hotstang46

I know this a long read lol......

So as many of you may or may not have read I bought this boat in past few months out of Orlando. Boat had been repowered with 5.7GXI's and DPS drives. I stole the boat and now know why....Here's how I found out.

I went after the boat because it was just too good of a deal to pass up. I was really after a cat, I figured I'd keep the boat for a year and move on and pocket a little cash. I knew it wouldn't be fast but figured the mrs would like the cabin and I knew it was a quality boat. It was at the upper end from a size standpoint for the lakes I'd be on but I could manage. Boat really "needed" nothing other than my need to put in a nicer stereo and plumb the exhaust through hull. It only has the exhaust coming out through the drive. Thought I'd spend a couple grand and be good to go. I was particularly excited because I liked the fact it had the volvo's. I think they are superior to a merc set up. (I'm so anti merc that I payed the builder of my cat when I was on the west coast to strip the new merc stuff off and mount a arneson, Rik is an awesome btw, which turned out to be a debacle you can read about here, not due to the arneson). So get the boat back, run it, runs awesome. It absolute stomps it in the midrange and planes like no one's business. Top speed was only 62 and still is but that (working with brett at blades) is with 18% slip. I have some drag holding me back (having a very weird problem with a tab that won't retract fully, bennet is helping. So wanted to jump on the exhaust sounds and there is where the difficulty came. Simply put I have three choices. Choice one, I can convert these engines to carb, buy manifolds, all related parts, get some extra horses to do cams and things in process,10grand. Choice two, Volvo has a diverter type manifold, engines remain bone stock and undisturbed, 9 grand. Three sell the boat.

Investigated choice three, found some fountains and some cats. Figured I'm into the boat so cheap heck, I'll just flip it, pocket some cash and move on because any equity I have in the boat would be eaten up by the money I'm spending and it still wouldn't really be fast enough for me to happy in longterm. To my suprise every single place I contacted got excited to hear I had a 292 to trade, but then flat out said they had no interest in the boat at all at any number with the volvo stuff. Which kind of blows my mind because it's good stuff. Only place to make me an offfer was Shogren out of Chicago, 25 grand.

The reason I found it attractive is the reason no one wants. So here's the deal. The volvo stuff is expensive stuff and very modern, the engines are catalyst engines, two 02 sensors per side, one pre cat and post cat (that is the reason for all of the problems with the exhaust, no one does tuning on these to work around the elimination of them or incorporation of them into a high performance set up). They are, however, including the drives worth good money, how much, I have no idea but as a low hour, late model drive and engine I think I could sell them as a combo for some good money.

So here is where I need some input. I'm going to open up the wallet. With what I bought the boat for I believe that after selling the volvo stuff and spending money on the repower I think I will not only be in a positive equity situation but I can have a boat that I'll truly be happy in.

I want a mid 80's boat.

Here is the present train of thought. I'm going to have Engines Unlimited build me two 383's. Here is the exact build spec that I like (of course with valve covers, block and air filter painted a different color and "formula" written on them. http://www.ebay.com/itm/383-STROKER-...4AAOSwDk5T9FDx

I have been toying with the HP vs TQ I want out of them and really like the power characteristics of that build. That exact engine makes about 450TQ at about 2000 rpm. I am however also considering a 450hp variant with a little more mild cam and a little more TQ.

Drives: People are telling me to keep the volvos and I really want to, but if I'm going to spend the money I want to be able to get it back out, plus while the engine's are out, now is the time to do it. So while I think the volvo's are tough and will give me better performance it is just too much of an oddball. I was going to just snatch up two factory new Bravo 1X's with 3 year warranty and call it a day. But then I found two USED BMAX drives 1:36 ratio for sale for literally the same amount. I had a BMAX on a 26 awesome cat once and I was impressed. They are coming off of a 39 Nortech with about 750 horse behind them, and 200 hours. They are purported to be in great condition. But used does scare me a little bit because I got burned once on a T56 tranny for my stang, and it was an expensive mistake.

Any input on your experience with this late model bravo stuff would be nice, it's been so long since I've really had any merc stuff. The other thing I need to consider is hydraulic steering. Does the BMAX require a special/ more expensive set up?

So, I really know next nothing about these 292's, I want a boat that I'll be happy with for a few years, knowing that I will be selling it and as such resale will be a consideration in my choices as well. What do you guys think about this? Will a 292 with 900-1000hp even run mid 80's?

Any input is appreciated, I'm trying to make a decision ASAP because boating season is basically here in Charlotte.

Also, if anyone can point me in the right direction and maybe know a broker or anything for this volvo stuff to help me sell it that would be awesome. I don't really have a good market for expensive stuff like that right here and I think it would fetch more in like FL or CA, if the right people had it listed.

COOPS

iTrader: (2)

I would look back at the thread where you said you bought it. See if one of those guys would want to take it off your hands at a fair price. If it's not the boat you want then I was always told not to mess with it. Buy a different boat. If it's one you will keep forever then dump all the money you want into it but understand you will never get it back if you need to sell it. Just my opinion .

ImaPoser

Why don't you list it for sale yourself as is?

rak rua

I'd like to say 'I told you say' but I didn't tell you anything.......

I followed your original thread and thought to myself, why would anyone want Volvos? I had a sports boat with twin dp Volvos, granted it was 20 years ago, and when I told my local service guy he p***ed himself laughing at me for buying a Volvo boat. Once he stopped laughing he started rubbing his hands together as dollar signs lit up in his eyes!

I've seen it a few times on here where members say how good and strong the Volvos are and some say they are better than Merc. I'm no mechanic and don't mean to question guys with a lot more knowledge than me but my ONLY Volvo experience was a shocker and I vowed never to go there again.

Sorry to say but if dealers don't want your boat because of the Volvos, I think it will also be hard to sell the engines/drives separately.

Sorry for your dilemma, I wish I'd have had a dig earlier, maybe others would have backed me up. I think you should accept the boat the way it is or sell it the way it is. If you're going to sell it, advertise cheap, hopefully get a quick sale before people start talking too much and generating negative attitudes. It actually sounds like a nice boat but a big project to go changing things.

Good luck, hope you can come up with a good resolution.

RR

P.S. Ok, flame me now for my Volvo comments if you like.......

jwurl

Sell it like it is or leave it alone and deal with it. My main concern with trying to convert it would be if they had to cut the transom to fit the Volvo drives. It would be a shame to have all the parts ready and find out it needs the transom filled or replaced. Formula is not a race boat. It takes a ton of money to get it to 85mph, I know . Plus you still don't have hydraulic steering or good tabs. I have a 85MPH 271 Fastech I would sell if you are interested. Jeff Wurl

hotstang46

Here's the deal, I think I stole the boat and trailer. 26 grand cash, got it off of eBay as some on here know. Owner simply had another boat he needed to move on asap and needed the cash, I had the means to get it fast, so I did. He has been trying to market it at 45k I think for some time. it's in pretty awesome shape and had a genuine 45k repower with about 185 or so hours on her. How much equity do I have for real? This surprises me being no dealer would even want it, but being realistic? 35k, maybe maybe 40k??!!?? And it's the nicest newest fastech in the country at that price, but again, an oddball with those drives. So figure 10-15k. So let's see, I'm figuring a retrofit with either the bmax or new merc with hydro steering will be 30k worst case scenario. So I'm now into the boat for 55k with brand new stuff. Now the variant is what does my Volvo stuff sell for? Your guess is as good as mine. But factory built bone stock 180 hour efi catalyst engine with matching dps drive should draw good $$. What do you guys think? They are 20k plus per side new.

So I figure what, 10k per side? I have no idea yet, but trying to find out. Just using that number for the volvos, I could have a 900-1000hp 292, bmaxs and hydro steering for 36k. Now what's it worth on the open market. I honestly feel ill have gained equity and picked up a boat I could be happy with for a few years. I don't dislike the boat, it's very well made and think I could "love it" if it were an 80mph plus set up. I'm just a cat fan but I think I'm ready to give this boat a try given the above. Besides, I only keep things a year or two anyways. Modifying is part of the fun for me. So when that stops things usually get sold.

hotstang46

I don't really want to get into the Volvo merc debate haha, but ......having a mechanical background, general knowledge, and first hand experience the merc stuff leaves a lot to be desired. I do not think you will find a mechanic out there with first hand experience wrenching on both brands to argue that fact. Comparing an apples to apples product that is.

And, it's not that the Volvo stuff is undesirable because it is very desirable. It's simply this application that is the problem. High performance is synonymous with merc. Period end of story. in fact, I'd like to keep them on there, but I'd be stupid to do so as now I literally am throwing away money. Take arneson for example too. If things played out different with my cat a single engine at meson would have been an oddball and hard to sell, it's not however a bad product. I think it's the best for most applications in fact. But I were to keep this boat a long time I'd probably just reach out to rik and go that route, but I'm not ready for that yet

Crude Intentions

iTrader: (1)

Shogren basically offered you enough to break even on the boat minus a $1000 rental fee. I'd take it and run. All this you have going on is what ifs and the time alone is extensive. Your money your call but I'd be out and let someone else deal with it.

rak rua

Now we know the dollars involved, I think I would try to squeeze a couple of grand more out of Shogren but don't be too greedy if they won't budge.

You did buy it well and it still sounds like a nice boat but it's not [I]exactly[I] what you want. Get something that will make you happy.

RR

hotstang46

I understand what a lot of you guys are saying, but there are always a lot of what ifs. But there always are when doing heavy mods. I leave nothing alone, it's just what I do, I customize heavily, usually on the mechanical end like this. If I weren't doing it to this boat, I'd be doing it to another. I have faith in the people performing work to the boat. I mean, I have a platform, not exactly what I wanted, but something I Like and appreciate for 25k. Bi can dump 30k in it and have a kick arse little boat. I can't imagine starting out any better than with a formula 292 for 25k. And add to that there is valuable equipment on the boat that can be sold.

I do think this boat with 900-1000 horse would be fun, and a sleeper with all the fountains around.

Didn't realize so many people would be saying to sell. Have I finally lost ha? If I can get mid 80's out of this thing with the stated horsepower I think I will be happy for a bit. Then it's on to the next.

So basically, I'm doing this ha