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1958 Roamer 35 Express Cruiser restoration

Discussion in 'Chris Craft Roamer Yacht' started by wrenches74, Jan 3, 2010.

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  1. wrenches74, Jan 3, 2010
    #1
    wrenches74

    wrenches74 New Member

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    Upstate Lakes, SC
    ok, well, as you all may have read, i moved the roamer 300 miles from south Ga. to Upstate South Carolina...that was a chore...then the 2 weeks of moving it around in my yard so i could sink the posts to set the boat on(Had to miss the underground utilities)...so after all was said and done, the boat is now home safe, and set on it's piers in my yard (my wife loves her new yard ornament!) and all cradled up, it was time to start cleaning all the chicken poop, feathers, and general nastiness out......what a job that was!......so, seeing how it is wintertime, i made a framework over the boat (the pole barn people won't erect the pole barn in the cold weather...what gives?), got a 45 x 20 tarp, and covered it up for the winter.....now, as you all have read, i'm a glutton for punishment, so as soon as i had all that done, i got me an electric space heater, and went to work on the interior of the cabin.......

    Attached Files:

  2. wrenches74, Jan 3, 2010
    #2
    wrenches74

    wrenches74 New Member

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    here is what we started with......

    Attached Files:

  3. Henning, Jan 3, 2010
    #3
    Henning

    Henning Senior Member

    Joined:
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    Ft Lauderdale FL
    Are you going to clean it up/fix it up and get it going, or are you going to gut and restore/refit?
  4. wrenches74, Jan 4, 2010
    #4
    wrenches74

    wrenches74 New Member

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    Upstate Lakes, SC
    well, i'm into nostalgia, so as far as the interior, it will be disassemble, sand, re varnish and reassemble, of course, with new upholstry, and updated wiring...the MCL engines are already torn down to the bare blocks on the engine stands, and readt to be machined....there is NO rotton wood anywhere on the boat (except for the engine hatch frames), so, why not use what's there?...:D Tim
  5. SeaEric, Jan 4, 2010
    #5
    SeaEric

    SeaEric YF Historian

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    out on the dock
    It looks and sounds like you have a good plan and an excellent start on her. Carry on, and please keep us posted on the progress!
  6. Oneiros, Jan 4, 2010
    #6
    Oneiros

    Oneiros Member

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    Location:
    lulea Sweden the land of the midnightsun
    Hi
    Nice to see the fenix bird
  7. wrenches74, Jan 5, 2010
    #7
    wrenches74

    wrenches74 New Member

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    Location:
    Upstate Lakes, SC
    thanks for the vote of confidence.....it's a lot of work, but i hope it looks as good maybe as some of the ones here on the forum......this is truly a "Family" ......
  8. q240z, Jan 6, 2010
    #8
    q240z

    q240z New Member

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    zsedr
    It looks like we have another epic Roamer Resto thread in motion! Good on ya!
  9. Tojo59, Jan 6, 2010
    #9
    Tojo59

    Tojo59 New Member

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    Location:
    Muskegon, MI
    Never Enough...

    Can never have too many Roamers around... keep up the good work!

    Attached Files:

  10. Oneiros, Jan 6, 2010
    #10
    Oneiros

    Oneiros Member

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    hi
    Nice pic which model??
  11. wrenches74, Feb 7, 2010
    #11
    wrenches74

    wrenches74 New Member

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    Seeing as how the weather here in South Carolina is SUPPOSED to be warm...Mother Nature has thrown me a few curve-balls...the wind has destroyed my cover, and rain has poured down in buckets the last few weeks...like a darn monsoon!!!so, today is sunday ..and a beautiful day at that, so i've been inside the boat all morning.... here is where i started after romoving the setee cushions

    Attached Files:

  12. q240z, Feb 7, 2010
    #12
    q240z

    q240z New Member

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    "the wind has destroyed my cover, and rain has poured down in buckets the last few weeks"

    HA! Get used to it, man. lol

    Every year it's the same thing. You build a better tent, and Mother Nature builds a better nor-easter.

    :p
  13. wrenches74, Feb 7, 2010
    #13
    wrenches74

    wrenches74 New Member

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    Well, it's been a productive day......this is stress relief.......

    Attached Files:

  14. homer1958, Feb 7, 2010
    #14
    homer1958

    homer1958 Member

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    Annapolis MD
    Roamer Madness Strikes Again!

    Been there, done that.. don't quit no matter what... It will get there.. actually it's fun if you know what you want are doing and have a little professional help at times.

    HOMER
  15. wrenches74, Feb 7, 2010
    #15
    wrenches74

    wrenches74 New Member

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    thanks for the pat on the back, Homer....quit?...i don't know what that word means...never heard it.....LOL:D
  16. homer1958, Feb 7, 2010
    #16
    homer1958

    homer1958 Member

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    You got it easy...

    Homer was on a first name basis with the junkyard boys.. even the dogs stopped barking at me after a while. One day I went into the Homer's wreck with an ax and stripped the whole thing! I mean the hole thing. Scrubbed the hull, every bit of bilge. Let it dry for a week or so and painted it all oilbase white. Actually, the hull was sprayed with a bituminous product from the factory and held up real well. Only a few pealing spots and we fixed that. Before we laid the new subfloor, we even neopreme stripped the flooring contact joists to eliminate more sound and vibration transmission. The underside of the marine plywood epoxied. Now that is a bit extreme, but ya know... you will have times where you say to yourself.. I either get it now or never... then you decide.

    Good luck to you and we will enjoy each new progress photo you post.. it keeps all enthused and going until she is done.

    We are getting done, sometimes it goes faster, sometimes it goes slower..... anyone who takes a Roamer apart will ask themsleves constantly.. "How did they make any money?" The design was so labor intensive by today's standards for a production machine.

    How long did it take to build a 38 Roamer? Answer 6.5 months. "Them boys" had it down!

    For those that did not know, most Roamers were built by Dutch descendents in the Holland Michigan plant. I was there when I was 14. I can remember a beautiful 58' under construction... the cost.. $225,000 in 1971.. it was the very top of the Chirs Craft line. Avacodo shag carpeting.. the hole nine yards.
  17. wrenches74, Feb 8, 2010
    #17
    wrenches74

    wrenches74 New Member

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    home set up

    BTW, Fellas......i never did post a pic of the Roamer after i got it set up at home, so here's one...how do y'all like the flight of stairs?....sure beats a ladder!!!!!!!!;)

    Attached Files:

  18. yachtsmanbill, Feb 8, 2010
    #18
    yachtsmanbill

    yachtsmanbill Guest

    Hmmm

    I call mine the "Stairway to Heaven" or Jacobs Ladder for my pal that helps me! This is my 1974 65 foot Hatteras right next to my 1963 36 RXP1603
    Aluminum Roamer! Good luck on your project!! ws

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
  19. homer1958, Feb 8, 2010
    #19
    homer1958

    homer1958 Member

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    Homer says "Sweeeet"

    Sweeeeeet!!
  20. The Hedgehog, Feb 8, 2010
    #20
    The Hedgehog

    The Hedgehog New Member

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    That is over the top. Beautiful
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