16' Lowe V Conversion

TinBoats.net

Help Support TinBoats.net:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

CLM

Well-known member
Joined
May 7, 2012
Messages
82
Reaction score
0
Location
St Charles, MO
I joined this forum last year to start getting ideas for my new project. About to start working on it again, so I figured it was time to start a thread to document the progress.

Well I stumbled onto this boat last fall after it had been tucked away in a barn for years. Had to take a wall down to get it out. It's a 1991 Lowe 16' V with 1989 25hp Evinrude. The main problem with the boat was that the last time it was used was in Key West. The motor had been flushed out but the boat and motor had not been washed off. So any scratches in the paint had allowed the salt to start corroding away the paint. Luckily it was in a pretty dry barn and didn't manage to eat into the aluminum much. The son and wife of the original owner said the motor has less than 10 hours on it.

Here it is after we had drug it out of the barn and loaded it.
photo2_zps2381a06a.jpg

You can see where we removed the wall in this picture.
photo_zpsab34a634.jpg


First thing we did was clean it out, pressure wash inside and out to get it as clean as possible. Here is my helper.
boat_paint_before_zps13945ae1.jpg

We stripped the paint using air craft stripper covered with plastic wrap to allow it more time to work without drying.
boat_without_paint_zps7f9ba9f4.jpg


After stripping it, we scrubbed it with baking soda and scotch bright to neutralize the stripper. Use some corrosion converter on a few spots. Then sprayed with alumaprep to etch the whole boat. Followed by scrubbing the whole thing two more times with baking soda and scotch bright.
 
The trailer had come off of the PO previous boat and had made several trips to Key West. He had modified it and built a rack that would load it into the back of his truck so they could still hook onto the camper. The rear cross members and rear frame rails had rust holes so I built a new section.
rearframe_zps164a6bc2.jpg

Once I had cut the old frame in half I realized how bad the front was too and decided to start over. I joined the two halves using fish plates.
fish_plates_zpsef9b11e0.jpg

Ended up using the axle, springs (which were new), jack and rear guides from the original trailer. I helped my boss rebuild his trailer and got an extra set of roller bunks from him, so those are on here. Everything else is new, including Led lights, center rollers, winch, etc.

Here you can see the boat and trailer at that point.
photo_28929_zps56a53ca4.jpg

photo_281129_zpsf61b1aeb.jpg

photo_281229_zps78289e51.jpg
 
Nice score CLM, that tin cleaned up really well.
Welcome to Tin Boats, be sure to fill out your profile so we can tell where you are.
Do you fish fresh or salt water? :WELCOME: Jerry
 
Thanks Guys!!

Stripped the motor down as far as I could and repainted everything except the cowling. Also installed a new water pump and dolphin fin.
IMG_1029_zpsbff8d1e4.jpg


First trip to the lake.
IMG_1030_zpsd659958b.jpg


Roscoe being bored because I made him stop swimming so I could fish a little.
IMG_1031_zpsd125ba83.jpg


Ordered stickers from a guy I found online. The boat got its name because I also own a 1950 14' Lonestar that I bought from my grandpa when I was 18. I'm also originally from Texas and transplanted in Missouri. So its just a little reminder of my grandpa and home state.
ecc11e06-c37f-4167-8186-ca735f7f0fab_zpsfad480a6.jpg


Here are a couple of pictures of my Lonestar about 8 years ago. It is currently sitting in a shed at my parents house in Texas, waiting on me to bring it up.
P1010186_zps5b7b7ee1.jpg

P1010187_zps89d2ba2e.jpg
 
So, if you don't mind me making a quick detour, then I will make one off topic post. This was a '79 Glastron Carlson that I redid. Stripped it down to a bare hull, but in new floor, seat pads, painted it to match our truck, dropped an evinrude 140 on it, rewired, and played a couple of times. The boat would run 65 mph trimmed up with about 6 inches of pad touching the water. I could stand on the trailer and lift the front of the boat it was so light. Scared the crap out of the wife and we sold it before installing carpet, side pads or rear seat. She said it felt like she was being tossed around a bathtub in a toy boat. An ex Navy rescue boat driver bought it and loved it.
This was started about 6 months after we got married and about 2 years later we had a turbo charged Honda jet ski that would run 65 mph and she loved it. Guess I corrupted her.
glastron2_zps56e1bbbb.jpg

P1010138_zpse05260ff.jpg

P1010136_zps62ab4411.jpg

P1010025_zpscf76c3e8.jpg

P1010017_zps6c9fb241.jpg

P1010002a_zpsf33c926f.jpg

P1010003a_zpsd51c5a3e.jpg

carlson_zps8a769c52.jpg


If this is to out there, let me know and I'll delete the post. I will be starting back on the Lowe tomorrow and will return to the regularly scheduled programming. :)
 
The glass boat is super nice!!! Bet you wish you'd kept it now?? You tinboat is turning out great as well!!
 
Don't really miss the Glastron. Have a standing offer on a Donzi Sweet 16 with a 289 in it. Been tucked away in the most unlikely of places, hopefully to get it someday. So might have another fast toy boat eventually.
 
Well, the boat has been sidelined for a few weeks. Helped a buddy finish up his '49 Ford Custom Shoebox, then a tornado hit our neighborhood so we have been cleaning up from that. But I have spent the day running around grabbing supplies to get started on the boat, will begin work in the morning and start updating with photos.

Picked up a bilge pump and switch, aerator pump, overflow, all fittings, rod holders, cup holders and a few other things. Then ordered carpet from one of the Dalton manufacturing plants on ebay. Picked up some of the 1" pink foam to go under the floor in the lower section. Told the wife, "well I just made a boat payment, but good news, its paid for again." Lol, much better than forking money out every month.
 
Making some progress! Also ordered a lot of new goodies for the boat this week.

Cleaned the boat out, washed it down and removed a bunch of unwanted mods from the PO.
photo33_zpsb1a52ecd.jpg


Got seats mounted, the seats are just place holders and will be replaced with others I have once I finish some work on them.
photo42_zpsa1245189.jpg


Got one rod holder mounted.
298afec5-1612-4140-b1c0-9d58d3740562_zps3cebc09a.jpg


Mocked up trolling motor.
photo13_zps6a552e08.jpg


Nose cap is installed, riveted in, and another rod holder installed.
photo5_zps5f8dd56f.jpg


Trolling motor and nose trim going on Thursday night. Then installing foam and lower floor in on Friday. Hope to start on front and back decks on Saturday.

By the way, this has got to be the hardest forum to post pictures on. It says it will accept 800 pixels wide, but it actually has to be less than 800, not exactly 800. And it takes the orientation and just turns it however it wants too, no matter how photobucket has it saved.
 
Been working on the boat more. PO had installed all kinds of crap down the sides of the boat, so I have been removing that, both sides are bare except one handle now.
photo1_zps755caa23.jpg

photo2_zpsbec775cd.jpg


Trolling motor is installed.
photo4_zps0d41b474.jpg


Cockpit foam and floor are installed. Using a sheet of Nudo PolyMetal for that and the front deck, it was free. It is basicly two thin sheets of aluminum with a solid core of recycled plastic between it. Works really well and is lighter than aluminum. After installing this piece last night, my buddy has decided to redeck his boat with it.
photo3_zpsd765328a.jpg


New steering cable is installed so I can build the console to fit it. The bracket has been repainted and stainless hardware installed. I believe that is the last of rusty hardware I had to remove from the PO.
photo5_zps89295005.jpg
 
I guess now would be a good time to explain some of my method along the way. Everything is going to be aluminum or plastic, not using any wood. I am keeping the seats in place to maintain all of the original flotation and structural support. Then everything is tying into those.

Big step, first piece of framing installed.
photo14_zpsbad56446.jpg


Front deck framed. There will be a 12x20 door in front of the pedestal and you can see the battery box for the trolling motor under the pedestal.
photo24_zpsd5607263.jpg


These next two pictures give you an idea of the layout. Console will be on the right and hopefully I will finish fabbing it and install this weekend.
photo34_zpsc7879257.jpg

photo43_zps48df809e.jpg


Front decking going on tonight.
 
So this is a new twist on deck doors. I had been looking at the "load a pup" style platforms to help get my chocolate lab back in the boat. Then I was walking through Sam's one day and saw these cutting boards and thought, I could build one out of that. Anyways, that idea progressed into using them as my doors as well. They are 1/2 thick, plenty stout, 15"x20" and won't rot, plus only $9 per door. Paid about $2 each for aluminum piano hinges that are 22" long. So it will be a lot cheaper than the pre-made doors. The first one should be done this weekend.
 

Attachments

  • cutting board.jpg
    cutting board.jpg
    13.9 KB · Views: 11,713
First door and hinge made. Will attach after I get the floor down. Not bad for $11.
 

Attachments

  • image.jpg
    image.jpg
    1.9 MB · Views: 11,678
Also forgot to mention that all of the aluminum I am using, I bought at $3 a pound, it was in the pile of cut pieces where I get my metal. Front deck is a little over built, rear deck will be 1.5" instead of 2".

Also used their break to bend the profile of my console. You can see my pattern in this picture.
 

Attachments

  • image.jpg
    image.jpg
    714.3 KB · Views: 2,452
Front deck is in. Picked up a new battery today, going to wire the trolling motor up in the morning, toss the gear in and go try her out on an electric only lake.
 

Attachments

  • image.jpg
    image.jpg
    1.7 MB · Views: 2,441
  • image.jpg
    image.jpg
    1.3 MB · Views: 2,441
Also made some progress on the console, still need to cut one piece, them tig it together.
 

Attachments

  • image.jpg
    image.jpg
    1.5 MB · Views: 2,441
  • image.jpg
    image.jpg
    504.8 KB · Views: 2,441
  • image.jpg
    image.jpg
    1.9 MB · Views: 2,441
First fish in the boat! Trolling motor is wired and did great. Really happy with the progress so far, things will slow down until after the 4th. Have to get the house ready for our annual 4th of July Crawfish Boil and Fish Fry.
 

Attachments

  • image.jpg
    image.jpg
    1.8 MB · Views: 2,432
  • image.jpg
    image.jpg
    795.2 KB · Views: 2,432

Latest posts

Top