1958 14 Foot Resorter Runabout Restore

TinBoats.net

Help Support TinBoats.net:

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

RAMROD

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 11, 2012
Messages
294
Reaction score
0
Location
Dayton, Texas
Hello All!
I read this site for about a week and the bug bite me!
Went looking around and the timing was right, found a classic 1958 Resorter on Houston craigslist. Me and the wife went to take a look at it and she likes it just as much as I do. We both love the lines/curves. There are a few spot welds on the bottom around what I take were some leaking rivets other than that it is in great shape and I was able to talk him down to $700 so off to the house we went to drop the new old lady off and then headed back out to the TPWD and done title transfer and registration for the 12' jon (the boat that got me looking at this site) as well as for the Resorter and 1958 Evenrude, $201.50 and a few signatures later and bam they officially belong to me!

Let me begin by saying this is going to be a long project so don’t expect daily or even weekly progress reports, I am definitely not boat poor around here so there will be no rush on this. I want this thing to look like it came off the show room floor in 1958 when I am done. Doesn’t mean it will but that is what I want.

Was told the motor was a 1958 30 hp, and the title says this also but the front of the motor says in faded out cursive big twin thirty five which is ok by me as could find anything online about a 58 model 30hp, I am thinking it was titled as a 30 due to the fact of that being the boat's max hp rating. Look around on the motor but was unable to find the serial# to match it with the title. I will have to research the web to find where to locate this number. The motor will not swivel talked to the owner that had it before the one I bought it from and he told me it was always like that. He said he would heat the shaft a little and pump some grease in and it would free up. He also told me it has set up for about 5 year but was used weekly previously to that the bad news to that is it was in salt water. Sure hope he flushed good! He also told me he still has the original pump tank and could come pick it up and that he had put in a new tank and fuel pump to replace the pressure tank said it worked great not sure will see. Either way the motor will be on the back burner. I will pull it off and in the shed it goes for now.

The boat is in great shape! At least that’s my opinion. Really didn't get to really look it over like I would have liked when I made it back home from the TPWD as I need to finish the wife’s jon boat trailer and get it water ready first. Well like I said above no rush. The steering wheel just by looking at the pictures tonight looks wood! I hope so and that it is in good shape as it will look awesome cleaned, sanded, and varnished up! The cowling/cap over the bow is fiberglass but looks to be in great shape!

Things I will need help/research how to do or have done at least what is on the top of my head at the moment;
This little girl had a windshield at one time and will again, either real glass or Plexiglas that I learn to heat and shape to what I need.
Look for someone to CNC the Resorter logo to replace the broken ones on the stern.

As for plans I have plenty! But as we all know plans have a tendency to change....a lot, so we will just see where it takes up.

OK according to what I have read here is what everyone is really waiting on...........pictures!
Enjoy.......and the journey begins.
2.jpeg
3.jpeg
4.jpeg
5.jpeg
6.jpeg
7.jpeg
8.jpeg
9.jpeg
10.jpeg
11.jpeg
12.jpeg
13.jpeg
14.jpeg
15.jpeg
16.jpeg
17.jpeg
 
I can certainly see what you mean about the lines. As far as styling goes, that may be the classiest looking tin boat I've ever seen. Look forward to following your progress with it and seeing what it looked like the day it was born.
 
She sure is a beaut! It was hard working on the wife’s trailer today! I did hit the back end with the shop vac a little and ripped the old seats out of the front. The steering wheel is wood but not in great shape.

Thanks for looking and the comments guys but set back and get comfortable guys this one will take some time.
 
Ok did a little, pulled the seats and seat boards out along with the flotation foam that was under them, pulled the engine controls and cables off, removed all the old windshield braces and cleaned out the inside some.
 
After a little digging I found the the Resorter and the Arkansas traveler boats were build by the same company and shared many of the same features and lay outs. Heres a link that might help you on your resto.

https://www.fiberglassics.com/library/Arkansas_traveler

Steve
 
acwd said:
After a little digging I found the the Resorter and the Arkansas traveler boats were build by the same company and shared many of the same features and lay outs. Heres a link that might help you on your resto.

https://www.fiberglassics.com/library/Arkansas_traveler

Steve
Thanks! I have already found this and should have posted it as it took me several hours of searching to find it. The is a good bit of info on the Arkansas Traveler but virtually none on the Resorter.
 
Hi Ramrod. Great to see another Arkansas Traveler owner in the forums. There seem to be a few of us now. I have '59 DUT-14 runabout that I've converted to a tiller/flats skiff sort of thing. I also run a '66 20hp Johnson which is virtually identical to your 18hp and pushed me along at +/- 20mph. Here are some great links to help you get them both up and running again in no time.

https://www.leeroysramblings.com/johnson_E-FD_15_18hp.html

https://www.fiberglassics.com/library/Arkansas_traveler
 

Attachments

  • New river and talquin pics 066.JPG
    New river and talquin pics 066.JPG
    1.4 MB · Views: 2,305
  • Turkey Day Wakulla beach pics 045.JPG
    Turkey Day Wakulla beach pics 045.JPG
    1,015.9 KB · Views: 2,305
Mine is a 58 Richline big 16 daycruiser. or use to be before someone hacked it up.(and it wasnt me, I got it this way) I seen a 54 alumacraft like the one pappy has in profile pic for sale on CL. Asking 1000 for it. Would love to have a vintage boat like it just to cruise around on the lake. But funds are tight right now.

Steve
 
Yep its hard for me to take it slow if it weren’t for limited funds! LOL Thanks for the info and links, kfa4303, she is actually a Resorter with a Big Twin 35 Evinrude, AT and the Resorter were both made by Southwest Manufacturing Co so the same boat just a Johnson/Evinrude thing, except for no background info on the Resorter or not near as much as with the AT.
 
Just a quick note.
Took three weeks off for XMass and New Years so no work/update for the next three weeks while I am back at work offshore.
 
Great pics! I thought it looked like a Traveler the first picture you sent me, I do love the lines. When I was trying to figure out what mine is I thought it might be a Traveler because the shape is so similar. I know it takes time, but I can't wait to follow along with your progress too. I should have more pictures of todays work posted soon.
 
Thanks!
The weather has been really nice since I have been at work but you watch as soon as I make it home next week it will turn cold again! I like what you have done so far and wish the cap on my boat was aluminum like yours! Mine if fiberglass if it was aluminum I would seriously be thinking of polishing up the whole boat. The plan as of now is to match the original Evinrude color and scheme. One good thing is I believe I have tracked down a windshield for her! Just have to make it home check the measurements! Hope to post some progress pictures soon but still have a week to work and then the honey-doos.
 
Nice find! That is going to be a sweet looking restore and fun to work on. I love the old iron and how they perform when running good. You will turn alot of heads with that rig. Keep posting pictures so we can all enjoy. The gentelman I purchased my 18 HP Johnson from is a collector here in Michigan and has connections to other guys who have 100's of vintage outboards and 1000's of parts. If you need parts these guys have them and they don't advertise, so don't hesitate to ask when you get a list of stuff you need. Good luck.
 
Thats great about the windshield, I plan to put one back on mine too, but have yet to locate one the correct size. It seems that mine is a little bit narrower than the fiberglass runabouts, so I'm not sure what route to take without spending hundreds. I'll cross that bridge once I get the bow repaired. Where did you find the one for yours? I hope the weather stays nice for you, and BTW I love the Burlwood dash.
 
Thanks Scott! I will keep that in mind.
Casey the windshield came from a man on fiberglasics. He ordered it for his G3 and they messed up on the curves also had a couple bubbles in it so the co sent him a new one. The measurements were perfect for mine so I got a new one for the price of shipping! It's going to look great!!
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1360646655.928168.jpg
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1360646674.140802.jpg
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1360646699.710291.jpg
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1360646721.345132.jpg
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1360646738.994601.jpg
 
Yep, Looks great! You lucky dog LOL :) I'm actually thinking about putting an older style two piece windshield on mine, like you see on chriscrafts. I've gotten busy at work and my weekends have somehow gotten taken up, so not much progress to show on mine. Hopefully soon I'll do some interior work, I've pretty much gotten the bow cap repaired, but I'm not going to paint the topside until last so it won't get scuffed while doing the interior. I look forward to the tear down and rebuild pictures of yours.
 
Thanks next time home plan on at least pulling the motor! Between life and work the last time I was fishing was before Christmas!
 
I really like the way that tin looks. My next boat will be something similar, provided I can find one. I'm looking forward to your progress on this one.
 

Latest posts

Top