Top Guns w/3A's??
 

I am thinking I would like an older Gun. I love the straight hull big power tigers, but they are still too expensive. I have seen some early 90's guns with reasonable power and 3A's. Is this a good combo? I don't know anything about the 3A's, powerhandling, prop selection, and pros and cons. Thanks for the help.

Corey

Re: Top Guns w/3A's??
 

Our 95 gun is a 3A boat linked to 525 SC's. Runs mid 70's.

The 3A's are the same prop shaft size as the #6's (large prop shafts). The SSM3's were smaller shafts. The 3a's are BEEFY with twin verticle shafts instead of one like a bravo. I'm not a pro at all the info on speedmaster drives but from what I can tell the 3A's were the race drives of their time until the SSMVI. 3A's are awesome drives! However, if you do manage to break one, which I'm told is almost as hard to do as breaking a #6, the repair costs are as much as a #6. This means very expensive. For example. The prop shafts are 3k each to replace!

They stopped making the 3's a while ago but the 3A's were just stopped being produced last year. As a matter of fact they were still listed on Mercs site as a new buyable drive last I looked. There will be parts around for them for many years to come.

The straight top guns were built to be rigged with transmissions. They ride better with them. Not knocking anyones boat but I would personally have a hard time running a Bravo'd straight bottom Gun. The Gun's are just too heavy for that drive. Aslo you'll find a lot of early 90's guns W/TRS's. TRS resale is a biotch. Great drive for it's time but they have not made them in a LOOOOOONG time. Last new TRS'd gun was in 91/92 I believe.

Here's some pics of our boat. With of course the obligatory air shot!! :D

Re: Top Guns w/3A's??
 

I'm looking at a 1991 Gun with Bravo's thanks for more ammo in getting them to come down a little more on their price. :evilb:

my other ammo was this:

Re: Top Guns w/3A's??
 

That is not a Top Gun.........If you want to run a T/G hard, as in, Offshore,Big Power..you need 3as, Vs, IVs or Konrads

Re: Top Guns w/3A's??
 

Zudnic, Birdog is right. That is a pic of a Cafe (Cafe's are awesome boats by the way!). Just a warning, the black is a pain to re-do/update to white. You have to tear apart the whole cockpit.

I ran a buddies Cafe more times than I can remember. 500efi's and bravos. Blew a couple of drives over the years. I guess it's just how you run 'em. My point in "ME" not feeling comfy running a Gun with bravos is the first pic I posted :D

Bravo's on a Cafe wont be too bad. I don't think they'll knock the price down because of that. People actually WANT bravos on 90's guns/Cafes. The alternative most of the time are TRS's. There just wasn't many Guns/Cafes made with 3a's 5's or 6's.

Re: Top Guns w/3A's??
 

That was the only pic that came from the email, others all red "X". I'm leaving too look at tonight.....

Re: Top Guns w/3A's??
 

Fiberglass Top Guns w/a heavy drive (TRS or Speedmasters) take a lot of power to move. There was a '94 on here with 650hp and 3A's and it ran low 70's. Hell, a buddy's old '96 Gun (fiberglass & full cabin) with 675SC's and XR's on Boxes couldn't break 80mph.

Last year of TRS Gun was '94 ;)

Re: Top Guns w/3A's??
 

Thanks guys. Bobby I do realize that the old boats take lots of power, and truthfully that is fine by me. Eventually I would like to be at or around 900hp with a reliable drive. It sounds like the 3A may be a great option for what I am looking for.

I see that TRICK's Tiger has 3A's, but unfortunately too much dough for me. I have found a couple early 90's guns with 3A's that seem like a decent boat.

Corey

BTW anyone want an 01 Donzi 38 Daytona?? :D

Re: Top Guns w/3A's??
 

3A should be fine for 800-900hp. There is a '92 on Boat Trader which is in the OSO classifieds too but on Boat Trader it's $109k.

Re: Top Guns w/3A's??
 

if your looking for a sweet cafe that already has been redone to white with new guages and custom paint pm stecz, his is up for sale but not advertised yet...a VERY sweet cafe. low hours on upgraded power and kept very nice.

Re: Top Guns w/3A's??
 

The dealer swears its a Top Gun. It's regardless the only Cig for sale close by in the year, price range and I like Cafe's as well. last post was rushed friend waiting to drive with me the 3 hrs away, so had to run. We showed up late then expected and the salesmen who waited did'nt have a key for the warehouse and through the window could'nt see it inside.

For the asking price and if its a Cafe (sales guy swears its a Gun) still worth it, even having to tear the whole cockpit apart like old school but all black is a little much, but for the money I would save its liveable for the time being.

It's also all white which was another bonus cause I was planning on going vinyl route anyways, no stripping old graphics etc... Cafe for the price of a tired early eighties Bullet and the sellers swear its a Gun.

Stecz might be selling his with upgraded power, but can he let her go for bellow $60K?

Re: Top Guns w/3A's??
 

This is what the Coast Guard say's about my favorite area to run:

Re: Top Guns w/3A's??
 

Bravo's are not for you.I have had both and i can tell you,
It's great being able to lay on the sticks and not worry about Bravo's coming undone....I held out for a Speedy T/G and paid more but it's well worth it !

BTW...76 mph {GPS} with 640 N/A hp...Not screaming but..Not many can run faster when it's rough {Offshore}

Re: Top Guns w/3A's??
 

My two biggests problem's is never find time to travel and the only Cig near me besides the Cafe was the 20 in the classifieds. When I do find the time to travel, having a start-up company expenses pop up that make spending foolish....

The Cig I'm holding out for (if I can find another buyer for my real estate) would be the Pink Flamingo. I like speed but the places I'm running, you will go out glass smooth and come home to find it insane enough that car ferries are no longer running........ :evilb:

I'm positive I will break bravo, like getting air!!!!!!

Re: Top Guns w/3A's??
 

The pink flamingo is a sweet ride. And Hugh's doing a little work to her (may not be the pink flamingo any more ;) )

Grimmy's cig is really nice for a great price too. Though it does have Bravos.

Re: Top Guns w/3A's??
 

So is it getting a face lift ?

Re: Top Guns w/3A's??
 

So will it become a wrapper....L.A. style :D

Re: Top Guns w/3A's??
 

Too Funny.....................

Re: Top Guns w/3A's??
 

Tank is quick to "spill the beans".

She is close to a finished paint project, no wraps! Just a small facelift to entice all of you who are interested in a great boat, but are too macho for pink. Will have to change the embroidered logos on the sunpad to match the new paint.

Re: Top Guns w/3A's??
 

Post pics...... I broke off a chunk of orchard land to sell and had a buyer; Prez of our water district told buyer I could not transfer over water shares to the new parcel, so they backed out..... As soon as that sells I'll be serious, hate calling, emailing un-less I'm serious.......

Re: Top Guns w/3A's??
 

The below boat belongs to a friend of mine and it has been running 3A's for many years now. The boat has had pulley changes over the years but has been running at 1000 HP the majority of the time. With 1000 HP and the right props it will run 101 MPH. I believe he has had the boat for 5 years now (maybe 6) and he has rebuilt 1 drive. Other than that they have been flawless. That is pushing a 3A to the max so if you were going to be airing it out all the time you would have more issues I'm sure.

Re: Top Guns w/3A's??
 

You are going to have to wait until Wednesday, everyone. I know that we have spoken about the flamingo and what a "turn off" the pink stripes have been. Heck, the old gal has been on OSO classifieds for almost a year and the top 10 for the better part of the year. Should have seen her go along time ago.

Hugh

Re: Top Guns w/3A's??
 

[QUOTE=POOL WHORE]Tank is quick to "spill the beans".
QUOTE]

Hey, I didn't spil the beans....I just hinted around. No secret you've been working on it and have been bumming rides from everyone!!! :eek: :D