3LB Custom Trailer rebuild

Well it seems pretty slow around here lately as a lot of boats are headed to storage so I thought I'd post some pics of the trailer project. Not as much fun as working on the boat but it is coming along fairly quickly.

This will be a total restoration, sand blast, powder coat, repaint the fiberglass pan/fenders, add surge brake system and new wiring & lights.


Frame is all stripped and headed to the powder coater tommorrow. We had to heat and straighten the bow stops as someone must have really loaded the boat hard a few times. Also found a pretty good crack in a cross member that needed to have an angle welded in as a repair.

Started stripping the fiberglass piece and will get it ready for paint within a couple weeks.

Sorry about that picture, the lighting in the garage is equivalent to that in a wine cellar.

Then I'll have to make up some new guide posts as the ones that came on it are homemade and pretty dorky looking. Dorky's a word right?

How about some background info on these trailers for us(me) older uneducated members.Were these Correct Craft built? Were they an option or were they made for certain models?

Gary

According to the refference section the 3LB trailer was a factory option starting in 1977 and ended as far as I can tell in 1983. The fiberglass pan is all origina. I would imagine they stopped making this trailer do to lack of demand for it. My dad said it was more expensive then the regular trailer. The fiberglass pan helps keep road grime off the boat while trailering.

Steve, yes the one from St Charles. Thanks for the heads up on it.

Gary/BFn from what I can tell the fiberglass skirt was available as an option from 77 through model year 81 on a #3low boy trailer. I believe the skirt option was discontinued with the hull change to the 2001 series although the trailer went on for a bit longer. They were a $1200 option and back in those days quite expensive. Seems like a lot of promo boats ended up with them and there seem to be quite a few more under 77-79 boats but very few 80-81 models.

I've been looking for one of these since I bought the 81 Deluxe as I just felt this boat wouldn't be complete until it was sitting on one.

James, This will be done before the snow flies, I don't like looking at the boat up on jack stands in the driveway, needs to be back under cover.

Rob, I decided to go all white to match the boat with some blue (same as the boat stripe of course)detailing. It will get some period correct aluminum mags to compliment the polished aluminum windshield frame. I'll get the frame back next week and start installing the brakes(motorhome can be scary to stop with the brakeless boat behind it now) and wiring.

Pretty fun so far, now I have to figure out where I'm going to spray the skirt once I get it ready for paint.

How attitudes can change! My '79 had this trailer, and all I knew at the time was that it was a pita to have to remove it in order to get my cherry picker close enough to pull the motor?!!?

I guess I now know why the buyer didn't balk at my price.

Alan, how did you make the transfer to the stands?

Be careful with who you use as a powdercoater.

You want a zinc rich powder primer, with your top coat on it. Otherwise you have no corrosion protection.

Tim

Alan, With the EPA coming down on all solvent emissions the costs to make the wet paint is higher because of the controls that need to be in place. From the user end it has put a lot out of the wet paint business due to their controls that are required. Real fancy spray booths! I personally am not a fan of powder just because it's adhesion is poor. Sandblasting certanly helps with a mechanical bond but there still isn't any chemical bond like you get with wet paint primers. Any pin hole or scratch that allows moisture under the powder and the corrosion will start. I'm glad that your powder coater is a friend that you can trust. He may have slightly different views on it than me but I'm sure he will review that with you. I would go for the wet paint.

If your garage door has the factory finish on it, it's probably not much to speak of. When you find the time to varnish it, I would encourage you to ues a marine varnish with plenty of UV filtering in it. Don't let it get too bad because you know, you will end up with lots more work.

Edit: With the powder becoming so popular, the wet paint is being made in smaller batches which pushes costs up too.

Alan, great to have an update. Im sure it will come out looking terrific- just like the boat.

Question- if youre keeping the pan white, why repaint? Im assuming that its gelcoat, just like a boat- could the finish be brought back by wetsanding and buffing?

Alan, It just hit me about one other thing making the wet paint $100 more. Did he qoute just one coat with the powder? The wet would probably be prime and paint (2 coats) unles he was going to paint with a DTM (direct to metal) which I would absolutly not recommend.

It will look really nice when done..

Alan,thanks for the back ground,it's amazing what that company has done over the years.I'll have to get working on my trailer now.I got a quote for sandblasting from one place,300.00 another wants 300 but will prime it also.Does that sound comparable to yours?

Gary S wrote: Alan,thanks for the back ground,it's amazing what that company has done over the years.I'll have to get working on my trailer now.I got a quote for sandblasting from one place,300.00 another wants 300 but will prime it also.Does that sound comparable to yours?

Gary, I had a couple of estimates ranging from $300-$450 so for $300 git er done.

Tim- I had planned to use centari with hardener,but maybe I will use Imron.I did my MG frame that way and it's held up great.I bought a fresh air system and would not paint with out it anymore.Those paints are not to be messed with.My Mom had pulmonary fibrous and believe me the 4 or 500 bucks for the system was cheap compaired to what she went thru.
Alan thanks for the heads up,I'll go with the guy who will prime it so I can I can get it home and not have it start rusting.I'll most likely sand down most of his primer anyway since I do have some pitting to take care of

Gary S wrote: Tim- I had planned to use centari with hardener,but maybe I will use Imron.I did my MG frame that way and it's held up great.I bought a fresh air system and would not paint with out it anymore.Those paints are not to be messed with.My Mom had pulmonary fibrous and believe me the 4 or 500 bucks for the system was cheap compaired to what she went thru. Alan thanks for the heads up,I'll go with the guy who will prime it so I can I can get it home and not have it start rusting.I'll most likely sand down most of his primer anyway since I do have some pitting to take care of

Gary-

Glad to hear you are painting with the fresh air. 100x better than sucking the air through a mask.

Tim

Alan,
Find someone that does chassis work on race cars, etc. You want a mandrel bent tubing.
A muffler bender will put crimps in the bend..... Very ugly.... (the crimps not the trailer)