# 1962 Lone Star Malibu



## enginerd (Jun 21, 2016)

I'm new around here and thought I might make a quick introductory post. I came into possession of what I’ve deduced is a 1962 Lone Star Malibu about a year ago. The serial number is 23410061, which the internet tells me (Would the internet lie to me?) indicates the following. The leading digit is supposedly the last digit of the year, hence a 2 indicates 1962 since the Malibu was only in production from 1958 to 1963. The 341 is common to Malibues (How exactly does one write the plural of Malibu?), but there is no documentation on exactly what those numbers represented. The remaining five digits are the production number for the boat, hence 0061 means my Malibu is the 61st Malibu built in 1962. Another tipoff, I can also barely make out the name Malibu on the name plate on the dash and looking at paint schemes in old brochures seems to point to 1962. The trailer title said 1967 and the 18HP Evinrude Fastwin is a 1968. Unfortunately, Colorado doesn’t title boats, so I don’t have any documentation on the boat itself. My guess would be that someone repowered it in 1968 and got it fixed up, either to sell or after buying it. The trailer is not original to the boat, it’s actually a Sea King from Montgomery-Wards.

















As you can see from the photos, the boat was in pretty rough shape. My aunt and uncle purchased it in 1985 and only used it a few times that first year; it still has the 85 registration stickers on it. After that it set in a field beside their house slowly going to seed. A nasty windstorm ripped off the cover and did in the windshield at the same time and after that the boat was fully exposed to the elements. My cousins got it running a hand full of times over the last 30-years and took it out on a private lake, but I think the last time it was run was over 10-years ago. I purchased the boat from my aunt without any knowledge of its history; just knowing it as the cool aluminum boat with fins that was sitting by her house. I traded her a few hundred dollars’ worth of window air conditioners for the boat, since I thought I could use another project (in related news I’m looking for someone that could add some holes to my skull).

Prior to hauling it out here (Washington) from Colorado, I did complete a few minor items on the trailer (like installing new lights, replacing the 30-year old tires, and replacing the wheel bearings) to make it road worthy. I also removed some excess weight in the form of the rotten seats, various rat’s nests, a few hornet nests, and the 18-HP Evinrude Fastwin; I knew I was going to be repowering the boat to get it up on plane and didn’t see much use to hauling the Fastwin across the country.

My plan is to do a full restoration and repower it with a little larger engine…on a budget. I don’t want to sink much more than $1-2,000 into it when all is said and done…and if I do my wife might make me live in the boat. I have a fair bit of maritime and mechanical background, but this will be the first aluminum boat I have owned. We’ll see how it goes.


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## Steve A W (Jun 22, 2016)

Enginerd
Welcome to tin boats!
It looks like you've got a neat project there.
Good Luck with her.

Steve A W


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## Kismet (Jun 23, 2016)

Welcome and best wishes!!!

_(I wudda kept the 18hp, but I've got a soft spot for that engine.)_

Please keep us up-to-date on your efforts. You certainly have a clean slate to work your magic on.

=D>


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## enginerd (Jun 30, 2016)

Kismet said:


> You certainly have a clean slate to work your magic on.



I don't know how clean the slate is, but a pressure washer will probably help. I'll be sure to post more pictures to show my progress...or lack there of.

I purchased a 33-hp Evinrude Ski-twin off of Craigslist that I think might give her the right get up and go for my purposes. It will need a little bit of a minor cosmetic refurbishment since some previous owner took a spray can to it and put Boston Whaler stickers all over, but seems to run very well. If you like the 18-hp fastwin, you're in luck as I happen to have one for sale in Southern Colorado, but it hasn't run in a few years.


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## enginerd (Jun 30, 2016)

Steve A W said:


> Welcome to tin boats!



Thanks for the welcome Steve A W.


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## enginerd (Jul 1, 2016)

Here are a few photos from after I removed some dead weight before towing it 1,500 miles. A slightly cleaner slate:
















I've been working on the stripping the boat and fixing up the trailer the past couple weeks, so more pictures to come.


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## Steve A W (Jul 2, 2016)

Lookin better already :!: :!:


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## enginerd (Jul 3, 2016)

Well, here are a few updated photos from the work over the last couple weeks.

I decided to start with the trailer, which was a later addition to the boat (it’s a Montgomery-Ward Sea King and is about 6-years newer than the boat). Unfortunately, the winch mount and bow stop were too high for the boat. The previous owner had added a bow eye to the very top of the bow to get a better angle with the winch. I decided to take a cutting wheel to the mounting post and shorten it about 8-inches, which allowed me to line things up with the original bow eye placement.

I dismantled the trailer and sanded down the paint to clean up as much of the minor surface rust as I could; I treated the particularly bad patches with Rust-mort before priming with Rustoleum. Then put on two coats of Rustoleum high gloss enamel, giving it a quick rub down with a scotch pad in between coats. I also applied undercoating spray to the axel. I replaced the bunks with new pressure treated 2x4s and covered them in marine carpet with marine adhesive; also added new rollers. I purchased all new galvanized hardware and reassembled the trailer, adding a new trailer jack, winch, and coupler. I pulled new wires and added new LED lights. I have guide posts that I’m also going to install, but don’t want to put them on until I get the boat back on the trailer. The finishing touches were bearing buddies, to keep my hubs nice and full of grease, and a black vinyl stripe.











I finally got the boat stripped down to bare aluminum after spending all day with a palm sander or wire brush in my hand. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the hull was very straight with only one or two minor dings. I would have liked to have left the paint on the boat and just covered over it, but it was peeling off badly in areas, so stripping it was the only option. The boat was repainted once before in the same color scheme as the original; I know this because the aircraft stripper I used only took off the top layer of paint in a lot of areas. I was surprised to find they didn’t clean the boat that well before applying the second paint job; the dirty waterline was still there on the old paint job. I sanded the remaining paint off and cleaned up around the rivets with the wire brush…my hands are still numb.
















At some point, a previous owner decided to drill holes in the side of the boat and mount steel eye bolts in them to tie down a boat cover. I removed those bolts and used closed end pop rivets coated 5200 marine sealant/adhesive to seal the holes. I also patched up the holes for the upper bow eye with an epoxy putty.


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## Johnny (Jul 3, 2016)

awesome job so far !!!!!!!!!!!

are you going to put a safety chain from the winch to the boat eye bolt?


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## enginerd (Jul 3, 2016)

Johnny said:


> are you going to put a safety chain from the winch to the boat eye bolt?



Great question; I hadn't considered it since the trailer did not originally have one. I have tie downs for the transom, but with a nylon strap on the winch, I suppose a safety chain on the bow eye would be a good idea...especially considering the recent video that was posted of trailering accidents. I, unfortunately, have a lot of work left to do before trailering it anywhere.


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## enginerd (Jul 3, 2016)

Took it easy today and just finished repainting the cowl of the 33-hp Evinrude I bought off Craigslist. The previous owner had sprayed it out and put Boston Whaler stickers on it. I peeled the stickers and then applied some Citristrip, which easily removed all the paint and old decals down to bare fiberglass. I hit it with self etching primer and then three layers of Rustoleum Gloss white before applying new Evinrude decals I purchased off eBay. I did the decals today and repainted the front cover plates that had flaked off with flat blue (after self etching priming), and hand painted the blue and red "E" on the back of the engine with acrylic paint. I'm pretty happy with how it turned out.


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## lckstckn2smknbrls (Jul 3, 2016)

You need a rethink the Pressure treated bunks. The copper used to treat the wood will cause corrosion and pitting of the aluminum.


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## enginerd (Jul 4, 2016)

lckstckn2smknbrls said:


> You need a rethink the Pressure treated bunks. The copper used to treat the wood will cause corrosion and pitting of the aluminum.



I figured with marine grade carpeting and glue they should be isolated from each other well enough that there wouldn't be a corrosion issue. The marine carpet adhesive should form a waterproof barrier. Thoughts or experience?


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## lckstckn2smknbrls (Jul 4, 2016)

When the bunks get wet the copper will leach out of the wood and will be held in the wet carpet against the hull. The adhesive is not a barrier.


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## Johnny (Jul 4, 2016)

Pressure Treated Wood is a STRONGLY debated topic on any forum 
that talks about metal stuff and wood in the same family - - - - 

Personally, I use it with knowing about it. Educate yourself
as to what is in the preservative. There are two grades available
to the general consumer: Above and Below ground use.
A contractor's grade for concrete forms has diesel fuel in the preservative
to prevent the concrete from sticking to the wood forms. (I would not use that on a trailer).
I put new [above ground] P/T wood on my trailer 10 years ago and have zero
corrosion on the contact areas of the boat. I go into ocean salt water a few
times a year...... and even tho I rinse well with fresh water, there
has got to be some residual salt in the carpet that will not wash out.
So, not only do I have P/T wood in the mix, I also have salt.

here are my thoughts - - - there are two coats of good quality Rust-Oleum
primer and at least 3 coats of enamel topcoat on the bottom of the boat. 
It sits outside in the elements 24/7 and repainted every 3 or 4 years.
On another trailer, I have a product called *YellaWood* that I found at
Home Depot. This is a speciality P/T lumber that you may have to hunt down
in your area. https://www.yellawood.com It supposedly does not have the harsh 
preservatives in it that the "green" P/T lumber may (or may not) have.

Most members here will agree that it is okay to use P/T lumber on a trailer IF it is
isolated by another material to prevent interaction with the metals it touches.
This could be PVC strips, carpet, plastic sheet under the carpet, rubber, 
Plastic PVC gutter downspouts, plastic sleeve over the bolts, yada yada yada
Plus, I did not use stainless staples to hold the carpet in place, just some outdoor
carpet adhesive and general purpose staples and it is still all tight 10 years later.
If you do not have paint on the bottom of your boat, of course you would have to
take extra measures to address the issue of possible interaction of the wood and metal.
Education is the key factor - - - 
Read, Understand and Follow the instructions with all materials you work with.

your boat = your call

jus my Dos Centavos




.


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## enginerd (Jul 4, 2016)

Johnny,

That's pretty much the same boat I'm in (see what I did there?). While it isn't painted right now, it will be...hopefully soon. I think with the carpet/adhesive barrier, it should be fine, but I may consider further isolating it with some bunk glide sticks for $30.


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## enginerd (Jul 6, 2016)

I got some paint on the hull over the past few days. I started by etching the hull with a 50/50 mixture of vinegar and water, then applied a coat of Rustoleum Aluminum Primer, then applied a bonding primer, and the pictures are after the first coat of gloss white enamel. I figure there are at least two more coats to come; hopefully the weather cooperates.
















I hope to get those two coats done before this weekend, since I will be heading down to Lake Powell to work on my other aluminum boat (not sure if a 65-ft houseboat counts). I'd like to have the final coat on the bottom so I can give it a week to cure before flipping it back onto the trailer to start work on the top.


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## ericman (Jul 6, 2016)

I'm probably gonna burst your bubble here a little bit, but that Rustoleum Aluminum primer is latex! not oil.


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## enginerd (Jul 6, 2016)

ericman said:


> Rustoleum Aluminum primer is latex! not oil.



Well, you nearly gave me a heart attack and I had to dig a can out of the trash, but I think I'm okay. I used the aerosol (https://www.rustoleum.com/product-catalog/consumer-brands/professional/aluminum-primer-spray) primer, which mentions nothing about latex and requires clean-up with xylene or mineral spirits.


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## enginerd (Jul 7, 2016)

Well, when life gives you rain...you can always wet-sand in preparation for the final coat, which will hopefully go on tomorrow if the rain lets up.

In the mean time, I got the safety chain for the bow installed that Johnny recommended.


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## enginerd (Jul 19, 2016)

Well, I'm back after spending a week in triple digit temperatures down in Lake Powell and ready to get back to work on a boat in a more temperate climate. It did allow my hull paint to cure for about a week, and I was able to get the boat turned over and back on my trailer. So, now I'm looking at installing some flotation that it is lacking and then finishing the interior prior to painting the top deck.

With respect to the interior, I was thinking about coating the interior with bed-liner, similar to this Rust-Oleum spray on product (https://www.amazon.com/Rust-Oleum-Automotive-253438-15-Ounce-Coating/dp/B006ZLQ8ZO/ref=pd_sim_60_7), but was wondering if anyone had any experience with that or thoughts? I figure it should be a good non-slip surface, the tan shouldn't be too hot under the sun, and it should be durable as long as the aluminum is prepped right (etched and primed). Anything I should be concerned with?


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## Johnny (Jul 19, 2016)

that spray-on liner stuff is pretty permenant - - - 
I would get some sheetmetal and do some
samples first - prior to putting it on your boat.
Just for your peace of mind.







.


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## enginerd (Jul 19, 2016)

Johnny said:


> that spray-on liner stuff is pretty permenant - - -
> I would get some sheetmetal and do some
> samples first - prior to putting it on your boat.
> Just for your peace of mind.



Probably not a bad idea; I'll definitely give it a try on some scrap aluminum first. It's a little ways off yet, I still have to figure out how I'm going to add flotation such that it looks half-way (I hope whole way) decent. There was foam in the nose that I will replace and I'm going to replace the foam under the forward seat, but I kind of want the aft bench for storage and would like to get some flotation right back at the transom where all the weight is going to be. I've got a few ideas that I'm toying around with, but am going to have to get serious here soon to keep the project moving.


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## enginerd (Jul 22, 2016)

Still haven't made any progress; was planning on working on her today, but the weather isn't cooperating. I did want to show off the birthday present from my wife though. She found a NOS Taylormade windshield on eBay that includes all the mounting hardware. I'm pretty sure it isn't the same as the original, but it looks like it will fit well enough that most won't notice. When I got the boat the windshield and mounting hardware were missing, but it appears that this boat had a couple different windshields in the past, as there are a couple sets of mounting holes. I'm going to have to fill all the old holes and add some new ones.


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## Johnny (Jul 23, 2016)

awesome score on the windshield !!!! (( your wife done good )).
your plan is coming together quite nicely


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## Pappy (Jul 23, 2016)

Re-think that bedliner. We have a fellow in the antique outboard group that showed up with a boat he had done that with. Point blank...it was "Fugly" and heavy. 
Couple of the main marine finish manufacturers have a good non-skid if that is something you are considering. I would do the white on the inside and then a top coat from the waterline down of a non-skid in an off set color. I used Petit for my Alumacraft Model R.









And, by the way, I feel your pain on doing the inside.......I started with this!













Once I removed the layers of old paint I used the 3M Rollock abrasive wheels for the area that was to be painted. They work WONDERFULLY!


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## enginerd (Jul 23, 2016)

Thanks for the advice Pappy, I will definitely look into the non-skid coatings I believe that on this Lone Star the entire interior was originally a tan with gray and black paint flecks; at least that is what I've found in presumably undisturbed areas in the nose (where it's tough to get a picture). I'd assume that there were non-skid pads glued down where you'd have foot traffic. My plan was to go with all tan interior, but I could go with a lighter tan top coat and then do the non-skid in a darker shade of tan perhaps. I did get a can of the Rust-Oleum spray on bed liner and am going to do a test panel of some sort, but I could definitely see where it might add a lot of weight and will have to factor that into my decision.

On a side note, that's a pretty darn good looking Alumacraft you have there. I love the look of those boats with the aft steering station and the separate forward seating area and it looks like you've got yours in great shape. I'm on my way and I'd like to say I'll get there, but I don't know if mine is every going to be quite that polished.


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## Pappy (Jul 24, 2016)

Actually, that final finish on the inside was done with simple SOS pads and water prior to the non-skid. More abrasive methods were used to get rid of the corrosion, such as the 3m piece pictured above. BTW - that thing is amazing around rivets...best thing I have ever used. Got rid of 100% of the paint around every single rivet almost effortlessly. At that point all I had to do was strike a waterline around the inside of the hull, etch, and paint. The waterline and etching was also super easy.


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## sonny.barile (Jul 24, 2016)

I used glide sticks to alleviate the corrosion issue I was having with pressure treated bunks. Believe these guys...it is a very real issue.


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## enginerd (Jul 24, 2016)

sonny.barile said:


> I used glide sticks to alleviate the corrosion issue I was having with pressure treated bunks. Believe these guys...it is a very real issue.



Out of curiosity, was your hull painted or bare aluminum? Were your bunks carpeted?

I'm familiar with galvanic corrosion, but thought that the carpet, which has a rubber membrane backing, the waterproof marine adhesive, and the fact that the hull is painted would be adequate to isolate the aluminum from the pressure treated lumber.


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## enginerd (Jul 29, 2016)

Well, I've been busy, but have managed to get a few things accomplished on the boat...unfortunately, none of it is really photo worthy. I got all the remaining holes in the top cap deck filled with rivets and am working on prepping the interior for paint (I have one of the 3M Roloc disks on order, hoping it makes quicker work of this than my wire wheel). I sprayed out a scrap with the Rust-Oleum spray on bed liner and like the finish pretty well; it's much smoother than traditional bed liners but does have a good gripping surface. I think I'm going to give it a try once I get the prep work done.

I replaced the flotation foam in the nose and think I have a workable solution for mounting a cubic foot or so of it along the transom (I'd like more given the weight of the outboard, but I just can't figure out a good arrangement to get more foam at the transom). I guess if it ever sinks, it's going to float down by the stern. I'm also going to fill the front bench with foam, but am debating between pouring it full of expanding polyurethane foam or just using rigid foam.


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## sonny.barile (Jul 29, 2016)

enginerd said:


> sonny.barile said:
> 
> 
> > I used glide sticks to alleviate the corrosion issue I was having with pressure treated bunks. Believe these guys...it is a very real issue.
> ...



My hull has a bare bottom. I fish in salt water so it may have worsened the problem. I ended up with what looked like a little gouge. I wire brushed it out with a stainless steel brush and washed the bottom in baking soda and water. I also scrubbed the bunk carpet with baking soda and water. Then I put on the glide sticks. It isn't happening anymore (knock on wood) and it makes getting the boat on and off much easier.

I believe some of the trailer companies now offer a protective plastic piece that runs the whole length of the bunk as an option. 

One thing I took notice of recently is it looks like the screws that holt the bunks to the trailer clips are corroding like mad and it is spreading to the clips. Im going to be replacing the bunks and that hardware soon. I need to start researching what Im going to use before I become one of those people you see on the highway with their boat on the blacktop.


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## enginerd (Aug 12, 2016)

sonny.barile said:


> My hull has a bare bottom. I fish in salt water so it may have worsened the problem.



My hull will be painted and I'll be primarily in fresh water, so I wouldn't think it would be as much of an issue, but I may get the glide sticks anyway just to be on the safe side.


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## enginerd (Aug 12, 2016)

It's been a while, but I've made some progress. I decided to paint the top cap/deck before the interior and have gotten two coats of white down after vinegar wash, aluminum primer, and bonding primer. I have one final (hopefully) coat of white to put on tomorrow after the last coat has cured. Then I get to move on to the graphics, which will be identical to the original paint scheme, except that I'm going with teal/black instead of red/black.






I leak tested the boat before I started working on the boat by filing it well above the waterline and didn't find any major leaks. There was a minor leak at the rear seam below the transom, but the two side seams were bone dry. Never the less, I applied a generous coat of Gluvit to all the seams.

I attempted to pour expanding liquid urethane foam in the front bench, but failed to read the product literature completely. The foam I have used in the past has a shelf life of 1-year prior to being opened, but this brand, FGCI, only has a shelf life of 6-months and apparently they mean it. #-o I purchased it about 8-months ago when Amazon had a sale figuring that I would use it before the end of the summer. Anyway, I poured a gallon, which should yield 4-cuft, enough to fill the front bench with a little overflow, but only got about 1-cuft of dense "foam." Luckily, I had lined the bench with plastic sheeting (disposable table cloth) to contain it and that made removal of the failed pour a snap (just pulled it out). Now I just need to wait for my new order of foam to arrive and repeat.






I also showed off my skills, or lack there of, in carpentry and fashioned a mahogany dashboard. I debated over adding wood to this aluminum boat due to the maintenance and upkeep that it will entail, but it adds a lot of beauty to the boat and I don't think the dash board and bench tops will be too much of a maintenance headache; if they are I can always remove and replace them in the future. I created a tape template of the dash, used it to cut the 1/8" thick mahogany plywood, and then transferred the necessary holes. I'll sand, stain, and varnish prior to installation, but I couldn't resist mocking it up on the garage floor.


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## daddue11 (Aug 13, 2016)

Man , that's gonna look hot when you get done whith it , good job sir .


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## Johnny (Aug 13, 2016)

WOW - looking great !!
thank you for posting your project

oh, good save on the bad foam !!!!
if only the manufacturers of yesteryear had the forethought
of putting their foam in plastic bags to fill the cavaties 
we would not be having the nightmares of today
with removing waterlogged foam !!

Awesome job so far !! Keep up the good work.


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## enginerd (Aug 13, 2016)

Johnny said:


> if only the manufacturers of yesteryear had the forethought of putting their foam in plastic bags to fill the cavaties we would not be having the nightmares of today with removing waterlogged foam !!



I got the idea from the expanding foam packing material (https://www.uline.com/BL_7701/Instapak-Quick) and thought it would make things a lot simpler for keeping my limber holes clear through the bench. I just poked some sticks through under the plastic sheeting and figured after the foam had expanded I could pull them out to leave a cavity for water to pass without interacting with the foam. Every once and a while I come up with a good idea.


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## enginerd (Aug 13, 2016)

daddue11 said:


> Man , that's gonna look hot when you get done whith it , good job sir .





Johnny said:


> WOW - looking great !! Awesome job so far !! Keep up the good work.



Thank you both for the encouragement; with luck, I'm hoping to get her on the water before the end of September.


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## enginerd (Aug 19, 2016)

Got my new liquid urethane foam and managed to get the front bench filled. I first laid some wood stick in the bottom through the limber holes in the bench to keep them clear and allow water to flow to the back. I then laid in my plastic sheeting and poured the foam in two stages. I may have gotten a little over zealous with the second pour, but nothing a serrated knife couldn't fix.


























Next I just have to finish painting the graphics and then finish up the interior. After that I can start putting it all back together. Slowly, but surely.


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## Johnny (Aug 19, 2016)

WOW - you done good young man !! Thanks for sharing !!

I hope your tutorial saves many a heartache in the future
from those who want to refoam their boats !!

Great Job !!


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## enginerd (Aug 24, 2016)

Well, over the weekend I managed to finish off the graphics, but still have to back mask the white on the top for another coat. I waited well over the manufacturer's cure time for the paint (supposedly 48-hours) to mask it for the graphics, but never the less I got some wrinkling under the tape and masking. Not sure what else it could have been other than the paint wasn't fully cured yet. Oh well, nothing I can do now. I'm waiting for at least a week before back masking it to sand and repaint the white, just the top section was effected. Here are a few pictures of the new paint scheme:






















For now, it's on to the interior while I let that paint cure.


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## misunderstood (Aug 25, 2016)

Doing great work =D>


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## enginerd (Aug 25, 2016)

Thanks, even with the wrinkles on the white paint, I'm pretty happy with how it turned out. I'm calling it Teal, but my wife keeps referring to it as "Tiffany Blue"...I think she might be hinting at something, just not sure what?


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## murphy67 (Aug 25, 2016)

Looks great, nice work!! =D>


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## enginerd (Oct 6, 2016)

Well, it's been a while, but I've been out of town and tied up with other things. I have managed to get some work done on the boat since my last post. I got the interior painted and opted to go with the RustOleum spray on bed liner on the floor and painted the sides a lighter tan. The RustOleumm is best equated to just a thick paint and really didn't have that texture that one would normally associate with bed liner. It was slightly rubberized and provides a good gripping surface that seems like it will be pretty resilient to impacts and abrasions. We shall see how it works.
















Now I'm getting to the point where things can go back on the boat, which is the exciting part. Just need to build the benches for the seats and then figure out a way to hang the outboard on there. Just in time for boating seaso...drat.


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## enginerd (Oct 13, 2016)

Got a little bit more done over the last week. Managed to get the windshield, bow light, horn, cleats, and various other things mounted.






I rewired the bow light and converted it to an LED. I had to rebuild the horn; I bought one of the cheap horns from Harbor Freight and pulled out the innards (diaphragm, actuator, etc.), machined a piece of PVC to adapt it to fit the old horn housing, and then replaced the non-functional components. Everything else just needed a little bit of a cleaning and polishing before going back on.

I also started fabricating the seat bench tops out of mahogany (solid and ply) that I will be mounting my seats to.











I have to get them glued and screwed together, then stain and varnish, but it looks like the weather may not cooperate this weekend. I'm just torn between doing it the easy way and having visible fasteners (i.e. screw heads) holding those bench tops together or going the extra mile and putting them together with hidden fasteners. It would be easy to clamp them and glue and screw them in place, but then the screws would be visible. Alternately, I could pull them out and fasten them together from underneath so that you can't see the screws, but keeping the geometry correct out of the boat so that they go back in without an issue is going to be a lot trickier. I'm leaning towards getting some brass screws, so they're aesthetically pleasing, and going the easy route.


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## Fire1386 (Oct 13, 2016)

Wow, what a change since the beginning, very nice work. She's a beautiful boat....


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## enginerd (Oct 13, 2016)

Thanks, I just wish it was four months ago, but I guess it will be done for next boating season.


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## enginerd (Nov 2, 2016)

Varnishing the seat tops and dash have been a very slow process with all the rain we've been getting; recommended dry times aren't so accurate when it's this cold and wet. I doubled them and still ran into soft varnish when I went to sand the first time and have since been waiting a full 24-hours between coats, but it's getting close. I got the dash completely varnished and have it installed along with all the electrical components, wiring, and pulley steering system.











One side of the bench tops is finished and I've got 2 coats on the remaining side, but still have 3-4 more coats to go.
















Should have the seats mounted by the end of the week with any luck.


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## Johnny (Nov 2, 2016)

very nice - very nice indeed !!!

just remember, varnish does not last for years and years outside. it is a maintenance item.
visit the wood boat forums and you will find many variations on how to do it right and keep
it looking good.

this is a post on WoodenBoat dot com:

"Keeping varnish in good shape is simple, but there is no magic short cut, 
and no do-it-once-and-forget-it solution. 
Strip it, sand it, and varnish it with a good quality traditional tung oil Spar varnish. 
Start with 3 or 4 coats, 12-24 hours apart, no sanding in between. 
When cured - takes at least 3 days, 7 is better 
sand it with 150 grit until reasonably smooth, then apply 3 more coats, maybe 4, 
sanding in between. Then, every boating season, (or twice a year in a really hot climate) 
rub it down and put on another coat. Every boating season without fail. 
Miss a season - you have to start over. Do it every season and you can go 
20 years without having to replace any of the woodwork.
You don't have to do everything all at the same time either. Once you get the hang of it, 
you can re-coat something in a remarkably short time. 
It becomes routine and after a while, both easy and pleasant".
- Norm in Canada -

again, this all depends on how you use your boat and how it is stored when not in use.


as far as your cold wet weather goes, that is what the kitchen table was made for !!!! 
claim it - own it !! the kitchen table is for working on outboard parts and painting
or varnishing your woodwork. not for warm homecooked meals - nuke a frozen TV dinner and eat on the couch.

if you google britework or brightwork you will find some pretty interesting reading.

jus my Dos Centavos

can' wait to see your project come together !!!!





.


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## enginerd (Nov 3, 2016)

Thanks for the advice Johnny. I'm not a huge fan of the maintenance that goes with brightwork, but it seemed appropriate for this boat. I figure if I get sick of maintaining it I can always decide to replace it in the future.

I am using Minwax Helmsman Spar Varnish and the can recommends three coats with 4-hour dry time in between, but I've been going with 5-6 coats total with a full 24-hours in between coats (sanded with 220-grit). I've been rolling it on with a foam roller (helps distribute varnish evenly) and then tipping it with a badger hair brush. I'm thinking that should provide a good base and I will probably take your advice to add a new coat this Spring as part of my season preparation.

I tried selling my wife on the conversion of the kitchen table into a workbench, but she's not going for it.


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## Johnny (Nov 3, 2016)

oh, I'm sorry - I didn't realize you had to ask permission for the table. (just kiddinggggggg).

LOL HAHAHAHA LOL that's funny right there.
my new wife has come to accept that my 15 years of previous bachelorhood 
with my clutter and hobby habits.


on your woodwork - you have done great !! thanks for sharing your journey.


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## enginerd (Nov 3, 2016)

Well, I don't _have_ to ask permission, but things tend to work out better for me if I do.

Thanks for the compliment; I'm by no means a finish carpenter, but I think they came out pretty well.


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## sonny.barile (Nov 3, 2016)

You turned that thing into a dream boat. Very nice work.....


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## enginerd (Nov 5, 2016)

sonny.barile said:


> You turned that thing into a dream boat. Very nice work.....



Thanks Sonny. It's getting close to "finished," but I've learned that as long as I have a boat, I will always have a project or two that still needs doing.


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## enginerd (Dec 1, 2016)

Well, I got the benches and seats installed, ran the wiring (engine, lights, horn, and 12-V plug), swapped out for new shift cables, temporarily installed the engine control box, and got the battery box installed.
























I will probably pull the control box to restore it. It came with the engine and, while it looks okay in the pictures, there's actually a lot of over-spray from the previous owner's attempt to repaint his console and other wear and tear. I will probably strip it down and repaint it. I've got a replacement Evinrude Simplex decal from American Outboard to replace the Johnson one and the plastic handles for the levers will get a clean up as well (my wife might let me do at least some of this project on the kitchen counter). I also still need to figure out a set-up for my stern light; maybe I can snag a period correct one on eBay; the one that was on it was clearly jury-rigged, so I don't know what the original set-up was like (Don't suppose you have any pictures of yours Johnny?).

American Outboard is also looking into helping me recreate a decal to replace the graphic on the dash plate. Mine was sun bleached to bare aluminum when I got it, but someone over at the Lone Star yahoo group was nice enough to provide me with an image of his dash plate that was in slightly better condition.









It's all coming together, but I will probably wait to mount the outboard until this Spring; I don't see much use in mounting it on the boat now just to have it sit outside for the winter. Then again, I'm impatient and might not be able to help myself from mounting it now.


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## Johnny (Dec 1, 2016)

wow Brent !!!!
you have come a long way in your nautical refurbishment skills for sure.
I don't see any indications of a stern light on my Malibu.....
I don't boat at night so I am not going to install one. I do however have
the period correct bow red/green nav light, horn and spotlight. I still need the bow handle.
My Malibu tag that goes on the dash is like yours, not even readable. 
I snagged a nice vintage Chevy Malibu chrome script on ebay which I think is appropriate
just from the cosmetics standpoint.


and today, I scored a set of the large logo emblems that goes on the sides of the boat.
will start sending stuff out for chrome in a week or so...... I have not priced
it yet, but, I bet it ain't gonna be cheap !!
I love the way you mounted your seats !!!!

Edit: just saw a post on the Antique Outboard Motor Club https://www.aomci.org/
about the shift box. He shows a few nice examples of the vintage shift boxes.
https://aomci.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=9834&sid=c4631d38b2f0945d10ee73e2ccd4c8bb

Thank you for sharing your journey with us !!!!


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## enginerd (Dec 2, 2016)

Thanks for the compliment Johnny. It's not my first boat build, but this is the restoration I've done and the first tin boat (unless you count a 65-ft aluminum houseboat). I think I will stick with tin in the future if I can help it; it's a lot less itchy than fiberglass. I'm thinking of a slightly bigger cabin cruiser like the Lone Star Cruise Master as a future project, if I can sell my wife on the idea.


Johnny said:


> I don't see any indications of a stern light on my Malibu...


Yeah, with the fins, it's not really obvious how they mounted a stern light on these boats. There were some abandoned mounting holes in the lower corner brace on the starboard side, but that would mean that the stern light pole would need to come up through the hole with the steering and throttle cables. The one that was on the boat when I got it was attached to what was clearly a scrap piece of aluminum that was bolted to the side of the motor well and then just left the light mount dangling out in front of the motor well. I can get a mounting bracket that will fit on the small shelf on the side of the motor well, but would prefer to have something era appropriate.

I don't intentionally do much night boating, but I like to be prepared. There have been a few times where I made it back to the launch ramp a little later than planned for various reasons. If you're not going to mount a permanent stern light, you can always carry one of these battery powered ones (https://www.amazon.com/Attwood-14180-7-Portable-Marine-Finish/dp/B01B3M2AE2/ref=pd_sbs_200_1).

As for the original spot light, if you've got a picture I'd appreciate it. The one that was on my boat wasn't original and I decided against remounting it since it wasn't well supported and was kind of it the way of the driver's line of sight. If I could ever find an original or something slightly smaller that is close to original, I might consider buying it and adding it, but I have no idea what an original one looks like.

I like the Chevy Malibu emblem; not a bad solution. If I am able to get a new decal made up for the dash plate, I'd suspect that getting a couple more made at the same time wouldn't be any more expensive; let me know if you (or anyone else) would be interested in getting one.

Thanks for the link to the control boxes. Mine is a slightly newer 60s vintage, but still the same basic operation. Nice and simple, it works just fine, I'm just hoping to make mine prettier.


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## Johnny (Dec 2, 2016)

Brent, here is the hardware I have put together for my Malibu.
They are not "Lone Star Specific" but are period correct.
The bow navigation light will hold the Lone Star pennant on a wood pole.
I did a lot of googling on vintage aluminum boats and these items
were the most common. Will be sending it all out for chrome soon.
then everything should fall into place. I am not going for a restoration,
just to make it look nice and be a headturner.
I will paint the compass white. I lost the hood to it and can not find a replacement
without buying a whole nother compass. aaaaarrrgggggg
and be rest assured that I will have a stern light - will try to make the base inconspicuous
and the post will be removable and stored away when not in use.
The windshield that I have is about 10" too long so I will cut a section out of the middle
and it will have the polished aluminum flatbar down the center which will not be objectional (in my world).








Vintage Spotlight: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vtg-50s-60s-Boat-Marine-Spot-Light-/272437325672?hash=item3f6e87af68:g:sdQAAOSwB09YE~Sx&vxp=mtr
back in the early '70s, I worked part time in a boat yard and have done my fair share
of grinding and fiberglassing !!!!! working on the old wooden boats turned out
to be my passion at that time. and now, some 50 years later, I have come full circle
back to the vintage aluminum and wood boats. 

you mentioned the Cruisemaster..... they come up for sale now and then in my area.
anywhere from $1500 to $6k. but, they are 22 feet long and 8ft beam. I would have
to buy a new truck to haul it around with LOL - not to mention the $10-15k in propulsion
and renovation.......... so I will stick to 16ft and under.

Keep up the good work !! you are almost there


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## enginerd (Dec 4, 2016)

Thanks for the photos Johnny. I should say that I used the term "restoration" loosely; as I said in my first post, I was doing this on a budget. I want it to look original or at least period correct, but it's far from a true restoration. Similar to you, I'm hoping it will turn a few heads and be a unique runabout. The spotlight I have is a little too new and a little too tall/big; it tended to shake around a lot when I was trailering the boat. One about the size of yours would probably be about right. I look forward to seeing your progress. 

Yeah, the Cruisemaster is a good sized boat; I thought it would be cool around this area to maybe do weekend trips out to the San Juan Islands or fishing on the Sound. I'm kicking myself for not acting sooner; there was a nice original condition Cruisemaster (still had the original paint and no obvious modifications) with a 115-hp Mercury for sale near my parents for $700, but by the time I called it was already sold.


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## Johnny (Dec 4, 2016)

Brent - from my experience with vintage boats,
whether they be aluminum, wood or fiberglass,
they mostly come "bare bones" from the manufacturer.
The dealership (like automobiles) will then dress them
up the with additional goodies to make them fetch a higher price (supposedly).
So a Lone Star that went to the East Coast probably could
have different style items like the trailer, horn, light, mirror, compass, etc
than one that went to the Mid West or West Coast.........
here in Florida, we pull a lot of water skiers with pleasure boats.... therefore,
I have a period correct rearview mirror to mount on the dash also.
so after it is all said and done, it will be a pretty smart looking
"period correct" boat - hopefully.
companies like Chris-Craft and Gar Wood had very specific options for their brand.
others would get whatever the local boat suppliers had in stock.
I have a 1958 Johnson Super Sea Horse 35hp motor to put on it and
it will sit on a 1959 Gator trailer (which most of them had on the East Coast)
and a 1959 Florida trailer tag for the static display shows.
I don't know about other states, but, the Florida Snow Birds really like
their "tag toppers" on the front of their Cadillacs LOL (so I got one too).
Hopefully, you can find all the period correct "bling" that will make your rig POP !!

you are doing great !!


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## enginerd (Apr 7, 2017)

It's been a while, but over the old wet winter we've had here in the Pacific Northwest I've managed to just about get everything finished up on the boat.

I got my wiring finished up and installed a new battery. The new LED bulbs in the navigation lights look goo and the horn I jury rigged with parts from a Harbor Freight special works like a charm.






















I refurbished the control box with a fresh coat of pain and a new Evinrude decal to match the outboard, which I got mounted on the boat a couple days ago.











I applied a few decals (the script Lone Star and the registration numbers), added a few required safety items (fire extinguisher, PFDs, bail bucket, etc.), installed my self-bailing bilge plug, put on a Bimini top, and I think we're ready to hit the water...if the weather would ever cooperate.





















I also scored a Tempo Motor Flusher on eBay, so I should be able to run my motor in the driveway without the barrel of water (when it arrives).






I think someone is getting impatient.


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## Johnny (Apr 8, 2017)

wow - what a transformation !! Great Job !!
good score on the vintage Motor Flusher !


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## enginerd (Apr 10, 2017)

Johnny said:


> wow - what a transformation !! Great Job !!
> good score on the vintage Motor Flusher !



Thanks Johnny; it look longer than I was hoping, but I can't wait to get it out on the water. How is your Malibu coming along?


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## Fire1386 (Apr 10, 2017)

Nicely done, I like the color scheme....


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## enginerd (Apr 10, 2017)

Fire1386 said:


> Nicely done, I like the color scheme....



Thanks, that's the original graphics, but I substituted the teal (they did offer it in a smilar color) for the original red.


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