196X Starcraft Holiday-1975 OMC Johnson V4 115 Restoration

[MinnStarcraft]

Hello all,

I have had this boat for about 8 years now. It was the family boat when I was a kid and one of my brothers inherited it and used it as a fishing platform until he upgraded to a Lund Alaskan. The boat has been in storage since I got it and I have been lurking on these boards gathering info and ideas for the restoration. There are alot of cool boats that everyone has done and I hope to add another one to the mix.

Here is what she looks like:




The plan is to restore as much as I can myself and farm out the other work as needed. I don?t have much space to do this restore so I have to adapt. It is what it is I guess. Anyway, I am excited to finally get my Starcraft on and get this done! :happy:

 

[MinnStarcraft]

Re: 196X Starcraft Holiday-1975 OMC Johnson V4 115 Restoration

So, the fun begins!

Here is what the boat had for interior. It had the Avacodo green vinyl that we all know and love. I replaced that in 1987 when I did the floors. Seats got new vinyl back then and this was the closest option at the time for color match to the boat.
Beauty, huh?

 

[MinnStarcraft]

Re: 196X Starcraft Holiday-1975 OMC Johnson V4 115 Restoration

Pulled the floor. Foam was a little beat up but not bad. Vacumned up nicely. Continueing the dissassembly...

 

[jigngrub]

Re: 196X Starcraft Holiday-1975 OMC Johnson V4 115 Restoration

That'll be a sweet boat when you get done with it.

I notice that your transom has seen better days and has wood cancer now around the motor mounting bolts (common). You'll probably want to fix that while you have her skinned back.


I'd go ahead and replace that foam too, it's just going to continue to break up and break down into those little beads.

 

[MinnStarcraft]

Re: 196X Starcraft Holiday-1975 OMC Johnson V4 115 Restoration

Pulled the deck hardware, side rub rails, and windshield. There are a few screw holes that need filling of course. The biggest problem is what to do for the big, honkin' holes that were used for the rod holders, the downriggers, the spotlight, and the VHF antenna that my bro installed. I will probably keep the rod holder holes but will need to solution a patch for the others. See what I mean?

 

[MinnStarcraft]

Re: 196X Starcraft Holiday-1975 OMC Johnson V4 115 Restoration

That'll be a sweet boat when you get done with it.

I notice that your transom has seen better days and has wood cancer now around the motor mounting bolts (common). You'll probably want to fix that while you have her skinned back.


I'd go ahead and replace that foam too, it's just going to continue to break up and break down into those little beads.

Copy that for sure.

 

[MinnStarcraft]

Re: 196X Starcraft Holiday-1975 OMC Johnson V4 115 Restoration

Started on the transom. Pulled the end caps, transom cap, cut out the gunnel to get the transom board out and got a good look where the rot was on the top. The both upper corners were pretty rotten.

 

[MinnStarcraft]

Re: 196X Starcraft Holiday-1975 OMC Johnson V4 115 Restoration

Got all the splashwell scews out. They all turned out easy peasy. That told me the transom was rotten down below for sure.
The upper transom side bolts; man those were a pain. The uppermost ones I could not get to the nut between the splashwell and the side so out came the splashwell. That was easy as it was only a couple of rivets on eash side. I am glad I did that as the splashwell has a crack on the side in the third photo. Transon came out easy with a good template.

 

[MinnStarcraft]

Re: 196X Starcraft Holiday-1975 OMC Johnson V4 115 Restoration

Moved on to the dash. Removed all the hidden screws and nuts and she wouldn't budge. Had to cut it up the middle to get it out. There are some beat marks on one corner from a BFH that the Starcraft boys most likely used to 'nudge" it into place when they installed it. Probably gonna have to trim and shoehorn the replacement in.

I still need to remove the outside rub rails, the inserts, and the bow cap. I vacuumed out a ton of nuts and bolts from the bildge so it is relativley clean of debris.

So, this is where I am at with the dissassembly.

 

[MinnStarcraft]

Re: 196X Starcraft Holiday-1975 OMC Johnson V4 115 Restoration

Oh, and here are the obligatory boat babe pics. She helped me out by handling the hornets nest search and destroy missions.

Her tools of choice: screwdriver and a shop vac! We counted 5 nests under the gunnels and 3 up under the bow skin. 4 of them were live with hornets. Shop vac works great. Hornets go in and they never come out!! :lol:



I forgot to mention. There is NO HIN on this boat. I can't believe the former owner back in the late 60's decided to get rid of it. It was a new boat for them. My family was the second owner in 1967 or '68 and the boat had a Johnson 100 Golden Meteor on it when my family took it. So how could the HIN be missing? The last registration has this boat listed as a 1960 Starcraft Holiday. Is this correct? I didn't think they made holidays that far back.

 

[jigngrub]

Re: 196X Starcraft Holiday-1975 OMC Johnson V4 115 Restoration

What's your plan for the decking and transom wood?

 

[MinnStarcraft]

Re: 196X Starcraft Holiday-1975 OMC Johnson V4 115 Restoration

What's your plan for the decking and transom wood?

jigngrub,
I am planning on 5\8 inch for the deck. I am going with the marine grade ply\epoxy coating route. I don't know if I am going to use rivets or rivnut and screw. I scored an aluminum (I think) a 31 gal. under floor gas tank from another starcraft so I need to figure out where that will go and plan accordingly. I will get that into the boat and post a pic of it for input.

For the transom, same ply\epoxy route. Wondering if three 1\2 inch sheets is a stronger combination than using two 3\4 inch sheets for the transom.

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: 196X Starcraft Holiday-1975 OMC Johnson V4 115 Restoration

It's hard to tell, but I don't think this is a V5 hull:

The Holiday had the V5 hull by 1965:

In 1964 SC started using an angular windshield on the Holiday:

Until 1963 the Holiday had a bubble wrap around style windshield:

So if yours has a V5 concave vee hull, it's post 1965, if it doesn't, then it's likely a 1964 since it has the angular windshield, not the bubble style.

Since your family bought it used in 1967/8, it might be a 1965-7 if it is the V5 hull.

All subject to +/- a year, even when the year is listed on the brochure page, like the 1st 2 brochure pix I posted'

Ads are all from here:
Starcraft brochures

HIN's were not required until 1973 +/-, but if you look very closely on the starboard side of the transom you may find a #:

Anywhere @12"+/- from that starboard tow eye ^^^

Good luck on your project

EDIT: Duh, it looks to me like it IS a V5 concave vee hull. So perhaps any 1965-7 is likely...

 

[MinnStarcraft]

Re: 196X Starcraft Holiday-1975 OMC Johnson V4 115 Restoration

It's hard to tell, but I don't think this is a V5 hull:

The Holiday had the V5 hull by 1965:

In 1964 SC started using an angular windshield on the Holiday:

Until 1963 the Holiday had a bubble wrap around style windshield:

So if yours has a V5 concave vee hull, it's post 1965, if it doesn't, then it's likely a 1964 since it has the angular windshield, not the bubble style.

Since your family bought it used in 1967/8, it might be a 1965-7 if it is the V5 hull.

All subject to +/- a year, even when the year is listed on the brochure page, like the 1st 2 brochure pix I posted'

Ads are all from here:
Starcraft brochures

HIN's were not required until 1973 +/-, but if you look very closely on the starboard side of the transom you may find a #:

Anywhere @12"+/- from that starboard tow eye ^^^

Good luck on your project

EDIT: Duh, it looks to me like it IS a V5 concave vee hull. So perhaps any 1965-7 is likely...

Thanks jbcurt. One thing, when I said that the boat originally had a Johnson 100 Golden Meteor originally on it that motor was the dark green model so I think you are right. Those motors came out in (I think) 1967? Highly unlikely that the year of the boat would be earlier than the motor (unless the original owner blew it up and replaced it).

I will look for that # again. Is it on the outside or inside transom skin?

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: 196X Starcraft Holiday-1975 OMC Johnson V4 115 Restoration

Should be outside

Some SC's have a small foil sticker HIN on the transom wood that's exposed above the splashwell, also on the starboard side, but INSIDE the boat.

But based on this pix:

If it was a foil sticker, it's long gone..

 

[MinnStarcraft]

Re: 196X Starcraft Holiday-1975 OMC Johnson V4 115 Restoration

OK, I checked the starboard side again and no serial#. I will try and backtrack through the boat registration history to nail down the year.

Ok, on to other things. Trying to get the Bow cap off. I drilled the 2 rivets underneath the cap but it won't budge. Tried to persuade it with a soft hammer but still no go. What gives??

 

[djpeters]

Re: 196X Starcraft Holiday-1975 OMC Johnson V4 115 Restoration

They kind of snap on. Usually it takes some gently prying on it to get it to snap off. Go easy though so you don't crack it.

The V-5 hull came out in '78. Your was just referred to as "V" I think as its deeper than the previous hull it replaced.

Not many, if any, have restored their boat twice! She'll be nice again!

 

[MinnStarcraft]

Re: 196X Starcraft Holiday-1975 OMC Johnson V4 115 Restoration

They kind of snap on. Usually it takes some gently prying on it to get it to snap off. Go easy though so you don't crack it.

The V-5 hull came out in '78. Your was just referred to as "V" I think as its deeper than the previous hull it replaced.

Not many, if any, have restored their boat twice! She'll be nice again!

Thanks, Dave. I will try it again. I take it I GENTLY pry the cap from the top?

All I did years ago was replace the floor, spar varnish it, and cover it with that green astroturf stuff. There were no funds at that time to do it right. Funny thing. After completing that work, I never rode in this boat since.

 

[MinnStarcraft]

Re: 196X Starcraft Holiday-1975 OMC Johnson V4 115 Restoration

They kind of snap on. Usually it takes some gently prying on it to get it to snap off. Go easy though so you don't crack it.

The V-5 hull came out in '78. Your was just referred to as "V" I think as its deeper than the previous hull it replaced.

Not many, if any, have restored their boat twice! She'll be nice again!

Well, this didn't go so well. It isn't cracked all the way through but I am glad I stopped when I did. Can this be fixed? What is holding that cap on?

 

[Watermann]

Re: 196X Starcraft Holiday-1975 OMC Johnson V4 115 Restoration

The zen art of starcraft rebuilding, my how our threads have similarities. Check out my Chief thread on how to get the bow cap off, I got some great advice from the guys. 2 steel putty knife/scrappers with a wrecking bar in between them got my cap off.

My Chief is also pre-1972 and has no HIN either.

Oh and don't forget to show the bee killing admiral of yours some of my adventures in yellow jacket land.