TOPIC: Summer Project, 1963 Renken

So, 3 years ago We bought our home in Miami which
happens to be on a canal. Black Creek canal to be exact.





The search was on for a vintage boat to go with our home
and vehicles. My father found a barn kept '63 Renken with
a '63, 40hp Johnson and trailer, all for $200. It took about
6 months to get it down from Atlanta and another year to
get around to getting it sea worthy. This is the story.

This is the day it landed in my driveway, as you can see my
thunderbird was still under construction. It has been done
and on the road for over a year now.





This is what's left of the ID tag.





Then we moved it to the back where it sat for another year.
I spent that year looking for a mechanic, to no avail. I then
decided to just educate myself and get this thing running
on my own. I spent a few months with wiring, steering cabels
and a carb problem that kicked my ass, but alas I won.










Took 2 weeks just to break this bastard loose.








Eventually it ran






Next onto the floor. What we started with...






The mess under the floor.






Floor cut,






and carpeted.






Meanwhile Gloria was busy with the dirty work.






Job well done honey.






I forgot to snap pics of rebuilding the subfloor
but here is the finished product.






Wishful thinking.






The seats and steering wheel were all beat up.
So some fiberglass and paint was in order.






4th of July weekend rolled around and I lost patience.
Boat was launched with much success.






Now we were on to the cosmetic stuff.
Seats and steering wheel done.






Next, the cowling.

Look at all those emblems!






After paint, polish and more paint.












And some weekend cruising (before paint cleanup.)







How she sits.

Looks GREAT!! They are a lot of work, but worth it.

I always find it funny how some people get in to the 'hobby' so they have a cool vintage boat to match their car/truck.... Or, people like me who got in to vintage trucks so they'd have a cool ride to match the
boat!

-Andrew

Nice job....looking good.

Very nice work, and made a family project out of it too! Congrats on a job well done.

CONGRATS < NICE NICE Job.. I like the boat color, deck cleaned up nice. .We are in Chattanooga now, Prior Melbourne, Fla.. This spring got a 67 Glasspar & orig 67 OMC, the 60 hp version. Style quite similar to your 40 , GREAT job on the upper cowl..

HEY can you post , or e-mail me a pic of the T-Bird Tow car.. One of our Glasspar guys has almost the identical color / model .

Excellent job!

Andreas

Super job, ArtGeco! Looks great! I really like the aqua color.It looks like Miami all over(vivid colors). You and your "better half" done an A-1 job. What model is your T bird? The boat will look great behind her.jim

Outstanding job, you guys did GREAT! By the way how did you get your better half to help out? Haven't been able to accomplish that one yet. The color is awesome and so appropriate for Florida!

Bob

Wonderful work. Well done!

Thanks everybody.


Hey Split, here's the complete build of my tbird.

www.theprocrastinators.org/phpBB/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=3

Our first sea rescue, those are my buddies Ed and Jocamo.
I'm sure they'll be towing me home soon.

Good Karma Art, (the real life kind!). Never know when it's going to be me or you on the other end of the rope. Good job.

P.S. - I applied for membership on procrastinators to look at your pics, haven't heard back from anybody yet.

Hmmm, you should be able to view without signing up.
I'll talk to the web master (my brother) and see whats what.

broken lens. $40 for a new light? I don't think so.





55 cents for a bottle of baby food, that's more like it.






Modified






JB welded in place (sorry 'bout my finger).





This will work for a while.




Next my green lens was broken.
(sorry for forgetting the before pic but you can see the portion that was missing)
I mixed up a batch of fiber glass and added a tiny bit of food coloring.










And some pics of kids jumping off of the foot bridge



(Yep, he's mooning me)

someday, i will have the old larson in the water...nice build good job. really nice looking boat.

ArtGeco wrote:

broken lens. $40 for a new light? I don't think so.

55 cents for a bottle of baby food, that's more like it.

Modified

JB welded in place (sorry 'bout my finger).

This will work for a while.

Next my green lens was broken.
(sorry for forgetting the before pic but you can see the portion that was missing)
I mixed up a batch of fiber glass and added a tiny bit of food coloring.

And some pics of kids jumping off of the foot bridge

(Yep, he's mooning me)

That's a slick idea on the stern light.Boat's lookin' great! As far as the foot bridge, was it a full moon over Miami??

---

And a year later.........


I sold, packed up and shipped my lil' 40....

Because I had picked up this 60 hp for a song.

Also, the original windshield is cracked . yellow and just cruddy.

I got this 56 Thunderbird windshield for free on Craigslist.

I'm gonna set it the other way for a sleaker look,
and better airflow behind the wheel.

The first thing I notice is the big gap under the glass.

So, it had to be filled.....

As long as the windshield is Off I might as well squirt some fresh paint on the boat...

Hardware removed....

All masked up...

Meanwhile, I was reshooting all the white stuff in the back...

Now I have to start concentrating on the framework of the windshield....
That's the original gasket, I'm gonna recycle it.

Here it is siliconed on....

Now, Everyone who get's in the boat naturally grabs the top of the windshield
for support, Myself included So, I am going to build the frame out of steel.

Here I've marked out the two pieces of channel I'm gonna use.
It was an old supprot for a piece of printing equipment.

Here it is cut down and marked up....

Bendy....

Taking shape...

Welded up...

Ground down...

Made some gussetts...

Now, You'll notice the boat has been painted at this point.
Sorry for forgetting to shoot pics.

Mocking up the mounts...

Mud.

Smooth.

Paint.

Hardware.

Mounted.

Some bright work...

Before.

After.

Before.

After.

So, that's where I'm at for now.
Gotta finish rewiring, rebuilding
carbs and fuel pump, make some
alterations to my launch and dock.
More to come!

NICE work AG, your Renken is Rockin'! Seriously, she's really looking great - looking forward to some "on the water" relaunch pics.

Looks great! Nice pad too

Mark

The main thing is that you love it, I do. I like to manufacture things too. Nice looking rig. I'm hoping to find a windshield one day. Until then I am happy with my cut down one.

Really a nice job, and clever idea on that framing.

Excellent job, I love the windshield frame fabrication!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bob

Thanks Guys.
I'll keep Ya posted as it hits the water, SOON!