Kinda figured that seeing your TRS stuff is for sale. Good luck with the project!

Wow!

78 is cooking for a boat that suppose to weigh 13,000 pounds, that should be more than enough for I need.

In the video of The Chief running in this thread, how fast was The Chief going?

I can agree with Chris in that if I spent the kind of money it takes to do the Konrad conversion I would want the drives to be at least be able to handle 1000hp because I would know that at 750hp I would be good to go no matter what I did.

I read that the #3 conversion had special HD input shafts wouldn't that mean it could handle more HP.

But like I said I won't be very rough to the boat.

Does anyone know someone in my area (Texas,Oklahoma) that is good at working with number three drive?

Is there a comprehensive manual that describes how to inspect and shim the number 3?

The reason I ask is because my Dad assembles and checks the run out on industrial turbine engines(he is the QA), if he had the specifcation and a little expert advice I am sure he could at least make sure the shimmiing was correct.

Thanks

p.s. What breaks number three's? Is it comming out of the water(jumping) or coming out of the hole really hard?

The tools alone would cost you as much as a refresh. Plus it's more of a learned art than a technical procedure. many have tried, most have failed. You're $$$ ahead to send them to a guy like Mel Riggs.

What really breaks any drive is running it too long without being gone through. Once those clearances start to loosen up, it's a swift downhill run. Holeshots shorten that rebuild interval as do timing mistakes unloading and loading the driveline when breaking out of the water. Those stresses add up and eventually something gives. It's usually not just one single event. Sometimes you get lucky and the drives will make noise- like a knock. They usually need some expensive parts by that time though. At least you don't need to find housings.

I was talking to Randy at Konrad after lunch- the III conversion is their 540 drive with a heavier input shaft and bearing setup. It's designed for their diesel applications. The only difference beyond that is the gimbal bell which adapts the 540's bolt pattern to the III housing. The price sounds about ballpark compared to repairing a tired set of III's. You couldn't touch a 6 conversion for much less than double the Konrad package.

Thats cool,

I guess I can ask dad if he knows anyone that can work on a number three.

I have had a lot of trouble with hiring things out in the past and I just try to have a person I know do the work.

Do you think that those guys up at lake texoma can do the drives? (Derebery)

John, it was great speaking with you i boated with Steve for years when he had this boat if i can be of any assistance please call ,Joe.

Yeah sometimes I can get through on the phone and sometimes I can't being in the sticks will do that to you.

Does anyone know how to get ahold of Steve, is he a member on here?

My biggest concern with this boat is keeping her fed with 1000's of gallons of super unleaded. Dang fuel prices are ridiculous.

like most every-1 has said, the most in-expensive part is the initial purchase.

Send a PM to bbill1974 and ask him if he can give you his number.

With this....and any other high performance boat....that should be one of your lesser concerns....

Soooooooo many peole make that mistake. They look at the monthly payment and figure that's close to what it's going to cost. If you add it all up, that's the tip of the iceberg. Dockage/storage, insurance, maintenance, repairs and fuel will eat you up. Then there's the $$$ you'd better be stuffing into a coffee can for every hour of use- you're going to need those engines/trans/drives rebuilt- maybe sooner than later.