Fair price for a "rough" Starcraft Cheiftain

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ErikF

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Jun 29, 2008
Messages
204
Hello,

A person we do business with has an old Starcraft Cheiftain sitting in the weeds in his yard, the good news is the hull appears to be in excellent condition.

The bad news is it has been sitting for at least ten years, maybe closer to 15 and the elements have made a mess of the rest of the boat, I haven't climbed aboard yet but I'm assuming the floors are rotten and will need to be replaced. The transom may also need to be replaced though it has been redone once in the past. It has a Mercruiser I/O with the "O" piece being missing (he says he has it in the barn and just needs to find it). I didn't grab the model of the engine but he told me it was closed loop cooling so that should be a plus! He also told me he had a NOS trim kit for the boat.

It is sitting on a tandem axle trailer bunk trailer and I believe he has the title and registration for both the boat and trailer.

I know I'm missing many important details but was hoping you guys would be able to give me a ballpark best case, worst case price. Sorry for the lack of details, I was tight on time when I was looking it over and didn't have my camera with me. I'll be going back in the next day or two and will take pictures and try to get any needed details.

Thanks,

Erik
 
CATransplant

CATransplant

Admiral
Joined
Feb 26, 2005
Messages
6,319
Re: Fair price for a "rough" Starcraft Cheiftain

Scrap metal price would be appropriate for a pig in a poke like that. If it were on my lot, I'll give it to you for hauling it off. There's always a reason a boat is abandoned like that.
 
J

Jakebob

Seaman
Joined
Sep 25, 2009
Messages
74
Re: Fair price for a "rough" Starcraft Cheiftain

CATransplant said:
Scrap metal price would be appropriate for a pig in a poke like that. If it were on my lot, I'll give it to you for hauling it off. There's always a reason a boat is abandoned like that.
Click to expand...

"closed loop cooling" 470? I'd bet that's the reason if it is.
 
E

ErikF

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Jun 29, 2008
Messages
204
Re: Fair price for a "rough" Starcraft Cheiftain

CATransplant said:
Scrap metal price would be appropriate for a pig in a poke like that. If it were on my lot, I'll give it to you for hauling it off. There's always a reason a boat is abandoned like that.
Click to expand...

If it was a fiberglass boat I'd agree with you 100%. But even in rough condition I would think a good straight aluminum hull would be worth a few bucks?
 
E

ErikF

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Jun 29, 2008
Messages
204
Re: Fair price for a "rough" Starcraft Cheiftain

Jakebob said:
"closed loop cooling" 470? I'd bet that's the reason if it is.
Click to expand...

Can you explain? I'm a complete newbie to the I/O world as I run outboards on all my boats right now. I don't think it's a 470 though, he was telling me what it was (I forgot) and 470 doesn't sound familiar.

Thanks
 
ezmobee

ezmobee

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Mar 26, 2007
Messages
23,767
Re: Fair price for a "rough" Starcraft Cheiftain

What length boat are we talking about here?
 
oops!

oops!

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Oct 18, 2007
Messages
12,932
Re: Fair price for a "rough" Starcraft Cheiftain

470 is NOT cubic inches....
the 470 was a motor that had many problems...mercrusier discontinued it and does not even want to tell any one they made it.

as bondo puts it....."it is the red haired bastard child of mercrusier"

we need more info....but if its free....the trailer is worth the haul away fee....we can go from there.
 
S

Steve Mahler

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Oct 10, 2006
Messages
361
Re: Fair price for a "rough" Starcraft Cheiftain

I would not expect a 470 aka 3.7 or 165/85/90hp 4 cyl in a chieftain, but they were all closed loop cooling. perhaps it has the excellent 165hp straight 6?

anyhow, because it is an IO it will require a good bit of work, so I wouldnt give more tha a couple hundred. It will ad up quick....
 
bomar76

bomar76

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
Jun 27, 2002
Messages
1,963
Re: Fair price for a "rough" Starcraft Cheiftain

Start at $400 to haul it off and maybe let him bargain you down to free.
 
E

ErikF

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Jun 29, 2008
Messages
204
Re: Fair price for a "rough" Starcraft Cheiftain

oops! said:
470 is NOT cubic inches....
the 470 was a motor that had many problems...mercrusier discontinued it and does not even want to tell any one they made it.

as bondo puts it....."it is the red haired bastard child of mercrusier"

we need more info....but if its free....the trailer is worth the haul away fee....we can go from there.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the details!
 
E

ErikF

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Jun 29, 2008
Messages
204
Re: Fair price for a "rough" Starcraft Cheiftain

Steve Mahler said:
I would not expect a 470 aka 3.7 or 165/85/90hp 4 cyl in a chieftain, but they were all closed loop cooling. perhaps it has the excellent 165hp straight 6?

anyhow, because it is an IO it will require a good bit of work, so I wouldnt give more tha a couple hundred. It will ad up quick....
Click to expand...

The 165 straight 6 sounds like a more likely bet. I know he said it was around 165hp and am pretty sure he said it was a 6cyl.
 
J

Jakebob

Seaman
Joined
Sep 25, 2009
Messages
74
Re: Fair price for a "rough" Starcraft Cheiftain

ErikF said:
The 165 straight 6 sounds like a more likely bet. I know he said it was around 165hp and am pretty sure he said it was a 6cyl.
Click to expand...

That would be much better. Pics would help a ton. Not only to give you a better idea, but just because we love pics too.
 
ezmobee

ezmobee

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Mar 26, 2007
Messages
23,767
Re: Fair price for a "rough" Starcraft Cheiftain

I don't know, I might go to $750 for a 22' Cheiftain. I hate I/O's though.
 
E

ErikF

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Jun 29, 2008
Messages
204
Re: Fair price for a "rough" Starcraft Cheiftain

Thanks everyone for the replies. Looks like between free and ~$750 is the consensus with $400 or under being the more common reply. I'm waiting for him to come back with an offer right now but at $400 I'd probably take it if he is firm on price, higher than that and I'd probably try to talk him down.

Hopefully I'll be able to take some pictures today and get them posted tonight.

Thanks,

Erik
 
bomar76

bomar76

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
Jun 27, 2002
Messages
1,963
Re: Fair price for a "rough" Starcraft Cheiftain

Make sure he gives you the $400 in cash before you haul it off, you are gonna have more than that in tires, bearings, and lights for that trailer.
 
E

ErikF

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Jun 29, 2008
Messages
204
Re: Fair price for a "rough" Starcraft Cheiftain

Here's a picture. Sadly this boat does have a Mercruiser 470. I'll be doing some reading and try to get myself up to speed on what exactly this means.

DSC_0015.JPG


Erik
 
CATransplant

CATransplant

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Feb 26, 2005
Messages
6,319
Re: Fair price for a "rough" Starcraft Cheiftain

"A Tree Grows Through It"

That boat's been there for some time, it seems. Expect to put a new engine in it. An alternative might be to create a new transom and turn it into an outboard boat. I'd be willing to bet pretty much any amount that the engine and I/O drive are hopeless.
 
CheapboatKev

CheapboatKev

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Oct 4, 2008
Messages
5,813
Re: Fair price for a "rough" Starcraft Cheiftain

to the right Starcraft guy (ME!!!) that HULL...Hull alone mind you would be worth up to the 750.00 mentioned.

The 470 has to go, don't even think of tinkering with it..
I'd look for a 140hp or better yet a I6 (165hp straight 6) used or rebuilt.
You are probably looking at a few hundred bucks in trailer repairs too.

I'd get her for as LITTLE as possible, offer 300 bucks and see what happens.
There will be a LOT of hard work involved, deck, transom, wiring..

Good luck, let us know what you do..
 
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