1964 Starcraft Jet Star Renovation

[lakelover]

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Fail and rescue on the drain tubes. I had a few problems with my home made flaring tool.

I cut the first tube a little too long. And my nut with the dome didn't really have enough of a taper. As I tightened it slowly to flare the straight end, I couldn't really see that it wasn't centered well because of the 5200 oozing out and I crushed one edge of it. After a lot of messing around with files, small ballpeen hammers and the flaring tool (all getting very goopy with the 5200...Ha!) I got it so it will work OK and is good enough on the port side. I used 3/4" "M" copper inside the tube to keep the flaring tool centered, but it wasn't quite thick enough. I think 3/4" PVC water pipe would have been perfect, but I didn't have a piece.

I cut the next one a little shorter and tried to keep it centered better and the end result was better. There's barely a flare in the interior, but it will stay and is well sealed with the 5200.

Exterior: (I still have to fill those two little holes the PO had in the transom.)

 

[lakelover]

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Today the splashwell got put back in. All that's left to do is run a bead of 5200 along the transom seem and gunwale seems.

This one shows the curve of the raised center better. It's the best I could get it but at least now the water will run to the two side drain tubes. It took a lot of time, care and finessing but worth it.

The old Nova jack was a great help in getting the curve tweaked and accurate, and of course was supplemented by the handyman's secret weapon, duct tape. (As you can see, I didn't bother refinishing the ugly underside of the aluminum...if you can't see it, it's not there.) You can see the blue back of one of the press plate/JB Weld patches I used to repair a lot of holes in the deck.

I used 3/4" SS screws, except in the middle I used 1" because the splashwell's shape was somewhat distorted and I needed more length to pull it tight to the transom board. 32 screws in all, each one dipped in 5200. Didn't make too much of a mess today, but that sure took some time.

Thought I'd throw in a "before" picture:

I also started building a gantry to hoist the motor on when I mount it.

 

[lakelover]

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

My frame is ready to receive the motor for mounting... Made from lumber recycled from my trailer dolly frame > paint booth of earlier posts.

 

[lakelover]

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

I needed the SS locknut and washers for one end of my steering link and learned of a great local resource today. I first went to a local marina and they didn't stock them, but referred me to the local business where they get them. For 2 of each:

BRP online price for 2 locknuts and 2 washers: 13.10 plus shipping

Other online store: 8.18 plus shipping

Local industrial supply store: $1.00 including tax.

Moral of the story: Always try to buy local if you can!

 

[lakelover]

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

OK, the seats are in!

I fastened the seats directly to the seat boards, no swivel. I removed the screws provided and replaced them with full-thread SS hex bolts of the same thread, 2-1/4" long, from boltdepot.com. I had trouble with one of the T-nuts inside a seat, when I inserted the bolt, the nut just kept turning and eventually came out inside the seat. Luckily I was able to keep it located and put it back in place. To remedy that, I just put the provided screw back in and really cranked it with my cordless drill w/ Phillips head to draw the points into the plastic. Problem solved. I then did that with all the remaining ones before trying to mount them and after that things went smoothly. Quality control on these seat bases is not fantastic.

I made a template on the bottom of the seats that I could just place on the seat boards after measuring the location and mark & drill the slightly oversized holes. I didn't want to put 5200 on the bolts as I'm sure eventually the seats will need to be replaced. Instead, I coated the inside of each hole quick & dirty with polyurethane. That's a pretty well protected location anyway.

And one more shot of the helm completed:

Next is motor mounting.

 

[lakelover]

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

... were you able to salvage and rebend your old transom cap to fit the new shape (raised transom) or did you buy something new for it? If you bent it flat, how did you do it? If you bought something new, what did you get and where? Thanks!!

Sorry I missed answering this question before!

I had to make a new transom cap. It goes straight across.

I used 2" x 1" x 1/8" aluminum channel for the top, and filled in the extra 1/4" on the thickness with a length of 1/4" x 3/4" aluminum bar for a spacer. The 1/4" spacer bar is on the interior side:

It will meet perfectly with the corner caps once they are installed. Originally I thought I'd have to cut them, but with the 19" transom height recommended for my motor, they were just right. (Phew! Didn't want to defile an old Starcraft part!!)

----------------

I got my aluminum supplies here:http://www.onlinemetals.com/index.cfm

 

[lakelover]

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Now I've discovered, thankfully beforehand, a broken ground wire on the trim/tilt unit & trying to think of a good solid way to reattach it to the connector. I don't see any way to get to the bolt that holds it on.

But the boat gods were smiling on me today!! You never know what you'll find lurking in the bottom of your tool box. This tiny wrench, that I have no idea when, where or why I got it, fit the bolt and saved my day! I was able to get at and back off the bolt holding the wire connector and put in a new one.

 

[lakelover]

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

I have a little problem in that the steering wheel does not turn equally from center in both directions.

There is no adjustments to made with the steering itself. The cable locks into the helm and the other end of the cable is bolted the outboard tilt tube. The steering arm that came with the motor is what determines how much the outboard turns. I wonder if you have an arm for a different outboard? Does the engine turn all the way in both directions with the cable hooked up? Do you have the nut on the tilt tube tight? Also did you grease the ram really well before putting it in the tilt tube? Those things can rust and seize up in there and then they are a PITA to remove.

I can turn the motor equally in both directions by hand, the nut is tight. Moving the motor by hand, the wheel turns about 2 rotations toward starboard and 1-1/2 rotations toward port. I've learned that the arm needs to be connected to the rear hole, not the front one it's connected to in the picture:

I didn't grease the ram but I should be able to grease it sufficiently mounted; I did thoroughly clean the tube out by running cloth patches sprayed with penetrant and pushed with a dowel.

 

[lakelover]

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Here are pictures of my motor mounting process. I couldn't get help to lift the motor off the stand but managed to wrestle it out the shed door by myself and onto the come-along. The whole process went relatively smoothly considering it was a first for me.

I got it out the door and the process began. It would have been a lot easier to position it if the lifting ring had been more centered, as it was, I had to do a lot of wrestling with it tipped so much, and my frame height was just barely high enough.

I got it on the transom the first time and marked where the holes would go. I had made a template long ago, but didn't trust its accuracy enough, so I did it this way, making sure that the motor could be adjusted up later if needed.

I marked where the trailer was parked with spray paint so I could get it back in the same position after moving it forward to make some working room.

I got the holes drilled and they were pretty darn close and required only minimal tweaking afterwards. I was a little ticked when a chunk broke out of the interior when the drill came through. I guess I should have finished by going back through the other side. I got out the JB Weld and put the piece back in, clamping it for a good long while. It seemed to work pretty well, I'll just have to do a little paint touch-up later.

 

[lakelover]

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

I backed the trailer back into position and time to put the bolts in. This was the hardest part, trying to center it, get it mounted in the third hole for height based on where the cavitation plate fell, while at the same time holding it in a more vertical position, inserting the steering cable in the tube, and getting first one, then 2, then 3 & 4 bolts in to hold it up. It was a lot easier to manage when I was marking the holes and the weight was resting on the top of the transom. After that, I took them out one at a time to install permanently...and don't spare the 5200!!

And a little more on the inside too...

Installed the steering arm last, and the final result:

Looks like (I hope) it's in the perfect position and I don't have to adjust the height further...

 

[lakelover]

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Just a few shots of the inside of the motor. It's very clean overall, I'm just concerned that I may have missed something when I bought it due to inexperience, but I guess I have to forget about that for now, time will tell. This is the first time I ever bought a motor from a non-dealer.

Now I'm just waiting for the stuff I ordered to arrive.

 

[lakelover]

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

To help distribute the load on the transom, I made a plate and 2-2" square washers for the mounting bolts. In doing that, I had to get longer bolts, which I should have done in the first place. I just didn't like buying them at Lowe's because they charge so much for SS stuff. It was a messy job undoing 2-day-old 5200 and gooping more on, I cleaned it up best I could. I ended up with 3-1/2" bolts.

Made out of 1/8" aluminum plate:

Couldn't really crank on the bolts without spinning the washers, oh well, nobody will know but you and me.

I do feel better about the longer bolts. I think I had read somewhere that when they are tightened down, there should be a minimum of three threads showing.

 

[lakelover]

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Just to look back, I thought I'd show this craigslist ad from when I bought this beast. Here's a scan of the printout:

I have to laugh...almost all of the "extras" were junk and were either thrown out or sold (gas tanks went along with the West Bend). Sold the ladder, skis & motor. Trailer was complete and total junk...held together by rust, tires badly cracked, but he said they were OK because he had put tubes in them; rollers were total junk; winch and trailer jack junky. I still have the ski rope, using it for general purposes and the anchor is way too small and I'll be replacing it. He didn't even tell me about all the mice that were in it under the deck!

In response to some email questions I asked the seller:

"It has always been stored outside with a tarp" means a tarp that was mostly holes.

"The floor is original marine plywood and will need some patching" is self explanatory:

"Yes, I started the motor two weeks ago and runs fine". When I went to check it out I found out that he routinely started it out of water on the trailer.

"I have some older life cushions that go with it also" means "will you throw these away for me please?".

In spite of all this, by my inexperience and enthusiasm, I gave him $700 for it. I was kind of in a bind because when I got there, a couple guys were there looking it over. Anyway I ended up selling the motor for $350, the ladder & skis for $30, and I gave away the trailer when I was done with it to someone who wanted to make a yard cart and was delighted to get it.

The battery was pretty good though and I'll be using that.

Looking back, after countless hours of work and I'm afraid to tally up the costs, I'm glad I went through with it, it's a really cool boat!

 

[lakelover]

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

The throttle & shift cables came in yesterday & I installed them this morning. It was pretty straightforward except I don't know the part names so it's a good thing there are lots of pictures in the shop manual! Just a little tricky fitting fingers into where they need to go. Followed the instructions to a "T".

 

[lakelover]

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

I have an old J/E tank to use and it's in real good shape inside. I painted it red/black and had used it some, so the paint is a little beat up. That'll be a project for another day.

 

[lakelover]

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Today was a day of adding supports to the cables and bundling & routing the wires carefully so things don't get tangled up when I put the stern light up/down. I also put the oil tank in, partially ran the discharge hose for the bilge pump; and stuck the battery case in. It just barely fits under the splashwell.

Still waiting for my harness, battery cable and gas hose.

 

[lakelover]

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

It turns out that I had ordered an extension cable by mistake instead of the actual control cable I needed.

From the manual, this is what I need:

I just ordered it in 20' length, that should be plenty long enough, and was only about $6 more than the 15' length. I eventually found it on the BRP website buried deep in the parts folders & bought it at the cheapest online place I could find. I've always thought the BRP parts catalog was not intuitive, but then I'm not a mechanic either.

 

[lakelover]

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Too late for this time, but I'll stick it in here for future reference!

 

[lakelover]

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Woo Hoo! The harness came today, only took a couple days. While I had the cover off and was looking things over in preparation, I found another wire problem. A wire had shorted out and burned in half. Looks like the insulation may have worn off from vibrations then shorted out. I spliced the two ends back together, I'll have to try to look up & see what that one was.

Otherwise, the motor end is all hooked up now, just need a clamp for the oil hose. Looking at this picture, the mounting looks a little off (not level), doesn't it? Might have to tweak that too, I hate the thought of removing those bolts again!!!

It looks like an octopus, and that's without the fuel line hooked up.

 

[lakelover]

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

On further measuring, I think it might just be the way it looks. This morning I took off the cowl and measured and re-measured, used my square etc., and the most error I could come up with was 1/16" and I'm sure that ain't gonna matter. In the picture above, another reason the top mounting bolts look so far off is that the washer on the right is not as centered as the other one.

I measured at a lot of points, including the mounting plate/transom/keel as well as from the transom cap to various parts of the housing. I'm pretty well convinced it is OK, the cowl may be a little cattywonkus.

On to the wiring....