I dropped the boat off Thursday to have the ext box and steering installed. I am hope for some benefit from this upgrade. I am putting the Stelling box on at the highest "X" dim setting. That alone should raise the X by almost 2". At that point I will hold off on getting the IMCO shorty until I can get some testing done. Also, I have been tempted with a 500EFI for $12,500 shipped but just cant seem to justify it yet. On a side note, has anyone installed the new E-tops for the 496 yet? I have been back and forth so many times on this and still have not made a decision. My only goal is to keep getting a few hundred RPM's here or there to spin a taller prop to gain that extra few MPH to hit 70. I know I am wishing for alot but still, it's a wish.

you doing all that to hit 70 mph let me know how it works,my guess would be that it will be hard to get on plain ,if you had more hp it would do 1 to 3 mph stock power will result neg.My 25 outlaw did 69 to 70 with 502mag 470 hp it was 1997 some arizona speed mod and exhaust my 302 had 454 mags with similar mods 75 ish

That must have been on the "Dream O Meter". Probably more like 64 on GPS. I know I have raced many 25 Outlaws. My friend's 05 25' Outlaw with 425HP and a propshaft depth of 6.5" runs 67-68 MPH on GPS. A true 70 MPH is hard to get it took me 500HP to hit that mark. I am raising my drive and engine 3" from 8" to 5" propshaft depth. This should get me about 6MPH.

There are many people that have had good success with raised boxes on that boat. Hope it works for you.

back in the day we didnt have gps only radar

It was a lot harder to get ahold of a radar gun. I alway thought my boat went 58-59MPH. Then I got a GPS, boy did that screw me up, my boat only went 55. After years worth of upgrades I got it up to 70MPH. My friends 25' Outlaw reads 4 MPH fast on his "Dream O Meter" liquid filled Gaffig gage. He thought he was running 71 MPH.

My gauge is actually not far off, also a liquid filled Gaffrig, reads 1-2 faster than GPS.

Yes, 70 is my mark. I hope to be close with ext box and labbed prop. This is also the start for bigger power down the line. Hydro steering is a must si I thought I mights as well do a box with it. I hope to either go 500 EFI or Raylar in the next few years. If I could get $8500 for my >100hr 496 HO I would get the 500 EFI this year.

Will never happen. I sold mine with 52hrs for 6500.00 and anything else I've seen forsale people are sitting on them. I'd buy a 500efi or 525 anyday before I'd spend money on CMI's or Raylar kit. You'll have to spend 12k to get the forged internals in a Raylar kit. Merc blue motors already have them. JMO though. I'd look at your bottom I'm guessing you got some to pick up there as well.

Hard to really see it on the trailer but from what I see with a 4 foot straight edge is no hook....flat as can be.