TOPIC: Chop Shop:1961 Glastron Fireflite - Jet

It is great to see all of the Glastron's coming out of the woodwork. From Tey's awesome '60 Fireflite resto to the latest field find, the Glastron 1960-61 line-up is highly under-rated and worthy of your time.

We started a thread three years ago in the Chop-Shop section of the old Fiberglassics, featuring the 1961 Fireflite Jetrofit of a 120hp Polaris triple-cylinder and inboard jet. The hull was launched this June with over a dozen missions completed.







Keep them coming guys...

Welcome back Slo-mo. I know some folks consider it "sacrilege" to modify or customize a classic, but that baby turned out SWEET, IMHO! We'd love to see some more pics, maybe a video of her under way? 120HP ought to make for a very interesting ride.

Very cool boat. A well done hotrod

very cool slo mo,i like making one of a kind stuff too,excelent job,john

I like original or restored boats,but I also like modified custom vintage glass when it's done with taste and attention to detail like yours and some others I've seen on this site. Super great job!!

That is VERY KEWL indeed. Nice.

Very nice indeed!! Would love to see more pics of this buildup!

Sweet ride dude! That silver really lights up the contures. Is it Prototype Silver?

Thank you for your kind words guys. I built the GlastronJet because of the awesome sweeping lines of the era, and grew up dreaming of the Concept Cars of the 60's. At 17, I started a composite company - designing modified automotive components, but until my kids were grown, never had the time to build anything cool for myself.

While a purist may not understand the desire to modify, they definitely appreciate the work involved. The plan was to create the ride that the factory would have, if they weren't trying to make money...and had modern propulsion systems.

While I didn't do a restoration, we did re-purpose the original Evinrude cowl, simplex controls and lower end.




Will add more photos, but thought a video of the very first drive would be appropriate. Keep in mind that the dog and I, picked up my wife at the airport after a trip from Iceland 25 minutes earlier...the water was a bit rough so she wouldn't let me go above half throttle (35mph). Top speed of the package is 46 mph, and turns on a dime. Note: Stunt dog was not harmed in the making of this video.

SWEET!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Now that's an excellent re-purpose of that Polaris set up!! Great job!

Bob

LOVE IT!
Are those snomobile windshields? Great job, wish I had your talent.

That looks like a George Barris "Kustom". So cool.

Awesome! That is some talent to imagine and then create that. I'd love to see more, as well!

Thanks again guys, great compliment to hear that George Barris came to mind. The windshields are leftovers from a late 90's jet boat manufacturer with custom fabricated bezels. All of the modifications were premised upon doing a head turner on a budget, with modern reliable power - while evoking the early 60's.

Family members posing after wakeboarding behind "Character Flaw"

The original boat was awesome from the factory, so it was not a stretch to customize. I've found that the average boat fan has no idea what the factory installed on the boat in 1961, but they do know what 1961 style looks like. New Glastron owners are amazed to see that their brand has been around so long.


Swim step was incorporated, along with storage and vents.

Dash/helm was moved rearward 9" for better balance


Polaris jet bed slips into place like pieces of an IKEA coffee table.

Now you really got me thinking!! Do you have more pics of adding jet bed?. Awesome build. I may have to re-consider my title of "coolest boat ever!!" Later Dave

Nice work, glad you added "no stunt dogs hurt..", the warden would have had to get the ASPCA after ya....... Seems to like the boat spray....My Jack would love a leap into the great beyond after some bow spray. Except he's chew off his life vest 1st!

Really good looking franken-glastron. I know it's a long shot, but any chance you have a vintage cleat or 2 hanging around you ddon't need or want?
My 1 & only pitted precious:


I have about 6 threads out @different boards, but no luck yet. May be a longer term search then the boats revival. That will be a longer term project for sure!

Thanks for the video & photos, inspiring.

Hey Dave, retrofitting a jet into a Playmaster has been done, and could/should be done again! An FG member featured his awesome build in the FG "chop shop" archives. We too have a Playmaster in the armada awaiting an add-a-jet-to-me. Have fun with your project, and don't hesitate to ask questions regarding the install of jet power.

JB: Your search for decent Glastron factory cleats is a tough one. While cool, they were of poor quality when new. The plater I use has threatened to throw me in his tank if I ever bring in a pitted die-cast zinc "artifact" for chroming. Unless your budget includes $1000 for reproducing the torpedoes, or you are entering top flight shows, grab some brand new, Perko vintage style rocket cleats for less than $40 a set, including chocks - and call it good. PS: our dog was recovered within a minute thanks to a fantastic doggie PFD, and jet boat maneuverability.


Since we use our boat quite often, I didn't want to see myself or a child be "gutted" by the rocket cleats, so we chose some sleek stainless pop-ups that fit the look and work great.
The only negative: people are fascinated by the pop-up feature, and can't help but play with them.

Having received a few questions regarding the engine cover over the Polaris 1050 transplant, I thought that a few photos of the process would make it easy to apply to any custom piece needed for your classic.

Concept

Rough prototype

Test fit

all glassed up

Upholstered

tool box

Polaris power

Awesome job slo-mo, that is one cool boat.
What happened to the pics?
I'd love to see more pics of the actual install please & thank you
Cheers
Bill

Hi Bill,

Thanks for the interest, the pictures disappeared when I changed the privacy settings on Photobucket. Most have been recovered.



Here are a few process photos of the jet bed from a Polaris being grafted into the Glastron Hull. Before flipping right side up, a full length Delta pad was added to improve hull performance by lifting more of the boat out of the water.




The main parameter to keep in mind when adding a jet, is the depth of the keel of your boat. Our Fireflite had a 2" drop, so I took the opportunity to embed the Polaris through the bottom by that amount to make sure that the pump had a clean and abundant water supply. Another more straightforward alternative, is a flush install- making sure that the keel is modified by removing any obstruction within 4' of the pump inlet to prevent cavitation.

Impressive craftsmanship, thank you for sharing more of the install pics. (It takes some big brass ones to cut a hole that size in the hull!) Great fairing and finish on the bottom, first class job all the way around IMHO. Sorry to "babble", I'm just in awe at the whole concept....... (AND the end result!)

Yeah- What Mark said! Where can I get one??

I am one of those people that usually dislikes it when classics are chopped or modified- But this is exceptionally done! It LOOKS like it was supposed to be that way! It looks like something right out of Harley Earl's sketchbooks.

-Andrew

Morning Andrew,

I totally agree with you. I also believe this may be a viable option for thse boats we've all encountered that are too banged up for a straight redo. Slo-mo - You've done an EXCELLENT job on your project! I'm impressed by just about eveything Andrew does but yours really takes the cake today.

Heck, if you two got together to build boats we'd no doubt see some pretty wicked 'glass skimming across the water!

That is some Awsome designing and work, the best retro I've seen, just Awsome.

Now ... I'm wondering what could you do with a Scimitar ?

Thanks for the reply slo-mo.
Did you do anything to beef up the original hull around the jet?
Thanks
Cheers
Bill

barnickelbill wrote:

Thanks for the reply slo-mo.
Did you do anything to beef up the original hull around the jet?
Thanks Bill

Hi Bill, we did a lot of structural work in tying the sheet molded compound (SMC) Polaris chassis to the fiberglass Glastron hull. The 2 components were first bonded with a tenacious two-part urethane adhesive which is strong enough to perform by itself. Further glass reinforcement with epoxy resins were applied in sequence per the drawing. In conjunction, with a total of 17 cu.ft. of 2lb & 4lb urethane foam, the vintage hull's solidity rivals the best modern boats - with the goal of level flotation and structural integrity.











Thanks Mark, Andrew, Todd and Ole Red, your comments and appreciation of the work involved make all of the long nights worth it. I hope all of you have calm seas in 2012.



This last weekend the weather in Seattle was so unseasonably nice, that we de-winterized the Glastron and took her for a spin...literally

- Greg

That thing looks fun! Great job. This is a great project for some of the boats that are too far gone for restoration because of non-structural issues.

slo-mo,you have created a real beauty,i love the stock classics,but im more of a custom hotrod it guy,when it comes to my own boats,i figure if i saved it from the dump,i could do it all up for coolness,lol.
and that boat is very,very cool,john