1970 Starchief conversion to center console

[BajaRon]

Here is a quote try...my first effort.

One suggestion is to remove the rub rail channel so you can replace the 5/32 blinds holding the gunnels on. My Chief had AL blinds with rusted out steel mandrels so needless to say they were in desperate need of replacement. There's only about 100 of them under there. :joyous:

Waterman, I have the rub rail off...but the rivets look ok. Is the problem with the steel mandrels? I will send a picture with my other computer. Thanks, Baja Ron

 

[Decker83]

Great looking clean up..
The steel mandrels or stronger, but they do rust.. I used the aluminum rivet with the aluminum mandrels.. No rust..

 

[jbcurt00]

And many (Watermann did) find the steel mandrel rusted to the aluminum hull anytime they were dropped and left behind during installation by Starcraft.

 

[Watermann]

Here is a quote try...my first effort.


Waterman, I have the rub rail off...but the rivets look ok. Is the problem with the steel mandrels? I will send a picture with my other computer. Thanks, Baja Ron

45 year old blind rivets can and do get loose over time but yeah rusted out mandrels were my issue with them and some were broken. The gunnels without the rubrail on my Chief were floppy due to most of the blinds being loose.

 

[g0nef1sshn]

There was a clump of rusted leftover rivets under my knee brace also I thought they were nails until I posted them here and was informed they were probably mandrels

 

[BajaRon]

Thanks folks for the good information. On my gunnels all rivets seem to be tight. On the knee brace I found no mandrels....but tons of other items. The inside of the boat now is CLEAN. I cleaned the knee brace with a hack saw blade and water pressure. I can now shine a flashlight down the knee brace and see....nothing!

 

[BajaRon]

No Title

Ok, just ordered JB Weld, Marine Tex.. Not sure when to use which on larger holes.

 

[Watermann]

Ok, just ordered JB Weld, Marine Tex.. Not sure when to use which on larger holes.

I see your holey short OB transom and raise you some IO acreage... gotta wonder about the nutty PO with a drill. :lol:

 

[Decker83]

Happy New Year to you and yours..

 

[MandyStephens]

Watermann, on those ribs did your aluminum pieces have to flex to fit the shape of the hull?

I agree with your comment..

 

[MandyStephens]

superlike

 

[BajaRon]

No Title

Christmas bootie!

 

[BajaRon]

My entire message did not make it. I had the bottom inside aluminum piece that holds the transom up replaced with a piece of 5052 ( I think it is called!) by .125 My friend is now making the inside and outside pieces of the transom where the motor bolts up. And I still hope to replace the splash well with a smaller unit, as per MichaelP restoration. This will give me more deck space.
Also cut up the two pieces of 3/4 marine plywood. Came out good. Need to acquire more clamps before attempting to glue together. Found Watermans special glue at the same pricy lumber yard where the plywood was.
Picked up a drill press, small table saw, replaced the blade....it cuts good! Picked up the JB Weld, Marine Tex, 3m 5200, a new fiber drain plug. The PO had installed a bronze!!! drain plug...with expected results.

Question...I have wire brushed, washed with Simple Green the pitting areas. What is the next step to prepare for Marine tex, JB Weld, ...and for new rivets? Vinegar and NPS cleaner? Ready to roll...thanks to everyone who has help me! Ron

 

[oldhaven]

You are making good time Ron. Nice to have at least semi-reasonable weather for hull work. While I am keeping up with you on things like the transom, I hope you can be be way ahead of the game and getting ready for a trip to Mexico by the time spring comes up here.

the other Ron

 

[BajaRon]

Hola everyone, not a lot of work done until now. Christmas, new job, and rain. Should be putting more work tomorrow on my two front broken rib repair, then onto filling my pitted inside transom....and filling in the holes. I am having two new pieces cut and fabricated...the inside and outside aluminum transom pieces. The inside piece will be of a thicker diameter. As of now I plan on putting back on a new piece of plywood between the new motor and the transom. From what I have read, this will reduce the noise. Any thoughts on this plywood...or ???

On another note. This site is the ultimate in information my restoration. I have already made mistakes, but it was due to my lack of reading ahead. Over the last few weeks I must have spent 10 hours reading posts.

One question for those in the know. What are the last steps in clean-up...before installing rivets? I have scrubbed with Simple Green and pad. Vinegar and TSP? Will this also work before applying Marine Tex and JB Weld on my pitted transom and the holes on the transom? I have wire wheeled the pitting. Thanks to all who have contributed to this site, Ron

Another try for full size pictures. Super nice new transom Z brace, along with the old, pitted Z brace.

 

[Watermann]

Final surface prep if your worried about there being any contaminants or residue you can do a wipe down of the area with acetone.

 

[BajaRon]

Good work day...slow but steady. Rain on and off all day. Temporary installed my first broken rib supports. Ran out of material for the other broken rib. Should finish the temp installation tomorrow. Will need dry weather to install permanent. I stacked three 1/4 inch flat bars that I rolled over a soft edge to put a slight bend in the flat bar. The original rivets were all over the place. And...the rib had a slight curve from top to bottom beside an inside curve....this caused the shorter pieces of flat bar on the bottom.
I am beginning to think that the ribs were set-up to fail the way they were riveted. The entire front area was loose...one hole had two rivets jammed into one hole....the holes were sometimes installed on the inside edge of the rib....sloppy!!!
Also cut and temporary installed a new Z bar for bottom transom support. I think my friend said the Z bar was .080 thick. It seems twice a thick as the old original one. That is just one piece of 3/4 inch on the transom...just checking the fit.
And I cut a patch for the corroded drain plug. The PO installed a bronze drain plug....with expected results. See if anybody can find the drain hole! Back at it tomorrow

 

[Watermann]

Looking good Ron! As time consuming as it is, these hull repairs are a critical step in the process. Take your time and get it right the first time because there's no going back once the decking goes in. :thumb:

 

[BajaRon]

more work today...still wet and raining. Finished the temporary installation of the second broken rib, Only one rivet hole was out of line. When I get some dry weather I will clean up the rib area, 3m-5200, and invert the 10/32 bolts on the ribs....epoxy between each piece of 1/4 inch flat bar.

Placed a patch over the corroded drain hole. I need dry weather to make the corroded area smaller with JB Weld, then sand, then 3m 5200 again. I plan on flat washer, lock tight on a nut, then a fiber nut on the 10/32's.


Cannot see it but the knee braces needs angle support...both sides are gone. I can use an extra piece of the Z bracket...cut in half. Should have both inside and outside of the aluminum transom pieces soon.
The epoxy for the transom needs dry weather....right? I plan on using Watermans glue for the two pieces of 3/4 for the transom...I found the glue!!! $9.00 a tube...two tubes should do it.

the more I read other resto's, the more I feel this hull is in GREAT SHAPE!. Just luck...as I have not flipped it yet, but the bottom and transom looks good...a lot of extra holes from previous owners, but that can be fixed. Over the last 4 weeks I have read the equivalent of War and Peace about 5 times on Restoration threads...so much good information and good reading. Thanks to all!!! Ron

 

[g0nef1sshn]

I miss having that kind of work to do. Looking nice!