1959 Glasscat Catamaran Project Underway.

Monterey Dreams

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jul 14, 2011
Messages
409
Re: 1959 Glasscat Catamaran Project Underway.

Ok, Gus you is da doctor,
I’ll fix the pump, and not think about if it don’t work after that.
Your bud,
Dave
 

Monterey Dreams

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jul 14, 2011
Messages
409
Re: 1959 Glasscat Catamaran Project Underway.

Thanks Bill,
I bought a few things today for the motor (since it was broken down anyways) I am going to replace the impeller. I also am going to rebuild the carb, (I got a kit), the fuel pump (kit again) along with a new fuel filter. Impeller (needle and seat). I also got the o-ring needed for the top of the shaft (mine was cracking badly anyways).
Hopefully I did not hurt the motor beyond repair. My friend (told me ) since the motor ran longer than I had it the first time maybe something broke free (dirt, sludge, old varnish?old rubber from diaphragms) and clogged something vital (like carbs). Actually now thinking about the incident, when I tried to restart the motor It did sound like no fuel.
It?s late so good night all.
Dave:D
I feel a little better anyway now.
 

ezmobee

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Mar 26, 2007
Messages
23,767
Re: 1959 Glasscat Catamaran Project Underway.

That motor does not have a tell-tale. It may spit out of the exhaust relief ports once it's warmed up and the thermostat(s) open but that's about it.
 

Monterey Dreams

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jul 14, 2011
Messages
409
Re: 1959 Glasscat Catamaran Project Underway.

Thankx for stopping by Ezmobee, it?s great to see you around here again. I thought the water coming out the exhaust was the tell-tale. (shows my rookie status):facepalm: That would explain why there is not a steady stream of water!
Dave:D
 

Monterey Dreams

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jul 14, 2011
Messages
409
Re: 1959 Glasscat Catamaran Project Underway.

Hi Guys
Not much to report today. I had the four horsemen of the apocalypse visit me today.:eek: I left my house and the weather was sunny. As I got to the boat, it rained on and off all day. Gusts of high wind tried to rip the tarps off (from above my head I had rigged a small shelter so I could work on the boat)?when it began to pour and the wind whipping around my head (I gave up and went inside to watch Frozen Planet on the discovery channel. I took the fuel pump off and installed the kit. The rubber was ok, but one of the springs was badly rusted. (I changed it for a new one). I also put the new fuel filter and the bowl gasket, along with that hidden figure 8 gasket.). I cleaned the water pump plate (until it shined) and installed the new impeller. I got the lower unit mounted back on the motor (boy was that a royal pain)! The worst part about reinstalling the LU was getting the copper tubes to slide into the fittings on the impeller housing. Took probably an hour laying in the mud maneuvering the shaft, and tubes and shift shaft to all mate to each other.
I also put new gear oil in just to be sure and I put a little sticky grease on the splines.
The shift shaft appears to be connected and I can see the rod move up and down when I move the lever.
I took my battery to Napa for a quick charge, and just as I got the 55 gal drum under the motor again and filled, the rain decided that I should not try firing her today so it poured horrible. At that point I started the siphon to empty the drum, covered my boat and went inside.

Onto the carburetor?I got to tell you I am a little apprehensive about it. I was going to change the kit for it also but I could not see how to even take the carb off. One of the bolts is hidden under a lot of things (thermostat or choke?) do I have to remove all of this peripheral stuff? I could not figure out how to remove the little metal rods they look like they are riveted on by some snap ring or something.
I printed willyclays service manual so I was not flying totally blind today.
Have a great night guys.
Dave:D
 

Willyclay

Captain
Joined
Sep 8, 2006
Messages
3,264
Re: 1959 Glasscat Catamaran Project Underway.

Onto the carburetor…I got to tell you I am a little apprehensive about it. I was going to change the kit for it also but I could not see how to even take the carb off. One of the bolts is hidden under a lot of things (thermostat or choke?) do I have to remove all of this peripheral stuff? I could not figure out how to remove the little metal rods they look like they are riveted on by some snap ring or something.I printed willyclays service manual so I was not flying totally blind today.Have a great night guys.
Dave:D

Dave, Glad you made progress! The E&J experts will give you the good info but I wanted to comment. It should not be necessary to remove "all this peripheral stuff". One side is the choke, either electric solenoid or hot-water type. The other side is linkage. Check Page 146 in the manual for the details of how the link&sync must be performed. The riveted-on stuff stays riveted. Do not drill those out. Some links are held on by small cotter keys while others have tabs that release when rotated 90 degrees and are withdrawn through slots in the linkage arms. I do not have a Big Twin in my current inventory but will look around my shop to see what I can find that might help you with this first step. You can do this! Bill
 

kfa4303

Banned
Joined
Sep 17, 2010
Messages
6,094
Re: 1959 Glasscat Catamaran Project Underway.

Ditto. Don't remove anything riveted to the motor. Any and all components you may need to service (carb, fuel pump, impeller) simply bolt on/off like good ol GM small block. Here's a handy link that can walk you through an entire tune up from top to bottom. Be systematic and fix one job/problem at a time. Holler if you get stuck.

http://www.duckworksmagazine.com/04/s/columns/max/24/index.cfm
 

Willyclay

Captain
Joined
Sep 8, 2006
Messages
3,264
Re: 1959 Glasscat Catamaran Project Underway.

Here's a handy link that can walk you through an entire tune up from top to bottom. Be systematic and fix one job/problem at a time. Holler if you get stuck.

Great link! Max knows us geezers do better with pictures. Better than anything I could provide. My RDSL-21 was also electric starting like Dave's but I honestly cannot remember if it was necessary to remove the starter/bracket to get to the carb nut. What I do remember is taking the carb off and cleaning it three times before I could get it to idle properly. Finally found some hard crud in the low speed passage that had to be removed with a pick! Ran smoothly from then on. Loved that great old piece of American-made iron.
 

kfa4303

Banned
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Sep 17, 2010
Messages
6,094
Re: 1959 Glasscat Catamaran Project Underway.

I think you may have to remove the starter and bracket to reach one of the carb nuts, if memory serves, but that's about as crazy as it gets. Everything else should be pretty easily accessible. Make sure you have a nice big gas tank these old motors are great, but they are thirsty.
 

Monterey Dreams

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jul 14, 2011
Messages
409
Re: 1959 Glasscat Catamaran Project Underway.

Bill; thanks as usual my friend for your knowledge. A guy can’t have too many geezers to call friends.
KFA it’s great to see you around here again bud. Did you get into med school yet? I’m about mid-way through Pharmacology, and Psych this semester (along with business admin, algebra 103, and a lovely little art class just for kicks). Not to mention, a boat obsession, family and a full time job…..sorry deep breath, I will try to pop the carb off next time out.
dave
 

kfa4303

Banned
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Sep 17, 2010
Messages
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Re: 1959 Glasscat Catamaran Project Underway.

Hello again Dreams. Glad you're plugging away at school. Still no word yet on med school, or rather not the right word. So far I'm o'fer at 20+ schools, but I'm still waiting to hear back from a few more, including my hometown school and alma mater, but my Magic Eight Ball keeps saying "Outlook no so good". There is still a sliver of hope, but only a sliver at this point. Unfortunately, straight A's in premed classes and mountains of volunteering aren't particularly useful out side of medicine, so I'm not sure what to do next. Its taken so many years just to get to this point that I don't want to give up, but of course I can't make them accept me either and I have no more money for apps, school, etc...Never mind the fact that I'm already a good 10 years older than everyone else and the idea of doing a residency at 40-something is intimidating to say the least. I guess I can take solace in the fact that my last rejection email (they don't even bother with letters anymore) was very apologetic, but said they had received about 6,600 applications for 100 slots, so at leas 6,500 other folks also missed out :/ I did the math for fun and found out that with those numbers only the top 1-2% have a chance compared with a generation ago when i twas more like the top 10%-20% was enough to get accepted. Not to mention that you're competing with kids form China, India, the UK and Europe. It's sort of like coming in 4th place in the Olympics, or losing the Super Bowl, you're better than most, but still not good enough.

Have you been enjoying the early Spring everyone else seems to be having? It was almost 90 down here the other day....in March! I can't imagine what August is gonna be like.
 

Cowboyup94

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Aug 17, 2011
Messages
157
Re: 1959 Glasscat Catamaran Project Underway.

This is getting interesting now Dave.. This is just about the area Dad and I are.

Were you able to get a compression test while you ran it?
 

Willyclay

Captain
Joined
Sep 8, 2006
Messages
3,264
Re: 1959 Glasscat Catamaran Project Underway.

This is just about the area Dad and I are.

DEV, Just tried to send you a PM but got the error response that your "INBOX is full". Nothing important from me. I was just checking in. See ya, Bill
 

Cowboyup94

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Aug 17, 2011
Messages
157
Re: 1959 Glasscat Catamaran Project Underway.

Sorry Bill I have cleared up some space.. feel free to check in. (My box is full of TO DO's from our chit chats) haha.
 

Monterey Dreams

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jul 14, 2011
Messages
409
Re: 1959 Glasscat Catamaran Project Underway.

Hi guys,
Sorry I have not been around much. I’ve been rather busy. I got to work on the boat last Sunday. And I have not had time to post these. I finished the mods on the top windshield. After I finished it I decided I did not like the old aluminum color and looks; Cuts, gouges, stains, and old paint all over it. So I painted the entire frame green. I like it much better now; it ties into the rest of the boat nicely. Only one little piece of bad happened. I climbed up on the bow to paint the front of the frame and I slipped, thankfully I did not fall to the ground (it really is a long way down when up on the nose). I did catch myself on the window to the cabin (causing a big crack in the old Plexiglas seen in photo) sigh oh well. But thank God no worse happened to the boat (or me).
I also fiberglass closed all the “holes” from old bolts and screws in the cabin so that it is completely sealed now. I then painted the patches when dry and touched up painting the cabin roof area (including the big white patch I had near the helm).
I also completed my first bench frame for my seats (including stain and 2 coats of spar urethane). I cleaned one set of the chairs with oxy something cleaner and the seats and cushions look as near to new as I could want. (Brilliant white).
Lastly I fired up the engine and ran it in a bbl. for a few min. I don’t think the fuel pump (is working right now so I took it apart and re seated everything. The gas did not refill the filter bowl. Also I still need to do the carb but I cannot figure out how to take it off. It looks like I have to remove half the engine to get to it. One little thing now when I squeeze the bulb on the fuel line after the system is full it squirts out the front of the carb (and the bulb does not get hard) but the thing started so wahooooooooooooooo.
Today I went to DMV and registered the trailer (a whole whopping 18.00 total). Finally, a bit of luck.
So if all goes well, I am going to do a little more work on her this weekend and do a mini splash next weekend. I may not even take it off the trailer. I just want to put it in the water and see how the motor works with the cool lake water and how it runs in gear WOT.
Talk to you all later, I hope all your projects are moving along now as well as mine seems to
Your friend
Dave
 

Monterey Dreams

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jul 14, 2011
Messages
409
Re: 1959 Glasscat Catamaran Project Underway.

KFA; I?m really sorry to hear that my friend.:( I have been pulling for you the whole time. My wife is in the same boat. She went to school in Russia and became their version of a real RN. She worked in a Military hospital until the fall of the Soviets. She got here and they made her take everything all over again. General Ed and nursing program. Not to mention leaning a complete new language as well as culture. Well she did great with almost straight A?s in all her general Ed and pre req classes. Now she has been on the waiting list for over 2 years on the nursing program and she found out last week she did not get selected again for this coming up semester. It really is crazy being mid and upper thirties and competing with 17 year olds. I really know how you are feeling.
Speaking of 17 year olds, Dev, no compression test, they were last at 105. When it ran, I did pull the spark plug and the compression pushed my thumb off the spark plug hole. Good enough for me. You working on your boat yet? ?.. or just girls?:D
Bill, howdy. I sent you a response.:D
I?m going to get off now and go post photos. Check back in a min or 2.
Dave
 

Monterey Dreams

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jul 14, 2011
Messages
409
Re: 1959 Glasscat Catamaran Project Underway.

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Monterey Dreams

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jul 14, 2011
Messages
409
Re: 1959 Glasscat Catamaran Project Underway.

Bench is a little rough, but it stained up nice, and it is solid!!!!Which is really all I cared about, I am a big boy after all!
Dave:D
 
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