my 1980 starcraft holiday 181 restore

nowback

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
Sep 15, 2009
Messages
99
I know i should have taken more pics but every time i went to work on the boat
I seem to forget the camera:(

its a real mess it was jackknifed knocking holes in the bow on both side.
I tried to weld the holes up and found the aluminum these boats are made of
doesnt like being welded had almost 90% of a patch welded in, as it started to cool it cracked. so it looks like it will be solid rivets and patches.
so far:
replaced 20 + of the solid rivets up the middle
replaced many more of the pop rivets that hold the floor supports
these were all broken from freezing i think.
cut out the soaked foam under the floor, changed the stringers that the
motor bolts down to with plastic tuftex plastic 4x4 does that stuff hold a lag bolt!
rebuilt motor and head 140hp omc
new water pump and shaft in leg
weld on new skeg
new floor and coverings used duradeck on the floors
new side panels and covering same duradeck on the side
rear seats are now done most wood replaced new foam on the bottoms
to keep momma happy. new colors:)
engine cover rebuilt and recovered now.
started on the front seats which appear to have more rot that the rears
did, first one i took apart was so bad i cant even use it as a template !

I will try to remember the camera to take some better pics took these tonight
with the camera phone.
 

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sprintst

Commander
Joined
Apr 18, 2009
Messages
2,066
Re: my 1980 starcraft holiday 181 restore

You've been busy. The patch is high enough on the sides that it shouldn't see much water.

Keep the pics coming.
 

nowback

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
Sep 15, 2009
Messages
99
Re: my 1980 starcraft holiday 181 restore

Would be nice to find a decent trailer cheap this one seems like it was home
made and it is in need of some work, it was built for a direct drive.
so once the boat is done I will have to work on the trailer to:(
 

sprintst

Commander
Joined
Apr 18, 2009
Messages
2,066
Re: my 1980 starcraft holiday 181 restore

I'd be more confortable with new leaf springs, rollers, shacles and fenders as well. Paint will come over the summer on the trailer once the boat is floating :)
 

nowback

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
Sep 15, 2009
Messages
99
Re: my 1980 starcraft holiday 181 restore

well moved the boat out of the heated shop that its been in all winter.
everything is done now even made a nice top to keep the rain out
turned out not bad for a amature :)
I say everything but the motor has to go back in yet.
also added a pic of the front where the patch was, put on a aluminum patch
thought I could do better than the plywood patch the last owner did.
can also see the nice refinished teak.
need to change the boot I see a crack in it now that its out in the light:(
anyone have a source or a boot at a good price?
 

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sprintst

Commander
Joined
Apr 18, 2009
Messages
2,066
Re: my 1980 starcraft holiday 181 restore

Cool cover. Looks that would shed the water nicely.

I'm hoping to have the transom done this weekend so I can drop the boat off to have the engine and leg bolted in.
 

HopeSheFloats

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
Jun 12, 2009
Messages
1,674
Re: my 1980 starcraft holiday 181 restore

Sweet..another Starcrafter amongst us..welcome to the club!
That patch job turned out great from the looks of it..nice job!!!
 

jasoutside

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Dec 20, 2009
Messages
13,269
Re: my 1980 starcraft holiday 181 restore

Hey man, nice rig! Question, what ya gonna do with that OMC stringer?
 

nowback

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
Sep 15, 2009
Messages
99
Re: my 1980 starcraft holiday 181 restore

Cool cover. Looks that would shed the water nicely.

I'm hoping to have the transom done this weekend so I can drop the boat off to have the engine and leg bolted in.

cover works great so far 100% water proof:)
one strange thing about cordura fabric is that the hotter the day the
tighter it fits, as it gets cold and rains it loosens off.
had to hose it today just to put the cover back on after i had put the motor
back in:)
almost done now think i need a marine starter though.
anyone know what the extra terminal on the marine starter does?
this boat came with two starters and neither have 4 terminals:(
matt
 

nowback

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
Sep 15, 2009
Messages
99
Re: my 1980 starcraft holiday 181 restore

Sweet..another Starcrafter amongst us..welcome to the club!
That patch job turned out great from the looks of it..nice job!!!

would have turned out better but had the air pressure up to high when
i was riviting it so the heads got a little over hammered, but they are
super tight:) lol
 

nowback

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
Sep 15, 2009
Messages
99
Re: my 1980 starcraft holiday 181 restore

Hey man, nice rig! Question, what ya gonna do with that OMC stringer?

Fully rebuilt the motor, leg is good just needed a water pump.
so i guess i hope to run it.
 

Huron Angler

Admiral
Joined
Apr 7, 2009
Messages
6,025
Re: my 1980 starcraft holiday 181 restore

Welcome to iboats and the starcraft armada:)

Nice old rig ya got...I really like that cover:D
 

nowback

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
Sep 15, 2009
Messages
99
Re: my 1980 starcraft holiday 181 restore

ITS ALIVE!!!

After getting it all back together and scratching my head for a while
when it wouldnt start (timing was out 180deg) its fired right up,
set the timing adjusted the carb runs great!! :)
just the matter of a little oil leak on the lifter cover to fix and i am
ready for summer:)
I will take a couple more pics when i clean up the oil and fix the cover.
sprintst> you got all new gauges didnt you,,, what the plan for the old ones
i think my tach isnt working:(

matt
 

sprintst

Commander
Joined
Apr 18, 2009
Messages
2,066
Re: my 1980 starcraft holiday 181 restore

I haven't even taken the dash out of the box yet. I'll look in it later this week when I drop the boat off.

I'll defiantely have an extra either way...
 

nowback

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
Sep 15, 2009
Messages
99
Re: my 1980 starcraft holiday 181 restore

Little update,,, new marine starter works great, started right up tonight wanted to check for oil leaks seems i have them all fixed now.
figured i would check the charging system seeing i have everything else working
great (less the tach) turns out its not charging :( !!
I am getting a little tired of everything on this thing needing replacement!
looks like i need a new alt. and the shop manual says to replace the regulator
when changing the alt.
there should be a note in the shop manual that says.
"
If you are going to restore an old boat be prepared to replace everything.
"
i guess this is what to expect with something that had been neglected all
of its life.
another way to look at it is that is shouldn't need anything for a long time.

matt
 

sprintst

Commander
Joined
Apr 18, 2009
Messages
2,066
Re: my 1980 starcraft holiday 181 restore

I err'd on the side of replacing anything questionable as I'll be keeping this one. Better to find out now than on the water.

My alternator is about the only thing that didn't need replacing.
 

nowback

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
Sep 15, 2009
Messages
99
Re: my 1980 starcraft holiday 181 restore

I err'd on the side of replacing anything questionable as I'll be keeping this one. Better to find out now than on the water.

My alternator is about the only thing that didn't need replacing.

alternator was the nicest thing on this motor before i started the project.
would have been nice if it worked as nice as it looks. lol
matt
 

HopeSheFloats

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
Jun 12, 2009
Messages
1,674
Re: my 1980 starcraft holiday 181 restore

... there should be a note in the shop manual that says.
"
If you are going to restore an old boat be prepared to replace everything.
"

LOL, including your income source and quite possibly your spouse ;)

Glad to hear things are shaping up and moving forward!
 
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