1980 14' Lowe Superior V Restore/Repurpose -- with FDF (Frameless Deck Foundation)

[Dabbler_E]

Re: 1980 14' Lowe Superior V Restore/Repurpose

Re: 1980 14' Lowe Superior V Restore/Repurpose

Those buttresses look great and should add tons of rigidity to the hull. I'd worry about tripping on one when I have a fish on, but I'm just clumsy

Thanks HA -- I'm sure I'll trip over it some, but it will still be worlds better than a full bench seat across the center.

Forgot to add to the list (before prep & paint):
Replace transom

 

[Dabbler_E]

Re: 1980 14' Lowe Superior V Restore/Repurpose

Re: 1980 14' Lowe Superior V Restore/Repurpose

Update:

Tore out old transom, started building new transom, failed, did it right the second time.
Installed side buttresses
Nearing completion on the deck
Really itching to flip and start prepping for paint......

Tore out old transom -- it consisted of two unsealed pieces of ply (one 1", one 1/2"), not glued together at all. The wood was sound in many parts but was rotting out pretty well in one corner.

To build a new transom, I had quite a bit of 3/8" ply left over from various projects, so I thought "I'll just laminate 4 pieces -- that'll be equivalent to 2 pieces of 3/4" ply, right?" Not quite....

Cut all the pieces out, glued w/ globby beads of PL premium, cinched together with through bolts & fender washers.

Problem: 3/8" ply is very much more flexible than 3/4" ply (duh!), and so it buckled outward in the areas between the bolts, leaving major gaps

So....off to Lowes for 3/4" Arauco & Titebond III
Spread the glue on with a brush, then used deck screws to bind the two pieces together.
That's drying overnight, and I will cut out the transom shapw tomorrow.

 

[Dabbler_E]

Re: 1980 14' Lowe Superior V Restore/Repurpose

Re: 1980 14' Lowe Superior V Restore/Repurpose

Side buttresses:
Secured to gunnel and hull bottom with stainless bolts, sealed (and thread-locked) with 3M 5200.
Cut out the foam deck foundation to allow for the buttresses -- starting to come together now!

On to the deck:
Deck will be made up of a sign and some additional AL sheet. The sign is much more rigid, and the sheet had a notch cut out of it so they don't provide 100% coverage. I'll find some other scrap to fill the gap. The two pieces were riveted together.

Here's the "B" side

Next, trace the flat surface of the foam foundation onto the "B" side, and jigsaw.

I plan on covering the deck & seats with EVA foam ("Poor man's hydroturf").

Tomorrow I should have the transom shaped out, and have pics of the deck & foundation in place.

 

[Dabbler_E]

Re: 1980 14' Lowe Superior V Restore/Repurpose

Re: 1980 14' Lowe Superior V Restore/Repurpose

Here's the deck & foundation fitted in place. Feels very solid underfoot.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: 1980 14' Lowe Superior V Restore/Repurpose

Re: 1980 14' Lowe Superior V Restore/Repurpose

Looks great!

 

[Dabbler_E]

Re: 1980 14' Lowe Superior V Restore/Repurpose

Re: 1980 14' Lowe Superior V Restore/Repurpose

Got the transom cut out and fitted in place

The original had a little pocket carved out for the stern light fixture, so I chiseled out a match

Edges are currently soaking in the Gluvit

I hope to have the transom sealed and in place by the end of the weekend.
Then flip and start prepping for paint!

 

[Dabbler_E]

Re: 1980 14' Lowe Superior V Restore/Repurpose

Re: 1980 14' Lowe Superior V Restore/Repurpose

Quote "I hope to have the transom sealed and in place by the end of the weekend.
Then flip and start prepping for paint! "

Forecast is for thunderstorms straight through the next 5 days, so there's no hope for painting for a while. Guess it's not such a horrible thing that the Gluvit is taking a while to cure.

 

[Dabbler_E]

Re: 1980 14' Lowe Superior V Restore/Repurpose

Re: 1980 14' Lowe Superior V Restore/Repurpose

Transom is gluvitted & bolted in place...

The boat is flipped...

And the rain has finally stopped! Thank goodness we're on high ground.

Psyched to start the prep & paint process.

 

[Dabbler_E]

Re: 1980 14' Lowe Superior V Restore/Repurpose

Re: 1980 14' Lowe Superior V Restore/Repurpose

With the boat flipped -- we have POWER!

Not surprisingly for a 1976 eBay motor, it was a bit tough to start and idled poorly, but has good spark and good compression (90 and 93 psi). Looks like carb work time!

Yuck.

I've also acquired a 15 hp carb from a '77. It was fairly cheap b/c of a bent choke valve plate, so I'm transferring the plate from the 9.9 carb. Awaiting a new float and carb kit....

 

[Dabbler_E]

Re: 1980 14' Lowe Superior V Restore/Repurpose

Re: 1980 14' Lowe Superior V Restore/Repurpose

Rebuilt the 15 hp carb and installed it -- still not starting/running right.

A look at the plugs and use of an inductive timing light indicated that it's not getting spark to 1 cylinder once it's going.
Swapping the ignition coils does not change the dead cylinder, so it looks like it's time to tear down the magneto -- fortunately I already have new points & condensers.

Flywheel nut is currently soaking in WD40 and I'm hoping to have it off tonight.

 

[Dabbler_E]

Re: 1980 14' Lowe Superior V Restore/Repurpose

Re: 1980 14' Lowe Superior V Restore/Repurpose

New points and condensers -- installed.

This is my first time messing with a motor w/ magneto ignition.
Easier than I thought, thanks to the Machinist's ramblings!
The only hard part was figuring out how to immobilize the flywheel (ended up wedging a screwdriver between flywheel teeth and starter.

I'm getting MUCH better spark on both cylinders now, and starts on first pull. Need to adjust the timing on # 2, though.

Paint on outer hull is done. Will post pics tonight.

Starting to move along.....

 

[Dabbler_E]

Re: 1980 14' Lowe Superior V Restore/Repurpose

Re: 1980 14' Lowe Superior V Restore/Repurpose

Paint!

Pettit "Dull dead grass" (My wife got a kick out of that color title)

 

[ezmobee]

Re: 1980 14' Lowe Superior V Restore/Repurpose

Re: 1980 14' Lowe Superior V Restore/Repurpose

Love the paint job. Looks great!

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: 1980 14' Lowe Superior V Restore/Repurpose

Re: 1980 14' Lowe Superior V Restore/Repurpose

What painting method did you use. Roll and Roll, HVLP Spray??

 

[emoney]

Re: 1980 14' Lowe Superior V Restore/Repurpose

Re: 1980 14' Lowe Superior V Restore/Repurpose

Awesome work so far. This is going to be a great little boat.

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: 1980 14' Lowe Superior V Restore/Repurpose

Re: 1980 14' Lowe Superior V Restore/Repurpose

Outstanding!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Huron Angler]

Re: 1980 14' Lowe Superior V Restore/Repurpose

Re: 1980 14' Lowe Superior V Restore/Repurpose

I like the color, and that hull has nice lines that are more noticeable with the new paint.

 

[Dabbler_E]

Re: 1980 14' Lowe Superior V Restore/Repurpose

Re: 1980 14' Lowe Superior V Restore/Repurpose

What painting method did you use. Roll and Roll, HVLP Spray??

I used Brush-and-tip. I started out with roll-and-tip but there are simply so many obstacles & irregularities on the hull (rivet heads, rivet tails, ribs, seams, etc.) that I ended up using the brush much more than the roller anyway so I just switched. I applied thin in small areas w/ a bristle brush and then tipped with a 2" foam brush.

This is 3 thin coats, with a day between coats.

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: 1980 14' Lowe Superior V Restore/Repurpose

Re: 1980 14' Lowe Superior V Restore/Repurpose

I really am appreciating your work. Your attention to detail and knowing what you are through is great. MANY MANY of us have been there ........done that and can appreciate the time and effort.

Keep going!!

Patiently waiting for the SPLASH!!!

 

[Dabbler_E]

Re: 1980 14' Lowe Superior V Restore/Repurpose

Re: 1980 14' Lowe Superior V Restore/Repurpose

Bob, weather cooperating I'm hoping for a preliminary splash this weekend, just to make sure I've sealed all leaks before starting on the interior (and to see how fast the "enhanced" 9.9 pushes the stripped-down hull).