1980 StarCraft Super Sport Rebuild **Help Me Im a Noob**

[KamelRed408]

Hello to all and welcome to my rebuild thread.
I have never rebuilt a boat , Have little to no wood working experience , And this is my first boat ever.

Please bare with me because im learning and will ask 1000 stupid questions but knowledge is power so i will put in hard work to get the education and experience needed.

I have 2 kids and a 3rd on the way . i want this boat to be safe and ready for good family memory's.



This was the sellers description below

Seller's Description

Hard to start so will need carburetor or distributor work before it will be good and running to fish with
Floor has soft spot that was replaced with fresh wood but original floor is still there.
18 feet long but with trailer and out drive it’s closer to 24 feet total length.
Looking at 8.5 feet wide on the trailer.
Trailer lights do not work but worked before it was parked a year ago.

I uploaded the Sellers Photos as well..


I paid $500 for the boat and trailer....that is in my budget range.


I dont mind putting some good money into the boat over the next 12 months or how ever long.


I was thinking of striping the floor out and work my way up from there.


if this was your boat what would you work on first?
what are good websites to buy stuff like seats , troll motors and ect?


is this a bass boat?
can any 1 tell me any info on my boat that i should know?


thank you all for any input. Im going to be reading a ton of threads on the forum to get some education as well...looks like a great community you guys have here.

 

[matt167]

that was a pretty good deal. But you know it needs restoration. floors, possibly transom and lastly the interior. There are enough SC builds to follow

Iboats has all the parts your boat might need

 

[Star01]

Welcome. Good price on boat. Any boats a bass boat if that’s what your fishin for. We had a 16’ as years ago. Great all around boat. But if you want it to last yrs. you need to take it down to nothing but floor stringers take out everything. Did you have in water to see if any loose Rivits or small cracks if there’s one soft spot then there’s lots more. Take a lot of pics when you start to take apart. Anything your going to reuse label them. You can refer back to pics later. It’s fun. It’s frustrating but we’ll worth the time and effort. Don’t look at the whole project at once as one huge thing. Do bit by bit. My advice don’t take a little apart here the somewhere else a little apart. And jump around. Study it. Read. Read read. Try not to put yourself under pressure by saying I want it done in couple months. Unless you can do full days every day. I have rebuild a few smaller tinnys. But now doing a 21’ chieftain. Going to look worse before it looks better. I’m just a cadet on here but like I said have done a few. These guys are seasoned smart, experienced. Listen to them. Try to be specific with your questions. And ask about things in the right places. The mercruser guys helped me to get my 120 purring like a kitten. Don’t get discouraged. Walk away when you need to and come back to it. Seats carpet or vinyl and other items are a stretch down the rd. Start from beginning. A nice seat on a rotten floor wobbles. Lol. Good luck. Make a plan. Think it through. Have fun. Make no mistake though. It’s alot of work. But worth it.

 

[KamelRed408]

thank.you for the replys.

i have rebuilt a few cars already so.i do have building xp. im looking for items now because i want to make a price sheet with estimates.of cost of items....this way if i see a deal.ill know its a deal....

any one know a good repair manual for this boat?


ill post the pics and process for others to.follow aswell. i may even make some youtube videos for.others to watch...



so far i want to remove the floor.in sections so.i can trace them and cut new ones....


what is a good.place to.buy marine plywood , rivits , foam ?

how should i seal the deck ? i see conflicting methods...some say resin and glass

 

[jbcurt00]

No manual exists for build/rebuild of boat. Never did.... 1 way boats are much differnet projects then cars/trucks.

Supplies can get pricey w shipping, so places close to you are likely better then others. So, where are ya?

Posting videos is great, but short, to the point. Some members cant access videos from work, but can pop in and out of the forum posts of text descriptions/questions and pix. So dont load up on lengthy videos. Not that anyone would surf the forum from work

A supplily list is great, keep an eye out for stuff ya need, even if a year from now, and buy 'em when ya see a deal. Watch for donor boats too. Jasoutside was a master of watching/surfing/finding deals for his builds..

 

[KamelRed408]

Seloc Marine Repair Manual 3200: Mercruiser Sterndrives 1964-1991


just order for $30



just got the boat home today.

one tire popped right as i got home.

pretty happy i got the boat in my driveway first try....i have never towed before and im proud.of myself.lol...



tryed to start the engine and it wont start....

i see the deep cycle battery is a kirkland brand but from the year 2009....

i threw it.on my battery charger hope it will charge up good. even tho im gonna buy a new battery...

how long would.you say deep cycle batterys last....if this was a car battery i wouldnt even charge it lol. 10 yrs old.is.to far gone.for a car

 

[Star01]

I use exude batteries. 2 for trolling 1 engine start marine. The way my bass boat is wired everything runs of starting marine both livewells lights the two deep cycle marine run trolling motor. The trolling batteries I have on board charger and when not in use plugged in yr round. Starting batt charges when it’s running. Going to get a 3 bank so the all fully charge when not in use. To get 4 yrs out of starting batt. And run 3 off trolling batts. But there still operational when I change them. 9 yrs is a bunch. I’d change it when your ready.

 

[classiccat]

Welcome! :welcome:

There are many StarCraft rebuilds documented on this forum; we even have our own corner of the forum.

Starcraft Rebuilds and Restorations.

Main Starcraft Sticky.

 

[KamelRed408]

best link so far



what brand battery should.i get?

 

[KamelRed408]

today is the first repair.

im going to

replace both tires.

paint the rims.

ill keep.track off all the money i spend on this boat and trailer . any tools i buy and everything.


ill edit this post with the details.


so far money i have spent

$500 boat and trailer
$30 Seloc Marine Repair Manual 3200: Mercruiser Sterndrives 1964-1991

 

[Scott Danforth]

Throw the seloc manual in the trash, or use it for knee pads

Start by reading the stickies BEFORE you buy anything. The answeres to all your 1000 questions are in the stickies

Soft floor is a total gut and restore of the hull. Boats rot from the keel up. Last thing to rot is the floor. The prior owner did a "deck over" which makes your work twice as hard because you have to rip all that band aid carp out

Start by heading to the mercuiser forum, go to the sttickies there. Free on-line factory manuals are there......Then pull your drive and motor

Then read the links 14, 15, 18, 2, 3, 4a, and 4b in the DIY stickies in the hull & resto forum..... And restore your hull

Ask questions...... We will point you to the cumulative knowledge which is the best DIY boat forum there is

 

[emoney]

Agree on the Seloc...I know you just spent $30 but you really need a factory manual and they are out there. Before you buy much else, I’d get into that motor and check compression and spark first. You want to know what you’re dealing with before you spend any money. Once you’re comfortable in knowing the motor and out drive are worth working on then the next step would be figuring out how to take it apart which the factory manual will help with. While you’re waiting on it to get there, I’d rip that floor out. It’s got to go anyway and it won’t hurt the boat in case you decided it’s too much, etc. someone will appreciate the demo and may even pay a little extra because It’s done. I would. Good luck, read some more resto threads and keep us posted.

 

[KamelRed408]

Scott Danforth thanks for the info im going to check all those out and i could not find any other paper manuals. i like to have them on hand while i work... I already planned on replacing the deck . but before i take it apart i want to buy the wood and tools needed to cut the wood ect.... the stuff on top of the deck is not screwed into the deck so i think it wont be to big of a deal... i love this community already its amazing and has so much info! Thank you again for your reply

emoney Thanks for the comment..... i really want a paper manual and if you know the name of the one i can find it..
I charged the battery , i have a compression tester and can check spark. that is a very smart comment . How do i check the outdrive for any problems ect.... what is my outdrive an alpha?



Im working on the trailer until i check out the engine with compression , spark and outdrive tests

the trailers lights do not work and my truck has a 7 pin connector so im gonna get an adapter .
i got a new set of lights ill hook them up
the rims where very rusted so ill paint them
1 tire popped getting it in my driveway (thank god not on the trip home)
so ill get 2 new tires tomorrow. as the other tire has alot of tread but its has tons of age cracks.
i dont think i can paint the trailer with the boat on it so ill save painting the trailer for another time\
the trailers tongue swivel jack is broken ....its from harbor freight... im looking at a new one rated for 2000 lbs. the one on it now is rated for 1000 lbs.... i know the boat is like 2200 lbs but i cant find one with a better weight rating .

the swivel trailer jack double wheel tongue im looking at is on amazon
brand name is Jeremywell its $58


so far money i have spent

$500 boat and trailer
$30 Seloc Marine Repair Manual 3200: Mercruiser Sterndrives 1964-1991
$11 2 packs of gloves
$12 4 1/2 inch angle grinder
$14 Dual cartridge respirator
$4 4 inch steel wire brush for grinder
$3 3 inch steel wire brush for grinder
$2 2 inch Steel wire brush for drill
$4 5 pack differ sizes steel wire brush for Dremmel
$24 3x can black spray paint
$20 2x can white primer
$33 Blazer C7423 Led submersible Square trailer light kit

$657 spent so far

 

[matt167]

For the manual, the book that will work for you is Mercruiser Manual number 1 " Stern drives and marine engines " it's a 2 book manual but covers up to the Alpha gen 1. search Ebay, there is a seller with both books for cheap. links will only blank out, but Iboats does not have it

 

[KamelRed408]

matt167 thanks i found one for $40 with both volumes

 

[KamelRed408]

So I need some help on doing the compression test

Do i need to have the garden hose hooked up while i do this?
if so what part should i order that will fit?
How do i turn the fuel system off? i cant locate a fuse box anywhere
Should i turn the ignition coil off ? and if so how do i do that?

i was looking on where to hook up the garden hose and i think its the intake on the sides of the stern.
i noticed this big hose is ripped (pic from under the stern looking up) . anyone know what its for and the place i cant get it?

 

[Mad Props]

When you say compression test, I'm assuming you mean the motor, not pressure testing your outdrive.

To do a compression test on your motor, all you need to do is pull the coil wire so you don't get any spark, don't worry about the fuel system. Remove all the spark plugs (this will help the motor turn over easier) and install the compression gauge in your first cylinder. Have someone hold the throttle plate fully open while cranking the key. Let it turn over a couple times until the gauge doesn't go up any higher. Record your number, and move to the next cylinder and repeat.

That ripped piece on your outdrive is the exhaust bellows. Its really not a problem other than it might make your boat a little louder, however, if its in that bad of condition, my concern would be that your u-joint bellows and shift cable bellows are in similar condition which IS a bigger problem. You should remove your drive and inspect the condition of all bellows, u-joints, gimbal bearing, impeller, and give everything a good greasing. If this boat is new to you, or you haven't serviced it in several years, its time for a full drive service.

 

[briangcc]

Unless your boat is highly modified, and I seriously doubt it, the water intake for your engine is on your outdrive, not the stern. On your outdrive, there are a series of stacked holes, right above the prop shaft and below your cavitation plate. That's where you would use a set of muffs hooked up to a garden hose to start your engine out of the water.

Madprops has you covered on your compression test. Just pull the coil wire so no power goes to the coil and the engine won't try to fire while running your test.

 

[KamelRed408]

Mad Props thank you so much for the info i was able to get the compression done today because of what you said. i took some pics and will post what i did. maybe it will help some one else in the future. im going to redo the whole boat i just want to see how far gone the motor and sterndrive is even tho im more then likely going to rebuild everything..... im going to rebuild the sterndrive 100% for sure. where can i get the exhaust bellows and rebuild kit for the sterndrive? any special tools i need to get in advance?

briangcc thank you for clarifying that for me. i was referring to the outdrive. i ordered the muffs hope they fit.

How do i do a compression test on the outdrive?im going to rebuild it and want to check it before and after.

 

[KamelRed408]

Pics included in post for noobs like me lol

Step #1 Remove Ignition coil plug (it connects to the distributor cap)
Step #2 Remove Spark Plugs With 5/8 Spark plug Socket
Step #3 Label Spark Plug wires As you remove them ( steps 2 and 3 kind of go together)
Step #4 Set Throttle To Wide Open
Step #5 Connect Compression Test to spark plug hole
Step #6 Put key In Ignition And Crack the engine until the compression gauge wont go up any more
Record the psi for each cylinder




I got

Cylinder #1 140 psi
Cylinder #2 140 psi
Cylinder #3 145 psi
Cylinder #4 135 psi

I feel this is with in a range but i dont know for sure so some one chime in until my manual comes lol


Thanks again to all