1960 glastron fireflite R&R

1960glastronfireflite · Apr 29, 2009

Ok i have just goten my hands on a 1960 glastron fireflite with a evinrude lark 35 hp motor. i need some help to know if i am doing this rite. my grandfather gave me the boat said it needed only a littel work to get going but here is what i have found so far. the wood around the inerbody was soft so i riped it out to replace it. when i was doing that i found some holes in the glass floor (not covering the plywood) and then found that the back of the boat where the motor rests was growing weeds. so i took the top off the boat. then removed the back support (it was falling apart in my hands) now i need to know if i should make it thicker then the stock size. and if i should remove the sub floor to check the wood on the bottem of the boat. i am looking to do this rite. i have lots of expireance with glass as i have built a airplane with my dad. i know motors as i am a mechanic. but boat in genral i know nothing of. other thanhow to drive them. i will upload pics of what i have done this far. any help would be great thank

capri1600 · Apr 30, 2009

Re: 1960 glastron fireflite R&R

You have come this far and based on the wood in the pictures, I would definiately go ahead and take it all the way down to fiberglass and replace all the wood.

tmcalavy · Apr 30, 2009

Re: 1960 glastron fireflite R&R

You're on the right track, clean out the old dust/wood and replace with sealed, solid wood. If that's a glass hull, put a keeper across it in a couple of spots so the hull won't spread/sag while you've got the cap off...otherwise getting the cap back on can be a chore.

1960glastronfireflite · Apr 30, 2009

Re: 1960 glastron fireflite R&R

ok well today i removed the glass covering the floor board and found it is in great shape. it looks like it has been done before. so should i remove it to check under it for wood struts? and all the wood in the boat has been plywood should i just use plywood again to replace it? (including the motor support) or should i spend the cash to get a solid board back there. i also need to know where a good place to find fiber glass in large sheets and gallon sized resin. i know where to find it for airplanes but i don't know if it is the same thread count and resin type. any help wound be great.

1960glastronfireflite · Apr 30, 2009

Re: 1960 glastron fireflite R&R

also i need a parts manual for the evinrude lark 35 hp motor year 1958 any one know where i can find this

capri1600 · May 1, 2009

Re: 1960 glastron fireflite R&R

I'm curious to know what composite airplane you built? I too am from an aviation background. I have the airframe for the wooden 2 place Fisher Horizon 2 in my shop. I built it from plans. Anyway, as far as you have come I'd check under that floor for rot. I wouldn;t wholesale cut it out unless you find issues with rot or bonding but I might drill a test hole or two and look around. As for material, it was hard for me to switch from epoxies, carbon, kevlar and s-glass for aircraft to polyester resin and mat for boats but you get used to it quickly. I bought my mat and resin from USComposites. I buy the resin 5 gallons at a time. Not that I need multiple 5 gallons of resins for a single boat project but I do composite projects at work too. These are wet layups in boats, not the optimized layups we do in aircraft so you will be using more resin too. I bought the woven roving I needed from Jamestown Distributors.

1960glastronfireflite · May 1, 2009

Re: 1960 glastron fireflite R&R

we got a kit plane called a glasstar. we got it with the body shell completed installed bulkheads,tanks,the tail. built the wings from only ribs up. with aliuminum skins and a ton of riveting. and a lot lot more work 7 years to get it flying. we got it flying 2 years ago.
one queston when making cowlings and other parts for planes you deal with easy clean enviorments what should i do for this boat. i am in it just rolling around in fiberglass. i have tryed tyvek and latex gloves but that dose not keep it off you guys have a trick you use? if not to prevent it from getting on me then prehaps to remove it off me

1960glastronfireflite · May 1, 2009

Re: 1960 glastron fireflite R&R

so when i put down my final fiberglass layer is ther a paint or somthing like a paint i can min into it to color the resin?

Willyclay · May 1, 2009

Re: 1960 glastron fireflite R&R

Regarding your request for a "parts manual", do you only want a parts manual or do you actually need a service manual?

1960glastronfireflite · May 1, 2009

Re: 1960 glastron fireflite R&R

a service manual wound be great so i can get the factory specs on torque and gaps. do you know where i can find this

Willyclay · May 1, 2009

Re: 1960 glastron fireflite R&R

I have a non-factory service manual scanned and saved that I can send as an attachment to an email message. It covers J&E30-40HP motors from 1956-1964 and has specifications including torque. Send me a Private Message with your email address.

1960glastronfireflite · Jun 10, 2009

Re: 1960 glastron fireflite R&R

well i have now repalced all the wood put the hull together and primerd what i can
i need help with a way to lift the boat in the air so i can sand and prime the lower side
any ideas
?

keepNitreel · Jun 13, 2009

Re: 1960 glastron fireflite R&R

1960glastronfireflite said:
well i have now repalced all the wood put the hull together and primerd what i can
i need help with a way to lift the boat in the air so i can sand and prime the lower side
any ideas
?

I would have flipped the hull without the cap on & painted while it was gutted & at its lightest weight.

Yacht Dr. · Jun 13, 2009

Re: 1960 glastron fireflite R&R

one queston when making cowlings and other parts for planes you deal with easy clean enviorments what should i do for this boat. i am in it just rolling around in fiberglass. i have tryed tyvek and latex gloves but that dose not keep it off you guys have a trick you use? if not to prevent it from getting on me then prehaps to remove it off me[/QUOTE said:
Hello m8..

Fiberglass dust is very pervasive .. here is how I suit up for a major grindout..

1. Get some baby powder in your grinding suit b4 you put it on. ( helps eliminate the sweat and helps to fill skin pores.. getting hot opens up your pores allowing glass to go in deeper ). Try not to rub up against anything..including yourself when grinding.

2. Use cotton only clothing..no poly/mix ... will attract dust like a magnet.

3. Tape a rag around your neck and bandana style rag on your head. Tape the zipper of your tyvek suit up tight so it cant fall. ( you can fold one edge of the tape on itself to help grab and pull it off when your done ).

4. Keep a vacuum going at all times..when you see a big pile of dust forming ..vac it before you blow it up with your grinder.

5. Shave and wear resp., ear muffs and goggles ( tape off all of the holes on your gogs leaving a few on the side ).

6. To get glass out of your skin..take a hot shower..hot..dont rub against the grain of your pores.. allways outward. when good and hot.. step out of the water and lather yourself with "thick foamy" shaving cream. When all foamed up use a loofa and gently scrub in the direction of your pores .. get back into the hot water and rinse in the same way. After all rinsed off, final rinse with COLD water ( as much as you can stand ) to close them pores up. This will help alot m8.

YD.

Yacht Dr. · Jun 13, 2009

Re: 1960 glastron fireflite R&R

Oh yea..forgot to mention..

I worked for LoPresti for a bit.. The process is basically the same.. aside from the baking.

Could you imagine what it would be like if the boating industry had to hold the same standards/cataloging during the manufacturing .. What a friggin headache that was !

YD.

1960 glastron fireflite R&R

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