Starcraft 1974 22' Chieftain Restoration

[timfives]

Time to add another Starcraft Restoration to the mix. This project is sponsored by ezmobee. I blame him for all that will transpire from this point forward..

What we are dealing with is an early 70's Starcraft Chieftain.

While i'm happy with my Islander restore, I did feel that restoration was a bit rushed, and lacked some polish, So i'm looking to take my experience from the Islander and learn even more on this beast. For some sick reason i'm hoping this is practice for the next one a 26 footer.. (What the hell am i saying??)

Anyway, here are some pictures of the beast:

http://photobucket.com/Chieftain

Ezmobee and I will be picking her up hopefully this weekend, with more information to be forth coming.

With the Islander i did a complete restore but set it up primarily factory. Feel free to add your thought on the direction i should take this boat. I'm looking make this a unique but uber functional boat.

T

 

[ricohman]

Re: Starcraft Chieftain Restoration

Re: Starcraft Chieftain Restoration

Just click the img tag on the photo and paste it in your message. Then we can see your pics.

 

[timfives]

Re: Starcraft Chieftain Restoration

Re: Starcraft Chieftain Restoration

Pics will be coming . didn't think the links or pics on the site were working right? has it been resolved?

T

 

[timfives]

Re: Starcraft Chieftain Restoration

Re: Starcraft Chieftain Restoration

 

[GA_Boater]

Re: Starcraft Chieftain Restoration

Re: Starcraft Chieftain Restoration

Time to add another Starcraft Restoration to the mix. This project is sponsored by ezmobee. I blame him for all that will transpire from this point forward..

This sounds interesting. "This project is sponsored by ezmobee" Is EZ buying adult beverages and sitting on the side giving advise? LOL Ought to be a fun project since you are going to make the boat fit your needs instead of going for original. BTW - What are the goals?

 

[jasoutside]

Re: Starcraft Chieftain Restoration

Re: Starcraft Chieftain Restoration

-Awesome! I know that boat has pretty much sat besides I think one float? I'm pumped you got it and it's cool she getting an overhaul!

-Blaming EZ for stuff is an excellent route to take. Stay with that.

-I hear ya - I do believe I'll head down the 26' route someday, a very long time from now. If I can find one.

-Can we talk about splashwell reduction since yours is the size of the entire eastern seaboard?

-You don't really like OB's do ya?

-Looking forward to watching your project Tim

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Starcraft Chieftain Restoration

Re: Starcraft Chieftain Restoration

-Awesome! I know that boat has pretty much sat besides I think one float? I'm pumped you got it and it's cool she getting an overhaul!

This boat has had 3 successful cruises on my watch thank you very much

I am frankly surprised that Mr. Fives is willing to wait until the weekend to drag 'er home.

The whole idea of this poor boat is my fault I convinced my buddy in MD to buy it. It was usable as-is but needed a lot of work. Unfortunately my buddy's homeowners association wasn't a big fan of it being in his driveway. He ended up paying to store it off-site at a place near me in PA. We never really had any place to work on it so it just sat for almost two years. My buddy recently decided he was tired of paying storage for it and that him being able to work on it probably wasn't ever going to happen. So I convinced him to give it to Tim. This is all part of my plan to ruin Tim's marriage.

 

[timfives]

Re: Starcraft Chieftain Restoration

Re: Starcraft Chieftain Restoration

This boat has had 3 successful cruises on my watch thank you very much

I am frankly surprised that Mr. Fives is willing to wait until the weekend to drag 'er home.

The whole idea of this poor boat is my fault I convinced my buddy in MD to buy it. It was usable as-is but needed a lot of work. Unfortunately my buddy's homeowners association wasn't a big fan of it being in his driveway. He ended up paying to store it off-site at a place near me in PA. We never really had any place to work on it so it just sat for almost two years. My buddy recently decided he was tired of paying storage for it and that him being able to work on it probably wasn't ever going to happen. So I convinced him to give it to Tim. This is all part of my plan to ruin Tim's marriage.

What is most surprising is that my Wife Agreed to this.....

EZ- I could be convinced to get it sooner.. but have to make room for it, not sure where i am going to put the islander in the meantime.. Also it should be noted that i have priority work to get done on the islander prior to this years fishing season..

T

 

[rheagler]

Re: Starcraft Chieftain Restoration

Re: Starcraft Chieftain Restoration

Nice project! I'm glad to see another one headed for overhaul. Looking forward to following the project.

 

[timfives]

Re: Starcraft Chieftain Restoration

Re: Starcraft Chieftain Restoration

Update:

Last evening we went over to get the ole girl, but in our haste we forgot the battery so we could raise the engine, and the keys to unlock the hitch lock.

The size of this thing is daunting, i'm actually looking forward to pulling it along side the islander and seeing how much bigger she is.

while i'm thinking of it, Anybody have any recommendation on how or who to ask about redoing the splash well?

t

 

[jasoutside]

Re: Starcraft Chieftain Restoration

Re: Starcraft Chieftain Restoration

Update:

Last evening we went over to get the ole girl, but in our haste we forgot the battery so we could raise the engine, and the keys to unlock the hitch lock.

The size of this thing is daunting, i'm actually looking forward to pulling it along side the islander and seeing how much bigger she is.

while i'm thinking of it, Anybody have any recommendation on how or who to ask about redoing the splash well?

t

Dood, 22 feet of hull is a lot of work, I know about this:facepalm:

Michael P for your splashwell reduction tips

He did an awesome job

 

[timfives]

Re: Starcraft Chieftain Restoration

Re: Starcraft Chieftain Restoration

Not much going on here, just thinking about the possibilities, looks like we will have the tub here this sunday..

In the meantime my automated Craigslist finder (EZ) found me this little gem.

complete with home made cover

that should be a nice addition to the islander for all day fishing...

T

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Starcraft Chieftain Restoration

Re: Starcraft Chieftain Restoration

Let's just not use that to cook up any steaks bought out of the back of a van alrighty?

Cool grill and a real nice deal.

 

[timfives]

Re: Starcraft Chieftain Restoration

Re: Starcraft Chieftain Restoration

EZ - Tough but fair. I guess you'll just need to keep catching fish so we can grill them.

T

Let's just not use that to cook up any steaks bought out of the back of a van alrighty?

Cool grill and a real nice deal.

 

[Grandad]

Re: Starcraft Chieftain Restoration

Re: Starcraft Chieftain Restoration

I have to agree about refitting a boat to your own needs, whims or fancies. If you want to restore a boat, a car or a chair to original, that's OK and I can admire the workmanship in the restoration of an antique. However, that means accepting rebuilding the mistakes that the OEM made instead of improving on the design or the hardware. Why would you want to mount that old pitted die cast fitting on your new mirror finish paint job, just cuz it's "original"? Make the Chief your own. - Grandad

 

[timfives]

Re: Starcraft Chieftain Restoration

Re: Starcraft Chieftain Restoration

Well yesterday we brought the beast home, she is sitting in the yard now waiting for some elbow grease.

I hope the Islander doesn't get jealous when i unwrap her.

This is going to be a full restore for sure. Now that i've had some time to look her over.

The good news is that the Hull is almost perfect, Not a dent or ding in it.

The bad news is all that old paint.

Thoughts on paint removal? Chemical or Mechanical?

The interior is shot, but i should be able to make templates out of the floor so that is good news.

The other thing i'm pretty sure i'm going to do, is remove the splash well. Build up the transom to the top of the gunwale, much like an I/o then add a bracket for the outboard.

Doing that will give me two feet more room in the interior which with two kids, fishing equipment and friends will be needed.

The other major hurdle will be fabricating a new front cabin windshield. This one is missing, so if anyone has done that, i'm all ears.

thanks
T

 

[jasoutside]

Re: Starcraft Chieftain Restoration

Re: Starcraft Chieftain Restoration

I'd like to think yours might be a good candidate for soda blasting maybe? Might be worth some time shopping around buddy.

I'm pumped to see you put a bracket on and gain all that extra room, that splashwell is bogus big!

And, I can't wait to see those twin 2012 Etech 150's on the back, so cool

 

[rheagler]

Re: Starcraft Chieftain Restoration

Re: Starcraft Chieftain Restoration

I think Jason is right about the soda blasting. I got a price quote for $500 - $800 to soda blast my 18' Chief, inside and out. When I first started stripping chemically, I figured "this isn't so bad, I'll save hundreds". I think I must have spent close to 40 hours stripping, and about $100 on stripper, nitrile gloves, wire wheels etc. It would have been cheaper in the long run to do the soda blasting.

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: Starcraft Chieftain Restoration

Re: Starcraft Chieftain Restoration

Is dry ice a popular media for blasting @York? Not sure how it prices out compared to soda, but w/ ice converting to gas on impact, it tends to minimize distortion due to heat. May only remove non-factory paint, it is also less aggressive then some blasting media. There may be cost savings in only having the difficult areas (hull below the rubrail) done commercially.

 

[rheagler]

Re: Starcraft Chieftain Restoration

Re: Starcraft Chieftain Restoration

Good point there jb. On mine the sides, bow deck and gunnels were easy, and only about 15 hours and $50 in supplies. The bottom was the bear. Not a cute little Teddy Bear, a mean bear.