CarbonFiberFootprint
Cadet
- Joined
- Apr 22, 2010
- Messages
- 27
I broke down and finally bought a boat.
It is a 1984 Chaparral 215 XLC and has a 4 barrel Mercruiser 228hp 305ci engine with a Mercruiser 888 outdrive. Hull is great, controls all work. The boat cranks up with just a turn of the key, but it was not winterized by the previous owner and there is slight valve chatter. I know it needs a block. All of the accessories on the engine work. I've performed engine swaps in various automobiles, so this should be a realistically tackleable diy job for me. (So much clearance!)
I plan to convert to a antifreeze freshwater system, regardless of engine choice. My radiator choice would leave plenty of overhead and It would have sufficient air directed through it.
Option 1 is to keep all the accessories and put them on a new 350 marine longblock. I hear this carb is the real deal and can easily handle a realistic marine 350.
How much power can this ancient outdrive handle? The other option I was considering was purchasing a EFI LS vortec 7.4 or 8.1 liter truck engine and stepping up to a more serious outdrive. How much power can the back hull of this boat handle? I could weld in additional bracing to significantly strengthen the back section. What kind of outdrive could handle 500 ft lbs of torque for many years?
It is a 1984 Chaparral 215 XLC and has a 4 barrel Mercruiser 228hp 305ci engine with a Mercruiser 888 outdrive. Hull is great, controls all work. The boat cranks up with just a turn of the key, but it was not winterized by the previous owner and there is slight valve chatter. I know it needs a block. All of the accessories on the engine work. I've performed engine swaps in various automobiles, so this should be a realistically tackleable diy job for me. (So much clearance!)
I plan to convert to a antifreeze freshwater system, regardless of engine choice. My radiator choice would leave plenty of overhead and It would have sufficient air directed through it.
Option 1 is to keep all the accessories and put them on a new 350 marine longblock. I hear this carb is the real deal and can easily handle a realistic marine 350.
How much power can this ancient outdrive handle? The other option I was considering was purchasing a EFI LS vortec 7.4 or 8.1 liter truck engine and stepping up to a more serious outdrive. How much power can the back hull of this boat handle? I could weld in additional bracing to significantly strengthen the back section. What kind of outdrive could handle 500 ft lbs of torque for many years?
