1964 Starcraft Jet - First Boat Restoration Project

[WinnipegJet91]

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After I got the front bench installed I measured where the seats would be and then make a template to bolt them in. This was a very exiting stage as once the seats (front) were installed this meant I could potentially splash it for the very first time! Didn't think I needed the rear seats in to test this ole' girl out on the river.

 

[WinnipegJet91]

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With all this excitement, brought anxiety that there will be no leaks and that it will float without taking in too much water after I spent a lot of time welding longitudinal cracks and plugging holes. Once the seats were installed, we replaced the existing trailer chain that didn't reach the vehicle anymore with a new one and hooked her up to the trusty Ram to bring the boat to the launch!

 

[WinnipegJet91]

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SPLASH ALERT!!!

Yes, that is what anyone who has ever done a boat rebuild wants to see and experience. The very first time you launch the boat and have it in the water. It has been a long 16 months but I have finally got the boat on the water and was able to go for a good hour and twenty minutes, using 1.5gal of fuel which I thought was reasonable going about 1/2 - 2/3 throttle most of the way!

Video of the boat going will be posted below upon upload:

 

[WinnipegJet91]

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The following day I liked the seats enough and they were actually very comfortable so we went out and got two more for the rear bench (until I can re-upholster my bench seats) which with having a baby any day now might be further in the future than id hope. grabbed a batter box and a couple straps to hold down the fuel tank and battery. with a few minor details missing i feel like the weight has finally lifted off my shoulders and this project is 98% completed!

Now comes the small little details of aesthetic options like decals, cup holders, plugging unnecessary holes in the gunnels, etc. and to find a trim piece that I have misplaced so I can install the inner rubrail. I wish the thread from Lakelover didn't have the pictures deleted of how he redid the windshield on his Starcraft Jet Star.

 

[Watermann]

Great to see another old SC hit the waves once again, nice work :thumb:

I love the old MerControls and glad I kept them in my SS, bullet proof all metal.

 

[WinnipegJet91]

Nice work! I have a 1963 Jet rebuild over in the general restoration forum with all the non-Starcraft peons :laugh: I too am trying to splash before winter, but here in NE Ohio we can and do have 7-80 degree days into November.

Maybe I should move it over here after all. JBCurt00 can you move me? I may get more responses.

I gotta question on your new capacity plate: my capacity plate is illegible. I'd like to order a new one also. What are the specs on yours? Of course the way I'm building mine the original specs will probably be just for show.

Model: 15 ft. Jet
Serial #: 64 - _____
50 (horsepower)
4 (persons)
or
1000 lbs.

was shipped to my door from Garzon studios. looked very similar to the original.

 

[WinnipegJet91]

Great to see another old SC hit the waves once again, nice work :thumb:

I love the old MerControls and glad I kept them in my SS, bullet proof all metal.

Hey Thanks, lots of hard work went into this boat but the minute it sat in the water and the motor turned on first try, that was a good feeling! I do hope the more I drive it on rivers and lakes in the area, more will start popping up.

 

[WinnipegJet91]

Really nice progress. Those Starcraft emblems turned out nice too. Looking forward to seing her finished. Are you going to try and find a curved one piece windshield or put a modern walk through style on her? I have a 64 Jupiter with a cracked windshield and I think I'm going to put a walk through on her when I dig into her restoration this winter.

my goal is to find a curved windshield off an old boat at the local marina, but worst case I'll have to go to Home Depot and create my own like LakeLover did on his 1964 StarCraft Jet Star. Ideally finding one is my first option as making it looked a little more difficult than I'm willing to put effort to.

 

[Coach Dave]

Thanks for the info! Where you at? I have one in pretty decent shape off my 1963 with new white bottom channel and hold down bolts. . I may not be putting it back on. It needs cleaned up and polished a bit, but it's solid with no cracks.
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[WinnipegJet91]

Thanks for the info! Where you at? I have one in pretty decent shape off my 1963 with new white bottom channel and hold down bolts. . I may not be putting it back on. It needs cleaned up and polished a bit, but it's solid with no cracks.

Winnipeg, Manitoba (Canada). Where abouts is the windshield located?

 

[Coach Dave]

I'm about 50 miles dead south of Cleveland, OH if that helps you.

 

[Coach Dave]

I checked UPS rates from me to you. It'll cost me $20-30 to ship (3-4 day delivery) I don't have any of the original Starcraft logos from my boat like you reproduced. I smell a trade? Whataya think?

 

[WinnipegJet91]

I checked UPS rates from me to you. It'll cost me $20-30 to ship (3-4 day delivery) I don't have any of the original Starcraft logos from my boat like you reproduced. I smell a trade? Whataya think?

A trade would work for me.. how would you be able to send the windshield and ensure it makes the trip?

 

[WinnipegJet91]

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I finally had a chance to splash it again this weekend and it was a great test run with the motor trimmed to the "highest" position or (4th) hole from the transom. I had greatly reduced the amount of engine splashing going on and the wake looked cleaner as it passed the stern of the boat. As I went 3/4 to almost full throttle it would splash into the splash well a bit from when the water passes under the stern of the boat and hits the leg of the motor. But as I mentioned earlier, it was greatly less splashing then when I had it only in the 2nd hole from the transom.

And to help, I thought it would only be right if I got my wife who is 39 weeks pregnant to come on the boat ride with me to get the baby used to the sound of the motor and want to enjoy it before freeze up. I have to say I think it helped hurry things along!

 

[WinnipegJet91]

No Title

So on my dash there is a nice blank space that is missing something, i'd like to put an old starcraft emblem there but they are far and few in between. Than I thought what if I do another 3D printed one to fill the gap which I thought would look great but at the same time something with chrome would look great there.

Does anyone have any thoughts?

 

[Watermann]

A vintage looking glove box would be nice too with the SC logo on the door.

Raising the motor up so high will have an effect on your hole shot, a power trim would solve all your problems.

 

[FIGMO]

Hey WJ91,

Good post, and nice work. I am also in Winnipeg and working on my 1974 SC SS16. I had my boat in the water most of last summer, picked it up in May. I started the tear down this past Sep, and was hoping for a splash in Jul of 18. However, I now beginning to realized that I will not likely make that date. I am now hoping for end Sep 18. I had lofty plans of working in my garage over the winter with a space heater, but have given up on that idea. I will likely get back at it in Mar when it is a bit warmer. I can also start ordering parts now so I am ready to pick things up again in the spring.

For fishing, I like hanging out in the Lake of the Woods area and Minaki. If I am short on time, then Royal Lake is nice as well.

Here is the link to my post:

http://forums.iboats.com/forum/owne...ats/10455634-1974-starcraft-ss16-restortation

Hopefully we will see you out on the water in the future.

 

[MNhunter1]

So on my dash there is a nice blank space that is missing something, i'd like to put an old starcraft emblem there but they are far and few in between. Than I thought what if I do another 3D printed one to fill the gap which I thought would look great but at the same time something with chrome would look great there.

Does anyone have any thoughts?

I made a custom switch plate to fill that void on my Nova:

 

[WinnipegJet91]

Hey WJ91,

Good post, and nice work. I am also in Winnipeg and working on my 1974 SC SS16. I had my boat in the water most of last summer, picked it up in May. I started the tear down this past Sep, and was hoping for a splash in Jul of 18. However, I now beginning to realized that I will not likely make that date. I am now hoping for end Sep 18. I had lofty plans of working in my garage over the winter with a space heater, but have given up on that idea. I will likely get back at it in Mar when it is a bit warmer. I can also start ordering parts now so I am ready to pick things up again in the spring.

For fishing, I like hanging out in the Lake of the Woods area and Minaki. If I am short on time, then Royal Lake is nice as well.

Here is the link to my post:

http://forums.iboats.com/forum/owne...ats/10455634-1974-starcraft-ss16-restortation

Hopefully we will see you out on the water in the future.

Hey FIGMO, great to know of a local Starcraft owner in my neck of the woods! I spend my weekends on falcon lake (perfect size for this boat) but I think once you get yours up and running we should see who else has a Starcraft and have a bit of a reunion down the red or something!

Update on the boat:
i didn't actually do anything on it all winter but now that's it summer the goal was to get the motor running better. It's a 1973 mercury 500 and it would die as soon as you put it into gear. But adjusted the low idle circuit screw on both carbs and voila it purrs like a charm!

next up is to get a horn, wire up a USB charger, Andy plug the random holes in the gunnels. Have yet to find me a decent windshield so if anyone comes across one in Manitoba please let me know.

Is there any suggestions or ideas of how someone else mounted their speedometer, I have it mounted on the dash but don't know the best way to mount the little trigger thing onto the transom. Ideas are welcome!

2018 season is upon us and the boats in the water ever weeekend, I couldn't be happier!

 

[WinnipegJet91]

I've ran the motor now at 4 different positions on the motor mount bracket and have yet to figure out a way to reduce the amount of splash back going 3/4-full throttle... could it be a weight thing when two peoples are sitting upfront? I even added the big whale tale to see if that helped but no luck.