1991 Glastron Restoration

devon84

Seaman Apprentice
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May 1, 2013
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37
Okay so I think I'm a glutin for punishment. Last week I went and bought another boat that needs a lot of TLC. It is a 1991 Glastron, the title says its a 16 foot but I can't find anywhere that glastron made a 16' sterndrive bow rider so I'm almost positive the model is the 1700 bow rider. When I picked it up the PO fired it up and it runs like a dream, I inspected the stringers, transom, hull and floor with a fine tooth comb and all I could find was a small soft spot in the floor that he had told me about before I even went there to check it out everything else was solid as a rock.

This is me driving out of the PO's driveway


I took it straight to the lake we had a blast but the water was ice cold


And here are a couple of me paddling it back to the boat ramp after burning up the coupler




 

devon84

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May 1, 2013
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1991 Glastron Restoration

I'm editing this thread because I started a separate thread in the mercruiser forum for all the engine stuff.
 
Last edited:

jbcurt00

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Oct 25, 2011
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24,871
Re: 1991 Glastron Restoration

post your motor/outdrive specific questions in the correct mercruiser forum & you'll likely get better traffic & some answers. I don't really know beans about I/O motors & drives......... Fix a busted/broken/leaking/rotten boat, well yep, this is the place for that..............
 

devon84

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May 1, 2013
Messages
37
Re: 1991 Glastron Restoration

post your motor/outdrive specific questions in the correct mercruiser forum & you'll likely get better traffic & some answers. I don't really know beans about I/O motors & drives......... Fix a busted/broken/leaking/rotten boat, well yep, this is the place for that..............

Thanks jbcurt00 I should have done that to begin with.
 

devon84

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May 1, 2013
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37
Re: 1991 Glastron Restoration

Ok so I've made some progress on the boat. I got the motor pulled and the perch for the front motor mount is rotted out I'm going to have to build a new one. Check out the mercruiser thread in my signature for more details on the motor.

Here's a picture of the front motor mount you can see it's sitting crooked and twisted.


And after I got it out
 

greenbush future

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Aug 28, 2009
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1,814
Re: 1991 Glastron Restoration

Even with the detailed inspection you made, the boat appeared to have hidden issues. I think the only way to discover this kind of stuff is with a sea trial. But even then, boats are always, or seem to always have one issue or another. I sure hope the price reflected that it might need a little work. But while you have the back end opened up I would be going over everything else that could be future issues, once the motor is re-installed access might be much more difficult to fix other small but important items.
 

devon84

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May 1, 2013
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37
Re: 1991 Glastron Restoration

Even with the detailed inspection you made, the boat appeared to have hidden issues. I think the only way to discover this kind of stuff is with a sea trial. But even then, boats are always, or seem to always have one issue or another. I sure hope the price reflected that it might need a little work. But while you have the back end opened up I would be going over everything else that could be future issues, once the motor is re-installed access might be much more difficult to fix other small but important items.

I think I got it for a reasonable price ($1000), I believe the motor and outdrive are worth more than I payed. And yes I think every boat has hidden problems. Hopefully I can find the issues affecting the moter in the next month and get it back on the water. My plan is to strip the boat this winter and replace the deck.
 

Woodonglass

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Dec 29, 2009
Messages
25,924
Re: 1991 Glastron Restoration

Drill some core samples of your motor mounts and the transom. Use a 1/4" drill and drill into them about 1" deep. If the shavings are light in color and dry then you're good to go. If they're dark and damp then you've got issues. If they're good then fill the holes with 3M 5200 sealant and put everything back together. Good Luck!!!
 

devon84

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May 1, 2013
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Re: 1991 Glastron Restoration

Thanks Wood I did the stringers and transom already and no need to core sample the motor mounts because as soon as I removed the motor the wood crumbled and left broken hollow fiberglass shells. It looks to me like it rotted out a long time ago and they half assed fixing it but it might have come new like that.
 

shaw520

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Aug 27, 2009
Messages
634
Re: 1991 Glastron Restoration

Burned out coupler is a good indication of motor mount issues. Although I experienced a different senerio with an older Thompson/Merc drive where the coupler issue was a result of a rotted and flexing transom. You can stand on the outdrive and watch for transom flex.
 

devon84

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May 1, 2013
Messages
37
Re: 1991 Glastron Restoration

Well I'm back out on the road and haven't got any more work done on the boat. My next step is rebuilding the front motor mount, I'm hoping to get everything done by the middle of next month but money is tight and the admiral is getting irritated. I've been kicking myself all week for missing that rotten mount when I inspected the boat.
 
Joined
May 14, 2014
Messages
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Re: 1991 Glastron Restoration

I'm working on a 91 Glastron for a friend. Only first boat to fool with. will probably need lots of advice. I have the motor built and ready to install. found a piece of resin loose between sump pump and hull drain. any idea what I need to do about it? plus I need to know if the gas tank is fiberglass and needs to be replaced, all advice is greatly welcomed. thank you.
 

Speak

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Jul 29, 2012
Messages
467
Re: 1991 Glastron Restoration

Hey Johnny. U need to start your own thread for best results. U probaly don't know but there are forum rules about hijacking other peops threads. Post a new thread with some pics and we will all want to help.
Cheers
 

redneck joe

Supreme Mariner
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Mar 18, 2009
Messages
10,272
Re: 1991 Glastron Restoration

yeah start your own but follow this one - you will learn questions you didn't know you needed an answer to.
 
Joined
May 14, 2014
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I'm new to this so please bear with me. I'm trying to figure out how much to charge for replacing blown 4.3 MerCruiser with new one. Also put electric fuel pump, new bilge pump, added remote oil filter and cleaned a fuel tank full of water,oil rubber and who knows what. Did lots more stuff on it. H took and had the interior replaced, before I got the motor completed, also rebuilt water pump in Alpa-1 stern drive. IF ANY ONE CAN HELP ME, PLEASE DO. Between waiting for parts to come in and double checking all my stuff I lost track how much time I've got in it.
 
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