TOPIC: 1959 Larson "Falls Flyer " Restoration

Well I reached a milestone today ! I have the bottom finished on my Larson and rolled it over onto the newly restored Tee Trailer. Thought I'd start a thread on Fiberglassics instead of poaching on others . I have an extensive Restoration thread going on Northwest Classic Boat club that takes it through the total work I've done on the inside re-build with some new stringers and repaired all the old Glass on the sides and bottom. Now that I've rolled it over I will start where I left off and into the final stretch. Feels good to get it in place and going back on the inside . I will add to this thread as I go and will fill in with some old shots to give an idea what I did up to this point. Hope to have this all complete by March 2012. Still not sure on the motor. I live next to a Lake that has a two stroke ban so not sure where to go with that. I guess it all depends on the $$$$ when I get to that point. Really limited on space in the back ( 12") no Homelight s will fit. Would like either a Merc 58A or a Johnson ( Javelin ) Got lots of time to sort that out .

Looks nice sitting on the trailer.Any nicks or scrapes to repair?

www.classicboatclub.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1688

I'm quite interested in following your progress. I have a blue trimmed '59 as well. I've got just about everything to finish it except the glow pole bases.

John Monahan in Little Falls, MN has decals for it if you don't have any yet. Maybe some other parts if you need some.

I'm doing my '58 Cobra Commando now as practice. The Cobra is probably more rare, but not nearly as valuable, so I'll make my mistakes there and hopefully avoid them on the Falls Flyer.

Not One ! Your paint job is safe

Sweet Rick, Those pictures tell it all, I think there's 8,000 words worth. Keep 'em coming I need all the ideas I can get.
Cal

Appreciate your sharing your resto-thread with us Rick, I for one am going to enjoy watching your progress. I tried to check out the thread on NCBC (Thanks, Melanie!), but you can't see the pics without being a member? Congrats on getting her back right side up on the trailer, that's my next major project goal as well. (Well, after getting a decent paint job on the bottom of the hull first, of course.)

Yes, you need to register to view the photos on the Northwest Classic Boat Club but there are some great people there as well.

Lookin' great Rick -

Did you need to replace the tail lights on the Tee-nee? I have one that needs the light assemblies - as the ones on it are trashed. The look like vintage truck-tailer marker lights.

Thanks

BG

beautiful job rick,im jelous,im not working on a boat too,lol nice trailer too,john

She's looking GREAT Rick, keep up the good work.

Bob

For all you that can't see the pictures on N.W.C.B.C. I'll post a few of the pictures from along the way . After I tore out the seats and took the top layer of fiberglass off the inside of the boat I had 6 stringers I had to replace. They are not much for stringers more like slats. Cut them out and screwed a couple 2x4s across the top from side to side and made wedges that I could use to hold the new stringers in place . I laid Mat down and then laid the new slats on top of that and laminated it all together Did one at a time . When all the resin Kicked I laid mat and more resin over the top. When I had all the stringers stuck in place I faired it all out and laid a bunch of solid sheets over the whole bottom. Took the void in the bow and filled that with foam . With the new seats and all the mat and foam she should be pretty solid.

Some impressive wood working there!

Been working on the top side doing all the body work and final prep for paint. I've got alot of hours in grinding cracks, filling ,sanding, filling, prime, fill ,sand, prime -you get where I'm going. Got the first coat of the final color (Top side paint) on the stripe. I'm going to get the stripe painted and cured good then mask it off and put a coat of White primer on the gray High build primer. When I get the white primer on then it will be back to filling, sanding, filling again. When I feel it's as good as it's going to get I will finish up the interior wood work and anything else I can get dry fit or set up. Then the final coat of topside paint goes on. I'm going to use the Rustolium topside paint with hardener and thin with Acetone like I did on the bottom. It's going to be Gloss White with the red stripe. I checked with the Rustolium company and they have an automotive clear coat that is compatible with the marine paint so it's going to be wet sanded at the end and shoot a few coats of clear to see what happens. This will be a first for this system for me. I will have a test piece to spray before I clear coat the boat - Not that I don't trust the company but I'm almost burned out on sanding.

The tail lights on the Tee Nee are new, they are new stock I just looked for round ones and found these at the Hardware store.
Answer Bruce's question from Top of thread .

Hi Rick, Its looking good. Clint

She's coming along very nicely Rick, thanks for the progress report and details on the new "system". I have to get back to sanding and fairing on my project, I got so tired of it I had to take a break and do some wrench work for a while. (That, and the weather kinda put a whoa on working outside for a while, the garage is still full of dust from the last "session" of sanding indoors!)

Looking good! That trailer looks great, too. I'm finishing up my Tee-Nee, and looking for round lights like that. So far, I havent found anything but square... Where did you get those?

I got my lights at a Hardware store in Bellingham called "Hardware Sale" I will go by and get the name of them and what I paid and get back to you. I'm in there alot !!

The round lights are from " Grote"