Help! 1978 Glastron SSV177XL Transom question!

Hi fellows!

My first post here & it's for help...sorry.
Before I make a mistake on buying my first boat I was hoping you could help me.
I seem to be wanton for this boat.

A nice boat it seems, however I have been reading on boat & found that the TRANSOM is of LARGE importance in it's value.
So I have another pic where I am concerned, if it were not for traveling 300 miles I would go look at it myself, but
I need to know if someone is lying.
Here is the pic of the Stern!

I'm concerned about the TRANSOM, it looks to me like there are to dark line running down the transom.
I asked about these to the seller and he told me
"nope no cracks that just a shadow of where the fiberglass changes elevation just the look of how they r made."
Is this true Glascon are made like this?
I was thinking (rotten wood & the glass is flexed) ...?
Or it was repaired at one time & it was also repainted because in 1979 they did not have RED, maybe in 78 I don't know
http://www.classicglastron.com/79gl-ssv177.html
I really hope I'm wrong cause this be a nice boat
Thank Frank

Re: Help! G1978 Glastron SSV177XL Transom question!

Re: Help! G1978 Glastron SSV177XL Transom question!

Visually it might not look like there is anything wrong, but that can be misleading.

Have a look around the forum, and this post : http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=506187

Re: Help! G1978 Glastron SSV177XL Transom question!

Re: Help! G1978 Glastron SSV177XL Transom question!

Thanks Sander
But the boat is 300 miles away and I can't do that, as per your link.
I need to know if it's normal for a transom to look this way on a 1978 Glastron.
Before I go look at this boat!
Regards Frank

Re: Help! G1978 Glastron SSV177XL Transom question!

Re: Help! G1978 Glastron SSV177XL Transom question!

Welcome to the forum! The members here are great and the experts, which I am not, should be able to help you solve any problem. Usually the original poster of a thread has the boat in question in their possession and provides observations, pictures, etc. to answer members' questions. I understand your concerns and maybe the thread at the link below will answer your question in a different manner. That OP also had an OMC powered Glastron with the infamous "stringer drive" and you see quickly what his challenges are. Let us know what you do. Good luck!

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=475895

Re: Help! G1978 Glastron SSV177XL Transom question!

Re: Help! G1978 Glastron SSV177XL Transom question!

Thanks for that link Willy
No offense intended here.
But I read that already, my concern is is it normal for the transom to look this way on a 1978 Glastron ssv177xl.
Before I make this 300 mile trip for nothing?
Regards Frank

Re: Help! G1978 Glastron SSV177XL Transom question!

Re: Help! G1978 Glastron SSV177XL Transom question!

I had a 74 glastron and the transom was built like that as well. I'll see if I can dig up some pics.

Re: Help! G1978 Glastron SSV177XL Transom question!

Re: Help! G1978 Glastron SSV177XL Transom question!

I'd think twice before buying a boat with that drive system in it. Parts and service are very hard to come buy for the old Stringers.

Re: Help! G1978 Glastron SSV177XL Transom question!

Re: Help! G1978 Glastron SSV177XL Transom question!

I would skip that boat altogether if you aren't willing to drive to see it in person and water test it.

All you're buying is the sleek lines and sexy red and white paint job... and if it's for a very good price (low) there's a reason for that too, probably the drive but could be much more.

Have you read this thread?

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=506104

Re: Help! G1978 Glastron SSV177XL Transom question!

Re: Help! G1978 Glastron SSV177XL Transom question!

Glastron ssv177xl said:

But I read that already, my concern is is it normal for the transom to look this way on a 1978 Glastron ssv177xl.

Click to expand...

From the pictures, it appears to me to be a "normal" design detail of that model Glastron and not an indication of condition. Good luck!

Re: Help! G1978 Glastron SSV177XL Transom question!

Re: Help! G1978 Glastron SSV177XL Transom question!

Why can't you just ask the seller to put the stern in the light and take some close up pictures of the two areas of concern?

Re: Help! G1978 Glastron SSV177XL Transom question!

Re: Help! G1978 Glastron SSV177XL Transom question!

Nobody is going to give you great advice on this from that pic. You need to see it for yourself and do some transom test on it to know for sure. Sorry, not trying to be rude.

Re: Help! 1978 Glastron SSV177XL Transom question!

Thank you all for welcoming me to iboat
And thanks for all the quick replies & suggestions, & advice, mucho appreciated!

First off after some poking around I found a picture of a stern from the same boat model on the web today
and YES they where build that way.
About 12" out from the center of the leg, the transom rises on both sides, so it creates a shadow also there are wires dropping down on both sides of the leg.
So this is what I was concerned about & it was nothing, when I got home I loaded my picture in Photoshop & enhanced it, sure enough it was the same
As far as the boat goes it's not going cheap $5.000 cnd, I had may communications with the seller regarding this boat.
I pressed on all the subjects, hull,electric,mechanical,upholstery,rot,flooring, transom,canvas, storage maintenance invoices, it's all good.
Of course there are some minor issues but nothing unsafe or costly mostly cosmetic stuff.
However ezmobee brought up a something I did not know, OMC is no more & parts are hard to find & servicing could be an issue, so time to pause here
& maybe look at something else (suggestion).
There are 2 other I/O Glastron in the same town, one has a 165 & the other has 140 both Mercs would that be better?
Engines die it's just a question of when, so looks like OMC would leave me in a pickle that day.
To bad I really like that boat so far.

Anyhow thanks again for all your help & I will keep you posted!

Regards all Frank