79 Scarab 300 resto
 

Hi guys, long time lurker, first time poster. I've had the itch for a scarab for a long time, and finally scratched it a few weeks ago. I sold my cabin cruiser and was looking hi and lo, near and far for a scarab, and found one. About 1300 miles round trip to the lake of the ozarks, mo. I felt like I got a good deal on the boat. 7k for the boat and trailer. It's a pretty original 79 scarab 300 with the 330 454's. The boat came with an extra low profile windshield (off a sport model?), original swim deck (not on the boat because the thru hull exhaust is in the way). The trailer has surge brakes that work good. I'm happy with the deal I got. I thought I'll be ok even if the stringers and transom are shot.

http://www.blairautobody.com/Heaths%...814_163539.jpg
http://www.blairautobody.com/Heaths%...815_154531.jpg
http://www.blairautobody.com/Heaths%...815_154655.jpg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5S_KS...iXxwInZZ6D0nSw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5S_KS...iXxwInZZ6D0nSw

The boat runs great, we put it in the water twice about three weeks ago, ran 55mph, and decided to go ahead and get started on the paint work. Upon further inspection, we saw she needed a transom. and a rear bulkhead, then the killer, the rot traveled up the stringers to the bow of the boat. We've decided we have to repair this. No way way we can leave it like it is. So tonight we're seeing about pulling the deck off the boat. Here's some photos of where we are...

http://www.blairautobody.com/Heaths%...hoto%20(3).JPG
http://www.blairautobody.com/Heaths%...hoto%20(2).JPG
http://www.blairautobody.com/Heaths%...hoto%20(4).JPG
http://www.blairautobody.com/Heaths%...hoto%20(6).JPG
http://www.blairautobody.com/Heaths%...hoto%20(7).JPG

This ought to be good, I had better pay attention to this thread as with my luck I will be in the same boat(no pun intended). Randy

oohh! lots of good work ahead!

post plenty of pictures!!!

We got the deck off tonight. Looks like lower part is going to be more work. It is glassed and tabbed in places. I can see why these boats are so heavy. The deck probably weighs 600-800 lbs. i'll post some photos tomorrow.

We cut the rear part of the deck off to start with to repair this rot that started around the cleats. This was before we new the whole deck was coming off...

http://www.blairautobody.com/Heaths%...hoto%20(8).JPG

Here's the bulkhead. The inner and possibly the outer stringers were stapled to this. So when the bulkhead got wet, and there was enough time, it soaked all the way to the front. The left inner stringer sounds hollow as far forward as I could tap on it. The right inner didn't go as far. And the two outer ones are (only) about halfway rotten....
http://www.blairautobody.com/Heaths%...hoto%20(9).JPG

Getting the cap ready to come off...
http://www.blairautobody.com/Heaths%...oto%20(10).JPG

Coming off...
http://www.blairautobody.com/Heaths%...oto%20(12).JPG

We found this on the back of one of the cockpit cushions, "show boat"...
http://www.blairautobody.com/Heaths%...oto%20(11).JPG

The boat I got is the same as this one in an add somebody posted in this forum a while back. Mine had a different bow rail. Everything else was the same.

http://www.blairautobody.com/Heaths%...bfe[1].jpg
http://www.blairautobody.com/Heaths%...6db[1].jpg

The Scarab 300 what a cool looking boat that you have. I've heard of the model but haven't seen what it looks like till now. That's awesome to see a brochure of the Scarab 300.

We were finally able to do some more work thursday evening and today. We got the "tub" (what weve been calling it) out. Again, another very heavy piece. It was bonded behind the rub rail and also in the front lower part of the engine compartment. I used a circular saw set at about 1" depth and cut around the sides (behind the rubrails) and used an air saw with a wood blade in it to cut the glass bonding strips in the engine compartment...
http://www.blairautobody.com/Heaths%.../photo%201.JPG
http://www.blairautobody.com/Heaths%.../photo%202.JPG
http://www.blairautobody.com/Heaths%.../photo%203.JPG

wow i had to replace the whole stern stringers and transom on my 86 30 panther.