38 Special Questions
 

Hey fellow Baja guys, what is your best guess on top speed of a 38 Special with 502 MPI's. I'm afraid I'll be dropping about 10 mph from my 33 Outlaw with 500hp's but will enjoy the amenities. This boat is a 1999 with those goofy foam padding in the steps and swim platform. My experience with these on my first Baja (272) was they were extremely slick when wet, is there anything better to replace them with?

Re: 38 Special Questions
 

A guy I knew on Lake Norman had a 1999 model with 502's and it was loaded with generator and the works.

Ran right at 65 MPH.

Re: 38 Special Questions
 

Low 60's with 502's, I have seen 71 with mine with a pair of 540's (600hp) It's for sale!!!!

Re: 38 Special Questions
 

I have 38 Special with 496HO's. It runs 65 on gps with 150 gallons of fuel.
Mine is for sale too!

Re: 38 Special Questions
 

I talked with a guy at a poker run with 500hps and he said he was right around 65

Re: 38 Special Questions
 

A friend of mine removed the padding and sprayed non slip paint in the recesses. It looked sharp and was easier to clean also.

Re: 38 Special Questions
 

Low to mid 60's

Put a couple Whipples on it and really fly !!! :D :D

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And Eat Up Drives Like CRAZY!!!!!!! :eek:

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62-64

Re: 38 Special Questions
 

My 36 Outlaw will be the real test for Bravos. I'm going to see Tyler Crockett next month and he is very confident I will be at 750 HP per motor on the dyno. I had 550 in my 24 Outlaw and after 4 seasons, the drive shows no signs of dying.

I still believe that the way I drive and the lubricants I use have prevented carnage. I also run a drive shower that strengthens and doubles the thickness of the top cap.

Come on summer !!!!!

Re: 38 Special Questions
 

I'm with you Bigwavz, I think how you drive has alot to do with outdrive life. Everyone needs to accept the fact that 30+ foot boat doesn't need to beat a 24 Outlaw with 700 horses out of the hole. I never throw the throttles all the way forward on my 33, just ease into it, let the props bite, get up on plane, then slowly push the sticks forward. Of course I change gear oil every year...cheap insurance.

Re: 38 Special Questions
 

I have a 38 Special that I service with 1,000 hours on the engines and drives.

He just lost a drive at the end of the year 502 MPI's had 1:36 gears in it.

I switched him over to 1:50 and he said its a totally new boat.

Re: 38 Special Questions
 

Ask Tyler about the 36 down here on Lake Norman that he built the motors for. He now has #3's on it now.

A buddy had an 01 with 502's that he built up and but Whipples on. Finally got IMCO's to last.

I never hammer my boat out of the hole. Actually I have had several people to tell me that my drives will last FOREVER the way I drive. I have billet top caps with intregrated coolers and change my drive oil every 20 hours with the engine oil.

I have replaced one drive completely(port), and rebuilt the Starboard with a total of 280 hours on the boat. Running stock 500 EFI's. They are Bravo XZ drives with 1.5:1 ratio.

A good friend with a 36 Apache was having the same problem with stock power. Almost the same hull and weight as the 36 Outlaw. He had his rebuilt about two seasons ago by Max Machine Worx and they are holding up well. He agrees with the weight issue.

The boats are heavy. I have friends running 950 HP through a stock Bravo in a 26 foot boat and they know how to drive it to make it live. But the boats weight 5000 lbs or less.

Not trying to disagree at all, but I have seen too many 36's go through drives. The weight of the boat becomes a big factor. It puts a lot of stress on the drives. My boat weights in at 11,000 lbs + with four people gear and full load of fuel.

We test drove a 46 Black Thunder at the Miami boat show with 525's and XR's. I thought the boat was nice, but under powered. I also wondered about how the drives would hold up. It had 40 hours on it. Just learned last week that they broke a drive on the very next test ride after ours. "Weight"

I wish you the best of luck. Tyler does nice work!

Re: 38 Special Questions
 

Personally I do not know anyone that hammers a 30+ foot boat out of the hole. Have dozens of friends and have run 13+ poker runs and cannot say I have every seen anyone abuse their equipment like that.

If you are implying I do and that is why I and several others I know first hand have lost drives then you are mistaken, and do not know me to make that statement.

These guys can all tell you how I drive and care for my equipment. And I have still lost two drives.

SteelWare
JAkers
Wild Thing Taz
Doctor "K"
FormulaBill
GatorOne
BulletProof
SonnySpectre
Duces Wild
Swede
RHC

Just to name a few.

As for drive oil, not sure how many hours you put on your boat but I get close to 100 a season and just changing it once a season would be bad news from what I have been taught.

Mike Nichols who use to be the local Black Thunder dealer here on Norman was losing drives all the time on his 43 BT. He contributed it directly to the weight of his boat. He told me when my boat was fairly new that I should be more concerned with the drive oil than the engine oil.

I believe he was a very wise person. I ran synethic oil until the first drive failure. Mercury really helped be out on that one and convienced me that they sold a good oil that was formulated for their drives. I have stuck with them ever since and buy the Merc High Performance Gear oil from the local dealer in five gallon containers. "Good Insurance"

The billet top caps are a MUST, especially on the port drive. But that did not keep me from breaking three teeth on the top gear set on the starboard drive.

Good luck with the 38. The cuddy in those is awesome!

Re: 38 Special Questions
 

I agree with dock holiday on the weight issue. I also am a believer that the hole shot is hard on drives. What I haven't heard anybody mention is the importance of keeping your drives in the water or getting out of the throttles in rough water. Those telltale off and on rooster tails are a sign of things to come.
:( :(

Re: 38 Special Questions
 

I wholeheartedly agree that weight is a concern here. I have 1.36 ratio drives on the boat. It is on its second set of drives, but that is because the first owner beat it to death. I don't abuse my stuff. I have been told that the 1.36 ratio will slow me down speed wise, but also that I will have more get up and go off the line. I also use the Merc gearlube, but I have a friend that sells chemicals for machines that really has worked wonders in my other boat. It is a friction modifier/gear smoother type product. After you put it in you almost cannot tell when you shift into gear, it is so smooth.

As someone also stated it is very important to keep a constantly consistent load on the drives. If you are coming out of the water alot, well they won't last. When I drive fast I always have one hand one the wheel and one on the throttles. I always pull back when flying and slowly get back on the throttles after landing. I wouldn't make a very good racer, but then again I do not have an endless supply of gear and sponsors !!!!

All I really know is that I want summer here now !!!
I am headed to Key west for a week tonight and I know when I get back that the ice will still be on the lake :( :(

Re: 38 Special Questions
 

Hey Dock,

I was wondering if you knew how fast the guy on Lake Norman with 750 hp was running ?? I am hoping to get to at least 82 and 85 would be great.

Re: 38 Special Questions
 

Any idea if 500 EFI's with 1.50 gears can swing 26 pitch bravos in the 38 Special?

Re: 38 Special Questions
 

I have 1.36 drives and am turning 21 pitch 4 blades

Re: 38 Special Questions
 

Sorry, been down in Charletson, SC for Easter weekend and a nice ride on Steelware's sweet 33 Outlaw. Would have posted sooner.

I am pretty sure the boat runs on the 90's. I have never seen it run hard. Jeff takes VERY good care of it and has it set up right.

Tyler actually helped them to build the stand off boxes that the transmissions are in and flew down and rigges the boat for Jeff.

Maybe Jeff will come on and give some more details. It is one sweet setup!

Re: 38 Special Questions
 

I would think that the 26 pitch would be the prop of choice.

Re: 38 Special Questions
 

I have a 1993 .38 Special with Carb'ed 502 mags(390hp), 1.36 Bravo drives turning 19pitch 3 blade mirage props. The best I've seen is 60.5mph on GPS. The motors are stock w/ revolution marine exhaust manifolds. .38 Specials are Heavy boats, and I was told that they used the 1.36 geared bravos because it is easier on the drives........Easier to spin a smaller pitch prop faster than a Large pitch prop. slower........

Obnoxus, what kind of a change did it have???

LittleE, are you Adams buddy that just bought a 38 Special?? If so welcome to the crowd!!! You'll love the room they have!!! Where did you find yours?? What power?? 500hp's????

Re: 38 Special Questions
 

Very Interesting

Thanks for the information FunHome, I have never heard that before, but it makes sense.

The worse think I see people do, and I have been guilty of this is flying the boat out of the water. It is very hard on the gear sets.

I spoke with Julie at Throttle up about this down at Key West and she said they can detune the props a little so they don't grab as hard when reentering the water which also helps, but you will loose top end.

Doc

Re: 38 Special Questions
 

Mine is a 1993 and I have never had a drive fail. Had 502 EFI and had internal corrosion problem with head and manifold. Extremely common problem in salt water. Had blowout problems with the 21 pitch 3 blade props out of the hole and went to the 4 blade and solved the problem

Re: 38 Special Questions
 

FunHome,

I have a pair of 19 pitch 4 blade props for sale if you are interested.

Re: 38 Special Questions
 

Hey, aren't you the guy I purchased the Honda generator from? If so thanks again, great unit!

As for your drives, you are running stock power. If you refer to post #7 and #10 you will see why I say they will break drives.

#7 Add Whipples
#10 750 HP

Plus the weight factor on the boat and they will KILL stock drives!

Doc

Re: 38 Special Questions
 

Hey Doc,

Yes I am the one. Glad that you are happy with it. I cannot keep them in stock. Once someone sees of those Eu2000's, they have to get one.
I have always taken it easy out of the hole and have not had any problems.
Right now I am getting ready to sell it. I am purchasing a 2003 442. Almost switched to 47 Fountain or 45 Donzi but found a great deal on a 60 hour boat. The 47 did not have enough cabin space for the wife and the Donzi was just too expensive. I fly up to sign off on it Fri and then they will be delivering it to me here in Fl.
I see you have been spending quite a bit of time and money on the O/L. Thanks for helping with the economy, now if you can do something for the gas prices.....


Keith

Re: 38 Special Questions
 

Keith,

That is awesome with the 442! Good luck with it and give us some pictures and details when you get a chance.

I have sure done my share to help the enonomy, to the point I may not have any money left for gasoline!

Went to the station yesterday, it was $2.15 per gallon for diesel. I offered them $1.59 and they did not even come back with a counter offer!

Take care
Doc

P.S. Here are a couple of 442's for you.

The first one was called Excavator from Lake Cumberland, and the second one was on the FPC Miami Boat Show Poker Run to the keys. I think it comes from the Gulf side of Florida.

Re: 38 Special Questions
 

Doc,
Here are a couple...more to come later

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Sorry it did not work. I will try later

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Doc,
I think I got this time.

Re: 38 Special Questions
 

Keith,

That is REALLY, REALLY nice.

Honestly, I think that is the best one I have seen yet.

I love the colors.

You are the man!

What power does it have?

Doc

Re: 38 Special Questions
 

Doc,
Thanks for the kind words. I have been looking for some time and the day before I was going to order a 47 Lightning this thing popped up. No comparison in speed but the 442 is one nice ride. I had called on Excavator, but too much money for that old of a boat and I really was not that keen on the paint job.
The power is 496's, so once I get it down here I will go to work on it. I am interested in your guy in Jacksonville. Sounds like he knows his stuff.
It has seen 65 on GPS so it should not be too hard to get it in the low 70's.
It is real clean all freshwater boat with 67 hours on one motor (on the scanner) and less hours on the other 2. I purchased the trailer with it so I will have some flexibilty to do more Poker Runs. I will put up some more pics when I get the chance. Have been extremely busy last couple of days trying to get everything done so it can come south this weekend.