'79 Starcraft SS 16 restoration

[Huron Angler]

Re: '79 Starcraft SS 16 restoration

With all this rain we have had the Pine (up by Luther) would be a great river to run this spring! She should be moving along pretty quick. Have you ever been?

The rivers are extremely high around here already, someone forgot to shut off the spigot

We did spend a week last summer in Manistee, but other than that I have not spent much time in that part of the mitten. There sure is a bunch of state land over there, really nice for camping and stuff.

I have mostly been on the Grand and the Looking Glass in canoes lately. I am going to start fly fishing this year(I found my grandpa's old Plueger reel, in great condition) so I will be checking out the Rifle and Au Sable probably too

 

[jasoutside]

Re: '79 Starcraft SS 16 restoration

AuSable is usually a destination for us in the fall, very nice float.

I fly fished for a while, I stunk. $4 fly lost in a tree a half dozen times each trip pretty well ended my bottom feeder budget fly fishing career.:facepalm:

 

[Huron Angler]

Re: '79 Starcraft SS 16 restoration

Good news fellas...I sold the Merc 80hp last night for $450

I can now go outboard motor shopping...I'm thinking 60-75hp Johnnyrude anywhere from 1976 on up. It was listed for $500 but I knocked off $50 since the lower unit is not assembled.

I sold the motor stand with it, and that is actually good since I don't have anywhere to keep it anyway. My boat storage facility is gonna be sold this summer so I need to clear out soon.

I also included the two 6 gallon gas cans, controls, seloc manual, the huge tach and the impellar repair kit I just got from iboats yesterday.

I did not sell the CMC bracket, and I'm gonna wait until I find a motor to decide on that. I might want the redundancy of having TnT on the motor and the bracket. That thing is really heavy though, and maybe I'd be better off reducing stern weight?

Also received my fused switch panel and two plastic splashwell drain tubes, so progress can commence on the transom this weekend.

I also might be paddling the new canoe around and doing some fishing(I could use the excercise)...so no guarantees on the transom but if it rains I will be working

 

[ezmobee]

Re: '79 Starcraft SS 16 restoration

You got $450 for an old motor that probably needs to be rebuilt. Score! And you kept your CMC, nice.

What's the reason behind 1976 or newer? Did they make a lower unit change then? I know '73 and newer are not electric sift, and '79 and newer have the modern TnT. Happy hunting.

 

[Huron Angler]

Re: '79 Starcraft SS 16 restoration

What's the reason behind 1976 or newer? Did they make a lower unit change then? I know '73 and newer are not electric sift, and '79 and newer have the modern TnT. Happy hunting.

No particular reason, other than the fact that I want a newer motor. I know it all depends on maintenance and use, but I'd feel better spending $1000 on a early 80s 70hp than a early 70s even if they are in the same condition.

I'd really like to get a non-VRO '79-'83 70hp. I think they started the VRO in '84 on the OMC outboards.

 

[jasoutside]

Re: '79 Starcraft SS 16 restoration

You got $450 for an old motor that probably needs to be rebuilt. Score! And you kept your CMC, nice.

X2!

I have a nice looking 135 Johnson for sale sitting by my place (hooked to a glasser). That would be fun

 

[ezmobee]

Re: '79 Starcraft SS 16 restoration

'79 or newer then Mike. Don't worry about the VRO. It will probably have been bypassed by now anyway. Don't pass up a deal on a 73-78 if it'a really cheap cuz you can use your CMC.

 

[Huron Angler]

Re: '79 Starcraft SS 16 restoration

I also placed an order with my Fastenal rep for stainless bolts to install the transom. He is going to bypass the 400% markup for me and that makes the purchase less painful.

There is a product used by mining equipment operators that keeps nuts from loosening from vibrations that he mentioned last night. Sounds like it might be worth looking into, but 3M 5200 seems to do the trick nicely.

He also suggested a type of nut that is one-time use only that lets the bolt create it's own threads when tightened. He says they are better than the nyloc nuts for marine use. This would be for the four 1/2" bolts holding the CMC bracket.

 

[Huron Angler]

Re: '79 Starcraft SS 16 restoration

And you kept your CMC, nice.

Yeah, he offered $600 for the motor and bracket. I countered with a price of $800 and he said no thanks. I would need to get at least $350 for it or I'd rather keep it.

In case I need buy an older motor or switch motors on the rig it will be nice to have.

With gas prices I'm thinking that a 60-70 will be best, but still considering the 85hp Evinrude.

I'm not in a huge hurry since the boat is not ready yet anyway.

 

[Huron Angler]

Re: '79 Starcraft SS 16 restoration

I also might be paddling the new canoe around and doing some fishing(I could use the excercise)...so no guarantees on the transom but if it rains I will be working

Well that is exactly what happened, had a blast in the new canoe all day sunday, even got a sunburn

I might be looking at buying this Starcraft, it looks strangely familiar

Anybody want to venture a guess on the year of the two-tone blue Evinrude 85ph? That's what has my attention

 

[djpeters]

Re: '79 Starcraft SS 16 restoration

Well that is exactly what happened, had a blast in the new canoe all day sunday, even got a sunburn

I might be looking at buying this Starcraft, it looks strangely familiar

Anybody want to venture a guess on the year of the two-tone blue Evinrude 85ph? That's what has my attention

You linky is not working.....

 

[Huron Angler]

Re: '79 Starcraft SS 16 restoration

You linky is not working.....

Copy that...it's fixed now, thanks for the heads up Dave.

You'd think I would know how to post a link here after 4900+ posts:facepalm:

 

[ezmobee]

Re: '79 Starcraft SS 16 restoration

79. Same as the one Glen is looking at. SCORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[jasoutside]

Re: '79 Starcraft SS 16 restoration

After you "do what needs to be done" and sell that trailer my math tells me you'll be into that sweet 85 Rude for about 100 bux. Maybe less! Awesome!

 

[dozerII]

Re: '79 Starcraft SS 16 restoration

That would be a great score at $400. I think you might find fuel economy is better with the 85 than a 60 to 70, as you will be able to hold on plane at a lower throttle setting thus using less fuel. The only problem is, if you can't keep your foot out of the throttle so to speak, that theory goes out the window lol
Glen

 

[Huron Angler]

Re: '79 Starcraft SS 16 restoration

Just got off the phone with the owner of ^^ that 85hp...compression is:

120, 120, 120...and...20 on the blown cyclinder.:facepalm:

Can't say I'm shocked, since the price was right. Oh well.

He says he has another 85hp with a good powerhead that is missing a starter, and that I'm welcome to buy them and hobble it together to get a good complete 85hp running.

I think I'll pass. Back to scouring craigslist I go

BTW I spent the evening clearing out my garage, so I can set up some sawhorses and finish all my epoxying. I've been having a heck of a time getting this stuff to cure lately.

I might try heaters and fans to shorten the time involved, like Jason did recently. Did that work by the way?

 

[ezmobee]

Re: '79 Starcraft SS 16 restoration

Bummer on the Rude. I thought that price a little low for a running motor.

 

[jasoutside]

Re: '79 Starcraft SS 16 restoration

Heart breaker! That would have been a sweet deal!

I might try heaters and fans to shorten the time involved, like Jason did recently. Did that work by the way?

Yah, I have learned that heat is such a key to laying down and having epoxy cure. Humidity too.

I have shuffled my material around to/from my basement and workshop in a effort to get the warmest temps. It's been a little tricky with our spring weather:facepalm:

Basement is great when I have the woodburner running, toasty warm, curing epoxy, good! But, I'm not burning very much these days and cure time slows, bigtime! Up to the workshop.

In the workshop, if it's sunny, it gets really warm in there, like 80's. Cures fast, good! But, when it's cloudy and cool, not so much. You can see my problem there living in the middle of MI.

Anyway, key is warm and dry. Is Roz cool with you dripping epoxy on the living room carpet?

 

[Huron Angler]

Re: '79 Starcraft SS 16 restoration

Some epoxy curing on the side panels. I have some Epifanes clear spar varnish on the way to coat these with.

I am probably going that route at first to see how it looks, since I can always cover them with vinyl later on.

This is the piece for my little boat's middle bench, you can see that I used the epoxy to fill an exterior void.

I put some masking tape on each side and poured the epoxy in like it was a concrete basketball court. It worked very well so I thought I would share the results.

In the foreground here you can see my LED lantern, I got two of them for 3 bucks each and I might be using these on the boat quite a bit.

They run on 2 D batteries so the run time should be pretty good and "less wiring is better than more wiring" is my new mantra when it comes to boats.

I think I am even going to axe the stereo/speakers permanently installed idea in favor of a boom box as EZ always says

If I end up with an Islander down the road I will install my speakers in the cabin.

 

[jasoutside]

Re: '79 Starcraft SS 16 restoration

Progress! Nice dude!