1978 18ft Grand Priz Floor Replacement and more

[imported_rick]

Not really knowing what we were getting into, my bro-in-law and I went 50-50 on an old boat for $700.00 ttl. It has a 1980 115hp Chrysler motor and trailer. We thought what the heck, let's get it.

We towed it to my house since it was only a few blocks away. To make a long story very short, the motor was seized, floor and stringers were rotted and the tires on the trailer were dry-rotted. So the challenge begins.

Mark (bro-in-law) bought a new power-head and other necessities such as new batteries and boxes, dock lines, anchor kit and a various assortment of stainless steel hardware. Since my funds are not what they should be I was the one who was going to do all of the work. Although I did have to purchase the flooring materials which included, but was not limited to, plywood, lumber for stringers, gallons of epoxy, gallons of resin, fiberglass cloth of various types and weights, primer, top side paint, new wiring, fused switch panel, ignition switch and so on.

After a few years of taking up space in my garage I think we are finally nearing the point of getting the thing wet.

Below are pics from day one and where I am today, April 2010.
When or if I can find my other pics I'll post them as well.

 

[imported_rick]

Re: 1978 18ft Grand Priz Floor Replacement and more

Well, here's what I found so far. I'll keep looking for the rest of the pictures.

Here's the boat on the day I bought it. You can't really see the glass too well but they were all hazed and cracked from UV rays.

The inside before doing anything. Here you can see the condition of the windows.

These smaller pictures are actually taken from a video I shot when I first got the boat.
Maybe I'll post the video so you can get a better idea of what I was up against.

Seats removed. I also removed the carpeting from the side walls.

Aft with motor removed. Sent motor out to replace powerhead.

Under the splashwell

Now we get to the fun stuff.

There was a capeted floor covering up the fiberglass floor.
As you can see here a highway sign was used and wasn't fastened down at all.

 

[boatflipper]

Re: 1978 18ft Grand Priz Floor Replacement and more

As you can see here a highway sign was used and wasn't fastened down at all.

Are you saying that that was being used as the deck???
That deserves to go down in the history books ladies and gentlemen....here in KY it is illegal to be in posession of that kina stuff
Anyway! It looks like you have made some major progress!! So did you replace deck, stringers and transom? Also, is that anything other than paint on the deck?
Looks good!!

 

[imported_rick]

Re: 1978 18ft Grand Priz Floor Replacement and more

Another shot of the highway sign/floor. The other side is carpeted.

The carpeted side.

The original fiberglass floor. The hole was cut into the floor to allow for the seat pedestal base. Ouch!

Cut right into the stringer.

Fresh moist rot. yum.

Floor partially removed.

 

[imported_rick]

Re: 1978 18ft Grand Priz Floor Replacement and more

Are you saying that that was being used as the deck???
That deserves to go down in the history books ladies and gentlemen....here in KY it is illegal to be in posession of that kina stuff
Anyway! It looks like you have made some major progress!! So did you replace deck, stringers and transom? Also, is that anything other than paint on the deck?
Looks good!!

Yep, that was the deck. I did eventually replace the stringers, bulkheads and floor. The transom was solid as a rock for the most part. The very top edge, about an inch or two deep and foot long was replaced. That "deck" was carpeted.

 

[imported_rick]

Re: 1978 18ft Grand Priz Floor Replacement and more

Foward close up.

Aft close up.

Shot of the underside of the original fiberglass/plywood floor.

Here's where the stringer was destroyed to allow for the pedestal base and where the rot started.

Cleaned it up a bit to see the exten tof the damage.

 

[imported_rick]

Re: 1978 18ft Grand Priz Floor Replacement and more

At this point I removed the entire floor stringers and bulkheads. Cleaned everything up and then pulled it into the garage.

These are the pictures I can't find but I'll keep looking.

The new stringers were 1"x6" pine and the bullkheads were 3/4" plywood. I applied two coats of epoxy on all sides of the parts before glassing them in place.

With the hull being as deep as it was I decided to build into the floor a storage compartment. For floatation I used plastic juice bottles held in place with foam. I also made the spaces between the floor and hull on the outer sides of the stringers watertight.

The floor I put in is somewhat unique. I used 5/8" epoxy coated plywood and then I bonded a sheet of 1/4" thick fiberglass faced plastic to the plywood with epoxy and countersunk teflon coated deck screws. The fiberglass side was facing up so I could glass the edges to the hull. After it was in place I coated the entire surface with two coats of resin.

Next came the primer and top side paint.

I then made a hatch cover for the compartment in the floor with 1/2" birch plywood, also coated with epoxy, and bonded the 1/4/" plastic sheet to that. Added recessed stainless steel hinges and handle to finish it off.

(also new carpeting on the side walls and in the cabin area)

 

[boatflipper]

Re: 1978 18ft Grand Priz Floor Replacement and more

Looks very good! A lot of hours have been put in-I can tell!

 

[imported_rick]

Re: 1978 18ft Grand Priz Floor Replacement and more

Here are some pictures of the fiberglass faced plastic I used for the floor. One of the benefits to using this plastic is that I wont have to worry about it ever rotting. I was lucky enough to get 3 - 4' x 10' sheets for free!

Fiberglass side

Under side of plastic sheet

Sample of plywood and plastic bonded together. Actually all the pics show the edge of the sample piece. The wood and plastic are bonded together with epoxy.

Makes one h*ll of a solid floor.

 

[imported_rick]

Re: 1978 18ft Grand Priz Floor Replacement and more

Looks very good! A lot of hours have been put in-I can tell!

Thanks boatflipper. Yes, it was a lot of hours but I really enjoyed the entire process. If it wasn't for this forum and all the incredible help and advice, it would have been a nightmare.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: 1978 18ft Grand Priz Floor Replacement and more

That looks really good. That deck should be bulletproof. I have a soft spot for those old Chryslers and look forward to seeing yours mounted and running.

 

[SnowHunter]

Re: 1978 18ft Grand Priz Floor Replacement and more

Without you having said, from the before and after pics, I wouldn't have known its the same boat!!! The new deck and inside looks incredible!! Great job!!

 

[imported_rick]

Re: 1978 18ft Grand Priz Floor Replacement and more

Thanks for the kind words guys.
Sorry for the fuzzy pictures, taken with an old cell phone.

I have a soft spot for those old Chryslers and look forward to seeing yours mounted and running.

Well, it's actually mounted just not running yet - no spark.

New block!

The coils positive terminal is broken off.

 

[imported_rick]

Re: 1978 18ft Grand Priz Floor Replacement and more

Here she is still in the garage.

Snug fit!

Some more interior pictures

 

[imported_rick]

Re: 1978 18ft Grand Priz Floor Replacement and more

It's finally running!!

I still have a few things that need to be done before getting it wet. I still need to buy seats and install them plus I think I'll build a bench for the back of the boat. It'll be my first attempt at upholstery.

I'm also going to build a new dashboard since the one it has doesn't really have anywhere to put any gauges. The new dashboard will be made of fiberglass.

What I'll be doing (actually already started) is building a full-scale mock-up of the dashboard as a plug and then create a fiberglass mold from the plug, then use the mold to make the dashboard. I know it seems like a lot of work to just make one part once, but it's something I've always wanted to try.

The 'frame' for the plug is made from scrap wood lying around in my garage. After building the rough frame I stretched fabric (spandex) over the frame to form the finished contoured shape then coated it with poly resin to create a hard shell. I added some mat to the inside of the plug where fabric did not meet wood. This backing of mat and poly was to make the fabric more rigid.

Below is crude MS Paint drawing of what I'm trying to do.

I'll try to post pics tonight of what I've done so far.

 

[imported_rick]

Re: 1978 18ft Grand Priz Floor Replacement and more

Here's some shots of the frame or skeleton of the plug for the dashboard mold.

The coffee can lids are 4" in diameter which match the size of the gauge bezels.
The black square represents the switch panel.

 

[imported_rick]

Re: 1978 18ft Grand Priz Floor Replacement and more

Here the spandex has been stretched over the skeleton and a coat of poly resin was applied.

The sticks and coffee can lids were stapled in place to hold the shape while the resin sets up.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: 1978 18ft Grand Priz Floor Replacement and more

Really cool, innovative work. Can't wait to see how it turns out!

 

[imported_rick]

Re: 1978 18ft Grand Priz Floor Replacement and more

Thanks EZ

The pic shows the mat on the underside for stiffening purposes.

The initial sanding.

Here I removed the excess fabric where it had wood backing.

For the next step(s) I'll be applying auto body filler to even things out.
filler, sand, filler, sand, filler, sand, sand, sand ........

 

[imported_rick]

Re: 1978 18ft Grand Priz Floor Replacement and more

Another behind the scenes picture. The fiberglass mat applied to the backside of the fabric is a must. Without it, the fabric would just be too flimsy to work with, even with a few topside coats of resin.