1986 Starcraft MR180 Rebuild

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mharrisnh

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Oct 3, 2010
Messages
6
I am starting a rebuild on a 1986 MR180 I picked up. Motor runs great. Needs new floor. I was thinking of going with new colors and all. Is it a crime to not restore Starcraft to factory? Here are pics as I understand you this forum loves pics.
 

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M

mharrisnh

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6
Re: 1986 Starcraft MR180 Rebuild

More pics
 

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jasoutside

jasoutside

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13,269
Re: 1986 Starcraft MR180 Rebuild

Hey welcome aboard! Man, you sure did it right by posting up photos straight away like that - no angry mob coming after you buddy! You must have done some reading before you jumped in huh?!

Looks like you have a sweet project there (save the poured foam). Off the top of my head I can't think of anybody that has gone back to original paint actually. Huh, interesting.

Have fun, glad you are here!:D
 
TheWrks

TheWrks

Petty Officer 1st Class
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Aug 15, 2010
Messages
280
Re: 1986 Starcraft MR180 Rebuild

Welcome :) good luck with your Resto...

Scott
 
fshngho

fshngho

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Apr 1, 2009
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Re: 1986 Starcraft MR180 Rebuild

Welcome MHarris. Very nice CC you have there. Like Jas said, except for the poured foam :)mad:) you will have fun restoring that boat. Don't worry about keeping it all original, very few guys do. They have to be brought up to modern convienences and color is your choice. Great job on the pics, now we know you know how so keep them coming!
 
ezmobee

ezmobee

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Mar 26, 2007
Messages
23,767
Re: 1986 Starcraft MR180 Rebuild

Who wants a beige boat anyway!
 
Huron Angler

Huron Angler

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Apr 7, 2009
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Re: 1986 Starcraft MR180 Rebuild

Welcome to the Starcrft tin can club:)

That is one intense bow rail. Seems like you are halfway thru the demo phase, nice work.

Go with new pink/blue foam board rather than the spray stuff. That stuff is difficult to remove as some here have discovered.

What kind of outboard are you working with for the rig?
 
MichaelP

MichaelP

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Apr 26, 2010
Messages
1,190
Re: 1986 Starcraft MR180 Rebuild

Welcome to the starmada.
This is the time for you to make it truly yours. Have fun with it and do what you want. I wouldn't get hung up on getting everything to original. Just do it well. Restoring a musieum piece is another matter.

I got my foam from a local company that makes shipping crates for our products. They have 4' x 8' x 4" sheets of white LDPE foam. Like milk jugs! I scored a bunch of scrap pieces, enough to do my next project, for free!. I'll cut them up and glue together with PL premium per their suggestions. Zero absorption.


Mike
 
M

mharrisnh

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Oct 3, 2010
Messages
6
Re: 1986 Starcraft MR180 Rebuild

Is everyone saying I should replace the spray in foam? Why? Seems fine to me. The engine is a 1988 70HP Johnson with tilt. Runs great. Good even compression. Got a new waterpump and will clean it up on the outside.
 
MichaelP

MichaelP

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Messages
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Re: 1986 Starcraft MR180 Rebuild

Maybe we automaticly thought it was soaked because that all we find in old tinnies:mad:. If its in good condition I'd leave it. But if there is any doubt about the condition I'd replace it now to save you from tearing the boat apart in a few years.
 
jasoutside

jasoutside

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Dec 20, 2009
Messages
13,269
Re: 1986 Starcraft MR180 Rebuild

MichaelP said:
Maybe we automaticly thought it was soaked because that all we find in old tinnies:mad:. If its in good condition I'd leave it. But if there is any doubt about the condition I'd replace it now to save you from tearing the boat apart in a few years.
Click to expand...

X2 there.

The other thing is by leaving the foam you don't have access to the inside seams/rivets to seal up with Gluvit to prevent leaking. You could always do that on the outside of the hull though. Most guys go from the inside.

Have fun!
 
fshngho

fshngho

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Re: 1986 Starcraft MR180 Rebuild

Mharris, removing the foam is of course your decision. I think (I did) that we were under the impression you were going for a restoration. One of the main steps is to apply Gluvit to all the rivets and seams after tightening up all the rivets. To do that you would have to remove the foam.:( If the boat does not leak and the foam is in good shape then I can understand why you would not remove the foam. If you are going to re do all the floor, sides, etc and would have to remove the consoles and such, you would not want to do this twice. Food for thought.;) Good Luck
 
M

mharrisnh

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Oct 3, 2010
Messages
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Re: 1986 Starcraft MR180 Rebuild

I am learning here. I dont know if it leaks. I guess I need to know two things. How do you tighten the rivets and what is Gluvit? I guess I could look up Gluvit. I do need to replace some rivets on the side because I am pulling some parts. Where do you get the original rivets and tool to compress them. Blind rivets I am ok with but the others that come on the boat I have not used.
 
D

djpeters

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Joined
Jun 9, 2010
Messages
1,824
Re: 1986 Starcraft MR180 Rebuild

Huron Angler said:
Welcome to the Starcrft tin can club:)

That is one intense bow rail. Seems like you are halfway thru the demo phase, nice work.

Go with new pink/blue foam board rather than the spray stuff. That stuff is difficult to remove as some here have discovered.

What kind of outboard are you working with for the rig?
Click to expand...

You talking about me? LOL

Welcome and you have many of the same questions I had just a few weeks ago. I am just about to go to town on replacing some rivets and then using Gluvit. Gluvit is an epoxy sealer for leaky aluminum boats. There is really nothing else, and it's been around forever.

You can get rivets here: If you call they are helpful as well.
http://www.rivetsonline.com/solid-aluminum-rivets.html

I got this gun from here: (if you need one)
http://www.aircraft-tool.com/shop/detail.aspx?PRODUCT_ID=2602A

There are some videos on Youtube on how to do solid rivets. I maybe doing some this weekend.

Welcome again.
 
jasoutside

jasoutside

Supreme Mariner
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Dec 20, 2009
Messages
13,269
Re: 1986 Starcraft MR180 Rebuild

Well, you really want to know if that rig leaks. Probably your big concerns would be loose/missing rivets. Since you are considering leaving the foam it might be best to drop it into your nearby lake and see if anything is coming in. You won't be able to get the exact location of anything but a rough idea will provide for due diligence in sealing up form the outside.

If you have gushers all over the place you'd probably want to pull the foam and make sure it's done right.

I bet leaking will be minimal for ya!

Have fun!
 
fshngho

fshngho

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Messages
1,332
Re: 1986 Starcraft MR180 Rebuild

MHarris, if a rivet is just loose you can re buck it. That involves a ball pean hammer striking the rivet on the interior side of the boat. Another friend will hold a heavy steel object (hammer/small anvil/solid steel pipe) FIRMLY against the rivot on the outside. You are smashing (sandwiching) the rivet, making it tighter. Gluvit is a product sold here at IBoats (and other places) that you would "paint" on the rivets and seams. It flows into and around the rivets, sealing them. It is not UV resistant so you have to paint it or cover it with a floor. Depending on temperature, it may take a while for it to set up.
Good Luck.
BTW, if you don't know if/where the boat leaks, fill it with water (not full, lol ) wait a little bit, and check the outside for water trails.
 
M

mharrisnh

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Oct 3, 2010
Messages
6
Re: 1986 Starcraft MR180 Rebuild

Well I filled it with water and there was only one small leak. Up near the bow where I can see they worked on trying to stop it. Just drips but I will seal that area for sure. Still dont have the floor all the way out or the console off. Busy with my other boat and winterization/cleaning before the shrink goes on.

I love this forum. You guys are great.

Capt. Mattahowie
 
M

mharrisnh

Cadet
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Oct 3, 2010
Messages
6
Re: 1986 Starcraft MR180 Rebuild

Gett'n R Torn Down now.....
 

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Bwana Don

Bwana Don

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Messages
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Re: 1986 Starcraft MR180 Rebuild

ezmobee said:
Who wants a beige boat anyway!
Click to expand...

My Offshore is beige. The po owner painted it beige to cover up the original avocado.:eek:

I can't wait to repaint, white and blue, or white and black.
 
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