I have just a few things left to finish.

I have valve lifters adjusted and am getting ready to add the exhaust and intake manifolds to the picture. The rubber ring you see laying on top is the o-ring for the valve cover. I know they work but I keep thinking how much I like the gaskets used on v-8's better.

Intake was not bolted on yet in last picture. It is now. Of course I intended to paint all parts going on engine....well, that was before I had everything I needed to make it run. I guess it gets to have a few of those ugly brownish(and I am being nice here) things that were painted by universal.

Mike came over to help slide it in. It worked out that there was only room for one person to be in on the job. I ended up putting it in myself. I think it took about 15 minutes all together to set up boards to slide it on and get it in on the engine mount studs. I wish I had remembered to take a few more pictures but I will never forget it.

I wondered how hard it was going to be to remember where everything went. I had taken things loose and laid them in a way that made it quite simple. Everything is falling into place.

Not done yet, but now I can actually close the doors and all engine stuff is in there instead of out here.

a couple of things laying around here but I have the cockpit back until I start going through lockers trying to re-organize.

almost done with workbench.

Anchor locker is done. Anchor is up. I only have room for 125 feet of chain but that is the best that can be done as far as I know. I have extra chain that can be added if ever needed and about 250 feet of rope with a section of chain and another anchor if I want to use it. Bottom paint is touched up.

So I hurt myself putting engine in. I worked on it until I could no longer stand the pain. I decided to hell with the self-imposed deadline I had created. I am taking Mary Lee south the beginning of October and the worst of the work is done. I will get it done when I get it done :-)

  I had engine in the hole late thursday afternoon. When I decided I had all I could take was around 9:30 pm or so. I have had such a difficult time finding my bolts, screws and other such things on this job that it has added who knows how many hours. I took a break and just started cleaning up. I even took soapy water to cabin sole and cockpit.

 At about 3:30 am I had trouble getting up the ladder. My back finally had all it could take. It is Monday about noon as I am writing this......I have done nothing to boat since 3:30 friday morning.

I went with Anastasia to help bring her jeep home as Steve had to work on friday. It was a nice drive but I could tell my back was in need of a long rest.

All that is left on engine is hooking up a couple hoses, put in starter and alternator, hooking up respective wiring and ground wire for lift pump. glow plug wire and a bucket of water for fresh water pump so I can fire it. I think I can run it right here for a half hour and have head,  intake, exhaust and whatever else retorqued and adjust lifters again before launch so all I have left is to pitch engine once floating.

I "may" start on it today but it is noon and I have not had my coffee yet. I realize I might not feel rested for a long time so waiting until then won't be the answer. I have such a very few things left to do on Mary Lee.  I am going to re-bed all the deck hardware that I used butyl tape on. I guess that was poor advice. steve warned me last year but I wanted to do it over again so badly that I listened to the guy telling me the "easier" way he had discovered  :-) :-) :-)

I am guessing I will launch next Wednesday morning. I will pitch the engine and give it a trial run. If all is well I will be moving to a smaller marina and spending the last week with a small group of liveaboards. I will be going out every day testing things until I am satisfied with what I have done.

Almost there. It really has been a journey for me so far. I know it may not be much to read about yet, but for me to live it and fight my way back from where I was is a pretty big thing to me. Next blog will see engine running and Mary Lee being launched. See you then.