Falls Flyer Restoration Started

[Steve_Kiesel]

Nice package. :cool1:

Rick, you know you got slo-mo thinking now, look out. CutUp1

[Marty Loken (Norseboater)]

Amazing...

That's the hottest boat/tow rig combination I've seen...and the only shame is that he had to cut up another Falls Flyer in order to pull it off.

We've all seen a lot of boat hulls (or faux boat hulls) mounted on car frames before, but this is the best ever.


- Marty

[slo-mo]

slightly carried away,

Nice package. :cool1:

Rick, you know you got slo-mo thinking now, look out. CutUp1

No fricken way Steve, I do have limits...

The guy that built that rig obviously wasn't married, and is definitely a few cards short - but looks great.Screwy1opcorn1::cool1:

ps: the flyer is looking great Rick!

[bham-rick]

Finally showing color !

Man I have to post something after Dave's thread with his progress.:snail1: Hard to show anything when you are priming, filling ,sanding more filling more sanding, more priming and then repeat if necessary . Think I almost have all the nicks, cracks , low spots, pin holes Etc. filled so I sprayed the first coat of red on the stripe. I want to get that good and built up then wet sand it then mask it off . Then I'm going to spray it with a coat of White primer and repeat the process again. When I feel it's ready for the top coat I will start on the last of the inside work and get everything fit, and ready to go. Hopefully by the time I have all the interior work done it will warm up a bit and be hot enough to paint. All the flyers you see have the seat support broken off (Like mine were) so I'm going to build some seat cubbies for storage and also add some stiffness. Got the first couple pieces fit so now I can measure off them. It's all fit & cut with no square lines on a boat. Moving along -slow but sure !

[Skagitguy]

Rick, I know i keep telling you that is going to be one super nice boat when you are done, but it will be! Chuck.

[bham-rick]

Hump Day - major milestone

After I figure maybe 50 hours of sanding and filling and priming -I could not find one pin hole dent or low spot so it was time to spray the finish coat of White primer on in preparation for the final coats of Gloss white with the bright Red Stripe . Came out real nice ( Thanks Again Melanie ) I had the pro from Dover come in and shoot it after all the grunt work was done. Now I can finish the inside work on the cockpit and try to have it done before I shoot the Gloss . Hopefully by the middle of March when the weather warms up a bit . Finally found a motor to put on it. I put an ad on craigslist looking for a Johnson Super Sea Horse 1957 (Javelin ? ) or 58 - 59 . Got a call from a guy in Seattle who had one that was sitting in his shop. It's a 1959 - 35 H.P. Super Sea Horse with the Electric Harness and also two sets of controls and cables . So now I have the complete 1959 package - 59 boat - 59 Tee Nee Trailer and Motor . Did the compression on the motor and came out to 120 in both Cyl. Just need to find a generator and bracket ( Anybody got one ?) Feels pretty good to get the dirty work done and right on schedule for spring !
Started working on the motor also - as you can see !! Here we go :shocked3:

[bham-rick]

Gloss Paint

Got the first coat of Gloss White paint on the Flyer and took off the paper to make sure I didn't get the trailer white. It was laying down really well when I left the shop. Melanie did a great job with the spray gun as always ! Thanks Melanie :cool1:. It's nice to have that coat of gloss on there and see all those hours of body work pay off !

[bham-rick]

Yikes Stripes

Finally seeing Red , Got the stripe on and had a hard time finding the lines to mask it off. Got so much white on it covered the fine lines. Feel like its all coming together now that it has some color. Received the pleated red upholstery and will start making patterns for the side panels - been a long hard road. Going to clear coat the paint job then on to the inside and putting the hardware back on. Did not get alot done in March -hope to roll in April ??

[Bflaherty]

Lookin' good!!!

So how much you charge to paint the Chris Craft? I would remove hardware and try my best at the prep work...

[bham-rick]

Burned out !

By the time I get this painted it's going to be a long time before I want to smell paint again. I'm the grunt and body guy and Melanie is the pro from Dover. She just gets to come in and spray. She may be burned out also -ready to finish and enjoy the summer. In your business you have to know a painter ?? Red is a pretty easy color to paint .

[slo-mo]

details...

Sweet ride, Rick.

[Tim McCrain]

Spy photos!

I had the opportunity to see the Flyer this last weekend and took these photos. This is a sweet, sweet boat and Rick and Melanie have done an awesome job on it. It's ready to be wet-sanded and buffed, I can't wait to see this in the sunshine. The lines of this thing have to be seen up close to be appreciated, it's nothin' but curves. And the trailer! and the chrome! Aaahhhh ...

Tim

[Skagitguy]

Tim, That is sure one very nice boat. It's to nice to put in the water ! Maybe Rick should donate it to a Falls Flyer museum if there is one. Lol ! Rick if you don't have anything to keep busy now , i'am sure i could find something for you to do. Chuck

[bham-rick]

Mikelson Museum

Here's a link to the Museum Chuck ( Takes a few seconds to load ) : Wish I could go and bid with your $$$$ Pretty sad story but you have to hand it to him for hanging in there for his wife ! Have a friend in North Dakota that has 3 Falls Flyers ,one has a snowmobile engine with a Jet Drive , he is going to make the trip looking for a couple Gold Johnson Javelins and he says he's going to get me a Burgee ! That will really be special to have a burgee from the museum !

http://kstp.com/article/stories/S2585349.shtml?cat=26

Boats coming along, Like Tim says - buff and polish ( 4 Qts. of clear coat and a Qt. of metallic clear in the middle ) then put it back together Now is when it really starts to look like a boat !! Tim came up to get ideas for the Dorsett - hope I didn't send him in a new direction

[Skagitguy]

Rick, what a story, but kind of sad to see the collection broken up. Hope you get your burgee ! Chuck