Removing the steering and dashboard.

Removing the steering wheel and dash board. Under the dash cover was holes that aren't used on the 1961 Dorsett  El Dorado maybe the design changed, because I have seen other Dorsett, El Dorado's and they have the same speedometer and ignition that I have.

You can see the different holes in the dash plate and the fiberglass.

Under the dash I tool a few pictures to help insure that I have evidence to how thing go back together again.

Maiden Voyage

When our friends surprised us with the boat out at Lake Mead on Labor Day we spent most of the weekend just cruising. She got up to about 20 MPH but mostly we stayed in the marina which is what we bought it to do anyway.

The Transom

Its time to remove the engine and get started on the transom, I found a reasonably priced engine stand on amizon.com priced around $60 US. I pulled the engine with no problem outboard's are made so the replacement of engine is easy.

Under the engine is a piece of aluminum I have been toying with having the piece replaced with chrome and maybe I will cut the transom from being rounded to being cut square.

"Found it" Ride Glide Emblem

http://www.marineengine.com/newparts/part_search.php?part_num=38-29088

I found the Emblem at the link above $49.00 + Tax,  My son and I decided that it will be the ceremonial end cap to our project this winter. Its the small pieces the details that make the project. Also the hardest thing to find for your project are the most satisfying.

Some History of Dorsett Boats

History coming from Bill Roberts shortly.

Dorsett Plastics Corp.

845 Reed St.

Santa Clara, California

Later located at 1955 Lafayette St. and then 2550 Scott Blvd in Santa Clara. Additional location in 1010 Dewey St., Bremen, Indiana and also Cambridge, Maryland.

According to the history below, Dorsett Plastics Company began producing Endura Craft boats in 1955. In 1958, the line became Dorsett Boats. Richard W. Dorst, (Dick), company president was a US Navy veteran, University of California graduate engineer, and alumni of the Harvard Business School. Before co-founding the company, he had seven years experience in reinforced plastics and the chemical industry. At the time of the article, Leonard L. Epsich was general manager and James D. Maloney general sales manager of the Bremen plant; James Hansen general manager of the Santa Clara plant, and John B. Moore Jr. general manager of the Cambridge, MD plant. John B. Moore Jr., a naval architect, worked eight years for Owens Corning before coming to Dorsett. In 1960, Dorsett was acquired by Royal Little's Textron, Inc. in 1960 for 115,000 shares of common stock in Textron, valued at $2,616,250 (New York Times, June 13, 1960). According to the same article, 1959 Dorsett sales totaled $2,800,000 and were projected to sell $3,000,000 for the 1960 fiscal year ending Aug. 31. The company was retained as the Dorsett Marine division with all management. Advertising was now through the San Francisco office of Foote, Cone, & Belding Inc. (New York Times, June 28, 1960). In 1964, Dorsett became independent once again when Textron sold the Santa Clara Division of Dorsett Marine to an entity known as The Dorsett Plastics Co. and headed by Richard W. Dorst as president (Marine Digest 1964, Vol. 42). American Marine Industries (AMI) acquired Dorsett in 1968, keeping Richard Dorst as manager (Yachting, 1968, Vol. 123). AMI had previously purchased theSabre Craft and Bell Boy brands. However, AMI liquidated the Santa Clara plant in 1970. Sierra Performer Boats of Oroville, California reportedly acquired some molds and produced both outboard and I/O models of Dorsett boats. A similar firm in the Pacific Northwest region also produced copies, perhaps from the same molds, and marketed as Marlin Boats.

http://www.fiberglassics.com/library/Dorsett

Notice the  El Dorado New was $1195.00 new. I will have that in the paint job I'm sure. 

Time to get to work Day one of prep 09/15/2015.

My son reluctantly helping out hopefully he will feel that he is a part of the restoration so while he's cruising her around he marina he will take pride and more importantly care of it.










I'm finding that all bolts and nuts are rusted to the point that they really don't work as nut's and bolts any more, As much as I want to do an original restore to this boat quickly I'm realizing that some things are going to have to be replaced with new.








The Rub rail I have seen many different web sites to buy rub rail so I'm not to worried about finding the exact replacement. I will let you know in the future where I find the rub rail and the installation process. Please remember I'm not a professional restoration guy this is my winter project and my first time restoring anything on my own. I'm sure there will be many costly lessons in my future.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             The rub rail is easily removed only one screw and a piece of metal used as a handle in the back of the boat holds it on. After removing the screw and the handle simply pull on the rub rail and it should come off it seems that the only thing holding it on is what had to be a caulk of some sort, I'm going to get more into the type of adhesive used when I do the re-installation.                                                                                                                                                                        






 In the front of the boat it has the Dorsett signature nose piece some of the bigger boat's Dorsett made have even a bigger nose piece they almost look like a hammerhead shark.











By the way as usual nothing is easy to get off the nose piece in this boat is in a very little cubby hole and of coarse the bolts are practically rocks with threads and a nut.

 The original rub rail was installed with some sort of Calk that was difficult to remove but the edge that was left behind is in good shape.

Dorsett Boats