be minty hump seats underneath the AP designs seat covers but the AP's are still nice so I'll just leave them and wonder for now. I've been blowing off cleaning up tools and organizing parts so I'm making myself put some time into that before I start on these. As you can tell I'm happy just having them.

 

[Matt Braley]

I'm getting close to tearing into the yellow 96 that gets the 787. I've been assembling some parts for it and wanted to start showing them off. I got these billet mounts from Rhaas Products. The aluminum flywheel was old stock in a performance shop out west....Brand New! I want to use one of my R&D steering stems on it also.

 

[AdamXP800]

Keep us updated on this build Matt. I can't imagine a carbon fiber 96 XP, they are already so light and have a good snap to them. This thing will be awesome

 

[Matt Braley]

Thanks I'm excited. Here are a few more cool parts. I taped the oem viser on the carbon 3 gauge hood. If I can get the cracks fixed I would like to go that way.

The air induction carbon hood is awesome but gaugeless.

Check out my yellow 100% silicone rear exhaust hose from Westside Powersports:

 

[Minnetonka4me]

Looking awesome Matt!! I sure loved that ski jess sold you, but the true #1 X-4 hoarder needed it in his collection.

I cant wait to see/hear that crazy motor run. You were talking about how expensive the carbon hulls were...that Rossier motor was in the $7500 range if I remember correctly in its time.

Get those things running. My brother and I need to come burn some c-12 VP with ya.

 

[AdamXP800]

Man this is going to be awesome! This will be one sweet winter build

 

[Matt Braley]

Thanks guys. I keep this one on my mind while I still have to wrench on other things. I may get to start as soon as next week. I need to figure out how to post the big pics that you don't need to click on. Anybody got instructions on that?

Thanks Minnatonka. I look forward to taking these around and showing them off once they are finished. Hopefully we can get a big ride planned in the center of the country sometime.

 

[racerxxx]

1. www.photobucket.com
2. Create an account
3. Upload photos(transfer from your PC to photobucket or from your phone to PB)
4. View "Library"
5. Hover over pic and then hover over the gear icon in upper right of photo
6. Click on Share links
7. Click on the IMG code in the white bar on the lower right(it will copy it to your clipboard)
8. Come back to your thread here
9. Click on REPLY
10. Right click in the body where you would type
11. Click on paste
12. Preview post
13. Enjoy pics!
14. Click Submit reply

In the body of the post (before you preview it) you will see YOUR PHOTOBUCKET PIC URL[/IMX] last X will be a G

I think there is a new thing where you have to select what size you want your pics to be displayed. I just can't find it. Not sure if it was a SDF thing or a PB thing.


Can't wait to see this unit get built with all the candy! I'd love to measure up that R&D steering system. I'm just curious as why they used such a long shaft out the bottom, UMI keeps theirs pretty short.

 

[soccerdad]

Another way to post the big pix is to post them from your phone using Tapatalk. Tapatalk hosts the pictures automagically. It is a free app. Then you can always come back to the post and edit it at your PC if you dont like typing on your phone.

 

[Spimothy Leary]

1. www.photobucket.com
2. Create an account
3. Upload photos(transfer from your PC to photobucket or from your phone to PB)
4. View "Library"
5. Hover over pic and then hover over the gear icon in upper right of photo
6. Click on Share links
7. Click on the IMG code in the white bar on the lower right(it will copy it to your clipboard)
8. Come back to your thread here
9. Click on REPLY
10. Right click in the body where you would type
11. Click on paste
12. Preview post
13. Enjoy pics!
14. Click Submit reply

In the body of the post (before you preview it) you will see YOUR PHOTOBUCKET PIC URL[/IMX] last X will be a G

I think there is a new thing where you have to select what size you want your pics to be displayed. I just can't find it. Not sure if it was a SDF thing or a PB thing.


Can't wait to see this unit get built with all the candy! I'd love to measure up that R&D steering system. I'm just curious as why they used such a long shaft out the bottom, UMI keeps theirs pretty short.[/QUOTE]

spot on.... just a quick note that PB allows you to edit/resize there, I generally try to stick with 800x600 or smaller.

matt/nick, absolutely love the silicone hose.... first time i've seen one.
everything else looks sweet as well, genuine X4 porn there.

 

[Matt Braley]

Here we go. Attempting pics of aftermarket bar pile and a stainless Neptune pipe.

 

[racerxxx]

Nice job on the pic posts. Now to take it one step further.............. When you paste the copied link at the end you will have a [/IMG][/URL] Delete the [/URL] and the entire top line. This will remove the click thru link on your pics so people can't rummage through your pics or get directed to PB. I also set all my folders to private, again so people don't rummage thru my pics. So if you hover over your pic here on SDF the little hand will pop up and I can click on it and go see the 2 pics you have currently in "your bucket" on your PB account--creepy right? I think PB does it to try and get you to buy the image on a mug, mouse pad or toilet paper or something, I see no use for it so I delete it.

And as far as Tapatalk and posting pics...for me its a love/hate relationship. Love how easy it is, hate how when I'm on a PC it's a thumbnail I have to click to enlarge. If it's in one of my threads I limit the tapatalk pic post to what I consider "not important pics", I want the fullsize pics on my build threads. But if someone just needs a quick pic of a certain whatever in their thread, I just snap it with my phone and post via tapatalk. I guess I just want people looking at my threads to not have to do extra leg work to see a pic full size, like what you want to do.

Also if you find a random image on the web you can right click on the pic and "copy image URL", then paste it into a post so you can just manually enter the [XXX] at the beginning and the [/XXX] end of the link replace the XXX with IMG

 

[Matt Braley]

I sent the cracked and visorless carbon fiber hood off to a carbon guru who is making me a custom waterbox for the ski. I'm very excited to see what he comes up with.

Gary at Jettrim died today. He is a huge player in the PWC community and widely accepted as the best of the best. I was going to have him make the seat for this so I don't know what to do now. May he rest in peace and I hope Jettrim goes on.

The weather is nasty so I started putting the engine together cause I can do it in my little tool shed. It's a good OEM crank and CB in some RFI cases I got off ebay for $86 shipped and cleaned up.

 

[1of500]

That sucks about Gary. I just got a quote from him last week...