1979 Starcraft Chieftain 18 - rebuild

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Okay, finally starting my rebuild thread.

Purchased this Chieftain 3 weeks ago for $700. It came with a '76 mercury 175 H.P. that doesn't run, and a 1980 Calkins trailer (with the funny u-shaped roller cradles).

 

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Re: 1979 Starcraft Chieftain 18 - rebuild

...gutting this fish.

 

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Re: 1979 Starcraft Chieftain 18 - rebuild

...fancy helm

 

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Re: 1979 Starcraft Chieftain 18 - rebuild

...crappy outboard (PO overpowered by 25 HP)...will be casually looking for newer 4-stroke during the rebuild process. Hoping not to have to spend $10,000

 

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Re: 1979 Starcraft Chieftain 18 - rebuild

...typical box for foam and to raise seat post.

 

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Re: 1979 Starcraft Chieftain 18 - rebuild

..fuel tank...going away. I think I'm going to go with a couple of the portable types on either side of the splash well, and move batteries forward under the helm seat box...we'll see.

 

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Re: 1979 Starcraft Chieftain 18 - rebuild

...removing multiple layers of carpet, ply, carpet, ply, vinyl, ply, oh my

 

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Re: 1979 Starcraft Chieftain 18 - rebuild

...cuddy isn't bad at all. Will be saving and re-installing all of this.

 

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Re: 1979 Starcraft Chieftain 18 - rebuild

Isn't it just lovely?

 

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Re: 1979 Starcraft Chieftain 18 - rebuild

See the large copper (i think) rod? This is the second boat I've torn apart and found this under the dash. Anyone else seen this before? Anyone know what it might be???

 

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Re: 1979 Starcraft Chieftain 18 - rebuild

inside view of the Frankenstein transom...or what's left of it.

 

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Re: 1979 Starcraft Chieftain 18 - rebuild

Outside view of the transom...All the goopy looking crap everywhere is silly-cone...WHO WOULD DO THIS!!!

 

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Re: 1979 Starcraft Chieftain 18 - rebuild

Okay, that's it for the moment. I need to upload some more pics to photobucket, then I'll be almost caught up.

 

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Re: 1979 Starcraft Chieftain 18 - rebuild

We're getting there!

 

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Re: 1979 Starcraft Chieftain 18 - rebuild

The big mystery...see this thread for more details

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=383385

 

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Re: 1979 Starcraft Chieftain 18 - rebuild

...and the trailer...never seen one like this before with the "swiveling cradles". Put it on Craigslist. Hoping to sell it and get a new(er) bunk trailer.

 

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Re: 1979 Starcraft Chieftain 18 - rebuild

and the hillbilly in me is showing...check out those boat stands!

 

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Re: 1979 Starcraft Chieftain 18 - rebuild

...and it's nice to have kids that are old enough to pitch in!

 

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Re: 1979 Starcraft Chieftain 18 - rebuild

Well, that's it for pics for now. Today was spent mostly trying different ways to strip silly-cone and paint.

I learned that a 2700 psi pressure sprayer with the 15 degree tip works well for "scraping" silly-cone off just about anything!! That was easy!

And the "Citristrip" works just okay, and "Aircraft Remover" is okay too. Looks like I'm going to have to scrub the "Aircraft Remover" into the paint to get better results.

And before anyone jumps in and says, "just sand, prime, and paint", I have to tell you the paint on this barge needs to be REMOVED. It's like a layer of latex house paint over a little bit better bonded paint, over the original.

I'm shooting for a bare bottom, and repainting about 3/4 of the sides, and the topsides.

We'll see how it goes

Coming Soon: pictures of the stripping process

Cheers!

 

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Re: 1979 Starcraft Chieftain 18 - rebuild

figured I'd throw a couple pics of the outboard just for 's