sprink58

The cool thing about this is that we all get to sit back...you included and " cogitate and conversate" about when and if it happens...hell...they might last several years.

Reminds me of a '65 Impala SS my cousin in Birmingham had with a 250 horse 327 and a power-glide.

[IMG][/IMG]

The car had over 100K miles on it when my uncle turned it over to my cousin and it had always had 3000 mile oil and filter changes. We put cams, headers, intakes, Dart heads and all kind of crap on that old 327 and would throw the PG in neutral, catch 4000 rpm and slam it in low when we were racing a Trans Am or 5.0 Juiced Mustang!!! I swear to God the motor and tranny never broke and that that big old car would run in the high 13's and 105 mph in the 1/4

Just goes to show you that a lot of this stuff is over engineered and you might never have a problem.

masonbig1

Sweet Car Sprink! love the old bowties!


Ok ye wise brethren of Formulas, need some info.

My Gimbal plate is fubar(the hole where the gimbal bearing goes is oversized), and I need to replace it. Not gona put a ton of money on this, as a bravo upgrade is planned for later. My unit is a alpha one gen 1. Ive been looking around, and need to know, are the 4-6-8 cyl assemblies all the same, or are they different. Going to be looking at a few this weekend, but honestly, I don't know the difference.

Thanks for any input!

aquaforce

The outside transome plates are the same for the most part. The majority of the differences are in the drive where the gear ratio's are different based on the available hp.


If price and availability is an issue a good machinist can tig up the material and turn it back down to hold the bearing.

sprink58

The only other thing to be cautious of is to make sure you get an Alpha Gimbal and not a "Pre-Alpha". They look the same and the drives will interchange with no problem...the issue is that your Alpha I steering ram will not match up to a "Pre Alpha" Gimbal. Check this link out that explains the differences.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mercruiser-P...ht_2081wt_1065

Now...to be ultra safe...take your existing piece with you to match them up.

Good luck with this.

masonbig1

No luck on the gimbal plate this weekend, so still looking. Got the engine wrapped up on the bottem, then went to install intake and realized I had the wrong gaskets, so yet another delay. Still got lots of small parts coming in, surely but slowly coming together.

Mocked up power steering and alternator, and realized I'm gona have to buy a new alternator, as the bracket set I bought won't work mine, and to think I already found a new pulley switched over, only to figure out it was a waste of time....

Starting to look like something now!
http://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-...99287177_n.jpg

masonbig1

Engine is officially done, minus installing my carbon fiber wrapped valve covers! Finalized the pulley setups, installed new alternator, plumbed up water crossover, now to make a run for fluids, sparkplugs, and belts.

Still need a carb, but I'll grab it after its in the hull. I may go ahead and set the msd distributor in and mock up how I want to run the plug wires.

Still a lot a work to get done before my June 1st deadline( racing for a $100 bar tab at a local place on the lake), but I may actually make it happen...

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?s...1&l=f60217d389

masonbig1

Well, finished up the few small odds and ends on the engine. It has been primed, spark plugs and wires installed, dropped the distributor in after finding TDC, belts on and adjusted!

Received my valve covers and they look great! They are the stock diecast, that after installing my wide body roller rockers, I mocked up and found that all the oil drippers had to be ground off. Also some minor buffing on two spots. And also had to radius the corners of 2 rockers to clear. Minor stuff really. And I much rather use these covers than aftermarket crap that leaks all the time. A buddy of mine owns a hydrographic coating company, has done these covers, my timing cover, some other odds and ends, even coated my Glock 31. Great work done by him. I may have him do some other work on the boat as well.

Waiting on another buddy to come by with his bobcat and use the forks to set the engine the hull. And have a backhoe lined up just in case the bobcat can't get high enough.

Still haven't found a Gimbal plate, working on that though. Gonna concentrate on getting the engine all hooked up for now.

Not gonna make my June 1st deadline, but hell, trying to do it as best as I can and not have any issues once on the water. Plus life has its own scheduling trip ups. Soon enough, though, will I get to hear her purring!
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?s...3&l=f60217d389

masonbig1

Finally got the engine in! It was a wonder of redneck engineering, that included a flat bed wrecker, a cherry picker, some straps and chains, but it worked and nothing or no one was harmed during the process.

Now I can start working on hooking everything up, along with ordering my carb, ignition box, coil, water/fuel separator and a few other goodies. Going to be busy the next few weeks, really want to get this on the lake, for on July 4th is a great time, and there is a huge fireworks show to be seen while on the lake.

A few new pics added, checkout the well thought out engine lifting system! lol

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?s...1&l=f60217d389

sprink58

Good Job...Like Hank Jr says "A country boy can survive"

masonbig1

I. Am. A. Moron. Didn't realise the engine had to be out to remove the outer transom plate. Figured that out last night when I finally decided to pull the outer plater off. And it wouldnt be so bad, but there has been no engine in it for the past 6 months, with me knowing the whole time I had to pull the plate. I wont EVER make that mistake again. So now to pull the engine back out!!! Got to love the growing pains and learning curve with a new hobby.....

On a side note, anyone ever pull the plate without removing the engine? thinking of putting a bottle jack and block of wood under it, and then removing the bellhousing mount to transom bolts, and then remove the bellhousing for more room to the inner plate.

Oh, and Im gonna go bang my head on a tree some mor for this goof up..