1976 18 ss

[76SS]

Have lurked here for a while reading the Starcraft forum watching all the restorations. Tonight I dragged home my first Starcraft. 1976 18SS. In better shape than I was expecting to get. Has not been ran since 2004. The steering cable is rusted through. The shift cables have some issues and most of the wiring is disconnected. Hoping to get this boat rolling for spring striper fishing and summer tubing with the family. Then do a more in depth restoration next winter. Floors seem decent so im hoping the transom will make it through a year as well.

 

[76SS]

Struggling a bit with the pictures here.

 

[76SS]

[No message]

 

[GA_Boater]

Welcome to the Starmada. She doesn't look bad at all. What Merc outboard is hanging on the back.

BTW - You needed 3 posts before being able to add pics. #3 has 'em.

 

[76SS]

Do you all think the 115 tower of power is worth messing with? I also have a 115 v-4 Evrinrude in the barn with 125 compression across the board that can be used. Have all the controls and wiring for the 115 Evinrude but it does not have power trim like the merc does. I am thinking that i will try to at least get the wiring on the merc sorted out enough to crank it over to do a compression test and then go from there.

 

[GA_Boater]

I would try to get the Merc running and decide then. The Evinrude would be a good choice if you have to go that way.

And definitely check out the transom. If the wood is soft, it only leads to more problems like cracked splashwells or worse. If y̶o̶u̶r̶ you're handy, replacing the transom wood is a weekend, maybe two, job.

 

[Watermann]

:welcome: aboard and to the Starmada

Looks to me like someone has done some work on your SS, that for sure is not the original paint for a 76. Can you tell if the decking and transom were replaced at some point?

 

[Doh]

I grew up in that Boat, Color everything. a 1979 115 V4 Johnson was a perfect match.

It did wind up with the "Rib Crack Syndrome, and the 115 ate 2 Pistons on separate occasions, but there was a lot of memories.

 

[76SS]

Dug into her a bit more tonight. Transom wood is all solid. Poked it pretty good with a screwdriver and could not find any soft spots. I did find a crack in the top of the knee brace. So at a minimum i will have to weld that back together. Seems like there must have been some flex in there at some point for it to crack. Pretty sure that it is not the original transom.

The wiring for the Merc is pretty trashed. On the main power cables the insulation is all brittle and falling off. On quite a few other wires under the engine cover the wires are bare or have cracked insulation. The PO did replace some of the wiring under the cover with what looks to be a motor replacement harness. The control will not shift into forward and has no key. Thinking at this point I may try and at least tape up the wiring enough to be able to jump and the starter solenoid to do a compression test. I dont want to plunk down the $200 they want for the boat side control harness only to find out it has low compression.

 

[Watermann]

Yeah the original transom would be white washed and for sure in very poor condition.

Those Mercs are good but finicky motors that have a large following. I replaced all the wiring and some bad parts on the 140 Merc I have after a compression test showed 135+ on all cylinders. There's a very active Facebook closed group for the inline 6 Merc motors. https://www.facebook.com/groups/213725501742/?fref=nf

 

[76SS]

Little bit of progress this evening. Started pulling the old dash board and electronics out. Dash is original and the wood is falling apart. Thoughts on doing an oak dash? Or am I better off just using ply and painting? Would love to have a wood dash if it will hold up. Going to be going to a bit of a more modern dash electronics wise, with a Lowerance 7" sonar, some updated gauges, switch panel with dual battery meters and led lighting.

Got the old back to back seats out and stared looking at seating layouts. Thinking i will do the driver and navigator seats on boxes of some sort with built in latching storage underneath. Still trying to sort out the rear seating layout. Going to have a 29 gallon bait tank in the middle rear in front of the splash well. This may or may not get boxed in so it can be insulated and look a little better. Played around a bit with the jump seat idea like you see on the newer boats but I am struggling with the access to the bilge and the fuel tanks under the splash well. Right now i am leaning towards putting 4 pedestal bases in the boat. One on either side of the bait well in the back, one up on the bow which is going to be getting a platform. The last would be pretty much centered in the back half of the boat for a rear fishing seat. Then have 2 roving seats for the bases so i can swap back and forth depending on use.

Last thing I did tonight was pull off the bow rail and mock up the trolling motor location. Kicking around the idea of making compartments under each console to house the two group 29 batteries. Maybe under the front deck would be a better option to move the weight further forward to offset the motor/fuel/bait tank?

 

[MTboatguy]

Good looking SS, I wish I could find an 18, I would buy it in a heartbeat...

Old Merc, Bad Wiring, sounds about normal!

:facepalm:

 

[No-AH]

Thoughts on doing an oak dash? Or am I better off just using ply and painting? Would love to have a wood dash if it will hold up.

Welcome aboard. Nice SS find!
Any properly finished wood will last a lifetime as long as it's treated for the outdoor climate. It has been done by others here and they look great. With my re-do, I chose plywood then wrapped them in marine grade vinyl.

 

[76SS]

A bit more done tonight. Got the consoles and the front deck removed. Pulled up the old floor covering that was luckily not glued down. Found the piece of decking in the back was rotted and removed it. Happily the foam under the rear decking was dry and not of the pour in type. There is wet spot on the decking up near the consoles but it is not rotted. Hoping it will dry out in a week or so or it will be getting replaced along with the back one. Tonight ordered some rustoleum and nautolex. Hoping to grab carpet for the gunnels and some plywood this weekend.

 

[Watermann]

That's a whole lot of progress. It seems a shame though to go this far and not go all the way replacing all the decking and foam with new. Leak testing and repairs too can only be done right when the hull is bare.

 

[No-AH]

Agreed, and the possibility of adding a below deck fuel tank, mid ship. Such a great option for weight counter balancing displacement!

 

[76SS]

I get what you guys are saying on replacing the rest of the floor. I feel strongly that it is good to go for this year if i replace the back sheet that was rotted. The wet spot in the front is dried out already and all remaining wood is solid. If I get any water in the boat then next winter she will get torn down the rest of the way and the entire hull gone over.

Got a little done this weekend. Had to take time off from the boat for my daughters pinewood derby with girl scouts. She managed to take first over all for the day which was awesome!

Picked up the plywood for the floor and the casting platform. Also got the carpet for the gunnel sides. Pulled her out of the barn today and got the transom knee brace welded up. No 240v for the welder down at the barn. Managed to get the barn cleaned out some while the boat was out and then started on some carpet work. Seats came in today and my Nautolex, rustoleum and bait well should be in this week.

How cold of temps can you spray the rustoleum in? Also with what and how much do you cut it to run through a hvlp gun? I'm pretty handy with tools being an electrician, but not a painter at all. Open to any tips. I heat the shop with a forced air kerosene heater which i am assuming should be off while painting due to the fumes? I think the highs all week here will be in the 20s.

Out of the shop for welding the knee brace. That is one pretty boat!

Cutting in some carpet with my lil helpers.

 

[bchaney]

Nice boat, the outside is really clean and it looks like the inside will be too with the work you're putting into it. I would guess the rustoleum has a temperature range somewhere on the can.

 

[76SS]

Have made some progress on the boat. Got the rear piece of floor plywood replaced and laid down some vinyl flooring. Made some new side panels and carpeted them. Pulled the old merc motor which turned out to be a turd with no compression. Sanded, primed and started shooting some paint.

 

[Watermann]

Nice progress, she's looking really good from here :thumb:

Man that's horrible about the Merc, I've been so lucky over the years getting good motors on bad boats.