1979 Starcraft Holiday V5 Restore and Closed to Open bow modification

[Pugetsound]

Re: My quest to find a cheap 1970's Starcraft SS!

Re: My quest to find a cheap 1970's Starcraft SS!

Very nice good foundation to start with. Old seats look very good.

 

[GA_Boater]

Re: My quest to find a cheap 1970's Starcraft SS!

Re: My quest to find a cheap 1970's Starcraft SS!

The interior looks pretty good. A lot better than the boxy bits in the other one. This is a much better choice. Sorry, no advice on the tank removal.

 

[Pugetsound]

Re: My quest to find a cheap 1970's Starcraft SS!

Re: My quest to find a cheap 1970's Starcraft SS!

Guess I missed it was the tank basd?? or just want to replace it.?

 

[Starman8]

Re: My quest to find a cheap 1970's Starcraft SS!

Re: My quest to find a cheap 1970's Starcraft SS!

A suggestion on the tank, did a Starcraft with similar tank location.

Take precise measurements of the tank area and inspect the exterior hull beneath it my finger testing the rivets. If solid, and after you clean your hull interior after floor removal, you can apply Gluvit under the tank with any homemade extension device(Rag on a stick) and gravity raising and lowering the wheel jack as necessary.

Additionally, your new floor will retain the cutout access piece for the fuel tank anyways in case you need to service the tank. Use SS screws for that section, not rivets.

 

[showmecb]

Re: My quest to find a cheap 1970's Starcraft SS!

Re: My quest to find a cheap 1970's Starcraft SS!

Guess I missed it was the tank basd?? or just want to replace it.?

Well I assume the tank is fine, but guess I won't know until I try it. My main concern was checking the rivets underneath and putting gluvit under there. I will have to think this through.

 

[showmecb]

Re: My quest to find a cheap 1970's Starcraft SS!

Re: My quest to find a cheap 1970's Starcraft SS!

Starman, that setup looks identical must be factory. I think I will do exactly what you said. I will check all rivets from underneath, maybe even fill the boat with water, then fix and gluvit everything I can reach. I am not a big fan of tank access piece(looks like a hole in the floor), but I guess it really should be there. I think I will be very happy to have the tank versus a ski locker the first time I fill the tank at the gas station Any one have thoughts on how I could test the tank?

 

[Starman8]

Re: My quest to find a cheap 1970's Starcraft SS!

Re: My quest to find a cheap 1970's Starcraft SS!

Starman, that setup looks identical must be factory. I think I will be very happy to have the tank versus a ski locker the first time I fill the tank at the gas station

the picture was from a 2000 model

When you remove the floor, measure the centerline remaining space forward of the fuel tank to the bow. With some creative bracing between the stringers, you may be able to add the ski locker under the floor, or with a closed bow, that area has potential for skis or rods?

Some of the resto threads have great pics of this.

Another suggestion regarding water skiing. Not a fan of using transom eyes. Without having measurements on a Holiday versus my SS, and where your tanks ends in the back, opening up the floor gives you the benefit of creativity as far as supporting a ski tow, single bar or tripod.

I built an aft deck for raised casting, battery storage and misc storage. Before I put in the new floor, I picked a model Swiveleze tripod and fabbed the support for the main post by "bridging" the stringers with alum framing and 2+ inches of marine plywood, then super screwed and glued that area with the new decking, all with the thought that the BOAT will pull the skier, not the transom.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: My quest to find a cheap 1970's Starcraft SS!

Re: My quest to find a cheap 1970's Starcraft SS!

Nice find indeed at a steal of a price.

I'd keep looking for a 115-140HP outboard. The V5 hull will take a few more ponies than the shallower V hulls to achieve the same speed. A 90 will be just dandy but I disagree with you that it's the ideal motor.

 

[showmecb]

Re: My quest to find a cheap 1970's Starcraft SS!

Re: My quest to find a cheap 1970's Starcraft SS!

Nice find indeed at a steal of a price.

I'd keep looking for a 115-140HP outboard. The V5 hull will take a few more ponies than the shallower V hulls to achieve the same speed. A 90 will be just dandy but I disagree with you that it's the ideal motor.

Very valid point sir, it is made for a larger motor. I meant speed wise for me personally. We will tube and fish only. But you are right I don't want to regret not getting a bigger one later. Thanks for the input. Getting ready to rip up the floor, seats are out. I will post pics as soon as plywood is out!!

 

[showmecb]

Re: My quest to find a cheap 1970's Starcraft SS!

Re: My quest to find a cheap 1970's Starcraft SS!

I am day dreaming at work since I haven't had time to rip the plywood out of the Holiday yet! Has anyone used metal studs on a restoration project. I am wondering if it would work for framing a deck? Anyone seen them used on a restoration? I guess the main worry would be if they rust or not? But they would surely be lighter than wood 2 X 4's!

 

[ezmobee]

Re: My quest to find a cheap 1970's Starcraft SS!

Re: My quest to find a cheap 1970's Starcraft SS!

They'd rust. A lot.

 

[barato2]

Re: My quest to find a cheap 1970's Starcraft SS!

Re: My quest to find a cheap 1970's Starcraft SS!

EZ is right, bad idea, they'd rust away to nothing quite rapidly.....no need for corrosion protection in their normal applications. mild steel under the floor of a boat is inherently a bad idea, IMHO. not that i'd use pine 2x4s either. what sort of "framing" do you have in mind?

i'm not sure how 3003 aluminum is for corrosion resistance, but look at these:

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/mepages/stringer.php

 

[showmecb]

Re: My quest to find a cheap 1970's Starcraft SS!

Re: My quest to find a cheap 1970's Starcraft SS!

I wondered about that... basically just box frame for the new bow seat and for the rear casting deck. It was just a thought.

 

[showmecb]

Re: My quest to find a cheap 1970's Starcraft SS!

Re: My quest to find a cheap 1970's Starcraft SS!

Well got a little more done. I ripped off the rod holder/shelf/cup holder that was attached to the rear of the splash well. I am not sure if the shelf/cupholder was factory for the original jump seats I assume were there once? Hard to tell. You can now see why I want to reduce the already deep splashwell. To make the extension flush to the rest of the splashwell will add a foot of floor space and allow me to make the rear deck one section the full width of the boat. Should make for an awesome fishing deck with lots of storage. I am thinking I will possibly have removable or fold up jump seats on each side still. Somewhere in that deck will definately be a live well. The last picture is of the bottom of the fuel tank where it meets the hull. I have seen other people ask this question on forum but not sure there was an answer. It does not appear there is any way for water to drain under the tank, it is even caulked closed. I am just not sure the the water would get around it to the bilge pump? Maybe it will make sense when I get all the old deck up?

 

[jasoutside]

Re: My quest to find a cheap 1970's Starcraft SS!

Re: My quest to find a cheap 1970's Starcraft SS!

Should be a limber hole in the rib, but I can't quite make one out in the photo there. Hmmmm.

 

[showmecb]

Re: My quest to find a cheap 1970's Starcraft SS!

Re: My quest to find a cheap 1970's Starcraft SS!

I will take pictures of the front side of the fuel tank and see if that give me anymore clues. I will post them soon. Here is a picture of some great news! There is styrofoam under the deck and the hull is in great shape!! Very clean and solid looking. The bad news is once I got the deck up I could see the bottom of what otherwise looked like a solid transom, but unfortunately the bottom of the lower transom board nearest the hull is rotting out. Once I get all the deck and splash well out I am going to asses if I can just replace the bottom section without removing the whole structure. I am keeping my fingers crossed. If I can drop that bottom piece out and use it as a template and get a new one worked back up in there it would be a huge relief. Either way my task is going to be a pain! Also the hull of this V5 is so deep it has me wondering about side floor storage since I can't have a ski locker.

 

[jasoutside]

Re: My quest to find a cheap 1970's Starcraft SS!

Re: My quest to find a cheap 1970's Starcraft SS!

Ah, don't bother replacing just a piece of that transom. It's probably the same amount of work just to replace the whole thing (maybe less) and far superior for strength and life span. Do it once and do it right, you'll be happy you did in the short and long run.

 

[Bwana Don]

Re: My quest to find a cheap 1970's Starcraft SS!

Re: My quest to find a cheap 1970's Starcraft SS!

+1 on a total transom replacement.

 

[showmecb]

Re: My quest to find a cheap 1970's Starcraft SS!

Re: My quest to find a cheap 1970's Starcraft SS!

+1 on a total transom replacement.

Well I am about to become +2 myself. The deeper I get into the more I see I am going to have to replace it all. Here is a pic of the rotting at the bottom. I have no idea if this is factory. I really doubt it is. But you can see what I was saying about two sections. I am not sure if the bottom piece is basically a 2 X 12? I haven't measured it yet. Does this look familiar to anyone, I have yet to see any pictures of a transom board that is exposed from the inside? This may not be that difficult to replace? I will get more pictures soon. Can anyone describe the best way to drill out rivets?
Thanks

 

[jasoutside]

Re: My quest to find a cheap 1970's Starcraft SS!

Re: My quest to find a cheap 1970's Starcraft SS!

Hmmmmmmmm.....

That is interesting......

Sure looks to me like a previous owner job rather than a factory setup. And, I'm not sure if I am seeing this right - but, there should be a bottom channel sort of deal that the transom sits in. Is it there? Is it gone?