Getting my old '58 Feather Craft back

gergAlicious

Seaman
Joined
Jun 25, 2011
Messages
53
Hi all, just wanted to introduce myself and post up about my '57 Feather Craft Vagabond II (I believe). I got the boat years ago from my dad's uncle, after my grandfather's funeral. It had a '59 Lark 35 on it and ran like a top.

I didn't have the funds to do much with it at the time. A production company from California rented it from us in the late '90s for an insurance TV commercial. I never saw it, but the paycheck back then was nice.

Negative side is they ran it in low water and sucked trash / dirt into the pump and ruined the impeller and water pump housing. Luckily, a local marine shop in Hammond, LA had a new setup in the box right out of the early sixties - dust and all.

Fast forward many, many years later and the boat has been in storage at my uncle Tommy's place since we moved to NV. He passed away almost 2 years ago, and my dad moved the boat to his place. I since moved back to Louisiana and the boat is coming home in a couple of weeks. Sad to say, the Lark is long gone - don't remember what the deal was.

However, through a very interesting turn of events here in Monroe last week, I met a gentleman that collects and restores old Johnson outboards. He had ONE engine he was willing to sell (because it was not a Johnson :) ) and it happened to be a . . . . . . . . 1957 Evinrude Big Twin 35! Almost a story written to be.

Here is the boat:

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And the engine:

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I have the original bill of sale, as well las the owners manual for the engine and lots of documentation that followed it throughout its life. $400 in early 1958, plus $8 tax :D I also got a '56 Big Twin 35 cowl and all the new decals to restore it, as well as the paint.

I'm going to cut my teeth on this cowl before I restore the engine itself (cosmetically). The engine already runs fine with all new ignition components and a rebuilt carb. I also go the simplex controls from a vintage Evinrude for it.

I am going to look at getting the finish back as best I can, then take it one step at a time as I have with my automotive efforts in the past.

Very excited - Hope to update soon.

I plan to pull it with my '60 Single Cab VW:

busmower-M.jpg


Maybe even with my fully restored '65 sunroof deluxe:

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gergAlicious

Seaman
Joined
Jun 25, 2011
Messages
53
Re: Getting my old '57 Feather Craft back

Re: Getting my old '57 Feather Craft back

Built a temporary engine stand for the 35 this morning. Hope to test run it soon.

Can't wait to pick up the boat.

Can anyone confirm from the pic I have that this is a Vagabond II?

It does have the walk through mid section.
 

gergAlicious

Seaman
Joined
Jun 25, 2011
Messages
53
Re: Getting my old '57 Feather Craft back

Re: Getting my old '57 Feather Craft back

So I got the serial number deciphered today. The boat was built in June of 1957 as a 1958 model. She was the 249th Vagabond II that year originally anodized blue.

VII 6 249 578B
 

westwind999

Recruit
Joined
Jul 4, 2011
Messages
4
Re: Getting my old '58 Feather Craft back

Nice Vagabond, glad you are able to finally fix it up and make use of it. The 1958 catalog on Feathercraft.net shows it to be a Vagabond II on the Spec page. I have a couple Cartoppers and Rangers.
 

gergAlicious

Seaman
Joined
Jun 25, 2011
Messages
53
Almost 20 years to the day I finally got full paperwork in my name for this beauty!!!!

She gets attention as soon as the Chaparral is fixed!!!
 

gergAlicious

Seaman
Joined
Jun 25, 2011
Messages
53
We made it to the Arrowhead event in TN a couple of weeks back. Boated about 130 miles in the old FC . . . she did well!!

FC%20at%20TN-L.jpg


FC%20in%20TN_3-L.jpg
 
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