25thmustang
Lieutenant Commander
- Joined
- Mar 20, 2008
- Messages
- 1,849
With spring rolling in, I will be getting back into working on the boat. The plan is to tackle the cabin in the next month or so, and then time for the motors. My question comes up regarding the boats power.
The boat is a 27' IMP with twin 3.7LXs. 4bbl carbs, 4" Heat Exchangers, aluminum manifolds etc... The short blocks are trashed on these motors from the PO. I purchased a 25'er with twin 470s. These are the 2bbl carb, 3" HEs, cast iron manifold motors. The 3.7LXs were rated at 190 hp, and the 470s, at 170 hp. My question remains, should I put the 470s in as they sit, and live with the performance being a little lower than it should. Or should I buy the gaskets, and have all the old parts checked to make sure they are true, and turn these 470s into 3.7s?
My idea now, to save some time and money (new homeowner, money is a good thing to save
) is to put the heat exchangers on and call it a day. I know the power might be a little off (to the tune of 340 hp vs 380hp), but with claims of this, and other similar boats toping in the 40+ mph range, I can't see suffering all that much?
Let me know your guys opinion, and take this into consideration. I bought the boat over a year ago, and it spent 0 hours on the water last year. I have the good parts off the 3.7s, sitting in the shop, but also have two perfect running 470s which could technically bolt right in.
What would you do? Risk waisting another year, trying to get all the right gaskets lined up, have the parts checked over and cleaned and then putting them on, or put the two motors in, and take the boat out on the water?
Thanks in advance.
The boat is a 27' IMP with twin 3.7LXs. 4bbl carbs, 4" Heat Exchangers, aluminum manifolds etc... The short blocks are trashed on these motors from the PO. I purchased a 25'er with twin 470s. These are the 2bbl carb, 3" HEs, cast iron manifold motors. The 3.7LXs were rated at 190 hp, and the 470s, at 170 hp. My question remains, should I put the 470s in as they sit, and live with the performance being a little lower than it should. Or should I buy the gaskets, and have all the old parts checked to make sure they are true, and turn these 470s into 3.7s?
My idea now, to save some time and money (new homeowner, money is a good thing to save
) is to put the heat exchangers on and call it a day. I know the power might be a little off (to the tune of 340 hp vs 380hp), but with claims of this, and other similar boats toping in the 40+ mph range, I can't see suffering all that much?Let me know your guys opinion, and take this into consideration. I bought the boat over a year ago, and it spent 0 hours on the water last year. I have the good parts off the 3.7s, sitting in the shop, but also have two perfect running 470s which could technically bolt right in.
What would you do? Risk waisting another year, trying to get all the right gaskets lined up, have the parts checked over and cleaned and then putting them on, or put the two motors in, and take the boat out on the water?
Thanks in advance.
