Oldskier's Glastron Carlson Contender

[oldskier]

I had just about decided not to post a thread of this rebuild because I am trying to rebuild this one after a previous owner screwed up and cut the transom out from the oiutside. Somebody was doing that to a Hydrostream while I was building mine and was takin a lickin from a bunch of you here. Oh well, I suspect I can make this boat work and since the transom is in and I have the rough sanding of the deck done and I'm about to flip it to do the bottom, I thought I'd post a few pics for posterity. What I did with the transom is as follows.

I ground the glass INSIDE the boat back about 9-10 inches and laid in some 24 oz. stitchmat, then inserted the new transom core while the glass was wet and glassed the same piece of stitchmat 9-10 inches on the OUTSIDE of the transom. Then I went back inside and put another layer of stitchmat inside the transom core. I tied the deck stringers in with stitchmat to the transom also. Then I ground the outside of the hull back about 4 inches and laid a layer of 1 1/2 oz. mat over the transom. Fairing that mess was a pain. I think the transom is close to flat, it won't be perfect.

I had to replace most of the 2 X 4 'backbone' in the center of the hull. Covered with stitchmat and 1 1/2 oz. mat. I'm using vinylester throughout.

I believe it will hold up. If not, you can call me 'Bob'.

I got a mongrel Merc inline with it, has a stock '67 100 hp powerhead stuck on a BP mid with a stock lower. Anybody has an SSM the want to donate, I'll come pick it up.....

Heres a couple pics.










Bernie

[samari]

Looks good Bernie, I have been waiting to see what you were up to with this hull.

[sjcolwell2]

looks good !!!

[oldskier]

Well, can't say I agree with you guys, when I am prepping a hull for paint I think it looks progressively worse until the 1st coat of primer goes on. Thanks though, I think it will eventually look good. Wanna see a Contender that looks good? Look at Brusters.....

[samari]

Ok, it looks better than it did when you brought it home. It's on the way to looking great. Is that better?

[oldskier]

Yeah Chet, I'll take that. Doesnt take much to look better than when it had a 5 foot by 1 1/2 foot hole in the back.....

It's a little embarrassing for friends and family to see it day by day looking like crap, they think I'm nuts. Then when it gets a coat of paint they all say WOW! that looks GOOD!

My dad said 'fools and small children should never see a job half completed...'

here.s a pic of Brusters boat. My goal...

[sjcolwell2]

looks great !!!

[oldskier]

Got it flipped to fair the bottom. It has blisters in the paint directly under where the bunks touched it...they are in the gel not the repaint...looks like a lot of sanding. I'm just working on getting the rear edge straight and sharp right now.








Bernie

[Mark75H]

Looks like a real good start Bernie. I think you are a little ahead of me now, since I have to do my dash and the backbone. I'm probably stalled for the season due to temperature until next April. If there is a string of warm days I might be able to put my backbone and dash in, but I'm not counting on it. My original backbone was ply, I'm putting in a real nice piece of oak

My bottom needs the same clean up, one corner is convex and everything else is concave.

[gregpro50]

Nice. Glad to see an old Contender getting the treatment. I love those boats.

[oldskier]

Well here in the mountens it snowed yesterday, so this hillbilly went in the
shop to work on the mongrel Merc SS that I got with the boat. I got the carbs cleaned
and re gasketed, cleaned and lubed the starter, re wired the distributor, new
fuel lines on and hooked it up and turned it over on the starter...It's making
pretty little sparks, looks like it will be a runner!

Today I pulled the lower and found nice black oil in the gearcase with no water.
Got impeller and gaskets an such on order.

Funny thing, found the 6th mud dobber nest in the BP mid, (5 on the
powerhead...) along with a BIRD NEST! Almost wish I had fired it off before I
found it....would have been ROFL funny to see it blow out the exhaust!

Sam, I used a plain ol 2 X 4 for the backbone, with a layer of 24 oz. stitchmat and a layer of 1 1/2 oz. mat I guess it will be strong enough....

I was amazed at how flat the bottom still is, everything in the last 4 ft. is within a 16th.

Bernie.

[oldskier]

Well, The old Mongrel Merc is alive! I ran it Saturday, fired off with no problem. Ran it on a cocktail of fuel, Seafoam, fuel stabilizer and lots of oil. Smoked like a steam train and makes an awful, beautiful noise. Should cause some concern in the lake....

Put a new impeller in, it is pumping water a little weak compared to my 1350, but I'll hook up the water pressure gauge next time before it hits the water.

I took the lower, skirt and BP adapter off for paint, got a beautiful new wrap around from Jim Rineart and also have a faceplate ordered from him. The original faceplate sticker has been marinating in the parts washer for a week and the sticker refuses to budge. I'll post some pics when I get the rattle can repaint done, the top cowl came out excellent for spray bomb work.

The cowl I got from Jim is 1/2 in. taller than the old one so I made some spacers, wonder what the diff is? I ASSumed all the inlines were the same cowl. Wrong again Sherlock.

Bernie

[raymar]

Bernie,
All the 99.8 cubic inch engines use the taller cowl; It started with the 1250 in 1968, and continued on until the inline 6 was dropped. The cowls from 1965 through 1969 89 and 93 cubic inch engines were
shorter. Also no 100 H.P. engine was built for the 1966-67 model years, just the 950 and the 1100 which
also said "Tiger" on the blocks. The 100 H.P appeared again in 1968 and 1969 model years, the same years as the 1250 engines.
Hope this helps and doesn't confuse.
Don

[oldskier]

Don, There is no s/n plate on this clamp, and even if there was I doubt it would be matching to the powerhead. Can I determine by a casting number what year/hp rating this poor old pile of parts is? (836-3260, it does say Tiger on there, also has and 'E' in the casting)

It was sold to the guy I bought it from advertised on Craigslist as a 100 HP powerhead

Thanks for the info on the cowl, I don't care what year it is, it replaced one that was dented in the grooved section too badly to be fixed to a presentable condition and the new one is SWEEET!

Thanks, Bernie

[Ronny Jetmore]

paint it nassau blue with large flake.