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38 Lightning Race Fairing Removal
I am about to purchase an 02, 38 Lightning with the optional race fairing on the boat. I have only run boats with windshields, not a fairing and as cool as it is, I am considering switching it out with a windshield so the smaller/youngster members of my family can enjoy the view without being on tippy toes. How difficult is it to remove the fairing? Is it simply bolted in place or is it permanently affixed to the hull?
The same question then applies to the windshield, if there are any significant complexities to the installation? Thank you for any info you can provide. Jon |
I just did this last winter the faring is bolted through in I believe about 10 places. You have to remove the side upholstery panels and pull down part of the headliner in the cabin mine was siliconed down in front of the helm. It will take 3-4 people to help get it off the boat. As far as installing the new windshield the holes from the faring will not line up and will need to be filled and new ones drilled for the new windshield atleast that was my experience. I bought a used windshield off of a 47 and cut it down length and height but I can say that I love the look of the cut down windshield over the faring. I hope this helps. |
Great information, thank you! Although it sounds like a pain in the ass it also sounds very doable. Also really interesting the bolt holes did not align with the windshield. Is it possible that happened because you had a 47 windshield? Did you sell the fairing? Do you have any pics of the work and the finished windshield? Please let me know and I will PM you my email address.
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The faring has like 10 studs the use nuts and washers on the bottom side where as the windshield has like 30 screws which go in from the top pm me and I will send you some photos |
Also the faring is wider than the windshield at the base so essentially faring would cover windshield holes but windshield wouldn’t cover the holes made for faring. I could also see where my boat had a windshield on it in the past cause the holes had been filled in and yes because of the 47 windshield I could not align with the old holes |
I'm looking at changing from the Race Fairing to a windshield as well. I'm going to fabricate the windshield out of the fairing. I did this on my 89 Panther and it worked out awesome!
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Based on my experience (not with a windshield replacement, but just in general), the holes from one windshield will not line up with the holes from another, nor the existing holes in the deck. YMMV
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Wow. Cool project. Will you send me pics when you do it? [email protected]
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Can you please PM me some pics?
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Originally Posted by djbozak510
(Post 4923954)
Can you please PM me some pics?
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