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NOOB with an old school NOVA 250XL
I joined about a year ago but am just now posting about my 1978 NOVA 250XL, I found it being stored in a warehouse for the last 20 years, it has 406ci SBC built in 1994 by racing parts machine in Baltimore. I bought it from the original owners son last July. it has never been bottom painted and the gelcoat is in great shape for its age. It took a few days to get both motors going but they both fired up once I got fuel in them. The boat runs real well, I have put about 25 hours on it so far. It will run close to 55mph on GPS, and it still has the original pre-alpha drives on it. I'm having the 70s Naugahyde interior redone with a modern double diamond pattern. This thing is incredible in rough water, nothing better than an old NOVA!
CLICK FOR VIDEO http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p...ps3f3d62fa.jpg http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p...ps1544a7df.jpg http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p...pscaef1e17.jpg http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p...psb1b4fab3.jpg http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p...ps5258ef27.jpg http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p...pszl5a80j5.jpg |
clean boat!!! sounds like a barn find. You may want to play with props, I have a 77 with twin 188 302 2bbl motors and saw a best of 48 with not the best alum props., Each of your motors should be close to both of mine combined.
Check the back of the hull too, sitting on that roller trailer for so long may have given you a bit of a hook. Who knows, you might have another 5mph on the table...... |
they are 23p cleavers, I need to do some tuning the one will spin to 5200 but the other only 4800,i think it is an advance issue or maybe carb related.
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The cleavers probably aren't helping, those drives are deep. See if you can borrow some 23 mirages or another standard 3 blade round eared prop and give those a try.
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Originally Posted by phragle
(Post 4100438)
The cleavers probably aren't helping, those drives are deep. See if you can borrow some 23 mirages or another standard 3 blade round eared prop and give those a try.
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get rid of the pre alphas. you can snap that top of that vert shaft real easy. I did just that with a 406. of course it was in a sundancer and I firewalled it... but still, cheap as alphas are, start collecting them.
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Why fix what is not broke.I ran 350 hp thru them old drives .When it breaks fix it.Why start a money pit,like a lot of people do.If its working leave it alone and enjoy it.When it breaks then fix it .My 2 cents
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yes, but it can't hurt to find a 300 buck lower to have as a spare. plus, it seems that parts know when you have
a replacement for them and behave themselves better... |
I actually have a spare drive for it , and I try not to hammer it out of the hole! Just rented a slip with a lift in it for the summer in OCMD, so hopefully it will get some offshore time down there. I will be pulling both drives to replace the waterpump housings in a week or two, and I hope by then the interior will be done around the same time. Come on warmer weather!!!
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doing some work on the inside, Had to rebuild the back rest support and I'm sure there will be some more, as I get deeper.
Before: http://zombiescustoms.smugmug.com/19...IMAG1741-L.jpg After: http://zombiescustoms.smugmug.com/19...IMAG1746-L.jpg |
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if you don't wanna replace any wood in that interior, don't look under any of the seats...
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I have run into another issue, I pulled both drives to do water pumps and lower shift cables, and after getting one side done I fired the starboard motor and it lost oil pressure after a few min. Long story short the oil filter popped, but now I cant get the damned thing off. so it looks like I will be pulling the motors, on the plus side I can take a good look at the oil pans and clean the bilge liner real good. So much for spending my Friday relaxing!
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Managed to get the filters off with a chisel, now onto the interior, wood refinishing, and detailing
http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p...pss0fsvenu.jpg http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p...ps9lvqxutf.jpg http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p...ps1ji0i4tx.jpg http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p...pscs1fafi0.jpg |
So I took it out for the first time this season, ran great, but I have noticed these 406s will only spin 4000 rpm, I think its time for a prop change, might try a set of 21p round blade instead of the 23 cleavers
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From what I've experienced this hull likes cleavers. I ran 65 MPH with 4 people and a full fuel
Tank running mild 325 HP 350s and 21 Cleavers in my old nova. |
1978 Wellcraft Nova 250xl run: http://youtu.be/rqvynN6ZVq0
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