uht ohh!!!.......

I'm not sure at all i just remember the old baja dealership here in Dallas once told me that baja used one of the old apache bottoms and i thought it was the old 302 Baja that used it. Don't hold me to it guys cause i'm not 100%.

Regardless i love the 28 Braves and i can't wait to see Andy's finished project.

No, I think that it was the 35 Fountain that used it.
Kidding. :D

There are a couple of guys around who worked at the Baja plant in Ohio. If anybody knows... it may be them.

Straight 24 degree, no pad or notch, 7000lbs dry.....with big blocks. From my research the sbc's are only around 250lbs less (each) so around 6500lbs with sbc's. Hadn't heard that about the 302 baja, their 36 came from cigarette. Anybody have some hull pics of the 302 baja we can compare? I agree with Angel's assessment of the expected speed with the 350 mag, just by going off of what Froberg said he saw with a 320hp sbc (63mph) and the speed of mine as originally power (454 365hp 67mph). Still not the speed I'm looking for (atleast 70). The 6.0 would get me there. I know it would be reliable, but I keep thinking about how I went out last year. A 25-26 eliminator pulling up alongside, nice 2-3ft chop, hit the sticks and swallowed a valve. There will come another time and I can't let ol Collin smoke me in his 24ft Cig:D

I've done quite a bit more research on the GM marine crate 502 415hp and that seems to be the biggest bang for the buck. I figure since merc and marine power pretty much just use GM engines with their own accessories then I might as well get a GM marine complete long block with heads and switch over my accessories. I've already got the 850 holley, all I need is a new intake manifold. Should end up with a relatively cheap 500hp. Pretty sure the local builder could back this up with a 6 month warranty. Thanks to all that have recommend this route - took a little while, but I'm finally listening.

Why not just buy the 500 EFI's for 15k? Those look great...looks can be decieving, but the guy has a good rep...
I would think for that $$ you could afford to have them freshened up and be set for many seasons....
Plus, you'd see upper 70's..right??

Yep, they would be plenty of power, but they are still used engines.......about 420hours worth. IMO they are close to rebuild time. Last time I checked it was around $10K a piece to rebuild those 500EFI's I could pay the exact same price ($7,500 each) for a rebuilt blueprinted 502 with 0 hours straight from potter performance and probobly get a warranty out of it. I would be willing to do something like that. I also saw Ateco had some remanufactured engines that seem like a great bang for the buck http://www.offshoreonlyclassifieds.c...o26911-en.html I tentatively estimate around $15K to do the 502 crates ($11K for the engine and parts + $4k to put together, paint, and dyno). Where's Matt at - think thats a reasonable number with Leon doing all the work?

I'm sure the 500EFI is a better engine, but I doubt it would give me the kind of hours I'm looking for.

Good points....although I got higher quotes from Potter.... the 500efi's have 140hrs since last freshen up. Does that mean that the bottom end has 420hrs? & is that alot? I guess I had no idea that the 500EFI's would only last 400 hrs AND cost 10k to rebuild, but it does sound correct more I think of it.
Andy, if you are looking for putting over 1000 hrs on motors maybe you should just buy some Yanmars!!LOL
BTW, What does it take to make a 28Apache go 80mph? I'm guessing 500hp per side??

Yep, around 480-500hp IMO.

At $6-7.5K a pop I won't care all that much if they don't last 250 hours. At $15-17K a pop they better last 500+ hours.

Potter 502's http://www.offshoreonlyclassifieds.c...o26972-en.html

Andy, you already know what I would do...

NEW 502 415HP marine crates. With the 850 and merlin dual plane they will make 450HP. Use your accessories!! Clean them up, paint them, whatever.

Do as much as you can yourself. I will help you dress them, get the intakes on, etc. All you then do is dyno them and install. Done deal. Lets get this thing in the water.

We can make this really painless, and you will know what you have because you are involved in everystep.