1969 Chrysler Valiant Restoration

[jcluikar]

Hi all! I took a job at a marine company earlier this year and figured it would be good for me to get a boat. I bought a 1969 Chrysler Valiant with a 40 hp Johnson and am looking to replace the transom. After doing a little research, I think I'll be replacing it with Seacast to keep costs down and ensure I can do it in my garage. I'm still in college (on co-op) so I don't have the ability to buy all of the tools I want. I do have an angle grinder and am working on getting my hands on a chainsaw to remove the old wood. The white part of the transom is uncracked and in pretty good shape. The red upper section has a few cracks as seen in one of the pictures. I'm thinking about replacing that center section of red fiberglass with all new glass after the transom replacement.

I was looking for suggestions on where to cut into the transom (it's a little irregularly shaped) or any tips from those who have done transom work/fiberglass work before. I want to know what would be best for me to cut off and attempt to replace with new fiberglass.

At this point, the only things left to do on the boat are paint and the transom, the engine runs and shifts like a dream and I have most of the electronics fixed up.

Pics of the transom:

 

[ezmobee]

On a little boat like that I'd pop the cap and replace the transom with plywood. Done properly it'll last forever and be cheaper than SeaCast.

 

[jcluikar]

When you say 'pop the cap', do you mean remove the red section of fiberglass? Should I be able to drop a section of plywood in without removing the entire rear of the transom?

 

[jcluikar]

On a little boat like that I'd pop the cap and replace the transom with plywood. Done properly it'll last forever and be cheaper than SeaCast.

Forgot to quote you. I'm bad at forums.

 

[bashr52]

What are your plans with the chain saw? :faint2:

 

[jcluikar]

What are your plans with the chain saw? :faint2:

People have used them to remove wood from a transom without taking the entire rear plate off the boat. I'm constrained for space so I won't be able to take the entire rear off of the boat.

 

[ezmobee]

When you say 'pop the cap', do you mean remove the red section of fiberglass? Should I be able to drop a section of plywood in without removing the entire rear of the transom?

Yes. You should be able to separate the halves, slide some wood underneath the top and slide it forward some since you're limited on space.

 

[jcluikar]

Yes. You should be able to separate the halves, slide some wood underneath the top and slide it forward some since you're limited on space.

Awesome. What is your recommended way to remove the old transom? It's pretty rotten, I was thinking about using a bent piece of steel to tear it up and vacuum it out? Is there a more common solution that people use?

 

[sphelps]

You should check the stringers also for rot ... If they need replacing the popping the cap off will be your best option .. Chances are pretty good that stringers are bad ...Once you determine that then you can come up with a plan ... If stringers are good and you just want to replace that there are a few options without taking the whole cap off .
Do seacast by cutting just the top edge of the transom and clean ALL the wood out and prep for pour ... You had better price that if you go that way .I't good stuff but not cheap ..
You could use plywood and only cut the back red part out by cutting the gunwhales just in front of the splash /raised section of the cap . That would get you the access to cut the inside skin out to replace the transom ..
Or , which is not usually recommended , Cut the outside skin of the transom out to repair ... I would avoid that way if possible ...
Welcome aboard !!!

 

[jcluikar]

You should check the stringers also for rot ... If they need replacing the popping the cap off will be your best option .. Chances are pretty good that stringers are bad ...Once you determine that then you can come up with a plan ... If stringers are good and you just want to replace that there are a few options without taking the whole cap off .
Do seacast by cutting just the top edge of the transom and clean ALL the wood out and prep for pour ... You had better price that if you go that way .I't good stuff but not cheap ..
You could use plywood and only cut the back red part out by cutting the gunwhales just in front of the splash /raised section of the cap . That would get you the access to cut the inside skin out to replace the transom ..
Or , which is not usually recommended , Cut the outside skin of the transom out to repair ... I would avoid that way if possible ...
Welcome aboard !!!

I was talking to a friend at work who builds wooden boats, he was recommending that I remove the rear of the transom to ensure that I get the maximum amount of wood possible out and the highest quality/accuracy cut for my new plywood. He recommended that once the pieces are remarried and glued, I use thin strips of fiberglass and possibly chrome angle brackets to re-seal the transom back into place.

Thoughts?

 

[Baylinerchuck]

I was talking to a friend at work who builds wooden boats, he was recommending that I remove the rear of the transom to ensure that I get the maximum amount of wood possible out and the highest quality/accuracy cut for my new plywood. He recommended that once the pieces are remarried and glued, I use thin strips of fiberglass and possibly chrome angle brackets to re-seal the transom back into place.

Thoughts?

I'm not following this. The only way I know to do it on a boat with a splashwell like this is to take the rubber out of the rub rail, drill out the rivets, slide the cap forward, replace the wood.

 

[jcluikar]

I'm not following this. The only way I know to do it on a boat with a splashwell like this is to take the rubber out of the rub rail, drill out the rivets, slide the cap forward, replace the wood.

So the rub rail is held in place with rivets... Would it be better to leave the two halves in place, cut off the rear of the transom, install new wood, and re-glue the transom like that?

 

[sphelps]

I wouldn't do anything until your sure deck and stringers are ok .
If they are rotting that will change the whole way to approach it ..jmho ..

 

[ezmobee]

So the rub rail is held in place with rivets... Would it be better to leave the two halves in place, cut off the rear of the transom, install new wood, and re-glue the transom like that?

You mean cut off a portion of the cap in the back to access the transom? That is sometimes done but usually only when there's a whole lot of stuff built into the cap like the front seating or something like that. Yours is simple being a small closed bow so popping the whole thing off makes the most sense.

 

[jcluikar]

t

You mean cut off a portion of the cap in the back to access the transom? That is sometimes done but usually only when there's a whole lot of stuff built into the cap like the front seating or something like that. Yours is simple being a small closed bow so popping the whole thing off makes the most sense.

So at the end of the day, it would be easiest to remove the top half and go down into the transom?

 

[ezmobee]

In my opinion, yes.