Re: Question for Mark42..........
Rocky,
That Niagara looks to be in nice shape. One thing you should check on is the bow eye. They tend to loosen up over time, so climb up under the dash and check the block the bow eye is attached to. If the whole block is loose, just remove it, sand hull and block, then epoxy back in place. Then after it is fully set, tighten the bow eye bolts.
If you want to clean up the old wheel, there are spray paints made just for plastics now. or you can try polishing by hand with polishing compound.
I think these old MFG's lasted so long becasue the hulls were made in a steel matched die under high pressure and heat. And the floors tend not to rot out because many of them were fiberglass stringers and floor.
That lapstrake hull handles really nice, tracks straight as an arrow on the water. That 50hp should put you at 28-30 mph, depending on load. And it planes at low speeds easily.
Not too much you can do about the fogged windshield short of changing out the plastic (see my windshield project).
Nice to see you have all the original hardware, including the transom light.
What are your plans for seats? The original seats were set very low, so that your head was below the windshield, but if you are setting it up for fishing, you probably want to sit higher.
