1969 Starcraft Chieftain Restoration

[fat fanny]

Re: 1969 Starcraft Chieftain Restoration

Alpheus man! I wanted that rig from the day you first showed it and I followed the trials and tribulations with the trailer along with it. Wish I would have known maybe someday a deal like that will fall my way. Watching your progress with the tin can't wait to see what's next.

 

[Alpheus]

Re: 1969 Starcraft Chieftain Restoration

Ah yes the trailer dispute. How could I forget...

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=367302

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=404083

 

[Alpheus]

Re: 1969 Starcraft Chieftain Restoration

OK Jason I am totally going to copy off of you. I have started to look for a glasser disposa boat with a 4.3 and an Alpha 1 gen 2 drive...

 

[kilowatts]

Re: 1969 Starcraft Chieftain Restoration

Hi Alpheus:

If I might add a comment:
Why don't you look for a MCM 165 inline six? They are a great engine and would fit in your boat, be about the same vintage and boy, would it fly! They are also extremely reliable and inexpensive to buy, even if you get a remanufactured block. Of course , this is only because I love the "Big Six", eh!

kilowatts

 

[jasoutside]

Re: 1969 Starcraft Chieftain Restoration

Say what you will about the OMC that cam with my rig but here are two great things that she did for me:

#1 I sold it for more that I paid for the entire boat, yah, made money on an OMC Stringer boat! Imagine that!

#2 She left behind these big fat stringers to mount my Merc to...

I think the I6 route would be easier for you to install in your rig unless you are cool with bending up some stringers for the V6.

I kinda feel like is a trick to finding a deal on a cheap sacrificial boat. The combination of a hull that is junk because a fella left it sit out and a driveline that is good because he took enough care to winterize/maintain = rare eh!

I think you probably have a knack for that sort of thing though.

Going from 120 hp to the 175 hp range would be cool!

 

[Alpheus]

Re: 1969 Starcraft Chieftain Restoration

Im not going to make stringers. I am going to make an engine mount from aluminum like Bondo did. I have access to all the sheet metal tools I would ever need and I dont have to pay for aluminum. There is a whole rack of it that is not airworthy due to scratches and other imperfections but perfect for marine use.

I snapped these just now with my phone. Like I said, I could re-skin the whole boat if I wanted to. No worries...

 

[jasoutside]

Re: 1969 Starcraft Chieftain Restoration

Oh man, that is pretty awesome!

 

[Teamster]

Re: 1969 Starcraft Chieftain Restoration

I still think it would be cool with a big 250 horse tiller hanging off of the back,.....

 

[sprintst]

Re: 1969 Starcraft Chieftain Restoration

You definately have a handle on the right materials for the boat. Some of that stuff looks like it's got some good thickness to it too.

Wanna build a whole new dash area for mine including glove compartment

 

[Alpheus]

Re: 1969 Starcraft Chieftain Restoration

We have aluminum sheets from .025 to .250 and we get more almost every couple of weeks.

Today I got the paint on the outside sanded down pretty thin. It will only take me another 25 minutes to get it done. While I had a little daylight left I decided to get started on making the patch for around the outdrive. I found all the corossion holes on bottom from the inside.

I then placed a piece of plexiglass (We have tons of that too) on the transom and traced the outdrive cutout. I then marked all the areas of corossion so as to get the general idea of how big this patch is gonna be.

I am using .063 aluminum for the patch and it will be symmetrical, tapered and attached in with flush head rivets. I am also making a doubler on the inside identical to the one on the outside. I will router a relief (.090)in the new plywood transom in the shape of the patch so it will sit flush against the aluminum.

This is what the I got for a start.

Ill get started making it tomorrow...

 

[Bondo]

Re: 1969 Starcraft Chieftain Restoration

Ayuh,... Honestly,... I'd go Bigger....
Say from the lower seam, up, 'n around at, oh, 4"s....Maybe 6"s....
Maybe just on the outside, 'n glue/ seal the plywood to the original....
Are you gonna seal or glue between the patchs/ backers,..??

We have aluminum sheets from .025 to .250 and we get more almost every couple of weeks.

 

[sprintst]

Re: 1969 Starcraft Chieftain Restoration

If I would have access to that kind of material I would have had a transducer bracket fabbed and welded it to the alum patch and then welded that in back so there are no more holes in the backside.

Nice work. You seem to have a good handle on it.

 

[Alpheus]

Re: 1969 Starcraft Chieftain Restoration

Ayuh,... Honestly,... I'd go Bigger....
Say from the lower seam, up, 'n around at, oh, 4"s....Maybe 6"s....
Maybe just on the outside, 'n glue/ seal the plywood to the original....
Are you gonna seal or glue between the patchs/ backers,..??

The patch is gonna be pretty much that big about 6" around the top. I wanted to put a doubler in because although there is only holes in a couple of spots, the corrosion has worn it pretty thin. I am going to use 5200 between the patches and wet the rivets when I install them...

 

[Bondo]

Re: 1969 Starcraft Chieftain Restoration

Ayuh,... I was just guessin' by the marker on the template....

I'd still consider droppin' the inner liner...
The wood, 'n glue will make up for the corroded areas,....
The outer patch covers the important part...

 

[Alpheus]

Re: 1969 Starcraft Chieftain Restoration

Ill try it that way. If the rivets dont have enough meat to grab onto Ill have to add a doubler.

Do you have the dimensions to the motor mount you fabbed up on your Starcraft?

 

[Bondo]

Re: 1969 Starcraft Chieftain Restoration

Nope,... but I'll try to remember to crawl up into it tomorrow, 'n meassure 'em...

 

[Alpheus]

Re: 1969 Starcraft Chieftain Restoration

I sure would appreciate it. Thanks...

 

[Bwana Don]

Re: 1969 Starcraft Chieftain Restoration

Don't sandblast, even with a pressure washer it might warp. You can get a soda blaster a Harbor Freight cheap. I'm pretty sure that would take care of it. I'm going to get one in the spring when I do mine, or use the citrus stripper like Hopeshefloats (Kenny) did. A soda blaster would be more fun though.

I was happy for your progress but now this talk of more power has got me jealous. I'm a hot rodder and anytime someone talks about upgrading a powerplant it gets me worked up. I had a line on several 4.3 donor boats. Yea I know my boat is only rated for 140 hp, I still think about it though. Way too much........turbos too.

If your serious about the 4.3 I'll get an eye out for you.

 

[proshadetree]

Re: 1969 Starcraft Chieftain Restoration

Why 4.3 and not a 5.0 or 5.7? Those engines are much easier to find here.

 

[Alpheus]

Re: 1969 Starcraft Chieftain Restoration

Weight.

I could use a V-8 if I used aluminum intake,exhaust manifolds and risers but that is allot of cash just for weight saving. Plus I run in salt water.

A 4.3 is just fine for weight and fuel usage...