1983 Glastron X17 restoration

[MichiganGT X-16]

Re: 1983 Glastron X17 restoration

This is Excellent!! Thank you for the documentation! - It will help a great deal because I just pulled my AQ125A out of my 1984 X-16 and I have to redo the transom also - as well as the bearing/seals in the bell housing and maybe the u-joints too. I will post picts - but my transom is rotted in the exact same places. You are doing an awesome job I was also thinking of doing a swim platform - but I don't have to do a decapitation like you did. The posts are great, and thank you again - this is inspiring, because I was a little intimidated. Glastrons are awesome boats and deserve this kind of restoration.

 

[SouthTexan]

Re: 1983 Glastron X17 restoration

This is Excellent!! Thank you for the documentation! - It will help a great deal because I just pulled my AQ125A out of my 1984 X-16 and I have to redo the transom also - as well as the bearing/seals in the bell housing and maybe the u-joints too. I will post picts - but my transom is rotted in the exact same places. You are doing an awesome job I was also thinking of doing a swim platform - but I don't have to do a decapitation like you did. The posts are great, and thank you again - this is inspiring, because I was a little intimidated. Glastrons are awesome boats and deserve this kind of restoration.

Thanks for the kind words, would like to see your resto thread - the more old Glastrons the better. Got some more work done this weekend, just more grinding glass and such. Strangely, cutting out the stringers yesterday felt like I had reached a point of no return... getting close to the rebuild and away from the demo!

 

[crazy and lazy]

Re: 1983 Glastron X17 restoration

Doesn't it feel good when you get to a point where you can say "it's coming together"? Does me. Not drinking and getting that feeling is one of the reasons why I found I like working on this project. Your doing an awsome job keep at it. Your boat's gonna be great keep the pics coming. Stay cool!

Robert

 

[crazy and lazy]

Re: 1983 Glastron X17 restoration

I was just re-reading your thread and seen the pics of where you took the transom assy. apart. That thing has been giving me the blues, but seeing your pic helped me to understand better what it is I 'm supposed to be trying to do. HAHA. Thanks

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: 1983 Glastron X17 restoration

Updates???? You makin any progress?? Quit??? Loafin??? Gaggin on the Dust??? Find a New Boat???? What?????

 

[Decker83]

Re: 1983 Glastron X17 restoration

If you or still using the sanding disk, HD sells the 24 grit and they do better than the 36 grit. I have about 25 hours in on grinding my boat.
Kent

 

[SouthTexan]

Re: 1983 Glastron X17 restoration

Hey gang, sorry for the lack of updates... camera on my phone went on the fritz, but I think it's fixed now. I have a picture of just before I cut the stringers out. It's hard to tell in the picture, but most of the hull is down to fresh glass. I figure I need about 10-20 more hours of grinding before I'm into the rebuild phase, getting ready to buy some plywood and fiberglass supplies. I will hunt down these 24 grit discs, maybe the other HF in town has them. I'll get some more pictures up this weekend, my goal is to get the entire hull ground down. That may be a little optimistic, but time will tell.

Thanks for checking in!

 

[SouthTexan]

Re: 1983 Glastron X17 restoration

Did some digging around on Harbor Freight's website, now I see why I was confused... looks like the 24 grit discs they sell are 5" (item#8747), so I would have to trim 'em a bit for my grinder. Shouldn't be a problem, anything that gets this grinding over with ASAP is fine by me!

 

[crazy and lazy]

Re: 1983 Glastron X17 restoration

I see ya bud, looking good. I coming to realize people on here won't let you lay it down haha. Keep it going. You know I kinda feel bad if I'm not working on her if I have some extra time. Is that bad or what? Ain't gonna be too much longer!!!!!!

 

[Decker83]

Re: 1983 Glastron X17 restoration

Do you have a Home Depot in your area? They sell the 24 grit. If you buy the disk from HF, don't cut them down. Just put 2 disk on your backing pad. Put the first one on face up, ( the sanding side facing the backing pad) and the second facing down. This will give you more sanding surface and help get the job done faster. I use a 9 inch grinder from HF and the 7 inch disk from Home Depot. Gets the job done. I also use the 4 1/2 inch grinder for the tight space's.

Kent

 

[SouthTexan]

Re: 1983 Glastron X17 restoration

Do you have a Home Depot in your area? They sell the 24 grit. If you buy the disk from HF, don't cut them down. Just put 2 disk on your backing pad. Put the first one on face up, ( the sanding side facing the backing pad) and the second facing down. This will give you more sanding surface and help get the job done faster. I use a 9 inch grinder from HF and the 7 inch disk from Home Depot. Gets the job done. I also use the 4 1/2 inch grinder for the tight space's.

Kent

Cool, thanks for the info - I will check out Home Depot before my next grinding session. Now I notice you said HD, not HF - must have Harbor Freight on the mind, lol!

Crazy, yeah just plugging away slowly but slowly. Will be getting some more progress this weekend if all goes to plan.

 

[SouthTexan]

Re: 1983 Glastron X17 restoration

Well, after about another 8 or so hours of work, the hull is getting close to fully ground down. Still a long ways to go, need to make a template of the transom, cut it out, grind some more, then grind some more...

Sorry the picture quality isn't too great, noonday sun and the cover made for awkward shadows. Anyhow, getting closer!

 

[Decker83]

Re: 1983 Glastron X17 restoration

Looks like your getting there on the grinding. It's a tough job to do. Yours is looking good. Hang in there. It will get done.
Kent

 

[l Saltydog l]

Re: 1983 Glastron X17 restoration

Looking good! The father-in-law surely gave it to you as a test

 

[crazy and lazy]

Re: 1983 Glastron X17 restoration

Looking very good! Bet your ready to be done w the grinding. Saltydog may be on to something about the f.i.l. Very hot this weekend, shoot this summer! Be careful not to over heat.

 

[jones01m]

Re: 1983 Glastron X17 restoration

ST,

Looks like we are about in the same stage in our restoration project. I did 13 hours of sanding on Saturday with a 1 hour lunch (and shower).

I figured we could make a great motivational poster with a guy hunched over in a cloud of fiberglass dust with the caption "Motivation"... I am sure I have seen something similar before. Maybe a different picture.

My wife had me wash her car (glass dust)... she thought it had snowed overnight! I was concerned when she got the window scraper out in August.

 

[SouthTexan]

Re: 1983 Glastron X17 restoration

Well, now that the brutal Texas summer heat has broken I can get back to work on the boat. I was able to get the old transom out and got some more grinding done today. I think I am pretty close to the end of the demo stage, getting ready to put everything back together.

Transom gone:

Still a little grinding needed to clean up a few areas, but overall I am pleased with the result. Time to go shopping for some arauco plywood and fiberglass materials!

 

[Friscoboater]

Re: 1983 Glastron X17 restoration

I am sooo glad the heat is gone too. Looks like you are coming along.

 

[jones01m]

Re: 1983 Glastron X17 restoration

ST, keep on tuckin'. I'm right along there with you. Believe me, applying glass is much better than the disk sanding.
I used both Raka and USComposites for my material. Great service and quick shipment. If you ordered tomorrow I bet you would have the materials Friday.

 

[SouthTexan]

Re: 1983 Glastron X17 restoration

Hope everyone had a happy Thanksgiving! I have been procrastinating on the rebuild, but finally got back into the swing of things - really need to get the boat back together before the colder weather sets in...

I set up a grid pattern using the marks from the old deck (sole) and stringers:

I then cut some cardboard to 1" thick, copied the angle at the hull and marked the height of the stringer at each of my grid lines:

Using these as guides I made some foam mockups of the stringers - now I just need to cut them to the correct height and transfer them to the plywood. Currently I have the new transom and stringers glued up, just waiting on them to dry before I fit them. As has been recommended, I used Aruaco plywood - nice stuff, no voids to speak of. Once I have some real progress I will post some more pictures.

I was able to move the boat indoors, courtesy of my FIL, it will be really nice to be able to work after dark and without worrying about the outside temperature. Here she sits:

Looking forward to reviewing all the excellent threads here to refresh my memory going forward!