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1959 Glen L Missile

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  • 1959 Glen L Missile

    I'm going to give this a try. Last fall I got a call from one of my apprentice painters. He had given me a 16ft. Wright Sportsman some time before. Needed transom and floor.I was to pick it up shortly.The boat was stored in his Dad's dairy barn in Clear Lake Wa. to the north of me. Well some time had passed and he called to remind me about it, also mentioning that his Dad was going to take the sawsall to it,and the old wood boat that was in the barn as well. That of course made me spring into action! I rented a flat bed trailer and called my brother in law (good strong back) and told him we were going treasure hunting.
    We got up there and loaded up the Sportsman with a fat 50 hp Johnson. We were just on the way out and he said "wHAT ABOUT THE WOOD BOAT...."
    In the way back corner of the barn sat a boat on a trailer covered in a tarp with a thick patina of dust and bird droppings. He told me what he needed for it and I figured the trailer was worth that much , so I told him I'd bring the money back after we unloaded the Sportsman and returned the rented trailer.
    After a quick round trip we were back in the barn paying for and unwraping my new treasure. Gregg the guy I bought it from said "Oh ya the motor goes too". In another corner of the barn under another tarp was a small block chev engine with two boxes of all the hardware that came off it. Of course I'm playing it really cool, but my bro in law is almost hopping up and down!
    We got every thing loaded up, some air in the tires, plugged in the lights and home we went.
    So this is where the story starts. - Ross
    Attached Files
    Ross Henson

  • #2
    I got the Missile home and let it rest for a while.Did some research on the GlenL website and ran the numbers on the engine. The motor#'s seem to say 1957 corvette 283, that might be correct as it's titled as a 59.
    I looked and looked at her and decided to run it as on outboard. So I removed all the inboard gear,rudder,trans,(Halibrand) floorboards and gave it a good lookover for rotten wood.All looks good except the transom that is built very light because it's inboard.
    I pulled the old transom out and built one thats 2"thick.I'll have to fab some sort of jack plate as the transom is straight up and down and the outboard needs to lean back some.
    Attached Files
    Ross Henson

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    • #3
      more pics

      Not sure how many I can post at once
      Attached Files
      Ross Henson

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      • #4
        Looks like you did a good job for sure.
        I would be wondering if your going to use the rest of the engine package on something sweet as well. Then again, some corvette person might pay a pretty penny for that engine too.

        Way to go Ross.
        Helmar Joe Johanesen
        1959 Skagit 20ft Offshore, 1959 Skagit 16ft Skimaster,
        1961 17ft Dorsett Catalina.1958 Uniflite 17 ft
        Outboards: 2.5 Bearcats, 3 50hp White shadow Mercs
        2 40hp Johnsons, several smaller Old kickers for a total of 12

        Our Sister club
        http://www.goldenstateglassics.com

        Oh, and Where is Robin Hood when you need him??

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        • #5
          Very cool boat!! I love to read "discovery" stories, especially local ones. Gives me hope that I will score a similar find someday. How much outboard are you going to add?
          Gordon and Cheryl Davies

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          • #6
            A 283, I see why they named it the missile. Should be a fine ride when you get it done Ross. Have a good one.
            Steve Kiesel
            1959 Glasspar Seafair Sedan

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            • #7
              I'm not sure what I'll end up with for power. I have a long shaft 35hp johnson with elictric start I'll probably start out with. I believe its a 59 model as well.I left the big stringers that the v8 was mounted to, and I'll make some knees out of doubled up 3/4 ply. Looks like I could mate the stringers to the transom then to the jack plate on the out side. Then it would hold anything I want.
              I would like to find somone restoring a 57 vette and put them with the 283. I debated a long time to decide what to do with this old gal. I went from putting the v8 back in. I also have toyed with some kind of electric power for somthing really different. For now an outboard seems the best fit.
              Attached Files
              Ross Henson

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              • #8
                Wow, What a find! Some guys gave all the luck! Nice job and good progress! That 283, especially if it is a solid lifter engine is worth some $$. Do I understand it is fuel injected? Fabulous and thanks for posting!
                McSkagit
                Captain Tim (McSkagit) Jones 1959 Skagit 31 Saratogan

                http://www.closeencountersecotours.com

                Pay it forward.......take a kid for a boat ride

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                • #9
                  What little I can see of the intake manifold it appears to be a high rise single plane, and of aftermarket manufacture. This style is for high rpm power, not for making torque...the small displacement (in automotive terms) also conspires against torque...bottom line, this engine is more suitable for high speed running. Also, the distributor is an HEI (electronic) from a later year engine ('74 and up) so obviously this engine is not quite stock anymore, but can be easily converted back should a Corvette person wish to do so...I can almost guarantee you that they won't have any interest in any non-stock parts!

                  FYI, I've been a mechanic for more years than I care to admit.

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