Just Started Rebuilding a 1964 Texas Maid 16' Fiesta

[kciv]

First step is to replace the transom and the floor. Started that today.

First question about the transom wood. How hard will it be to find 1-1/4" plywood? Do I have to buy a whole sheet for the transom? Can one glue smaller sheets together?

Second question about motor size. I do not have a motor yet? What is the minimum horse power motor that one can ski behind on this boat?

Third question. I cannot find any flotation. Do I need to add it? Where?

 

[Rickairmedic]

Re: Just Started Rebuilding a 1964 Texas Maid 16' Fiesta

Howdy KC welcome to iboats . On the transom you will need a sheet of 1/2" ply and a sheet of 3/4" and then glue them together with resin. Do a search on here for Deck and Stringers and another one for Transom and you will have a PILE of reading to do and will have more answers than you even have questions for . On the motor I would say 60HP if you are wanting ti Ski behind her minimum . I have an 80HP on my 16' Tin Can which is lighter than a Glass boat of the same size .


Rick

 

[tmcalavy]

Re: Just Started Rebuilding a 1964 Texas Maid 16' Fiesta

I wondered who was going to get that gem...called about it but decided against it when the title talk got a little shaky. You did get the title right?
As Rick says, glue two pieces of plywood together to make the thickness right, then seal the whole thing before you install it. Takes a bit to get splashwell out...drilling out lots of rivets, but it's do-able. Same drill with the deck, if it needs one. You can use the pink closed-cell foam sheets from the box stores for flotation under the deck. Your Fiesta is rated for up to 80 hp...70% of the recommended top rating is the bottomline for acceptable performance, so you'll need somewhere around 50 hp to start. Here's a link to some TM brochures online:
http://www.fiberglassics.com/texasmaid/brochure.asp

 

[redeye1962]

Re: Just Started Rebuilding a 1964 Texas Maid 16' Fiesta

I saw this TM on CL. congrats, have fun and take your time.

For the Transom, I used a 3/4 ply screwed and glued then a couple of coats of resin so it should be good for a while.

Make sure you seal the rivots prior to placing the deck. I am still kicking myself for not doing that because last time I used the boat 10 yrs ago it was fine.

 

[Rickairmedic]

Re: Just Started Rebuilding a 1964 Texas Maid 16' Fiesta

Gluvit is what you want to seal the rivets and seams with it is available here on iboats or you can get it at most marine dealers and all you need for a 16' boat is a 2 pound kit.


Rick

 

[kciv]

Re: Just Started Rebuilding a 1964 Texas Maid 16' Fiesta

I wondered who was going to get that gem...called about it but decided against it when the title talk got a little shaky. You did get the title right?
As Rick says, glue two pieces of plywood together to make the thickness right, then seal the whole thing before you install it. Takes a bit to get splashwell out...drilling out lots of rivets, but it's do-able. Same drill with the deck, if it needs one. You can use the pink closed-cell foam sheets from the box stores for flotation under the deck. Your Fiesta is rated for up to 80 hp...70% of the recommended top rating is the bottomline for acceptable performance, so you'll need somewhere around 50 hp to start. Here's a link to some TM brochures online:
http://www.fiberglassics.com/texasmaid/brochure.asp

Yea having a little hiccup getting the title.

Recommend what to seal the wood with?

I had planned to just set my deck inside. If I put flotation there I better think harder about attaching the deck.

 

[kciv]

Re: Just Started Rebuilding a 1964 Texas Maid 16' Fiesta

I saw this TM on CL. congrats, have fun and take your time.

For the Transom, I used a 3/4 ply screwed and glued then a couple of coats of resin so it should be good for a while.

Make sure you seal the rivots prior to placing the deck. I am still kicking myself for not doing that because last time I used the boat 10 yrs ago it was fine.

What do you seal the rivots with?

It appears that Dallas is full of Texas Maid boats.

 

[redeye1962]

Re: Just Started Rebuilding a 1964 Texas Maid 16' Fiesta

What do you seal the rivots with?

It appears that Dallas is full of Texas Maid boats.

Gluvit for the rivots

I used fiberglass resin for my wood.

The TM's are finally coming out.

 

[tmcalavy]

Re: Just Started Rebuilding a 1964 Texas Maid 16' Fiesta

They were made in Grand Prairie or Foat Wuth, I forget which. I put my plywood deck sealed with good grade exterior latex paint down with stainless steel screws...put the panels in, pre-drilled the holes through deck and stringers, then put in a screw. As much pink closed cell foam as I could pack under the deck between stringers. Be a bulldog on that title, TPWD is real finicky about the paperwork these days.

 

[kciv]

Re: Just Started Rebuilding a 1964 Texas Maid 16' Fiesta

Just got a 20" 1978 Johnson 70 hp motor. How do I mount it to my newly rebuilt 15" transom?

 

[tmcalavy]

Re: Just Started Rebuilding a 1964 Texas Maid 16' Fiesta

kciv...please start your own thread...you'll get more exposure/better answers and won't hijack someone else's thread/discussion.

 

[Johnny Too Bad]

Re: Just Started Rebuilding a 1964 Texas Maid 16' Fiesta

Hey TM, I think this actually is kciv's thread.

BTW, the ad I've seen says the Texas Maid's were made in Lewisville, TX. So, it's no wonder there are so many around the Dallas area. I think it was the Lone Star's that were made in Grand Prairie. Also, I read somewhere that the Texas Maid execs actually came from Lone Star. I don't know if that is true, but it would seem to make sense considering the proximity of the two companies and similarities in style.

 

[tmcalavy]

Re: Just Started Rebuilding a 1964 Texas Maid 16' Fiesta

Apologies to kciv. Does your 78, 70 hp clamp or bolt to the transom...maybe both. Main idea is to determine centerline across the top of the transom, mark it and center the outboard there. Now check the antiventilation plate above the prop...the horizontal plate. Should be even with or an inch above/below the keel of the boat...that's a good starting point. Try it on the water and adjust to suit you and how you want the boat to handle. 70 hp should push that Fiesta pretty well.
You're right about TM headquarters-past being Lewisville. Still have family near there. Used to jump off the railroad trestle into Lake Lewisville during summer fun days 35 years ago...had to be quick, though...lake patrol. But I'll deny that.

 

[kciv]

Re: Just Started Rebuilding a 1964 Texas Maid 16' Fiesta

My big question is that the motor is 20" and the transom is 15". Do I just bolt it 5" high. If the horizontal rows are just 8" apart is that enough not to tear up the transom?

 

[tmcalavy]

Re: Just Started Rebuilding a 1964 Texas Maid 16' Fiesta

I've never seen a Fiesta in person, but my smaller Impala has a 20-inch transom. Maybe it had a 20-inch transom and the PO cut it down to 15? or it came with a 15? If you haven't finished the transom yet, you can make it as tall as you need it to be...20 inches. Having the antiventilation plate a couple of inches below the keel of the boat won't hurt performance, but a full five inches will cost you some speed. Are you measuring straight down from the top edge of the transom to where it intersects the line off the keel...don't measure along the angle/rake of the transom, shoot your line straight down. You can bolt it anywhere on the transom, but I wouldn't leave a gap between top of transom and transom clamp on the motor...fill that space with shims if necessary.

 

[kciv]

Re: Just Started Rebuilding a 1964 Texas Maid 16' Fiesta

It has a true 15" transom. The splash well is formed over the top. Cannot make it taller without destroying the splash well. I think I am going to bolt a 2x10 or a 2x12 across the full width of the boat and bolt the bottom through the transom and through the 2x. I then will bolt the 2x to the transom on the ends using the ski hooks and a couple of other places. I will then add a 2x5x12" above the transom and then bolt the top of the motor mount through the 2x5x12" and the 2x10/12. It will add about 25 lbs to the back of the boat. Using 2x means that it will not last forever but it will be easy to replace.

 

[kciv]

Re: Just Started Rebuilding a 1964 Texas Maid 16' Fiesta

A couple of pictures of the transom. This is how I turned my boat into a 20" transom. This way it will be easy to turn it back into a 15" transom if I change motors. Also note how I patched holes I epoxied 2" inch aluminum disk to both sides of the aluminum plate. I plugged 15 holes in the transom. The 2" disk are tar paper caps. Make sure that you use the aluminum kind and not the tin kind.

Disk you can buy at the lumber yard for $2.50 a pound. You get a lot in a 1/4 lb. These aluminum disk are used to hold tar paper down. You put the tar paper down, place a disk on it and drive a roofing nail are staple through both. The picture shows a flat disk that you can use to patch a flat surface and one that I bent 90 degrees to use on a edge. Cut them and bend them to fit. Glue them on with epoxy and cover the edge with a epoxy bead. The previous picture showed how I patches a transom. I put a disk on both sides of the hole (inside and outside).

 

[tmcalavy]

Re: Just Started Rebuilding a 1964 Texas Maid 16' Fiesta

Nice work, ingenious solution. I still need to shim my Big Twins up a bit on my transom...but haven't got there yet. Wow, 15 patches...someone before you was drill happy. Did you get the title worked out?

 

[kciv]

Re: Just Started Rebuilding a 1964 Texas Maid 16' Fiesta

Boat has been on the water a while. Boats just fine.

 

[redeye1962]

Re: Just Started Rebuilding a 1964 Texas Maid 16' Fiesta

She is looking good.