# 1980 LOWE 16' total rebuild



## Hi Salenity (Jan 16, 2013)

I've been wanting to start a build thread for some time now but I havent had the time. So now that the boat is all but done I'll start the thread. LOL
After a LOT of cleaning this is how the boat looked the day I brought it home.


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## Hi Salenity (Jan 16, 2013)

A little background on me and the boat project. I live just south of KCK and found a 17' Tracker I wanted for $3500. It was supposed to be super nice! I drove several hours away to Arkansas to look at it and it was a total piece of JUNK AND NOT WORTH BUYING AT ANY PRICE! The next day I went and knocked on a local guys door that had this boat sitting outside knowing it hadn't moved in years. 
Anyhow I ended up buying the boat 40hp Mercury and Rollco trailer for $300.


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## Hi Salenity (Jan 16, 2013)

The first order of business was to totally gut the boat.


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## Hi Salenity (Jan 16, 2013)

As you can see the foam must have been open cell and was extremely water logged! It had even expanded to the point it was lifting the decking and bowed all of the surrounding aluminum!!! (does anyone think this was the factory foam)?


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## Hi Salenity (Jan 16, 2013)

The next step was to try and brighten up the outside. I thought about painting it but once I saw a few video's on Utube about Aluminum Brightener I was sold! I got the Aluminum brightener from Orileys for $10 and diluted it with probably 3 parts of water.
Before








After


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## Hi Salenity (Jan 16, 2013)

I wanted to raise the casting deck up to almost the top of the boat but also keep it low enough to keep stuff from rolling off into the water. 
This left a section between the casting deck and the back deck that needed to be painted (nice to have a father that owns a body shop) 
The first pic is of the self etching primer and the next is the paint. I also painted the console but apparently didn't get any pics.


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## Hi Salenity (Jan 16, 2013)

Next was replacing the foam. I had some 2'' pink foam laying around and a bunch of closed cell spray foam (I own a Remodeling construction company). 








I did the same to the front of the boat but didn't get pics.


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## jasper60103 (Jan 16, 2013)

The boat, motor and trailer is a steal for $300. =D> 

That aluminum brightener works wonders.
Keep us posted and the pics coming. I'm sure it will come out nice.


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## Hi Salenity (Jan 16, 2013)

I originally did all the frame work with steel studs. I have used them before on another boat and they worked great. as for plywood I wanted to use treated lumber (and regret not using it) but after seeing everyones recommend regular plywood and Epoxy resin that's what I used and after the Epoxy Resin I also put on a coat of Epoxy paint (oil base) and once I screwed the decking down I put a coat of paint over the screw heads.


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## Hi Salenity (Jan 16, 2013)

Hi Salenity said:


> I originally did all the frame work with steel studs. I have used them before on another boat and they worked great. as for plywood I wanted to use treated lumber (and regret not using it) but after seeing everyones recommend regular plywood and Epoxy resin that's what I used and after the Epoxy Resin I also put on a coat of Epoxy paint (oil base) and once I screwed the decking down I put a coat of paint over the screw heads.


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## Hi Salenity (Jan 16, 2013)

After I had rough cut the plywood and cut the holes for the compartments I was vacuuming out the boat before I added the floor's braces. I sat down on the steel studs and accidentally bent them!!! =D> #-o [-X :evil: Back to the drawing board!
This time I used treated 2x6 They don't touch the hull so I shouldn't have any corrosion issues...


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## Hi Salenity (Jan 16, 2013)

:mrgreen:


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## Hi Salenity (Jan 16, 2013)

You start to see it coming together with this pic.


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## Hi Salenity (Jan 16, 2013)

Time to install the carpet.


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## Hi Salenity (Jan 16, 2013)

The carpets done and it's time to install the seats, console trolling motor, electronics...


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## Kochy (Jan 16, 2013)

Looking good so far!! Your boat looks kind of similar to my 87 Bass Tracker. Is that a Lowe Commander? Cause another member has one and on my mod thread he said about how his looks almost exactly alike to mine. Its weird how two different boat companies have almost similar boat layouts.


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## Hi Salenity (Jan 16, 2013)

I still have to order the hinges and latches for the compartments and get a new horn (the origional doesn't work) but the 3 batteries are installed along with the 3 bank charger it's getting close to the time to get her wet.


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## Kochy (Jan 16, 2013)

This post was a screw up. Can't delete it, Opps lol.    :mrgreen:


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## Hi Salenity (Jan 16, 2013)

Kochy said:


> Looking good so far!! Your boat looks kind of similar to my 87 Bass Tracker. Is that a Lowe Commander? Cause another member has one and on my mod thread he said about how his looks almost exactly alike to mine. Its weird how two different boat companies have almost similar boat layouts.


Thanks, I'm not sure if it's a commander or not. I was told wen I bought it it was 17' but I got it home and it's only 16' it's also a little narrower than a 17' Tracker.


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## Hi Salenity (Jan 16, 2013)

Kochy said:


> This post was a screw up. Can't delete it, Opps lol.    :mrgreen:


I had the same problem with a accidental quote :|


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## JustinNC (Jan 16, 2013)

So, are you leaving the compartments open underneath or putting some sort of box in to catch the stuff. That's a big debate in what I want to do as of right now. I'd like to have all that room underneath, but then again, not have to worry over water running through it. I also have a Lowe 1648. LOVE LOVE LOVE this thread, as it sends me in the right direction. Thank you.


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## Hi Salenity (Jan 16, 2013)

For now I'm not going to close them in. The things I'll probably store in them will be life jackets ,Anchor, Rope... In the summer I may fish from 3 different boats in a week so I don't store tackle on the boat but in a Tackle bag or two. I am working on a rod locker.

If you look at the first picture on the first page you will see a space between the seats that's about 10'' wide and 6'' tall. I think I can slide 8 rod tubes in that hole that run all the way to the back of the boat about 5'. Then between the seats and the casting deck I'll build a box about 12"? wide and put a top on it. this should give me about 9' and I should be able to fit my 7'11'' rods in it easily and it will act as a step to get up to the casting deck.


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## jasper60103 (Jan 16, 2013)

Looking good. I don't think this is your first mod?
Did you try to start the motor yet?


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## Hi Salenity (Jan 16, 2013)

No I haven't started it yet. The motor looks amazing on the outside! It has 99% of the paint still on the lower unit and the prop! Either it was barely used or was only used in deep water? Anyhow I checked the compression by turning it over with a drill and it had 115# on each cylinder so I think it will be OK. The odd thing is under the cover some of the more exposed wires are bad! I mean 100% rotten into! This is on 6-8? wires including one that's too close to the CDI box to repair. I wonder if the grounds were not all ran together or something ... I found a CDI on Ebay for $95 and as soon as it arrives I'll see if it'll start. 

I'd like to get a larger (and newer) motor for it 60-85? I know 85 is above the rating but my last boat (glass) had a 200hp and I don't think the 40 will be peppy enough for my tastes. 

Obviously I'll want to see how it sits in the water before I get another motor.


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## Bass n flats (Jan 16, 2013)

which aluminum brightener from oreilly's did you use? I see three on their site? is it the superior products in the 1 gallon?


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## JustinNC (Jan 16, 2013)

Good idea HS. I need some bow weight. My anchors are light weight, but every little bit helps. Life jackets, trolling motor battery, possibly another battery for lights...I crappie fish a lot at night, and wanting to put some LEDs in, and depth finder, etc. I might frame out another box for my stuff I normally keep in a dry storage box. That will work well.


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## Hi Salenity (Jan 17, 2013)

Bass n flats said:


> which aluminum brightener from oreilly's did you use? I see three on their site? is it the superior products in the 1 gallon?


Superior


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## JustinNC (Jan 17, 2013)

Just wanted to thank you again Salinity. This thread has been the best thus far to send me on my way to putting a deck up front.


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## Hi Salenity (Jan 17, 2013)

JustinNC said:


> Just wanted to thank you again Salinity. This thread has been the best thus far to send me on my way to putting a deck up front.


No problem, what year is yours & what motor do you have?


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## Scott Mac (Jan 17, 2013)

That is a bad a** boat. Your hard work and attention to details has left you with a very useable and great looking tin. Now the question....whats next?


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## Hi Salenity (Jan 17, 2013)

Scott Mac said:


> That is a bad a** boat. Your hard work and attention to details has left you with a very useable and great looking tin. Now the question....whats next?


Fish


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## Kochy (Jan 19, 2013)

You kind of went overboard on the framing, You could 2x3's and it'd be just as sturdy. Using 2x6s just add weight to your boat that you could of used for gear. But other then that. It looks pretty good.


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## bg64vw (Jan 19, 2013)

I love those early 80's Lowe boats and I like that gray, is it massey ferguson gray???? Great thread!


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## hueydr (Jan 19, 2013)

Are those seats the 56" seats from BassBoatSeats.com? Did you get the matching fishing seats? If they are these are the same seats (color and style) I'm considering for a future project and would like to know your opinon of build quality, comfort etc. The tin looks fantastic by the way. =D>


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## Hi Salenity (Jan 20, 2013)

Kochy said:


> You kind of went overboard on the framing, You could 2x3's and it'd be just as sturdy. Using 2x6s just add weight to your boat that you could of used for gear. But other then that. It looks pretty good.


If you look I'm spanning 4'. I don't think you'd want to do that with a 2x3 unless you wanted to put some supports under it... I didn't want anything under the deck to get in the way with storage... I may have been able to have used 2x4 instead of a 2x6 and I could have used a 1x for the rim joists but as it is now the floors solid and the butt seat is solid as well....


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## Hi Salenity (Jan 20, 2013)

bg64vw said:


> I love those early 80's Lowe boats and I like that gray, is it massey ferguson gray???? Great thread![/quote
> 
> I just grabbed a can of Grey from my dads Body Shop. It was actually the first can of Centari I found. I just wanted a single stage paint, I didn't want to mess with the Clear. I don't have any idea what color it is but I'm 100% positive it's not Massey Ferguson Gray. lol He has all Green Tractors (20+)


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## Hi Salenity (Jan 20, 2013)

hueydr said:


> Are those seats the 56" seats from BassBoatSeats.com? Did you get the matching fishing seats? If they are these are the same seats (color and style) I'm considering for a future project and would like to know your opinon of build quality, comfort etc. The tin looks fantastic by the way. =D>


Yep those are the seats. I like them they are bigger than I was expecting but that's how it goes buying stuff unseen. 
The butt seats are ones they had on clearance for $20 each! It looks like they are all gone now.


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## Hi Salenity (Jan 20, 2013)

Thanks again to everyone for the compliments I got the new CDI box and will be trying to start it Today for the first time.................WISH ME LUCK!!!!!


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## Hi Salenity (Feb 5, 2013)

I've done some work on the rod locker. This will hold 8 rods.


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## Hi Salenity (Feb 7, 2013)

This is how it looks on the inside *** Both of those rods are 7'11''*** =D>


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## hueydr (Feb 13, 2013)

I love that rod locker. Is it just as simple as some 2X's and carpet? Are you going to mount the lid?


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## lancej2 (Feb 14, 2013)

Wow, you did a great job.


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## Hi Salenity (Feb 15, 2013)

hueydr said:


> I love that rod locker. Is it just as simple as some 2X's and carpet? Are you going to mount the lid?


It's actually Plywood. My hinges finally came in and I got the locker finished up.


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## Hi Salenity (Feb 15, 2013)

I actually took it out for her maiden voyage yesterday!








Thanks for all the compliments guys!!!


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## hueydr (Feb 15, 2013)

Beautiful job! =D> I can only hope mine turns out half as good. Congrats!! :beer:


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