I am looking for a Project Boat - Glastron GT-150 Style. Got one to sell?

[JasonG]

Originally Posted by nhcatrider

We had a GT150 when I was a kid, made a great ski boat on small lakes but not so good when the water got rough. It would scoot along with an 85hp merc on it too. Good luck with the restoration.

I was thinking about an 85 hp for this one. It must had moved well?

[ursa minor]

If you're going "vintage" power for that boat, I'd highly recommend either a 90 or 115 HP Mercury in line 6 cylinder "tower of power". They're both essentially the same engine and at right around 300 pounds they're relatively light for the power output. The later versions (they built these up to 1988 I believe) had electronic ignition (no distributor) power trim, stainless drive and shift shafts and a more streamlined gear case. Nothing else sounds like one, especially at speed. My nephew has one of these boats with a 90 Merc and it handles it well. The 4 cylinder 80 / 85 HP engine was also a good motor back in the day.

If you can, please provide picture updates of your project as you move through it, I'm sure I'm not the only one who would like to see it. Good luck, sounds like a fun project.

[JasonG]

Originally Posted by ursa minor

If you're going "vintage" power for that boat, I'd highly recommend either a 90 or 115 HP Mercury in line 6 cylinder "tower of power". They're both essentially the same engine and at right around 300 pounds they're relatively light for the power output. The later versions (they built these up to 1988 I believe) had electronic ignition (no distributor) power trim, stainless drive and shift shafts and a more streamlined gear case. Nothing else sounds like one, especially at speed. My nephew has one of these boats with a 90 Merc and it handles it well. The 4 cylinder 80 / 85 HP engine was also a good motor back in the day.

If you can, please provide picture updates of your project as you move through it, I'm sure I'm not the only one who would like to see it. Good luck, sounds like a fun project.

Thanks, likely going to post a lot in a glastron forum. Admittedly I am thinking of going with a motor from the 90's. 2 stroke 90 hp. I am sure it will remove some authentic-ness, but I will not be picking engines til at least the spring anyway.
thanks!

[ursa minor]

Originally Posted by JasonG

Thanks, likely going to post a lot in a glastron forum. Admittedly I am thinking of going with a motor from the 90's. 2 stroke 90 hp. I am sure it will remove some authentic-ness, but I will not be picking engines til at least the spring anyway.
thanks!

Excellent! If you can, please post a link so we can follow it. The Mercury 3 cylinder 90 HP (replacement to the 6) were made from 1989 right up through 2004 or so and were a good motor as would a V4 Johnson / Evinrude. They pop up from time to time in the used market and are in the same weight range (310 pounds or so). Stick with the lightest power you can find on that hull.

[nhcatrider]

Originally Posted by JasonG

I was thinking about an 85 hp for this one. It must had moved well?

With the entire family (2 adults 2 kids) in it we could get about 40 out of it, pulling a skier at 30 it didn't slow down or get dragged around even if the skier was aggressive. With my brother and I in it we could get 45 on a calm day and it got there quick.

[JasonG]

So I picked up this 1971 GT-150 a few months ago.



I parted out the engine as I was not a fan of the old Chryslers.

Here is my kid helping get rid of all the old interiors.


Not in the best condition




We separated the top and bottom. It was a lot easier than I expected



Cut the floor out, leaving the stringers. All wood on this boat was absolutely wet and worn. Nothing to salvage except for some of the ski locker area near the bow.


Stringers and Transom removed. Need to do some clean up before installing new wood.

[Airedale1]

Is that last image the transom?

[ishoot308]

Originally Posted by JasonG

So I picked up this 1971 GT-150 a few months ago.



I parted out the engine as I was not a fan of the old Chryslers.

Here is my kid helping get rid of all the old interiors.


Not in the best condition




We separated the top and bottom. It was a lot easier than I expected



Cut the floor out, leaving the stringers. All wood on this boat was absolutely wet and worn. Nothing to salvage except for some of the ski locker area near the bow.


Stringers and Transom removed. Need to do some clean up before installing new wood.

Wow that is a labor of love! Lots of work to do to that boat. Fantastic you have your son helping! Great father / son project. That alone makes it well worth it.

I hope you keep the forum updated with more progress photos!!

BYW, great lines on that boat! Should be a real looker when complete!

Good luck!

Dan

[DickR]

On powering the boat, with an outboard from that era, I had some experience with the OMC line you may find useful, if you want to put on a motor from that time. I bought a 16' Glastron at the end of 1976 (not a GT-150). It was rated for 100 HP. I would have put the Evinrude 85HP on it, but the dealer was out, so I went with the 75HP. The top end speed was fine, above what I would cruise at. Early the next summer, when we first used it for skiing, I was terribly disappointed in the pulling power of the 75. We changed props, from 21 down to 19-pitch, which had the engine WOT maxed out at 5800 rpm at light load, and lost perhaps 2 mph top speed, but the low-end pulling power for skiing remained less than satisfactory.

Two years later, OMC filled in the big HP gap in the V-4 lineup between 85 and 115 HP, adding a 100 HP model, and I upgraded. What a difference! While that little 10 HP difference in top-end power added little to maximum speed, the low-end torque was a night/day improvement over the 75. That 3-cylinder 75 began its history as a 50 HP engine, improved over the years to 75 HP by carburetion. The displacement was 49.7 cu.in. The V-4 series (85, 100, 115, 130 or 135 HP) block had a displacement fully double (99.7) that of the 3-cylinder 75, which gave the engine that enormous pulling power at low rpms. Something to think about when you pick a power plant, depending on what you want to have.

[JasonG]

Originally Posted by DickR

On powering the boat, with an outboard from that era, I had some experience with the OMC line you may find useful, if you want to put on a motor from that time. I bought a 16' Glastron at the end of 1976 (not a GT-150). It was rated for 100 HP. I would have put the Evinrude 85HP on it, but the dealer was out, so I went with the 75HP. The top end speed was fine, above what I would cruise at. Early the next summer, when we first used it for skiing, I was terribly disappointed in the pulling power of the 75. We changed props, from 21 down to 19-pitch, which had the engine WOT maxed out at 5800 rpm at light load, and lost perhaps 2 mph top speed, but the low-end pulling power for skiing remained less than satisfactory.

Two years later, OMC filled in the big HP gap in the V-4 lineup between 85 and 115 HP, adding a 100 HP model, and I upgraded. What a difference! While that little 10 HP difference in top-end power added little to maximum speed, the low-end torque was a night/day improvement over the 75. That 3-cylinder 75 began its history as a 50 HP engine, improved over the years to 75 HP by carburetion. The displacement was 49.7 cu.in. The V-4 series (85, 100, 115, 130 or 135 HP) block had a displacement fully double (99.7) that of the 3-cylinder 75, which gave the engine that enormous pulling power at low rpms. Something to think about when you pick a power plant, depending on what you want to have.

There are a ton of options and opinions on this. This boat has a god sized following of rebuilders. Some of them are putting 150hp on them, which I think is complete overkill. Likely going with a 90hp ( 75 maybe) Merc 2 stroke from the 90's. I cannot justify a new merc and I am pretty sure the 4 strokes from 20 years ago were much heavier. Sticking with a 2 stroke for now. Thanks!

[JasonG]

Originally Posted by ishoot308

Wow that is a labor of love! Lots of work to do to that boat. Fantastic you have your son helping! Great father / son project. That alone makes it well worth it.

I hope you keep the forum updated with more progress photos!!

BYW, great lines on that boat! Should be a real looker when complete!

Good luck!

Dan

It really it. This is actually something I do as a stress relief to get my away from my business and take a break. Just got all the wood and epoxy/fiberglass in to start the rebuild.

[Ken]

I did what you are doing to a 1960 Glasspar G3. Lots and lots of work, but Definately worth it in the end. Keep the pictures coming.

[nhcatrider]

Those pictures bring back memories. Ours was metallic sliver but exactly the same lines and powered by an 85hp Mercury 2 stroke of the same era.

[ursa minor]

Way to dive in! Really that's the only way to do one of these projects, you'll trust it down the road. When you're ready for an engine, there's a place in Connecticut that specializes in "remanufacturing" classic 2 strokes (outboard exchange) if you have trouble finding a good used one. Keep the progress pictures coming. Still hoping to see a tower of power on that!

[JasonG]

Some updated photos. Put in new stringers, floor supports, and back supports.
I am learning how to glass in, so not the neatest work, but good learning experience.