RESTO 96' HX Resto
- Thread starter mikidymac
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Those aren't fruit flies. The neighbor down the street has a couple goats and pigs and this time or year we get a fly explosion. We are in the County so they can have a couple animals although other than a line on the map you can't tell we are not in the city.
critracer
Active Member
And more progress yesterday. All hoses and electrical back together and had to make a new battery cable.
The clear hose that is just to the lower right of the battery tray. Is that the vent tube for the battery and does it exit to the right of the gas fill tube? That's the one hose that I can't remember where it goes. If it is for that my new battery does not have a vent so I guess I won't need it or is there a use for it?
Nice work by the way.
Well, it's officially done! Totally restored and ready to add gas and begin the long painful process of breaking it in.
But unfortunately I won't have a free weekend until the beginning of November so it looks like she is going to have to wait until spring for her maiden voyage. It's going to be a long fall and winter.
But unfortunately I won't have a free weekend until the beginning of November so it looks like she is going to have to wait until spring for her maiden voyage. It's going to be a long fall and winter.
DanSquires
Well-Known Member
That looks really nice, great job!
Looking through this gave me the itch to pick up an HX..
Looking through this gave me the itch to pick up an HX..
The decals are the original ones. I just masked them off during the sanding and buffing then removed the tape during the final buff to bring the shine back. I do know that PWC Graphics has reproduced them and sells a kit.
LOL, no it is not since I have never even ridden an HX. After it is broken in I will decide if I like it enough to keep it but that will not be until the spring.
Thank you though.
johnnyfever
Member
Great job. Hopefully it runs as good as it looks!
You are correct however my weekends are booked into November then it becomes dirt bike riding season and a little too cold for me. I could throw on a wetsuit but I would prefer to wait till spring.
Well, summer is finally here and we actually have water in one of our lakes for a change. I had the chance to take the HX out for her maiden voyage yesterday and she ran great.
Now, I admit I have ridden most skis and started on stand-ups but this HX was it's own animal. I was very nervous from all of the horror stories of how hard it is to get on and was a little intimidated to be honest. I am 6'3" and 200 lbs, so not the perfect candidate for the HX. To my surprise it wasn't that bad. Don't get me wrong it is super tippy and unstable and I would never recommend it to a beginner ever. Even a WaveBlaster 1 is more stable.
I was breaking it in so I ran it at 1/4 throttle which isn't easy since it needs to go to be stable but in a quick jump and I hit the gas and was headed out of a large no wake zone. Now, breaking in a new ski is very nerve racking since you hear every little sound and every little engine pulse thinking something is wrong and worried if you are going to sink but at some point you just have to do it. after about 15 minutes I shut it off and floated to shore to let it cool for a heat cycle and check for issues. Floating it I again realized how unstable this ski is, it will float engine off but you can't just relax and sit there as it wants to roll. I popped the hood and everything looked good.
After about 2.5 hours running off and on to heat cycle it I started getting it to just under 1/2 throttle to continue my break in routine and this is where it started to come alive. It was just at the transition of coming on the pipe and starting to have enough speed to try a turn and I suddenly saw the glory of the HX. This thing turns or rails like nothing I have in my fleet. The best way I can describe it is a sit-down stand-up. It rides just like a stand-up but you can't stand up. When standing it is way too top heavy and just rolls over on you. My cousin had his WaveBlaster 1 out and it's nothing like that either, it is less stable than a WaveBlaster, WOW!
After almost 3 hours of off and on it was getting blown out so we headed in and my legs were killing me since they have to be bent all the time an there is no room to stretch out, remember when I said it's not made for someone 6'3"? It was a great day and I can't wait to ride it again especially when I can actually give it some gas.
I did have one episode of panic, when I was blowing to water out on the ramp it started to run away then went full on runaway, CRAP!!!!! I pulled the choke as soon as it happened because I know the sound when it's getting ready to so I was prepared. It ran so good all day, it was pressure tested, damn it, what could it be? After wiping it down I popped the hood to check for water and expecting to see half a tank of fuel but I saw none. After looking again and sloshing I finally saw a little fuel at the bottom of the tank. I am hoping at this point the runaway was from it being almost out of fuel and can't believe how much we burned. The plugs were nice and black so it isn't running super lean so until I can get some more fuel in it and check again I am a little worried.
All in all the HX is a keeper for no other fact than it is stupid fun and a challenge. It' isn't a ski that everyone can ride and will only be appreciated by a few. If you wan't a ski that is a challenge to ride, sprays you in the face every chance it gets and can rail a turn, try an HX, if you can find one......
Now, I admit I have ridden most skis and started on stand-ups but this HX was it's own animal. I was very nervous from all of the horror stories of how hard it is to get on and was a little intimidated to be honest. I am 6'3" and 200 lbs, so not the perfect candidate for the HX. To my surprise it wasn't that bad. Don't get me wrong it is super tippy and unstable and I would never recommend it to a beginner ever. Even a WaveBlaster 1 is more stable.
I was breaking it in so I ran it at 1/4 throttle which isn't easy since it needs to go to be stable but in a quick jump and I hit the gas and was headed out of a large no wake zone. Now, breaking in a new ski is very nerve racking since you hear every little sound and every little engine pulse thinking something is wrong and worried if you are going to sink but at some point you just have to do it. after about 15 minutes I shut it off and floated to shore to let it cool for a heat cycle and check for issues. Floating it I again realized how unstable this ski is, it will float engine off but you can't just relax and sit there as it wants to roll. I popped the hood and everything looked good.
After about 2.5 hours running off and on to heat cycle it I started getting it to just under 1/2 throttle to continue my break in routine and this is where it started to come alive. It was just at the transition of coming on the pipe and starting to have enough speed to try a turn and I suddenly saw the glory of the HX. This thing turns or rails like nothing I have in my fleet. The best way I can describe it is a sit-down stand-up. It rides just like a stand-up but you can't stand up. When standing it is way too top heavy and just rolls over on you. My cousin had his WaveBlaster 1 out and it's nothing like that either, it is less stable than a WaveBlaster, WOW!
After almost 3 hours of off and on it was getting blown out so we headed in and my legs were killing me since they have to be bent all the time an there is no room to stretch out, remember when I said it's not made for someone 6'3"? It was a great day and I can't wait to ride it again especially when I can actually give it some gas.
I did have one episode of panic, when I was blowing to water out on the ramp it started to run away then went full on runaway, CRAP!!!!! I pulled the choke as soon as it happened because I know the sound when it's getting ready to so I was prepared. It ran so good all day, it was pressure tested, damn it, what could it be? After wiping it down I popped the hood to check for water and expecting to see half a tank of fuel but I saw none. After looking again and sloshing I finally saw a little fuel at the bottom of the tank. I am hoping at this point the runaway was from it being almost out of fuel and can't believe how much we burned. The plugs were nice and black so it isn't running super lean so until I can get some more fuel in it and check again I am a little worried.
All in all the HX is a keeper for no other fact than it is stupid fun and a challenge. It' isn't a ski that everyone can ride and will only be appreciated by a few. If you wan't a ski that is a challenge to ride, sprays you in the face every chance it gets and can rail a turn, try an HX, if you can find one......
Awesome. Now put real power vts on it like me and you'll absolutely love it. That's a game changer, and you'll only eat water in the turns when trimmed down, but much moe since you can really stuff the bow in the turn. Oh and I'm 6'2 over 230 but probably closer to 250, lol.
Let me get some more time on her and see what she can really do before I spend more on her. But thanks Racer!
Just read through this thread, very enjoyable. I'm 6'-3" 200lbs as well and as a relative newbie, I find my 95 XP hull just as tippy as what you just described on this machine. I actually tipped over and went for a bath last summer just sitting in the lake with the engine cut. I've put 4 hours of break-in on my new GTI and I did the first 2 hours with a wet suit because I don't want to die of hypothermia (lakes around these parts are still cold regardless that the air temp is in the 80s the last few days). Yeah...I did the second 2 hours in shorts. I'm not sure I could tip this thing if I wanted to. 
Nice looking machine btw, I'm going to be embarrassed posting pictures of my XP.
Nice looking machine btw, I'm going to be embarrassed posting pictures of my XP.
Just read through this thread, very enjoyable. I'm 6'-3" 200lbs as well and as a relative newbie, I find my 95 XP hull just as tippy as what you just described on this machine. I actually tipped over and went for a bath last summer just sitting in the lake with the engine cut. I've put 4 hours of break-in on my new GTI and I did the first 2 hours with a wet suit because I don't want to die of hypothermia (lakes around these parts are still cold regardless that the air temp is in the 80s the last few days). Yeah...I did the second 2 hours in shorts. I'm not sure I could tip this thing if I wanted to.
Nice looking machine btw, I'm going to be embarrassed posting pictures of my XP.
Thanks for the comments. I also have a 1996 XP and the HX makes it feel as stable as a 3 seater.
Paul Bretz
Active Member
The hx is a different animal. A real enjoyable animal. I was a little hesitant about my first ride on it but after 5 minutes of riding i had quite a grin on my face. Ever since ive owned mine, its had a drop trim which is awesome by the way. If you think its fun with a 720, you oughta try with an 800. Whew we.
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