TOPIC: 1958 Glastron Seaflite

Getting ready to start a new project. I got this years ago from a guy who had started to grind off the badly weathered gelcoat and then abandoned ship. I've been looking at it for years, knowing that it would be a huge project, but a friend recently looked at the boat and got very excited and offered to help restore it.





Starting question: The remaining gelcoat looks to be a turquoise color. The 1958 brochure lists Bimini Blue. Could Bimini Blue, baking in the Texas sun for decades, have faded to look like turquoise?

Question 2: Anyone know anything about this trailer? It has a funky lever/lifting system for launching the boat. I wonder what the fenders would have been like? The tongue is bent. Gotta figure out how that can be straightened.

Looks like it could be a Tee Nee.
www.fiberglassics.com/library/index.php?title=File:Teeneea58004.jpg

kensikora wrote: Looks like it could be a Tee Nee.
www.fiberglassics.com/library/index.php?title=File:Teeneea58004.jpg

Thanks for the suggestion, kensikora, but this trailer has a tubular main beam that is very different than the Tee Nee.

High winds blew the boat off the trailer so here's a view of the complex lifting system to add more clues.

I restored a 59 Surflite a few years back. I discovered during disassembly that the boat had been Bimini blue, but painted turquoise, at the factory. This became evident when the rub rail was removed and the turquoise was behind it, and it clearly had not had the deck off previously. Can't help you out with the trailer, never seen one like it.
Cheers Bill

A good friend of mine, Ronny Haylock, who has sadly passed away, restored a 59 Seaflite.
You can see some videos on that and his many great projects here

www.youtube.com/channel/UCNgAxNcJs4_P45LKF63ffsw/videos?view=0&sort=dd&shelf_id=1

Good luck with the resto, have a few pics of mine if you're interested
Cheers Bill

Bill-
Thanks for the info on your Surflite. Beautiful restoration! Looks like it rides nice in the water.

So your boat was bimini blue gelcoat and then turquoise paint (or gelcoat) over that?

And thanks for the link to your friend's youtube channel. A great collection with very informative photos of projects in progress.
-David

Yes, paint over gelcoat

Hello David,


Friends from IL showed their Glastron at the Geneva Lakes event some years back.










And all topped off with Bad old Merc 800 DR

And your trailer is an engineering marvel.

Thanks,
Terry

Oh, my Lord.... A floating '57 Chevy... I'm in love!

Terrydi, thanks for the photos of your friends' beautiful restoration! Very inspiring......and somewhat intimidating. I'm missing some of the cast trim pieces. I know it will be a long time before I'm ready for those but I'd better start the search. Kevfin shows some recast pieces on his website but the contact links don't seem to work.

I love the look of the deck color continuing on the sides, and leaving the side panel, that used to be mylar, white. I don't think that's original but it looks like an improvement to me.

Nice boat! I have a '58 Seaflite too. Just noticed how similar our TX numbers are, but these were made in Austin I suppose.

I think the original paint was the red gelcoat, and someone painted on the turquoise later (as well as the black stripe, which was originally vinyl glued on).

Good luck!

You're lucky to have that hard top!

Hey David,
Coincidentally that is KevFins Glastron. We haven’t spoken lately, but you should be able to reach him at the Gem Shop in Rockton IL.

He may be able to splash you a hardtop too.

Good Luck, Kev and Becca got hitched a few years back and I know she was keeping him real busy.

Midwest All Classics meet in Beloit WI 2010

And another coincidence is VideoBob just let us know he is still kickin. See here an example of Bobs genius.


Did a screen grab and found VideoBob included this All Classic Cast.

I was pleased to ring the wedding bell and was in fine company with friends Bill Anderson aka billnan and Del Van Emmerick aka Herters59.

Thanks Bob,
Terry


Bill showed this primo example on land at Geneva Lakes in 2011 . Cant find my pics but I think he submitted this image with his entry.

Great pictures, Terry. Looks like a Big Fin Royal Wedding! You run with the big dogs.

Hello David,

Kev and Becca’s wedding was Fintastic.


And yeah, that’s the ticket. When you’re running with the big dogs, you learn how the big dogs do it.














Even the Glasspar Sedan had small fins in 1959.






Lake Koshgononger WI

Making great progress on the Seaflite. Deck repaired, faired, primed and first coat of paint. Transom repaired. I'm missing many of the castings. for the trim : (

Found this tag today on the mystery trailer. It's a Load King LKS-17

A couple of videos to show where this project is at

Hello davidk,

Thanks for the ride. The twin Mercs are awesome.
Great work and video.

Thanks for sharing.
Terry