Finally found my 1st Starcraft! 1979 SS 180 w/ 115 merc O/B

[shadetree_fish]

View attachment 158855CH]
Well, Ive been a long time lurker and have been searching for a reasonable deal. I finally found my dream boat(in vision anyway) I spotted the "boat" a 1979 Starcraft 180 SS, has a mercury 115hp OB, IT WAS NOT FOR SALE, it was just sitting there in the drive. I took a quick look and left a note on the door, that was last Friday. the guy calls me on friday afternoon & we talk a bit & i decided to drive over to take a closer look. after being there for a few, I realized this is gonna be a monumental task as the boat has sat in this very spot for 16 years untouched or moved. Come to find out the owner is the ORIGINAL PUCHASER/OWNER & the whole package is exactly what was bought on June 8, 1979(I have the original purchase order/bill of sale & will post a few pics of some of the items following this initial post. End result, I agreed to pay $500.00 for the boat. BUT it needs total rebuild floors, Transon, ETC... Everything!!! The hull looks good & not beat up, the transon became weak back in 1996 and the owner decided to fix it the next spring, needless to say there it sat till i put tires and lights on it last saturday june 14 to tow it home. I have began the clean out tear down and man that is a big job, dam the wasps nest & ant condos inside this thing! As you can see in the pics I had to over secure the transom to tow it because it is virtually gone!
The craft also has the original 28lb thrust TM that I found out tonite after removing it, THAT IT STILL WORKS! Anyhow I wanna say thanks to all for the excellent job on your own rebuilds as most all of them inspired me to search out this Gem for my own rebuild. AND to think last summer I almost bought a 2012 tracker Pro guide 175 for 25K.

Well, I'm beat & gotta get some sleep. will post more pics in the next few days.
Mike, in FT. WTH. Tx.

 

[shadetree_fish]

Re: Finally found my 1st Starcraft! 1979 SS 180 w/ 115 merc O/B

The cans of Starcraft blue & gray have never been used & are still liqiud!

 

[rheagler]

Re: Finally found my 1st Starcraft! 1979 SS 180 w/ 115 merc O/B

Nice score Mike. Looking forward to watching the rehab. Have fun!

 

[dozerII]

Re: Finally found my 1st Starcraft! 1979 SS 180 w/ 115 merc O/B

Great deal Mike. I have never seen one with an interior quite that bad. She will be a real nice boat when your done, and with a starting investment of only $500 shouldn't end up to bad for a total cost.

 

[64osby]

Re: Finally found my 1st Starcraft! 1979 SS 180 w/ 115 merc O/B

From Washington to Texas. Good deal and a great project for ya.

S. O. S. Saving Old Starcraft's

Way to go.

 

[concept10]

Re: Finally found my 1st Starcraft! 1979 SS 180 w/ 115 merc O/B

Great job on the scouting and find of this boat! Even though the interior is in bad shape, you still came up with a great deal. I'm from the Dallas area, so I hope that I get to see you out there some day.

Good luck with the project!

Tracey

 

[GA_Boater]

Re: Finally found my 1st Starcraft! 1979 SS 180 w/ 115 merc O/B

Shade - Judging from the paperwork, TM shipping box, touch-up paint and other things, you have a time capsule there. And at a darn good price too. Does the Merc flywheel turn, not frozen I hope?

Upholstery and wood is shot but all that can be fixed. Great find Mike and welcome to the Starmada Dry Dock.

 

[Krichbourg]

Re: Finally found my 1st Starcraft! 1979 SS 180 w/ 115 merc O/B

Boat, motor and trailer for $500 is a great deal for a Starcraft. You have your work cut out for you but in the end you will have a great boat at a very affordable price. I have a 115 on my '77 SS and I have been very pleased with the performance. Hopefully your Merc can be revived and will give you many more years of service. I enjoyed looking at the vintage documentation you posted. Looking forward to following your progress. Let us know your plans for the old girl. Are you going back with the original setup or do you have modifications in mind. When I have to replace my floor I hope to install a belly tank to free up some room and also move that weight forward. Good luck and welcome to the Starmada.

 

[barato2]

Re: Finally found my 1st Starcraft! 1979 SS 180 w/ 115 merc O/B

another innocent seduced by the lure of the evil tin! welcome, and good job on saving her from being a planter....looks like she was already about 65% of the way there. always glad to see a few more Starmadans down south.

interesting to know what these sold for new too.

you're now at 1/50 of what you were about to pay for that inferior tracker. put 1/20-1/10 of that $ into this one and you'll have a boat that does the same and gets lots of positive attn at the lake.

 

[shadetree_fish]

Re: Finally found my 1st Starcraft! 1979 SS 180 w/ 115 merc O/B

GA, there is so much paper work, it really is a time capsule, Indiana, washington, S.C., & now Texas, has all the reg. paper work from each state, & any maintanance from the boat shops. Yes the flywheel turns like I believe it should. The PO swears it runs, in fact he claims its only got about 250 hours on it!!! everything looks great under the cowl, EXCEPT ALL THE WIRING IS ROTTED GREEN & falling apart. the only thing the guy added was a lowrance flasher then a newer hummingbird that was stolen a few yrs. back but all the sensors & transd. is still there. This boat still has the original tie downs it came with from the factory! little rusty but still function.

 

[GA_Boater]

Re: Finally found my 1st Starcraft! 1979 SS 180 w/ 115 merc O/B

Yeah, the Merc wiring suffers over the years. The good news is CDI sells replacement harnesses, both the internal motor and boat-side. Boy - The PO kept everything, didn't he? I always start off with that kind of dedication and after a while it tapers off to nonexistent. :redface:

 

[barato2]

Re: Finally found my 1st Starcraft! 1979 SS 180 w/ 115 merc O/B

self-destructing wiring harness was a Merc feature through most of the 70s, sorta their Achilles heel equivalent of the OMC ignition box with the Lucas-esque reliability rate. good news is that it's therefore not hard to find a replacement.

i wouldn't miss the obsolete lectronix much.....they're usually so inferior to new stuff that you didn't lose much there. not like the transducer etc help you that much since any new unit will come with those, but it might save you some installation work if you got another humminbird....at least the mounting holes should line up even if you have to use new trans.

4 resto-project boats......uh, did anyone tell you about MBS?

 

[shadetree_fish]

Re: Finally found my 1st Starcraft! 1979 SS 180 w/ 115 merc O/B

Thanks everyone,

I plan on doing what I call a "myway-resto" LOL My plan is pretty normal & I will be asking tons of questions very soon! For now I already started the clean up & tear down, hopefully this weekend I'll have the motor off and put aside. then finish the clean out. Then give it a once over to all the rivits, then flip it & start the sanding!
But, when the real fun starts on the rebuild, I plan on using the least amount of wood I can besides the Transom and floor, I plan on 3/4 for the deck, a full array of gauges, Stereo, VHF, belly tank, in floor storage(knee board-Tube) 12v outlets, LED lighting under consoles & gunnels, led lights in bilge, Sunshine bait-tank, TM/tilt-trim panel up front, Prolly vinyl under the gunnel & sides & carpet for the deck, a double glove box on 1 console & somekind of small storage tray on the helm console, a place somewhere for a 48qt cooler, rod holders galore, & also I'm very interested in installing a ski-pole in the rear deck as in on the newer tracker pro-guide 175's, of course a bimini, a swim ladder, Tranfering my HDS-5 from my other boat,
an 82 invader 17'1'' V-hull with a 84' 150 johnson OB, stainless 3 blde prop! BTW, I got it from the 2nd owner who was a marine mechanic, let me tell you that thing will fly!!! I've only been brave enough to get 56mph(on gps) because the boat becomes unstable, and thats at barely half way trimmed with a lil left in the throttle, A friend of mine said that prolly about 1 1/2-2 ft of the rear is the only thing skipping the water, well and the prop! I did alot to it and it looks great for a 30 YO boat! and its paid for, Paid $1800 for it & spent another 500.00 or so.
HI-JACKED MY OWN!!! LOL
As for colors, I'm thinking of staying with the original blue on top, but the bottom(rubrail down) I'm not sure yet, I like the charcoal look, but I have to remove a lot of rivits to paint the gunnels B/C the Orig. owner also installed fitted canvas cover on the whole boat & every twisty thing has 2 rivs each... but in do time! I will keep yall posted for sure though, but I dont think I can go as fast as some of these guys here have been able todo!

BTW today I found another starcraft, I believe it to be a jupitor 18-21 ft??? with a 110 Mercruser IN/OUT closed bow, with trailor, Its sitting in a junk yard/used car dealer, Think I can get it for 300-500... the wife would love that for sure!!!!! LOL

 

[shadetree_fish]

Re: Finally found my 1st Starcraft! 1979 SS 180 w/ 115 merc O/B

4 resto-project boats......uh, did anyone tell you about MBS?

OH, Just realized I havent updated my Sig, The chapparrall was worth more in pieces espcially the 470 merc engine & outdrive!!! wished I had all the stainless railing & steering wheel I sold off that 1, The old Glastron got parted out as well, the hull underside was to far gone! (its amazing what you can get for old boat parts though )

 

[GA_Boater]

Re: Finally found my 1st Starcraft! 1979 SS 180 w/ 115 merc O/B

BTW today I found another starcraft, I believe it to be a jupitor 18-21 ft??? with a 110 Mercruser IN/OUT closed bow, with trailor, Its sitting in a junk yard/used car dealer, Think I can get it for 300-500... the wife would love that for sure!!!!! LOL

Hey - Start your own thread about the Invader. LOL Go ahead and grab that new tinny. B2 has a new tin house - He might be willing to share.

 

[Starman8]

Re: Finally found my 1st Starcraft! 1979 SS 180 w/ 115 merc O/B

That is a great deal, and the identical boat to mine, but mine came factory grey/red with
1000 coats of some metallic silver spray paint covering it............lol

Get out the sander

 

[shadetree_fish]

Re: Finally found my 1st Starcraft! 1979 SS 180 w/ 115 merc O/B

Hey - Start your own thread about the Invader. LOL Go ahead and grab that new tinny. B2 has a new tin house - He might be willing to share.

LOL, well B2???

 

[shadetree_fish]

Re: Finally found my 1st Starcraft! 1979 SS 180 w/ 115 merc O/B

Starman8,
Thats a nice rig you got there!
Your front deck is exactly what I'm wanting, but was wanting a bait tank somewhere upthere. The under console storage is also exactly my plan but Im going to make a glove box with door on one of them. I plan on having all electronics at the helm, so it might get a lil crowded there, with, Stereo, VHF, HDS-5, Switches, gauges, drinkholder, cubby tray? for the camera & iphone Get the picture! LOL

Is your OB a 115? curious of top speed, PO of my boat said he topped out at 48-50mph, Only reason I'll go that fast is if I'm running from a storm, 40 is plenty fast for me, I like a 25-35 cruise speed depending on how my day is going!

 

[Starman8]

Re: Finally found my 1st Starcraft! 1979 SS 180 w/ 115 merc O/B

the bow has 3 hatches, for dry storage, usually hang bait over the side, and yes, 115 ToP and 48-50 is true

 

[barato2]

Re: Finally found my 1st Starcraft! 1979 SS 180 w/ 115 merc O/B

i have an acre here and you're welcome to store boats here. but it may be a bit of a drive from your place to work on it......like just under 600 miles one way.