66 Starcraft Sunchief Re-Build

[North Beach]

Re: 66 Starcraft Sunchief Re-Build

CNR, most of my stuff was chromed pot metal So I took a few peices in to have them re-done. I couldn't stand to part with the huge bow light and I peiced together one of those awesome Jetson stern lights so I'm gonna have to bite the bullet on a small chroming job. I'm also gonna keep the cleats so I don't hve to punch new holes in the top. As far as the horn, I can get a new one cheaper than re-chroming.

Now if someone could tell me how to get that humongus spotlight apart, I'd be set

 

[reelfishin]

Re: 66 Starcraft Sunchief Re-Build

Got any closer pics of the spot light, I see it in a few of your early pics but I don't see a close up. I have several here, none look to be like yours. One comes apart by removing the front first, via a small set screw, the other sort of opens up like an eggshell after removing the base screws. Another is more or less just a remounted patrol car light with a handle. My 63 does have a pretty cool air horn that's operated via a bag and a hose much like an the windshield washers on an old car. Step on the bellows, and the horn trumpets. The bellows were shot but the horn still works. Its more like a huge, low pitched police whistle in the way it works, no moving parts, just tuned slots in the side. It didn't work at first but a shot of shop air dislodged the resident critters and it let out the loudest howl I've ever heard. It sounded like someone kicked a cow. The worst part was that the sound traveled well on a foggy night, it was about 2 AM when I gave it a shot of air that day. Not realizing how loud it would be, especially in a shop with a steel roof.

My bow lights were passable but I found several in mint and near mint shape over the past few years at both flea markets, online, and on junk boats. They're getting scarce and the vintage wood boat guys grab them up pretty fast.

 

[North Beach]

Re: 66 Starcraft Sunchief Re-Build

RF, I'm sure the neighbors liked that

I'll try and get some pics of the light later today. It works off of a cable like gizmo with a small dash mounted round handle that travels up thru the base of the light. The light housing rotates left and right on the base and is connected by two screws on either side. To get the up and down motion you pull or push on the handle and it connects to the back of the inner housing. I can't get to the back of the inner housing

 

[reelfishin]

Re: 66 Starcraft Sunchief Re-Build

RF, I'm sure the neighbors liked that

I'll try and get some pics of the light later today. It works off of a cable like gizmo with a small dash mounted round handle that travels up thru the base of the light. The light housing rotates left and right on the base and is connected by two screws on either side. To get the up and down motion you pull or push on the handle and it connects to the back of the inner housing. I can't get to the back of the inner housing

From what I've seen, most spotlights are area specific, different parts of the country saw different styles and brands. Many were just patrol car spot lights adapted to fit a boat. Some common lights back then were made by Arnolt, like the Ivalite, several from Perko, and many other marine aftermarket companies.
The one that was on my one boat read "One Mile Ray" Light lamp Co, NY, NY.
Most open up from the front, the lense usually comes off along with the reflector and you then gain access to the rest that way. The better ones were chrome plated brass. Being from the 60's it could be as old as from the 50's if a dealer sold and installed an older stock item, or current to that period or later. I've probably seen a few dozen different lights used on these boats back then.

 

[North Beach]

Re: 66 Starcraft Sunchief Re-Build

OK, a little more progress!
After last weeks realization that the sterndrive was gonna need some work I've been trying to get some time to begin dealing with it.

I set up a small Hillbilly Paint Booth in the heated garage and went at the sterndrive last night. Glad I had that Baker scaffold out in the shop. I hung the sterndrive in it and went to sanding with the 220 grit.

I used the air dremel and a ton of small brushes and polishing pads to remove as much of the stuff that looked like calcium build up on the internal parts that I could reach. Overall, it cleaned up pretty well.

Here?s shot of it all taped up and ready.

This morning I did some final sanding, wiped it down with a damp rag and after it dried, shot a good coat of zinc chromate on it and I?ll let it dry till later tonight and get a coat of the Mercruiser Phantom Black on it last thing.

I ran into some problems with the allen wrench bolt that holds the trim tab on being froze up but we?re gonna separate the upper and lower unit next week when the parts for the sterndrive re-build come in and we?ll deal with that then. Thanks to the folks who answered my late night questions in the Fri night paint ???s thread!!!

I know someone is gonna ask why I?m painting before the re-build so here?s the answer. I?m getting help with the outdrive re-build and firing the motor up for the first time in four years. I don?t want my boat setting out at this guy?s shop in the weather and his bay isn?t long enough for my boat and trailer. With this in mind, while the outdrive is off, I?m doing the grunt work and I?ll touch it up if need be once we?re done.

 

[North Beach]

Re: 66 Starcraft Sunchief Re-Build

Went back out this morning to check on last night?s paint job. WOW! Lots of holidays in the first coat. I guess that?s what I get for tryin to paint in low light. That, or I suck with the paint can

Sooo? this morning I hit it lightly with some 500 grit and I?m breakin out all the portable lights I have. I have two big windows in the shop but as luck would have it, clouds and rain have moved in so I?m not getting much natural light in there.

I was tryin to just lay down a lite first coat and I guess I went way too lite. So I?ll correct on this coat and probably end up with runs everywhere. Either way, I?m still havin fun!

 

[North Beach]

Re: 66 Starcraft Sunchief Re-Build

OK after this morning?s second coat we?re starting to look much better. I?ll let this coat dry overnight, sand it again with the 500 grit, wipe it down and shoot another coat in the morning.

While we?re playin with the paint, I hit the Mercontrol parts with some degreaser, lightly sanded, and shot them with some Rustoleum Antique White.

Here?s hoping that Mercontrol sticker holds up under the tape. That color is real close to what was there to begin with. I don?t know what they looked like 43 years ago. We?ll give these overnight to dry, sand, wipe and shoot them again.

 

[North Beach]

Re: 66 Starcraft Sunchief Re-Build

OK we got the paint ordered and it should be arriving any day now so it?s time to get it ready. This is what my world looked like all afternoon!

Thought I?d throw up a couple shots of what it looks like after final sanding. I hit the whole boat with the orbital sander with 100 grit and 220 grit. Then I hand sanded and worked all the lapstrake edges with 220 and then the entire boat again with 500.

Then I hosed it down with cold water, wiped it with a rough hand towel and hosed it again. After that I spent some time drying with the electric leaf blower and let it set for a while with the big rotating shop fan moving the air. The next step was taping some plastic over the top to keep the Zinc Chromate from settling on the inside of the boat,

I began shooting the bottom first since the bottom had the most bare aluminum and I figured I?d just cover the entire bottom with ZC. I shot the waterline and up onto the bow just to show my wife what the finish paint scheme will look like.

Tomorrow I?ll pick up some more ZC and hopefully finish it off.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: 66 Starcraft Sunchief Re-Build

Looking good. I wish I'd had the ability to suspend mine like that to paint it. As you can see my bottom isn't painted mainly because I can't get to it. I'd like to paint the bottom of mine gray. Maybe next year.

 

[jcsercsa]

Re: 66 Starcraft Sunchief Re-Build

MAn North Beach, She is really looking good , that lower unit turned out really sweet !!! bottom also !!! I hope to be there soon !!!!!!!!!!!! LOL

Keep up the Great work !!!!! JOhn

 

[North Beach]

Re: 66 Starcraft Sunchief Re-Build

Thanks guys! I just got back from DC. They called and told me my paint was in. 180 mile round trip and when I get there they inform me SOME of it is in! The rest will be there in the morning

So, I'm back in GREENVILLE tonight tryin to finish off the ZC. Maybe with luck I'll at least get a couple coats of primer on it over the weekend. Sposed to be 34 degrees tonight but Sat/Sun is sposed to be nice so we'll see.

 

[North Beach]

Re: 66 Starcraft Sunchief Re-Build

OK, got all the Zinc Chromate done tonight so I thought I'd post up a couple more pics. Since it's just the etching primer, I didn't go as heavy above the water line. There were so many bare spots, I just shot the entire boat except the stern. Tomorrow night I'll start on the primer. I've decided to paint the bottom and sides with Pettit's Easypoxy. The boat is gonna be trailered so there's no need for an ablative bottom paint. Once that's all done, we'll match the top to the below the waterline color and shoot a few coats of PPG automotive with a couple of clear coats. Should be fun

 

[reelfishin]

Re: 66 Starcraft Sunchief Re-Build

Looks great! Your at about the same point where I am with the 16' I bought last month, I did a full coat of the zinc chromate but I had a good supply of it and I'll do a quick sanding on it, touch up an bad spots and then epoxy the whole hull in white. My sole and transom are already done, so the rest will be just interior trim and painting the interior sheet metal. My 18' will be take a good deal more effort, it's paint is peeling and looks like lizard skin. I figure its a failed, older attempt to repaint an aluminum boat with the wrong paint. I'll probably soda blast the whole hull first then do a self etching zinc chromate primer job, and then some good marine epoxy.

I've got 4 of these to paint this year, I hope to get them all done but the 18' boat is the last on the list for right now since its getting some interior redesign and a some major top side changes too. Plus a new 115HP motor.

When it's done it'll be my #1 ride so I'm being the most particular about that one.

 

[North Beach]

Re: 66 Starcraft Sunchief Re-Build

HaHa! Four boats to paint. Have fun!!!! I'm tired of this one already Up early this morning to check on the heater

 

[ezmobee]

Re: 66 Starcraft Sunchief Re-Build

I think it's going to look amazing when you're done NB. I'm not much a fan of the green though

 

[North Beach]

Re: 66 Starcraft Sunchief Re-Build

I only had two choices on the Zinc Chromate-Green or Yellow

 

[sschefer]

Re: 66 Starcraft Sunchief Re-Build

I only had two choices on the Zinc Chromate-Green or Yellow

I'm kinda fond of the green.. LOL... I got on my 18' Starcraft this week and just about have the transom finished. I did it once then changed my mind about the color and did it again.

I'm curious, are you painting the sides first or the bottom. My sides are going first. I have Dark blue, then Platinum down to the waterline. Then I'll put the bottom paint on. This makes all the seams lap up instead of down. I was told that a seam is less likely to be affected by water hydraulics if the seam is going the same direction as the force rather than against it. It made sense to me so that's my plan.


Have you decided on paint yet?

 

[North Beach]

Re: 66 Starcraft Sunchief Re-Build

SS, My wife picked the colors. We were looking for something old skool so we're gonna do the waterline down and turn up the bow with a sort of sea green. Looks kinda like this

The side will be white and the top will be the same green. I had to buy green and white from Pettit and I'll just have to wing it on mixing the color. We'll se how that goes. Once I have the final mix, I'll spray a 6"x6" peice of metal and take it in and the automotive folks will match it for me.

So I fired up the heater in the shop overnight to ward off the overnight chill. Went out and shut it down around noon. Threw open the big door, hit a few rough spots with some 5oo grit (very lightly) and wiped the entire boat down with a damp cloth.

Next step was rigging all the danged air lines to get to the boatel. Once that was accomplished, I broke out my Home Depot Husky brand gravity feed HVLP spray kit. I bought it a couple of years ago and have never used it. Man that setup is simple! One dial for air and one for material.

The directions on the primer said 15 to 20 % spraying thinner so I mixed up 16 ounces of primer and 2.5 ounces of thinner and hit it with the paddle. Poured it thru the strainers that came with the gun and went at it. That initial mixture did one entire side, half the bottom, and half of the stern. Started sputtering right at mid point on the stern.

I did have a little trouble with the gravity feed right at the back on the bottom where it gets real flat, but had no problems with the deep V hull.

Mixed another batch and shot the other side. Here's a few pics.

I think it turned out good for a spray challenged boat owner. I plan on hitting it with a tack rag in the morning and shooting another coat of the primer. Then I'll sand it with the 500 grit on Sunday and try to paint the first coat on Monday. You folks tell me what you think of that approach?????

BTW, SS, the plan was to start low and work up.

 

[CheapboatKev]

Re: 66 Starcraft Sunchief Re-Build

Out FREEKIN standing NB!
You should be danm proud of whatcha have accomplished!
This setup of yours is what got me going on suspending mine for paint..But you may have gathered that

 

[sschefer]

Re: 66 Starcraft Sunchief Re-Build

BTW, SS, the plan was to start low and work up. --- Not a problem if you're shooting all the same paint and all the same color. I didn't mention that the bottom of mine is getting the VC Performance epoxy. It's about a 5 step process and is super hard when done. Having it lap over the side paint is what I want to accomplish.

To be honest, I couldn't tell you if it's going to make a difference or not. But, like I said, it seems to make sense.