Help with 1950's Starflite

The book's not in print anymore, Like Pete said log in to dannenberg's site and ask. They'll find you a copy somewhere. Not sure the kindle version would be that great with the photos.

Don't pay stupid money for it, I would part with my copy before you plunk down $200. That would be the most money I've ever made on anything boat related.

Way cheaper to buy the Kindle version,even if you have to buy a Kindle

Guys, this is all fantastic info. Thank you very much for the help. I'm going to pull the cover off this weekend, and get lots more detailed pictures, I'll start a thread on it.

As for the Runabout Restoration book, I looked it up on Amazon, and I have to say I've never seen a $600 book before. Am I missing something here? Hah! I asked the wife for one for christmas...we'll see what happens!

Drew,
If I guessed at the age, I'd say it's a 57 or 58. Roger's idea ^ is good if you can find the engine ID number. Another idea is a manufacture date cast into the block. This however can be misleading since cast iron back then was seasoned. They would place the raw casting outside for 1 to 2 years. This was to equalize/stress relieve the castings.

If you do find the build plate, you could try contacting CC and see if they still have the build sheet. This may take some time since they need to dig through their records.

Both Bruce (Riley ) and myself live near you along with some others here and if there is anything i can do for you to help dont be afraid to ask

KRoundy wrote: And I agree with you, that intake manifold is very cool.

The Interceptor version of the dual YH carbs:



The concept was great in keeping the dog house profile real low. Chris used it on some of their 327's as well.

Donald80SN wrote: Hello, Alan81 on this site is doing a resto of a rare planked Correct Craft Huricane. There was only four made. He also has a Hemi for it. He is near chicago. He has a very detail thread on this subject. He is an artist in wood. It would be good to read his thread and speak with him. Seeing his resto will give you an idea as to what is involved.

Alan's Hurricane Project Twenty five pages and still going....

Drew,
Welcome to CCFan. Those are very cool boats and rare. I saw an 18ft Starflight earlier this year that sold recently.
Yours will be a labor of love, but well worth it. Having inherited my dad's boat and having spent my kid years on the back of her, no way I could let her go.
When it is done, you will have something special indeed.
Good luck on the resto.
Todd

Found more pics of the motor, none of the motor cover tag though, I don't think...














Coolest intake manifold I've ever seen!

I am accustomed to working with wood, and luckily Dave had bought a bunch of mahogany from the mill with the intention of repairing it, which he never did. Luckily, he also left a ton of saws, routers, etc. which I have used, but never owned. I definitely got lucky... But in short, I'm not scared of tackling the project, even if it means dismantling the whole thing down to the ribs and starting from scratch...

I might be able to help you with the windshield.

Drew,
Yes, welcome to CCfan.

I have to warn you that if you have found one hole/rot, there is more hiding. Be prepared for a complete tear down to a bare frame for a proper restoration. How are your wood working skills? Danenburgs book is a great start. I know him and he did a fantastic job writing his book as well as maintaining his web site. If you have no woodworking background, then this is not a project you want to start. Sorry!

BTW, per your pictures, I see rot at the stem and peeling paint at the water line. Don't even try to patch the boat and NEVER try to put a fiberglass bottom on it.

Hey, thanks for the swift responses! I am definitely going to keep it and restore it...my wife practically spent all her summers as a kid in the back of it.

Riley, what do you mean by "planked"? Made of wood, I'm assuming? Again, complete noob here.

Thanks again guys!

Hey there,

Great boat by the way. Get yourself "The Complete Wooden Runabout Restoration Guide" or "How to Restore Your Wooden Runabout" by Don Danenburg. Don is one of the leading restorers of fine wooden boats. On his website (google his name, easy site to find) there is a forum where you can ask him questions about your project or simply "how to's". When I was restoring my old 56 Chris Craft he was a big help and really put the tasks into perspective. As far as parts go, you will need to dig and dig. This site is a great resource and chances are someone might have extras or know someone with what you are looking for.

Good luck with the project!

Cheers

Hey everyone,

This forum looks great! This is officially my first post on here...hopefully many more to follow.

I just inherited a Correct Craft Starflite from my father-in-law. I am a complete newbie when it comes to boats, mahogany ones in particular. I don't know the year (I was told 1956 but his wife wasn't sure). It's a 17 footer, I'm pretty sure, has a solid-cam Graymarine AMC 327-cube V-8, with twin side-draft carbs. He rebuilt the motor several years before passing away, and for his birthday last year, I helped him plumb the ol' girl up and the engine rumbled right to life after the addition of some fresh gas. What a beautiful sound, with the twin water-cooled pipes burbling away...

However, the real caveat is that on the right side bow, a hole is now residing, the mahogany and oak rib having been rotted away. The hole is pretty good sized, but I would really like to repair it and return it to at least a running, floating state and then restored. I love the lines, love the big '57 Chevy white tailfins, love wooden boats in general. Can anyone tell me how to get a better handle on the year, where I can get spare parts, (a tree came down and bent the aluminum windshield frame and smashed the plexiglas), a direction to look at towards repairing the damage, and maybe what the ol' girl is worth? I'll try to attach a couple pics.

Thanks in advance for any help!
-Drew