TOPIC: Noob with a 1965 Starcraft Arrow - questions

I just bought a 65 Starcraft Arrow with a 1959 Johnson 35hp big twin (see the pic). It runs good but I don't have it registered so I haven't been out with it yet. It was used last season.

I'm totally new to this so I have lots of questions and tons to learn...

What to do for a cover? It's in the driveway and leaves and pollen are getting on it. Buy one, or just tarp it for the summer?

How to start to restore the finish? It's a dull sun-bleached pink and no longer shiny red. Where to start reading?

Seats are twin front/back seats and I'd like to restore to original (bench seats). Is this something I can have made (versus hand-build which I'm not against)? Where to start shopping?

Can I put bigger tires on that trailer? Someone told me it's probably only rated for 45mph so no highways. Where to shop?

What do all the toggle switches on the dash do? None are labeled. I can post a pic.

Anything else I need to do right up front? Particularly as it pertains to safety. I threw the battery on a charger for 6-hours, but that's it so far. I don't want to make a rookie mistake!

I'll start a restoration thread if I get any traction this year...

Thanks guys.

First - welcome to the crew.

Nice boat, those things are practically bullet proof and fun on the water. Should zip around in the low to mid 30's for speed.

Cover if you just want to keep dirt out with a cheap tarp and bungee cords until you decide how much you want to spend on it. there are reasonable covers on Ebay that will fit yours.

Restoring the finish is pretty much a long lesson on futility for the red, I had one... you can use a light rubbing compound with a buffer but be careful. Some of the newer trim restore products that are made for black/gray car stuff might work but guessing they wouldn't hold up long in water/sun combo. If you want it to look good for a day try a little WD-40 on a rag and wipe it down. Sounds crazy but it brings the color out but not for long.

Seats are optinal, click on the glassic library button (top of the page) and you can probably see what the interior was like.

Tires are easy-peasy. Match the four or five hole pattern that you have and go to one of the big box stores. They sell tire/rim combos in larger sizes ready to put on, make sure the center axle hole is the right size. While your at it check the wheel bearings for looseness and grease them up. Launching in water takes a toll on them.

Toggle switches or push/pull switches are usually for the navigation lights, two position switches, first indent would be the rear white anchor light, second all the way out position should turn on the bow and stern lights together. Any other toggle switches were probably installed by the previous owner for accessories removed before sale, look under the dash and trace the wires.

Rookie mistake would be starting the motor on the trailer without cooling. Either get some "muffs" that compress on the lower unit water intake and attach to a garden hose or run it in a large garbage can. The muff thing will not indicate if the water cooling impeller is good because your water hose is pushing cold water through the motor. The garbage can thing will test the cooling system. When running, the block should be cool/warm to the touch. If it gets hot shut her down.

PS Be prepared for black oily water in the garbage can, it's a normal thing for those old war horses.

Probably missed many things but with this group of enthusiasts it won't be long before they chime in.

Hope things go well.

63 Sabre wrote:

Hope things go well.

Thanks man. I appreciate it. I'm pretty excited but taking it slow. Still need to register it, title it, and get the trailer legal too.

I saw the motor started in a trash barrel so I know it runs well and learned about the cooling thing.

63 Sabre wrote:

Launching in water takes a toll on them.

You remind me of another question I had: The trailer lights are dead. So I bought magnetic lights at Harbor Freight for $20. Worked OK to get me home. I was going to get the permanent ones for $20 and rewire. Seller told me that the lights get trashed backing into the water and suggested the submersible ones. I can get those for like $40. I won't be going into salt water. Is it worth it? Or maybe stick with the magnetic ones and just remove them each time I back-in. That's what the seller was doing.

Don't know your budget. The submersible ones are nice but I never had any. Some fellas unplug the lights from the vehicle before backing into the water because sometimes cold water on a hot bulb will pop 'em. If you plan on redoing the trailer at some point later I'd stay with the mags as long as you have them already. When the trailer is finished then put on some permanent ones with new wiring. There is a specific color code for trailer wiring. If memory serves me...which it does not very often, White color is your ground wire and either connect it the the trailer or run direct lines to each light, I prefer the later. Brown color is for the regular running lights, green would be for the passenger side brake and turn signal, yellow for the drive side brake and turn. That's with the generic 4 prong flat connectors.

wiring sounds correct to me....if the tires are fairly new, I wouldn't worry much about them....people pulled boats that size 70mph for years with the 8" wheels....remember the larger the tire the farther in the water you will have to back the boat.... I would pull the wheel bearings, clean and repack them, or replace them...john

Squirrel Murphy,

WELCOME ABOARD. - NICE rig, too.

As to tires/wheels, you will likely find that older HONDA CIVIC wheels have the same bolt pattern & will bolt right on.
(I routinely put 13" tires on my trailers & also frequently find like new tires/wheels on craigslist for CHEAP. = The last four CIVIC wheels/nice tires that I bought were 5 bucks each.)

My advice is to go get yourself a copy of CHEAP OUTBOARDS: THE BEGINNER'S GUIDE TO MAKING AN OLD MOTOR RUN FOREVER & follow Max's instructions to replace the coils/points/plugs/plug-wires/impeller, thoroughly clean the fuel system & rebuild the carbs. = Doing that will cost you about 120.oo in SIERRA parts from your local NAPA store.
(While I'm a forever fan of the OMC BigTwins, I do NOT trust ANY of those old parts to NOT leave me "out on the lake" & feeling sad/FOOLISH.)

yours, satx

squirrel, your boat looks just like the starcraft I got 2 months ago, same color mine has a big twin rude on the back. looks good and fix her up. frog