Aluminum Restore "look-out-for"

[MrMartyr]

Ok Folks,

I have spyed this really neat looking little aluminum boat that MAY be a good candidate for restoration.

I think it is a late '50s lonestar, 14-16 ft long.

Just a hull really, all plywood, dashes and transom are rotted, no motor or steering hardware. hull seems to be intact though and simple enough to work with.

New to the whole restore thing can anybody lead me to a/some articles that will help me learn when run away?

Thanks

 

[North Beach]

Re: Aluminum Restore "look-out-for"

Bud, I don't know about articles but you could go to the Starcraft forums and click on the sticky link titled Restorations and read just about every aluminum boat scenario known to man

 

[vergil]

Re: Aluminum Restore "look-out-for"

wow, i am surprised to hear that some even found an alum. boat to restore, with the price of metals being ski high through the summer, and clean alum. being 2 nd to copper i havent seen so much as a little jon boat for sale unless its just about new, i sold some scrap steel earlier this year and ended bringing home a really nice running gear (a hay wagon without the deck) and my neighbor took some some metal that blew off his ol barn during a stom earlier in the fall, and he save a very nice massey fergason, 2 bottom plow (just need the shear pins in it) people are scraping everything here, so if you get it for the right price i would say you couldnt go wrong, just dont let the owner of the boat see this post or he may just scrap it

 

[halas]

Re: Aluminum Restore "look-out-for"

Check for dents and previous repairs on the hull. It is easy to overlook a major dent or a weld repair along the seam (happened to me).
Those type of blemishes will become visible when the boat is all painted.
If the rivets are tight and the boat has the original paint it will make a great project base. I see good deals often on the 16-18' older alum. boats cheap.

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Aluminum Restore "look-out-for"

wow, i am surprised to hear that some even found an alum. boat to restore, with the price of metals being ski high through the summer, and clean alum. being 2 nd to copper i havent seen so much as a little jon boat for sale unless its just about new, i sold some scrap steel earlier this year and ended bringing home a really nice running gear (a hay wagon without the deck) and my neighbor took some some metal that blew off his ol barn during a stom earlier in the fall, and he save a very nice massey fergason, 2 bottom plow (just need the shear pins in it) people are scraping everything here, so if you get it for the right price i would say you couldnt go wrong, just dont let the owner of the boat see this post or he may just scrap it

Scrap aluminum boats are classified as aluminum siding sheet metal and do NOT fetch a good price. Right now it is about .30/lb

 

[vergil]

Re: Aluminum Restore "look-out-for"

is alum. siding cosidered #2 alum, or as dirty alum(alum. with other metal attached like bolts etc..) do you know the current rate on #1. would the skeleton to an old bimi top be #1, the 1" alum square tubing

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Aluminum Restore "look-out-for"

not off hand but can find out this week

 

[MrMartyr]

Re: Aluminum Restore 2 "look-out-for" ??

Re: Aluminum Restore 2 "look-out-for" ??

Thanks for the comments, will definately start cruising the Starcraft strings.

Like i said the transome plywood is mosly gone but the rest of the hull looks pretty straight. Paint looks original but cant be sure, no badges or decals.

Only ply left in the boat are the dashes (dual cockpit <waaayy cool!>) and what is left of the transome core so I was able to get a decent look at the hull interior. Bulkheads seem ok too.

Didin't get too intimate in the inspection... have'nt talked to the owner yet but encouraged now to pursue.

Thanks for the comments, any more will be welcome and appreciated.