Would like opinions before altering my glastron - see photos

[vegasphotoman]

Hi everyone, I would like your opinions on an alteration to our Glastron Sierra 17 see picture.............
I decided it would take less time to photoshop an alteration and get opinions, than do the work and not like the result (Im a commercial photographer so photoshop is my fort'e)
It would involve removing the outdated looking glass windscreen assy, making custom lexan windscreens (more like on racier type boats) and possibly adding a plymouth superbird type wing to the rear.

What are your thoughts........................Love it Hate it, Stupid, awsome.......whatever..... I wanna hear it

Also, is there anyway to hot rod my Mercruiser 3.0L 115 hp motor with a hotter camshaft (anyone know of a cam part# and manufacturer?), or perhaps advancing timing and using higher octane fuel? Porting and polishing? 3 angle valve job or all of the above?

ps the superbird wing would run $1000, so a cheaper alternative would be great if anyone has ideas.

Vegasphotoman

 

[jonesg]

Re: Would like opinions before altering my glastron - see photos

so it will be harder to get in the boat from the rear and near impossible to stand up....and you'll get wet.?

 

[drewpster]

Re: Would like opinions before altering my glastron - see photos

First, I can tell your a hot rodder. I can spot my brethren anywhere.
Second, are you kidding? That thing looks awesome! Totally cool! And I have not said "totally cool" for years. Bottom line....I like it.

But there are some considerations. If you do anything from the rear of the boat (fish, board, ski., ride ect...) the wing will be in the way. Its just the nature of having that big awesome wing. Also you need to consider the aerodynamic effects of the wing. Those things do serve a purpose. I am no engineer but I know it will effect how the boat handles at speed. Down
force may not be a good thing.
The windshield also serves a purpose. You may be sacrificing some protection from wind and spray with the smaller ones. (but they do look cool)
Unless you want to drop the cash for the wing you are going to have to build it yourself. It needs to be light and strong to hold up to pounding through the water. And the occasional lean or grab. That likely means expensive foams and composites to do it right. That takes money and experience to build. You can do it, but it takes riding out the learning curve.

Personally, I am more the pleasure boater, and my style has moved away from hot rodding. (still love wheel tubs and hood scoops though) So I would not do it myself. But it looks cool as hell! Next we need to talk custom paint!

 

[david_r]

Re: Would like opinions before altering my glastron - see photos

i like it!!

but like your probably gonna hear a bunch; weigh your pros and cons.

are you gonna be doing any water sports?
will it interfere with these sports?
fishing?
trolling?

now for picking up chicks i would say it should help chicks like flashy stuff

 

[Boss Hawg]

Re: Would like opinions before altering my glastron - see photos

Had to go with 2nd option-
Love the change in windsheild & kind of like the "spoiler" & lower top but don't think i would find them practical or usefull
But as far as pure looks - pretty awesume

 

[lakelover]

Re: Would like opinions before altering my glastron - see photos

Gotta say, it looks cool, but I wonder about the practicality and usability of the spoiler. I'm more of a traditional style type myself. I guess it depends on how you're going to use the boat. Looks cool though. I like the more open, lower look.

BTW, I'm a photographer too, but you can run rings around me with photoshop. I just know the basic fix-it-up stuff. Nice job on that too.

 

[bear_69cuda]

Re: Would like opinions before altering my glastron - see photos

Mopar!

Glastron + Mopar = Glaspar! (wait... Isn't that the name of a boat manufacture?)

Looks flippin cool! All that down-force from the wing may get a few extra mph outta the 3.0.

 

[Rickairmedic]

Re: Would like opinions before altering my glastron - see photos

The windscreens and lowered top are great . The wing on the other hand ( I love Superbirds and Daytona's ) but thts where that wing belongs . Not on that boat .



Rick

 

[superpop]

Re: Would like opinions before altering my glastron - see photos

Spoiler serves no purpose other than to get in the way if you want to do anything off the back of the boat. Hate them on the Superterds and not fond of them on a boat either, just adding useless weight. Lowering the bimini is another bad idea, you have no headroom to walk around. And the windshield, well, I would go out on one of the seadoo boats for a ride and see how it is with no windshield. It is fine when it is super hot out and flat water, any other time and you are going to get wet. Sorry, I am a grumpy old man so that is probably why I see no redeeming value in any of the changes. The only thing you left off was mounting 3 sets of trim tabs to the transom to try and jack the back of the boat up like they used to do on the 70s era muscle cars. And you are not going to wring any appreciable HP gains out of the 4 banger. Looks like a nice boat the way it is.

 

[vegasphotoman]

NEW Version-see pic Re: Would like opinions before altering my glastron - see photos

NEW Version-see pic Re: Would like opinions before altering my glastron - see photos

I really like the look myself too, but this is why forums are awsome, I didnt really think about access for fishin and getting in out etc, plus, lowering the bimini too much would be irritating "ducking" all the time, we can handle the water spray issue, heck the only time we get water over the bow now is in whitecaps or decent chop at speed. plus half the time, I'm sitting on my own leg so I can see over the windscreen, otherwise it is in the perfect WORST spot, the frame cuts my view down the middle, it is in a poor position near my face too, and I fear bashing my head off it in a real hard hit off a wake, so I sit back a ways.

I really appreciate the input! yes Im a rodder, and yes I just unloaded my 1968 Firebird 400 Convertible, had the hood tach and all, loved it but needed the $$, no work for 2 months! ouch! this economy thing blows LOL and was a mechanic for 15 years, photographer now, less grease and sweating here in Vegas.
here is a new version maybye more realistic for real world usage....see NEW image attached

 

[Rickairmedic]

Re: Would like opinions before altering my glastron - see photos

I like it better now without the wing it looks alot sleeker .

Rick

 

[Lightnig]

Re: Would like opinions before altering my glastron - see photos

I have to admit, I kind of liked the look of the wing, but I can totally see it getting in way of ingress/egress from the rear.


As far as hotrodding that 3.0, I imagine a 200 shot of giggle gas would make a world of difference...

 

[jkust]

Re: Would like opinions before altering my glastron - see photos

I was going to say nice muffler on that Daewoo, but I like the modified 'after' look. I just bet the new windshield will cost a ton.

 

[redfury]

Re: Would like opinions before altering my glastron - see photos

I'm considering removing the windshield off my Glastron also and doing something similar to the last picture, though a little different ( however, cost IS an issue )

I liked the idea of the superbird mod...looks great on paper, but I have to agree with the practicality of it.

 

[vegasphotoman]

Re: Would like opinions before altering my glastron - see photos

Thanks everyone for the replies so far
yea the SUPERBIRD wing LOOKS cool, but, it is expensive and not practical, you are all right with the comments of unusable etc, anways, I was going to do the LEXAN winshield work myself using home depot stuff or race car lexan and a weat gun, prblem is I would have to reglass all of the old holes in the boat from the old window system. I figure hey I blow $60 for a cheap heatgun and some lexan for a test at the worst right?
Yesterday we were at Lake Mead in 50mph downdrafts from thunderstorms, whitecaps and all, the widnshield did block alot of the water, but I still got a soaker, my passengers got blitzed with water too, so I still think eliminating the old windows would be a cool idea.

The graphics on this boat are actually "stickers" original from Glastron and not gelled in, I wonder since they are a little beat up if glastron sells kits that might work with our boat?

 

[deadmanfloatn]

Re: Would like opinions before altering my glastron - see photos

Dude - paint it Petty blue and drive around the lake with only left hand turns. I like the look but wonder have easy it would be to get in and out of the back. I'd miss my windshield in the spring and cool evenings. If it adds down force I think you'd be slowing down by increasing the friction between the hull and water, good luck.

 

[NoKlu]

Re: Would like opinions before altering my glastron - see photos

It's not a wing it's a retro wakeboard tower. Put a hinge on one side and a latch on the other so you can just flip up one end of the cross bar just like they have in some bars so you can get through.

 

[vegasphotoman]

Re: Would like opinions before altering my glastron - see photos

Cool flip up idea
petty blue, hey with a number on the side and maybye dinoco stickers, lol
no paint or gel in the glastrons future, not worth the investment I reckon.

We just picked up a 23ft Sleekcraft Executive, that one is an invester boat, picked up for 950 cash, 350ci chevy eng, decent interior, we're redoing the interior, polishing out the hull, refurbing the broken chrysler outdrive (found a complete unit to repl with) new carpet and fixing all issues so it is a rock and roller speed boat. Ill post pix once we have the boat in the driveway, along with expenses spent and pix of the redo.

 

[vegasphotoman]

Re: Would like opinions before altering my glastron - see photos

I like it better now without the wing it looks alot sleeker .

Rick

I agree, alot cheaper to do too

 

[reelfishin]

Re: Would like opinions before altering my glastron - see photos

I'd have to say I like it the way it is, leave it alone.
That wing will catch the wind and act like a sail on bad days and lexan windshields get cloudy and scratch. Glass may be heavier but it sure is nicer to maintain.

If you were towing a skier or tube, the wing idea could incorporate a ski pole somehow but a plain pole still would be less of a problem in the wind.