1977 Starcraft 18 ft Holiday aluminum

[lmbrocha]

Hello all,
I am new to boating and this site. I am hoping I can get some suggestions. I have purchased a 18ft 1977 Holiday star-craft. Aluminum. Seems like a good project. The guy I bought it from supposedly has rebuilt the motor. It is out of the boat and every thing needs to be reassembled. It is a true project. But being a somewhat handy person, I am hoping I can make this a great father and son project that our family can enjoy.

I really don't know where to start. Should I look for various rivet issues? the floor board is in poor shape so I figured I should just remove it. Strip it down and go from there. Are these boats known for various trouble spots?

What is meant by Iron duke and 120 OMC? What does the 120 OMC stand for? Iron Duke? are these features worth dealing with or should I scrape the engine even though it is rebuilt and patch the out drive hole and get a out board?
Are there advantages of in board verses outboard?
So many questions....
Is there anyone who can give me an idea where to start? Besides the library?

 

[Lyle29464]

Re: 1977 Starcraft 18 ft Holiday aluminum

Think I would look for a "donor boat". A well running stern drive boat with a rotted hull. You can find them very cheap and test the motor, drive etc before you buy it. Then you will have all the spare parts " your old stuff". If you remove the donor drive train you will know how to put it back in your hull. Sounds like a great project. Lots of rebuild pictures on the Starcraft section. After you finish the new transom and floors bring in some one with some experience help you install the transom mount, line up engine, adjust cables and service the drive. The guys on the starcraft site will hunt you down if you use an outboard.

 

[grzzzz]

Re: 1977 Starcraft 18 ft Holiday aluminum

Congrats, Inbrocha
Great find. You will get lots of advice from the Starmda group. I didn't say what kind, but a lot of it!! LOL!! I just finished a 66. My 2 cents.... Get that doner boat with a Mercurzer out drive and get ride of the OMC. They have been out of business for years and hard to get parts and serviced. Merc's are all over. The 120 is a great motor and I would stick with it. You will regret making your boat another 4 foot longer with all the headaches of storing and hauling a 24' boat and still with only the benefits of a 18'. But, I like motors I can work on myself.

As you begin ripping out wood and replacing it, heed the warnings you will get about using pressure treated wood. You first thought is to use it cuz it's on a boat...right but some of the wood will have a chemical reaction to the AL of you boat. There are some new types/methods out there that does make AL safe use but you won't get any of the bloggers here to agree with me. They use a different chemical treatment and is safe. I bought some PTed when I got started and had to pull it all out. Wasted some money.

Keep in touch and ask away!!

my 66

Grzzzz

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: 1977 Starcraft 18 ft Holiday aluminum

I'd start here

here

and here <<-- general boat rehab info, more geared towards fiberglass boats, but still has helpful info, like how to build an OB engine stand, if you go for the conversion. Look for Magnumdeke's current rebuild, he's doing a great job converting his I/O to a set-back pod mounted OB.

Good stuff in all those threads

Post some pix of your newly acquired boat. We love pix!

Except that they were called Iron Duke, and that sometimes they were misidentified as that model motor, I don't know much about your 4cyl & outdrive but if it's an OMC, it may be an obsolete motor & outdrive, that unless in perfect working condition, you might be better served going the suggested donor boat route. Even if they work perfectly, you may luck out & sell the parts & pieces off to fund your rebuild, and get the donor anyway. If it's obsolete now, it will only get harder to find parts later when you need them. If you're tearing into the project now, it'd be a better time to convert anyway, so you won't be tearing into your formerly rebuilt boat to replace the outdrive & motor at that point.

Welcome to the iboats dry dock.

 

[Lyle29464]

Re: 1977 Starcraft 18 ft Holiday aluminum

Everyone is correct about getting rid of the OMC. I read too fast.