1957 Duracraft Duraflite Custom

[jbcurt00]

Re: 1957 Duracraft Duraflite Custom

I'm not sure which is worse....... You are waiting on the weather to GET :thumb: to do more hard work on yours, and I'm waiting on the weather to have some fun AFTER all the hard work on mine .

Yep, I'm ready to hibernate for a couple weeks myself...........

 

[jigngrub]

Re: 1957 Duracraft Duraflite Custom

Requesting status report on this water transportation vessel.

The first day of spring was 8 days ago and I consider the status report 9 days late!

Time to knock the dust off the tools and get back to it!!!

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: 1957 Duracraft Duraflite Custom

I worked out of town for the last 6days, only got 83hrs And lost my secret boat building workshop

Whining over............

I intend to do some boat work this weekend, but I am back to working outside :cold:

I'll probably tow the boat back to the workshop & work over there, I just have to take all my stuff w/ me & cleanup & out every time I work....

Thanks for checking in....

 

[jigngrub]

Re: 1957 Duracraft Duraflite Custom

We're not really interested with your trials and tribulations related to working on the boat, we just want to see progress and results!:bored:

Working 83 hrs. left 85 hrs. to work on the boat and sleep and rest are highly overrated!:lol:


Just aggravating ya Bubba JBC , what're the plans for picking up where you left off? Paint removal and the straightening out of grinder damage from the POs attempts to perform work beyond his capabilities?

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: 1957 Duracraft Duraflite Custom

I haven't a clue, honestly, just getting the boat to the workshop and sitting & staring may be a good start.

I need to drill out every other bow cover rivet and work the tin around them. Replace those w/ new solid rivets and then do the same for the other half of the rivets.

Might drill out 2, leave 2, drill 2, leave 2. Gives me a larger area to work all at once. Maybe drill 2 leave 1................

 

[Watermann]

Re: 1957 Duracraft Duraflite Custom

Whoa solids on the bow cover, would that be those temperamental 5/32" skinnys or 3/16"?

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: 1957 Duracraft Duraflite Custom

I already have the 3/16" and all the other exterior hull rivets have been 3/16" w/ @7/16" heads, shallow dome.......

 

[jigngrub]

Re: 1957 Duracraft Duraflite Custom

I admire your dedication to detail for pounding in the solid rivets where they're going to show.

Since this is the Admirals boat, does that mean she's going to be able to take it out on the water any time she wants by herself?... or are we going that far with the "It's your boat thing"?:spy::tape::behindsofa::ballchain:

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: 1957 Duracraft Duraflite Custom

Sorry, I missed your post Jig. Of course, she can take it out ANY TIME SHE WANTS. Absolutely.

pssst: no matter how fancy, nice, gorgeous or otherwise I make this craft attempting to get it back on the water, she won't EVER want to take it out solo, or for a girl's cruise. EVER. I'd bet my next 3 paychecks on it.

Know thine Admiral <<<--- words I live & breathe by

As does my tin boat flipping, glass boat shredding northern brother Jas. Know them well fellas, know them well. At least then you'll know when to relax just before the frying pan connects w/ your melon. :watermelon:

The Duracraft is moving to new digs Indoor work space

 

[Jeler]

Re: 1957 Duracraft Duraflite Custom

Hello from Iowa

I just located a boat identical to this in Iowa. No Trailer or windshield, the boat is in overall good condition and if not
rescued it could be scheduled for the scrap recycle .

Feel free to drop me a note if interested, sorry I don't have any photos.
Jeff

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: 1957 Duracraft Duraflite Custom

Not sure what to say about that ^^^

But PM your way Jeler.


Details have been worked out & parts, pieces, tools & etc have been moved into a new to me indoor work space:

Single car garage door
20 X 40
W/ electric & overhead lighting
I also have a generator from work onsite
W/ access to outside space to work short term, but nothing can be left out overnight

It's 6min from the house, and halfway between work & home, couldn't be much more ideal

Now to finish processing 2 donors, get my non-op truck out of the space and finish up a little side project.

Then the Duracraft gets moved into her new space. Mid-May +/-

Thanks for putting up w/ my slow progress across many projects.

HAPPY EASTER!

 

[lokonn]

Re: 1957 Duracraft Duraflite Custom

Happy Easter, new work space sounds awsome!

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: 1957 Duracraft Duraflite Custom

Happy Easter to all of you too!

Well, didn't get to spend as much time organizing the space this weekend as I'd hoped. But I've got 2 boats, a 2001 Dodge Dakota, 5 motors on stands and 80% of my boat stuff & tools moved to the warehouse. I have an air compressor onsite as well as the generator too. Compressor's not real big, but it'll run my air hammer/riveter and when I order an air driven rivet gun from HF it'll run it too. I don't think it's up to paint spray duty on anything bigger then a 15ft'r, but should handle a paint gun too.

If I can get that big beast donor and my truck outta the way, I can get 3 boats in the space w/ all my OB's, there are several not onsite, and still be able to work on 1 of the 3 boats. Super stoked it's FINALLY coming together. I need to grab a work table and a some shelving from work.

Once that's all done, it'll be boat work MUCH more often and hopefully get some resolution to a boat project soon! Frankly it's been a long time coming, just over 2&1/2 yrs.... alas poor FireFlite, no room at the warehouse currently...

 

[Decker83]

Re: 1957 Duracraft Duraflite Custom

Happy Easter to ya..
Looks like a great place.. Always better inside than on the outside..
2 1/2 yrs is a long time..
Hope ya get it the way you want it soon..:joyous:

 

[sphelps]

Re: 1957 Duracraft Duraflite Custom

I thought you were going to air up the tires haul the FF down my way . There's always room in the yard for an old classic ya know .
Glad you got a nice place near by for boat rehab !
Hope you all had a great Easter jb !

 

[Watermann]

Re: 1957 Duracraft Duraflite Custom

Oh boy is there an old rotten glasser kill video in the future? :heh:

20x40 is perfect for housing your tin with plenty of space to work around it.

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: 1957 Duracraft Duraflite Custom

Oh boy is there an old rotten glasser kill video in the future? :heh:

20x40 is perfect for housing your tin with plenty of space to work around it.

In deference to the glass crowd, I tend to skip the videos and just take 1 final pix....... But not until I cut up the other donor glass boat & throw it in the empty Panther in the pix above. Need to pull the 1350 Merc w/ T&T off the back & try for the 2nd time to pull the 20+gal aluminum tank out of the Panther.... Hence the 3wk delay getting the Duracraft into the hanger.

 

[dozerII]

Re: 1957 Duracraft Duraflite Custom

Glad to see you got a convenient place to work on the boats jb, it's been a long haul for ya working that out.

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: 1957 Duracraft Duraflite Custom

Well, buried in here is the donor's aluminum tank:

Got it uncovered, but it is WELL stuck in place w/ pour in foam. I suspect it will have some pitting on the sides & bottom, but the top side gives me hope that there's a chance it's still a good tank.

Just doing my part

 

[Watermann]

Re: 1957 Duracraft Duraflite Custom

Jeez that sucker is completely buried in that nasty stuff. Guess I got lucky on mine, no foam at all around the tank. Fingers crossed for a few more good sides.