Hey guys thanks for all the thoughts. I have thought about the LS.....then thought about the 50 year old drive imploding lol!
I really just want her to run strong and reliably. 4.3 was my original plan willy then the inline 6 came along. I really don't want to get into the brain damage of new engine mounts, plumbing etc. And the inline 6 chevys have been hot roded for decades. There are a ton of speed parts for them. Comp cams offers a lots of cams, lifters, springs, rockers etc for them. There are also Lump port head kits and other mods you can do to them. I really think I am going to rebuild it, put a cam, maybe a lump port head and some slightly domed pistons to get some good usable low end power. These were know for low end torque and realistically that is what you need for something like this hull. And it is 250CID, getting more that 165hp out if it shouldn't be that hard.
I'm going to keep Miss Morgan for the screaming high rpm, hold on to the you know what handle! Speaking of which I fired her up to get her ready for vacation today, nothing like the smell of two stroke oil! and that oh so crisp throttle!
I also got my oil filter can opener from Jeggs today. Worked extremely well, I just wish there weren't "sparkles" in the bottom of the filter and in the filter media.
Thanks for the info Todd, but I think at this point with all the bearing material floating around in the oil filter, I am just going to pull it. I'm about 99% sure that I am not lucky enough for all that noise to just be carbon.....wish it was! Once I get it it out I will pull the pan and see which one of the internal parts wiggles around that isn't supposed to wiggle!
Place head against wall, bash until boat functions correctly lol!