Joined the Starmada. kind of unexpectedly

[matt167]

Well. Smokercraft that I got free will be getting the chainsaw treatment. Once I pull some good stuff out of it. Steering box, gauges and, and the vortech heads/ intake and transom assembly. Probably grab the nice Taylor Made windshield as well.

As to the Story, I have seen this boat a few times on Facebook marketplace but never inquired. Now it's mine although I have to get it tuesday..

It's a 1971 Starcraft Offshore V 18 with a 120 mercruiser. The owner lost interest in the project when he landed a nice Islander 191. However he installed a new transom and floor ( done correctly ), new exhaust manifolds, and gimble bearing and major tune up on the motor and started sanding bottom paint off. Interior is mint but is not original.

The only thing left for me to 'restore' is reinstall the drive, and put some paint on it. So I will finish up the odds and ends this fall and then get an early spring splash.. I traded a daily driver quality MGB for it. I ended up hating the car so not a bad deal. The picture is one of previous owners

 

[matt167]

What is the easiest way to remove bottom paint? the original owner this guy bought it from bottom painted it even though it has always been a trailer boat. he began stripping it but it's not quite all stripped. I want to paint it blue from the spray rails down. Not the whole thing because I want a spring launch and I may be able to squeeze in a test launch at a local reservoir before it closes.

Also I noticed the fuel tank vents are missing and just holes in the hull are there. So I'll have to figure that out

 

[classiccat]

Welcome to the mob! :welcome:

The "easiest" (least sucky) way to strip bottom paint is to turtle the boat...from there most of us use chemical strippers (Rustoleum Aircraft stripper, Zip Strip, etc.). I don't advise using chemical strippers while working on your back...that stuff burns!

If you go the media-blast route, avoid using sand; Soda or walnut shells have been used successfully.

 

[matt167]

I'm not able to flip it upside down at this point so I have to do it on the trailer

 

[matt167]

The other thing I have to do is put this boat on the good Starcraft EZ loader trailer once I repair the bunks. The boat that's on it is 19'6" OAL and the tongue can go back over 1 foot so it should be good. I might have to kick the axle forward.

The boat is on an older unknown trailer. needs rollers but is in good shape. I'll use it for the boat I'm building. needs to be converted to bunks for the wooden hull

 

[matt167]

Got real late so no good pics. but it's here

 

[matt167]

I’m now planning on putting on either a later gen 2 outdrive on it or a more modern gen 1 gimbal assembly. I was going to sell it but I can’t bring myself to do that. It’s too nice.

 

[matt167]

After looking around, I found a 1986 Wellcraft Eclipse with a 3.0L Mercruiser. Decent boat, someone taken care of it but owner says soft floors. I can get it for $800 and I think it's the best route. The only question is keeping the 2.5L which I know has been gone through by previous owner, or go to the 3.0L for a little more power

 

[briangcc]

IF it were me, I'd be tempted to swap to the 3.0 and use the controls/wiring/gauges out of the Wellcraft as a complete package instead of trying to splice in to whatever is in the Smokercraft.

That's assuming the 3.0 is in good shape - compression test.

 

[matt167]

I was mistaken, the probable donor boat is a '86 Four Winns Freedom 160. They came with the 140hp 3.0L

I was originally considering using the Gen II transom assembly that I have from the smoker craft, but I don't have the leg. I do have a nice set of Faria gauges from it though. I'm thinking I'll keep the vintage Mercruiser gauge package though

 

[matt167]

Does the 86 alpha one have the same round plug for wiring?

 

[matt167]

Dug my old thread up since this has now turned into a full blown project. But gaining

Alpha gen 1 from ‘86 out of a four winns parts boat.. engine is out of same, but I have a better one in an ‘88 Regal. Both 140hp 3.0L… steering is a new kit. The old cable wouldn’t come off the original transom assembly.

Sadly the seats have faded a bit even though I’ve always had it covered.. but the boat is getting in the water this year.. still up in the air on the controls as these ones are pooched I think

 

[matt167]

This weekend I’m hoping to have the engine running on muffs, and ready to launch next weekend for a test in a local reservoir. I need to wire the bilge pumps and blowers because I won’t go without them unless the boat never leaves the trailer. Hook up the steering and hook up the cables and put the outdrive on. I also bought a face cam for the controls to make them work. I have to help my FIL with a patio next weekend but I’m hoping for some time to get to the launch 1/2hr away

 

[matt167]

it’s always something. The old Mercontrol was missing the neutral detent among other things. So I bought a new aftermarket outboard control. Hooked it up but it’s stiff. The upper shift cable is a little too short on the Alpha setup. And the control moves the locking barrel from the outside edge to the middle, making the control need to sit in the middle of the seat…. Waiting on new cables now.

I still need to get time to finish the wiring

 

[matt167]

I should stay off Marketplace. There’s a 1988 Blue Fin 1900 SC with an OMC 2.3 setup that is non running for dirt cheap and the rest of the boat is in great condition including a camper canvas.. even though I have no room, it dawned on me that I have another complete Alpha gen 1 in parts boat #2 and could have a second running tinny since I do have 2 running 3.0ls… but wife said no

 

[matt167]

I have a question about white crystals in the fuel tanks. When I disconnected the fuel lines from the original engine. A small amount of clear gas came out but it was actually gas. Not rotten smelling, and that’s after 5 years I’ve owned it. Previous owner had told me they were pumped dry and shouldn’t be a problem. I opened both tanks and there is white crystals up the filler necks.. I’m 50/50 for just dumping in some fuel and seeing what it’ll do. But also I have the engine rigged to run off of a 6 gallon outboard tank, which I have 2 of.The tanks in the boat I’m not sure are original. I know SC often used Mirax tanks but these are nice aluminum tanks. They could be original, I’m not sure. My dads Offshore has one smaller tank in the rear and we know that boat is as it came.

I bought an Atwood fuel water separator in preparation for running the main tanks

 

[matt167]

Tried firing it up today ( engine hasn’t run since 2022 when I bought it ). No spark. Verified by jumpering power to the coil eliminating a power issue. I’ll have to put points and a condenser in it

 

[matt167]

I’ll update this thread. Hopefully just use this thread from now on as 99% of the specifics are taken care of and it’s very close to being water ready. I also finally got it registered ( with no title/ reg ) which was a relief although the DMV knows what to do and no hassle.

It runs but the Napa Echlin ignition switch I bought is defective. Ignition terminal gets power all the time. So I bought a switch from Advance that is identical except it has a lifetime warranty…. Also I noticed that the carburetor choke linkage is broken, and leaking fuel from the top gasket.. at least the choke linkage explains why it was cold blooded when i ran it in parts boat #1 2 years ago. I ordered a jungle site carburetor and a fuel pump to hopefully to get some use out of it. I have the engine in parts boat #2 which is at a different location that runs mint but I don’t have the time to make the swap this year. Not going to drop $$$ on a new carb, and at the very least, the choke linkage from the jungle carb may fit the original

 

[matt167]

Well my ignition switch problem wasn’t the switch. It was me.. I omitted the fuel gauge from the old parts boat gauge pack as I have fuel gauges on the gunnel. That left an extra power and an extra ground.. me being a dum dum put the extra power ontop of the volt meter stud, making everything hot at all times