TOPIC: Hello all from the dark (Tin) side

Hello Everyone,
My name is Jeff, or 75GT one here. Just joined the site because I'm embarking on a new journey in life. I have spent the last 20 or 22 years give or take as a "tinny". I love old tin Starcrafts and have restored three super sports and two islanders. I'm also a very active member in the Antique Outboard Motor Club. I spend most my winters ( I live in Wisconsin, so we get a lot of them) restoring old outboards from Johnson, Evinrude, and this year an old racing unit from West Bend, a Golden Shark 40. I was a kid of the 70's and love everything about them. Tomorrow I'm making a 250 mile round trip to pick up my dream boat. It's a 1975 Glastron GT 150. The James Bond special with it's original 85hp V4 Johnson motor. It needs stringers, most likely a transom and the rest but the good thing is the previous owner had all the original seats redone in the boats original color, screaming orange and white. I'm going to make this little GT pristine again, but I will most likely need a little help and guidance along the way. Making the switch from wood and tin to fiberglass and wood will be a challenge...but I'm up for it. Gentleman, can I count on your support?

75GT,

WELCOME ABOARD. = There's LOTS of "tin boat nuts" here on FG.
(For example, I'm in the process of buying a 1961 Texas Maid Fiesta on a period trailer and a 1958 Lone Star Coronado, too.)

Note: Of the two, the 1958 Lone Star Coronado is the rarer of the 2 boats, as it was the "low-priced utility runabout" that hardly anyone bought. = NO windshield, "plain-Jane" plywood rear bench-seat, optional & very plain upholstered front seat.
(Some of the few Coronado utilities had NO upholstery. - Just plain painted plywood.)

ImVho, you have found the RIGHT place to get truly expert advice.

yours, satx

Welcome aboard Jeff, glad to have you join us. You're welcome to peruse my project thread on a recently completed 1971 GT-150;
www.fiberglassics.com/fiberglassics-forums/home/member-projects/new-project-71-glastron-gt-150
She was pretty much a "bare hull up" restoration, the gang here was lots of help and I'm sure they'll do the same for you!

A lot of restorations seem to have difficulty with the outboard. Sounds like you already got that handled! Working glass is more about patience (and respirators!) than anything else. Like paint, its very intensive on cleaning and prep, and the actual laying the glass is somewhat anticlimactic by comparison.

We like pictures. Even if there isnt anything new done to it, we'll all gather to look at boat pics.

Will

Got her home!! Sorry guys, I jumped the gun a bit and started disassembly before I got the camera out. Ripped out old nasty carpet, started to take windshield apart. The windshield is tinted and MINT!! Check out my new girlfriend!

Here's the best part. The last owner had the seats redone in the original colors, orange and off white. The are SWEET!! That alone will save me a huge chunk of change!

Now the ugly.. needs stringers and floor as well as a transom.

Compared to putting new floors and a transom in a 22' StarCraft islander this little sweetie should be a walk in the park. I'm going to work on popping the upper half off today. Supposed to be 92 and really humid, so I don't know how far I will get but theres nothing like a new love in your life to keep you motivated.

Welcome aboard Jeff and great find. She's going to be a great boat when you're done! Seats look fantastic and one less thing to worry about. As already stated lots a of help here when needed, just ask away. Also great news about the windshield as those can be a problem to find.

Bob

Hi all,
Got some progress to report. I got her stripped

Then I got the anchor off the back

Then I removed this thick, hideous band aid from the transom

After that it was time to make this girl do the splits

The transom was mulch as I expected given the condition of the floors, but I can fix that!

Here's my pattern... or lack of...

Those boys at Glastron should be shot. No protection from water in her hind quarters. I guess that's how they kept you coming back for a new one every couple of years. They must have hung out in Detroit for awhile in the 70's.

Thank you to all! Great comments. To MarkS, read your entire thread on your restoration. Steller boat Mark! I just picked up a 78 115hp Johnson V4 from a friend of mine. Needs paint and decals bad but it's a very sound good running motor. Compression is high on all 4 and it idles very nicely (although it wont be doing much of that). Mark, I noticed on your thread the transom in your boat went all the way across, gunnel to gunnel. When I gutted mine the transom was only in the center section. Did you put the transom in, or did the PO do that. I plan to do the same thing as I too will be running a 115. I'm just curious. It sure frees up a lot of space back there for a big 12 gallon fuel tank. I have a feeling this 115 is going to be a gas hog.

The gentleman I bought my project boat from had already put in the new transom. I believe '71 was the only year it went the full width of the boat. I added "knee's" (supports running forward down to the stringers) just outside the splash well for extra support as well. Their placement allowed a 12 gal gas tank in the middle, with the battery on the port side and a 6 gal tank on the starboard side for emergency reserve

The old V4's were kinda thirsty, but well worth it IMHO.

I have a week of vacation next week so it will be grinding, showering, grinding, scratching the itching, grinding some more, scratching some more, scrubbing out the old hull and getting her ready for stringers and transom. I'm not much of a fiberglass resin guy so I will be using 2 part MAS LOW TOX epoxy for the stringers and flooring. What cloth should I use for the stringers and floor covering? My thoughts are bedding the stringers in thickened epoxy then wrapping them in two layers of bi axial cloth. Stringers will be 3/4" Okume plywood. 5/8 Okume ply decking epoxied to the stringers and hull at edges. then covered with 7oz cloth encapsulated in epoxy. Sound like a good plan? Opinions welcomed.

During that week of vacation are you going to get up to the AOMCI meet in Tomahawk? If so look for the Golden Falcon 5th Wheel Towed by a Nissan Titan with Ontario plates, last site on the river on the left. I'm almost bald with a grey beard and usually holding a can of Canadian!

I'll be there Thursday Al. I was graciously invited to share a vendor spot with opposedtwin Scott and outboard Jim. Looking to thin out the inventory a bit to help fund this project. See you there!