'79 Starcraft SS 16 restoration

[Huron Angler]

Re: '79 Starcraft SS 16 restoration

Looking good.

So close now.

Look'in good Mike. Think I hear the fishies call'in your name!

Thanks fellas With a little luck and some wiring magic I should be on the water in a couple of days.

I'm having some issues with my CMC bracker...as seen in this thread. I'm having a hard time getting the circuit breaker reset on the darn thing

Hoping to get that resolved soon so I don't have to manually tilt the Merc all summer

 

[Huron Angler]

Re: '79 Starcraft SS 16 restoration

Good news first.


I managed to get my CMC hydraulic trim/tilt bracket working...also the steering wheel hooked up...and decided to take a quick test run!

(They finally got the dock in at the closest lake to my house and I may have been motivated by another SS owner)

Second piece of great news is that the Merc fired up on the key, with the electric choke, on the third or fourth try

Plenty of water on the tell tale and ran great for about 30 minutes, top speed was 31.2 on the gps so the motor clearly needs some attention, but very happy that it was running well.

The 80hp idled down nicely and seemed to be running smoother than I remember it being last November.

We had a great time and a Bayliner was skiing and getting people up on wakeboards so they were hitting my wake, having some fun.

I have some photos too...but photobucket isn't resizing very well since they "improved" their site.




Bad news...

The Merc ran great for 30 minutes and then something happened and it acted like it had a spun hub and the prop wasn't biting at anything past 1/4 throttle.

I need to take a look at the prop, maybe the gears are slipping if not a spun hub?

All in all I'm very happy...almost forgot to mention that it doesn't leak a drop that I could tell!

Here is a video of the rig planed out at 30mph

 

[jasoutside]

Re: '79 Starcraft SS 16 restoration

Hey! She's in the water!!! Congrats!!!

 

[fshngho]

Re: '79 Starcraft SS 16 restoration

Well? I didn't see the smile on your face like someone else that splashed yesterday. Congrats HA. I know it seems like forever since you glided over the water in your SS, but you have a lot to be proud of.
I just noticed in your video and went back to original pics, is it me or is the motor too high by about 4 inches? My understanding is the cavitation plate should be about even with the bottom hull. That could cause slippage as well as possible overheating problems. It just looks very high to me, thought I'd mention it. BTW, don't forget to splash it soon with the first mate in charge of vinyl! Dale

 

[ezmobee]

Re: '79 Starcraft SS 16 restoration

If it sounds like a spun prop, it probably is. I haven't heard too many cases of slipping gears on outboards. I currently own a prop that is partially spun. It works pretty good but if you nail the throttle it will rev like that till it bites. It was on the Jupiter and I replaced it one weekend before taking friends out because I was afraid it would spin completely with the added load.

 

[Huron Angler]

Re: '79 Starcraft SS 16 restoration

Dale you are right, it wouldn't hurt if the anti-ventilation plates were a bit lower, but this setup worked pretty well in November.

I am 90% sure it's a spun hub after doing some reading this morning. I will be looking into finding a shop that can repair it.

Or I'll just get a new prop, probably both so I can have a three-bladed prop for skiing and a 2-bladed for top speed runs fishing.

I do wish I had a tach, as it would help me choose the right dimensions for the prop.

Oh well, no cash for that right now so back to work on the rig!

 

[ezmobee]

Re: '79 Starcraft SS 16 restoration

Buy a new prop and get the exiting one repaired as a spare.

 

[DJ]

Re: '79 Starcraft SS 16 restoration

I do wish I had a tach, as it would help me choose the right dimensions for the prop.

!

I wouldn't buy a prop without knowing.

Congrat's!

 

[Huron Angler]

Re: '79 Starcraft SS 16 restoration

Buy a new prop and get the exiting one repaired as a spare.

That is the plan, I'd like to buy a parts motor that came with a prop ideally.

I wouldn't buy a prop without knowing.

Congrat's!

Yeah you are right, I need buy one soon. I believe my Merc control box has the plug for a tach to hook up on the front of it.

If I had one hooked up I would guess the rpms were hitting 7k with my spun hub.

 

[Huron Angler]

Re: '79 Starcraft SS 16 restoration

Well this afternoon we decided to get all the vinyl attached to both the bow sides and the deck. So far we have the bow all done.

Photobucket still is not doing very well resizing. I should have some more photos soon.

The vinyl went on very nicely on the port side, we did have a minor issue on the starboard piece but we were able to get it worked out. I think it looks nice and clean and will last quite a while

 

[Huron Angler]

Re: '79 Starcraft SS 16 restoration

We got all the vinyl down on the deck today as well

It went down fine and we had zero problems. Roslynn deserves all the credit here, she handled her part of the resto very well and we are very happy with how it turned out.

I have some boards on it to put a little weight down while it cures.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: '79 Starcraft SS 16 restoration

Looks good. Not that you needed to know this since you did a better job than me....but the heat seems to have greatly minimized my air bubbles and the deck looks pretty good.

 

[Huron Angler]

Re: '79 Starcraft SS 16 restoration

Some more photos of the deck with the vinyl down permanently. I really feel like I'm making some progress these days.

I will be making a third helm panel piece as I failed to account for the length of the rack. This is how we learn apparently!

 

[brobrad]

Re: '79 Starcraft SS 16 restoration

Looking pretty good. Got the vinyl laid down smooth. That stuff, if well kept lasts a long time. The vinyl in my 75 ss was still in pretty good shape, but the floor was rotted.

Is that sterring sytem a "reliable" system, or do you think a newer design would be better? I'm a little concerned on mine with a 115.

Anyway keep plugging along and you'll have her splashed in no time.

P.S. Love the starcraft seats.

 

[jspano]

Re: '79 Starcraft SS 16 restoration

looks sweet!!
i'm curious about the vinyl, i have some on the top of the sides and runs to the bow. it has been painted over. i would like to replace it. my questions are how much did it cost and what are you using to adhere it with.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: '79 Starcraft SS 16 restoration

my questions are how much did it cost and what are you using to adhere it with.

HA got a crazy deal on it through his father I believe. Here's the best price you'll find for the rest of us

http://www.defender.com/product.jsp?path=-1|10918|311409|311410&id=23740

 

[Huron Angler]

Re: '79 Starcraft SS 16 restoration

A little more progress...one pedestal base is mounted. The ski locker is installed except for one rivet.

My rivet gun decided to keep a mandril with one last rivet to go. I have not been able to get the dang thing out. Weird.

 

[jspano]

Re: '79 Starcraft SS 16 restoration

HA got a crazy deal on it through his father I believe. Here's the best price you'll find for the rest of us

http://www.defender.com/product.jsp?path=-1|10918|311409|311410&id=23740

when they say price is by the yard, is that 72" wide by 3 ft???

 

[Huron Angler]

Re: '79 Starcraft SS 16 restoration

Looking pretty good. Got the vinyl laid down smooth. That stuff, if well kept lasts a long time. The vinyl in my 75 ss was still in pretty good shape, but the floor was rotted.

Is that sterring sytem a "reliable" system, or do you think a newer design would be better? I'm a little concerned on mine with a 115.

Anyway keep plugging along and you'll have her splashed in no time.

P.S. Love the starcraft seats.

Those seats are extras, they'd be great for a flatbottom duck boat.

My teleflex morse control steering would be fine for a 115, I love it now that I've taken it apart several times and have gotten quite acquainted with it.

Anything bigger and you'd want to upgrade to hydraulic I think.

looks sweet!!
i'm curious about the vinyl, i have some on the top of the sides and runs to the bow. it has been painted over. i would like to replace it. my questions are how much did it cost and what are you using to adhere it with.

I did get hooked up since my dad got a new deck put in his Sea Nymph over the winter. I paid $160 for 7 yards I think. It is Nautolex marine vinyl and it came with Nautolex adhesive, which was very clumpy and needed to be stirred a lot.

I checked it about 2 hours after we put it down and it was tough to pull it up off the deck already. I'm impressed.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: '79 Starcraft SS 16 restoration

when they say price is by the yard, is that 72" wide by 3 ft???

Yes. They have 54" as well.