starcraft chieftain? what should I look for before I buy

[GA_Boater]

Re: starcraft chieftain? what should I look for before I buy

Great news Brad. I know I was kinda nudging you, but I don't see how you can lose on this baby. Looking forward to pica and great find. You are now officially a member of the Starmada. Welcome aboard

 

[jasoutside]

Re: starcraft chieftain? what should I look for before I buy

Wwwwwwooooooooohhhhhhhhhoooooooo!!!!!!

A 25 footer joins the fleet!

Great day in the mornin!!!

Welcome to the Starcraft brohood Brad

 

[rheagler]

Re: starcraft chieftain? what should I look for before I buy

Nice score Brad! Looking forward to seeing some pics!

 

[1973Chieftain]

Re: starcraft chieftain? what should I look for before I buy

Congrats brad! Welcome aboard, great find!

 

[1973Chieftain]

Re: starcraft chieftain? what should I look for before I buy

Congrats Brad and welcome aboard! Great find, even better if is in nicer shape then you expected!

Oops, my phone reposted...

 

[humboldtbrad]

my 1973 25' starcraft chieftain

my 1973 25' starcraft chieftain

alright so I put on some pics check out my Photobucket and let me know what you think
so the out drive is missing the water pump I think everything else looks good I need t hook up the engine (gauges and linkages and electrical)
but I need the controls and cables where can I get that stuff does it need to match the engine/outdrive? and I need some kind of guide too hook everything up any thing will help
I am going to be adding more pics tomorrow when its not raining

http://s1070.photobucket.com/albums/u487/humboldtbrad/

 

[GA_Boater]

Re: my 1973 25' starcraft chieftain

Re: my 1973 25' starcraft chieftain

Brad - I just did a quick check and I think this is what you need for the water pump. http://www.sterndrive.info/id26.html Warning - I know nothing about OMC. You could post your questions up in the OMC section, Prob get more help there, including the controls, wiring and manuals links. Is the pic of the data plate for the OMC drive? I couldn't read much on it. If it is post the serial no. and anything else that can help them ID the drive.

She is a big ole gal, isn't she?

EDIT - the water pump kit is at the end of section 1 in the link.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: my 1973 25' starcraft chieftain

Re: my 1973 25' starcraft chieftain

Sounds like an awesome boat. However, from what I understand, there are like NO parts available for a King Cobra.

 

[humboldtbrad]

Re: starcraft chieftain? what should I look for before I buy

what would be a good drive to mate to the engine that is in my boat I am going to want to go with a mercruiser

 

[jasoutside]

Re: starcraft chieftain? what should I look for before I buy

Sounds like an awesome boat. However, from what I understand, there are like NO parts available for a King Cobra.

I'd also assume that driveline is worth parts or scrap only. Unless proven otherwise by a lengthy sea trial and a marine tech checking it out (not going to happen). Even then, I'd be thinking about how quickly I could remove it, sell it, and replace it with a late model Mercruiser 4.3, maybe even a 5.7.

The nice thing about it being a Cobra is that you don't have to hack up the boat to convert it to a MerCruiser. If the motor & drive are good and works for a few years, great. If it needs anything more than basic maintenance items, part it out and use that to fund a MerCruiser conversion...

Buy yourself a disposable fiberglass donor boat with a good driveline in it, sell the parts, sell the trailer, you might be into it for between $0 and maybe $1500 ish. (I'm talking about the whole driveline here, not just the leg)

Or, you could just buy the Merc outdrive and a converter kit for around $1500ish.

I like the first option

I am going to want to go with a mercruiser

^^^^^^If I were in your shoes I'd pull it out, sell it, and put a Merc in. I'd just hate to see you get into this and end up throwing good $ after bad, ya know.

 

[jetstreakdave]

Re: starcraft chieftain? what should I look for before I buy

One thing about a 24ft chieftain is it requires a large tow vehical to drag it. I would grab it if I were you.Find a 165 merc for it and you will be all set.

 

[64osby]

Re: starcraft chieftain? what should I look for before I buy

Brad, great score, way to go. That hull looks nice and it's huge. It looks bigger than the neighbors garages.

Now you have a place to camp out when SWMBO gets mad at you.

 

[humboldtbrad]

Re: starcraft chieftain? what should I look for before I buy

Brad, great score, way to go. That hull looks nice and it's huge. It looks bigger than the neighbors garages.

Now you have a place to camp out when SWMBO gets mad at you.

that's not a garage its a house and what is swmbo

 

[jasoutside]

Re: starcraft chieftain? what should I look for before I buy

and what is swmbo

I learned what SWMBO meant when I came here to iboats too

http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/SWMBO

 

[STARCRAFT16SS]

Re: starcraft chieftain? what should I look for before I buy

I learned what SWMBO meant when I came here to iboats too

http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/SWMBO

or you end up with the other definition ...SINGLE white male boat owner

 

[CheapboatKev]

Re: starcraft chieftain? what should I look for before I buy

or you end up with the other definition ...SINGLE white male boat owner

Single white MULTIPLE boat owner..lol

WIN!

 

[CheapboatKev]

Re: starcraft chieftain? what should I look for before I buy

I learned what SWMBO meant when I came here to iboats too

http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/SWMBO

I credit my old Kentucky and fellow SC nut & HVAC guy RickAirMedic for introducing that one to me..

 

[GA_Boater]

Re: starcraft chieftain? what should I look for before I buy

Ok Brad, here's my take on the OMC King Cobra. The biggest concern is parts availability. The link I posted for the water pump kit shows about all the parts you would ever need. Are they expensive? Sure but so are the co-responding Mercruiser parts. Gears and shafts are outrageous for both of them.

I say get the motor running and get the pump kit for it, change the lower unit oil and check for water in the gear case oil. Basically on the power side try to get her on the water as cheap as you can. If water testing shows the out drive is no good, then look for a donor boat that you can swap in a Mercruiser drive from. As far as the motor you can re-use with an MC drive. From what I understand the cut out opening is the same for King Cobra and Mercruiser.

I wouldn't yank the KC off and replace with an MC for any reason without trying her first. The KC may be in great shape except for the water pump. And there is only one way to find out - try her out.

This is all my opinion and it may be against other opinions. And I ought to be suspect. After all I bought a brand new Pinto at the height of the fireball problem - got a good deal and put a lot of trouble free miles on it, Then I bought a new Gremlin, another controversial car and I ran her it until the body fell off with no mechanical problems. So my next new car was a Chrysler K car which was a darn good car as well. I guess I'm saying if I found your Chieftain for $500 bucks with the OMC, I wouldn't hesitate to give her a whirl.

You asked about wiring for gauges and so on. Ask over in the OMC forum about that and see if they might know where you can find a manual and help with wiring. Sorry for the long yak, buddy.

 

[humboldtbrad]

Re: starcraft chieftain? what should I look for before I buy

so upon further inspection today I ran across a problem with the engine I pulled all the plugs and was turning it over with a wrench and the #5 and #7 cylinders were full of water and one has a stuck valve so here is the dilemma dump some money in to this engine and try to fix 2 rusted cylinders and the head or scrap the i/o and put on an offshore outboard bracket with twin 150's reinforce the transom and gain some deck space this option will add about 5' to the length. has anyone ever done this on a starcraft or am I crazy? what am I saying I just bought a boat of course I'm crazy

I really like the second option

 

[GA_Boater]

Re: starcraft chieftain? what should I look for before I buy

so upon further inspection today I ran across a problem with the engine I pulled all the plugs and was turning it over with a wrench and the #5 and #7 cylinders were full of water and one has a stuck valve so here is the dilemma dump some money in to this engine and try to fix 2 rusted cylinders and the head or scrap the i/o and put on an offshore outboard bracket with twin 150's reinforce the transom and gain some deck space this option will add about 5' to the length. has anyone ever done this on a starcraft or am I crazy? what am I saying I just bought a boat of course I'm crazy

I really like the second option

Well Brad, forget all that stuff I said earlier because I was assuming the motor was OK. The good thing is the motor isn't stuck. Maybe an easy rebuild and maybe not. I know nothing about brackets so I'll shut up on that. From a cost standpoint a donor with a Mercruiser would probably be the best bet. How long is the cockpit?