1965 Starcraft Starchief

[Rick Cheloha]

Hello,

New here. Just purchased this 1965 Aluminum 18' Starcraft Starchief with hopes to restore or remodel into a fishing boat. It is a cuddy with a 110 hp GM and Mercruiser drive. Not sure of engine/drive condition, hull is very good, transom seems solid, interior needs redone. No sure whether to restore or remodel-remove cuddy, overhaul, repower or convert to outboard. Any thoughts, ideas, comments or advice are appreciated.

Thanks,

 

[jasoutside]

Re: 1965 Starcraft Sunchief

Re: 1965 Starcraft Sunchief

Well hey Rick, welcome to iboats and the Starcraft brotherhood!:joyous:

I think to answer your questions we'd need to know what you intend to do with this new/old boat eh?

Cruising, fishing, kids, skiing, big water, skinny water....

 

[Rick Cheloha]

Re: 1965 Starcraft Sunchief

Re: 1965 Starcraft Sunchief

My main thing is fish but still all around family stuff, mainly reservoir, big lake.

Thanks

 

[djpeters]

Re: 1965 Starcraft Sunchief

Re: 1965 Starcraft Sunchief

Nice boat! I think that model looks cool and ugly all at the same time. You can do whatever you want to do to it cause it's all been done before.

There is a lot of reading that can be done on this site.

Welcome and keep us posted.

 

[jasoutside]

Re: 1965 Starcraft Sunchief

Re: 1965 Starcraft Sunchief

I think that model looks cool and ugly all at the same time. You can do whatever you want to do to it cause it's all been done before.

Yup, I'm with dj on that ^^^.

Hmmmm, fishing and family stuff you say?

My ultra loyal Starcraft buddies will hate me but....

I'd cut that top right off.:rockon:

That cabin is in the way of everything I think.

 

[Rick Cheloha]

Re: 1965 Starcraft Sunchief

Re: 1965 Starcraft Sunchief

That was more or less my original plan, but now am concerned with destroying something original.

 

[jasoutside]

Re: 1965 Starcraft Sunchief

Re: 1965 Starcraft Sunchief

Bah, chop it off. Yur secret is safe with me!

 

[Weep'n Willy]

Re: 1965 Starcraft Sunchief

Re: 1965 Starcraft Sunchief

Welcome, and a good looking rig you got yourself there. To chop or not to chop, that is the question. Personally I like to have a cabin. Great place to store stuff and keep dry in the event of rain. I spend a lot of time on Lk Huron trolling and many time I have not beat the rainstorms that pop up resulting in a lot of wet gear. Now that I have a Chieftan it is more practical for us as now there is the cabin for the grandkids to set in and play games or take a nap while we are out. Also with a cabin depending on where you are you can do an overnighter in the boat. Seems now a days most manufacturers have done away with the aluminum cuddys going with open boats and they will become a rare commodity. Good luck in your decision.

 

[Bwana Don]

Re: 1965 Starcraft Sunchief

Re: 1965 Starcraft Sunchief

Don't chop the top! That is a cool old cuddy. Of course Jas failed to tell you about the curse of cutting up a Starcaft.

OK personally I would leave the top on. It's your boat though, if you want to cut the top go ahead. I'll close my eyes. We'll still be buds.

Don

ps where do you hail from Rick?

 

[Rick Cheloha]

Re: 1965 Starcraft Sunchief

Re: 1965 Starcraft Sunchief

Land of big water Nebraska. I will probably not chop the top, cause once I do I can't go back. Ok so what do I do with the engine/drive? overhaul? repower? convert to outboard?

Thanks forthe input.

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: 1965 Starcraft Sunchief

Re: 1965 Starcraft Sunchief

The Sunchief would be a great overnighter... Although topless may be a better fishing rig, I certainly support NOT removing the cabin.

A 2nd Starcraft, dedicated to fishing, would be a great addition after the Sunchief is done

If the motor & outdrive are in good running order, or are salvageable, you're already ahead by not having the OMC combo.

Conversion to OB, although possible, would be very invovled and unless you already have the motor, access to welding & fab equipment, plus a good source of aluminum, costly.

Read thru the SC resto's listed in Jas' signature line, Magnumdeke is currently doing an OB conversion (w/ an OB pod), and doing it quite well.

Great looking rig though. When you get the time, the SC crowd is pix junkies........

 

[Bwana Don]

Re: 1965 Starcraft Sunchief

Re: 1965 Starcraft Sunchief

Land of big water Nebraska. I will probably not chop the top, cause once I do I can't go back. Ok so what do I do with the engine/drive? overhaul? repower? convert to outboard?

Thanks forthe input.

My two cents since you asked: See if the original power train is serviceable, if so the fix it up and go. If not look for a fiberglass rotted donar boat with a minimum 3.0 liter. Better would be a 6 cylinder 165 mercruiser. No OMC, or the white outdrives. You can't get parts for OMC outdrives anymore. A 4.3 liter would be a sweet option too.

Nebraska and big water hmmmm. OK. I welcome the Nebraska Cornhuskers to the Big Ten anyway.

Good luck.
Don

 

[Rick Cheloha]

Re: 1965 Starcraft Sunchief

Re: 1965 Starcraft Sunchief

This original outdrive is white, but says mercruiser my research leads me to believe it is a 1Aez Shift. Are those usable,can you find parts? And I already have a 84 16' lund for fishing, so I guess the top stays.

Thanks,

 

[airshot]

Re: 1965 Starcraft Sunchief

Re: 1965 Starcraft Sunchief

Nice looking boat, welcome to the forum...if you are willing to do enough reading alot of ideas are discussed on here. I would be hard pressed to cut that cabin off myself....however, what about making it smaller? I have the Islander model which has the smaller cuddy and more fishing room, fits the bill to storage problems and fishing room. Wonder what that would look like with a shorter cabin? An extra two feet of fishing space can make a hugh difference. Just some food for thought...........

Airshot

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: 1965 Starcraft Sunchief

Re: 1965 Starcraft Sunchief

This thread may prove an interesting read @ your 1A Ez drive:
1966 Mercruiser 110 - 1AEZ - options

Sounds like in some areas (Australia) parts are hard to come by, but stateside, it appears parts are available, or were when that thread was started.

There do seem to be some NLA & in stock parts listed here for the 1963-1966 110 GM I-4, and here for the 1A Ez drive. Iboats.com may also carry parts for either, possibly a manual too. You will definately want a service manual for both drive & motor, no matter what combination you use.

For me it would be a toss up, if I needed to do a pretty complete tear-down to bare hull, make some improvements/changes to the boat's setup/layout, and before it started to hold up progress, I could find a decent donor boat priced right w/ a 'better', newer running driveline, I'd probably swap it during the torn down stage. Even if the motor & drive are currently in operating condition. It's still a 45+ yr old setup, and eventually parts are likely to be hard to find for the drive. And you're likely not going to be unsatisfied in a larger re-power motor that is also not 45+yrs old.

If it's running, and you can find a different outdrive that will mate up to your current motor, that would be my 2nd choice. Selling an operable outdated drive can be profitable, as someone else may want or need a parts drive for their project. Jas did quite well on his OMC drive & motor sale and swap to the 4.3L motor & mercruiser drive from Thumper.

If it's running & budget constraints prevent a swap or there doesn't seem to be a market to support the motor/outdrive sale, then run what you've got is always an option.

So, you've been holding out on us about the Lund.... hmmm

Cool, then you're already an MBS sufferer............ Welcome to the next level of Starcraft ownership......

 

[roscoe]

Re: 1965 Starcraft Sunchief

Re: 1965 Starcraft Sunchief

Chop that top and the boat will sink. THe Starcraft gods will decent on you with a fury.
There are plenty of old SS and Mariner models if you want a fishing boat.

 

[North Beach]

Re: 1965 Starcraft Sunchief

Re: 1965 Starcraft Sunchief

Rick, welcome to iBoats. Bud, actually your boat is a 1964 Cheiftain. Here's the brochure page.


In the early years the Mercruiser outdrives were white. I have a 66 and although I had my share of motor problems, I'm still running the original outdrive with absolutely no problems. I say go thru it all and see what you got. You may just need to replace the wear items and go fishin.

 

[Rick Cheloha]

Re: 1965 Starcraft Sunchief

Re: 1965 Starcraft Sunchief

You might be right, but in the port stern on the interior gunwhale there is an original manufacturers plate saying it is a 21 ft Starcraft Sunchief. The boat actually measures a little under 19' but I was told they used to measure them by following the keel. Does any of this make sense?

Thanks

 

[North Beach]

Re: 1965 Starcraft Sunchief

Re: 1965 Starcraft Sunchief

Rick I can't answer the measurement question. but trust me, this boat is deff a 64 Cheiftain. Someone may have switched the plates out at some point.

 

[Rick Cheloha]

Re: 1965 Starcraft Sunchief

Re: 1965 Starcraft Sunchief

I agree with you it sure looks like the brochure. But the plate sure looks original, riveted to the gunwhale. I can't understand why someone would change that. If you are right then I stand corrected and should amend my post to say Chieftan. Why 1964 though, could it be a 65? Hopefully someone else has some ideas. Are there any ways to verify it?

Thanks