alpha drives
 

Would alpha 1 drives fit in this type of cutout ? And what are the 2 holes at the bottom for ... Separate seawater pumps ?
http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/d...todog/back.jpg

Not like they are now. Those appear to be cut out for TRS drives. Holes at the bottom probably are for the seawater pumps for each engine. That looks like a big heavy boat for alpha's considering the engines you are going to need to push it. Alpha's aren't particularly happy with big blocks. Alpha's are only rated for 300hp max so with a pair of small blocks your not going to see much speed. I'm sure that boat had big blocks with the heavier duty TRS drives.
Lot of work and expenses sitting there my friend, even if you got it for free.

Hey, thanks for the reply ...
So does the cutout need to be be enlarged or does it need to be smaller to accept the alphas ? The donar boat is a 30 foot donzi that has and came with 454 330's and the alphas. It is a 1987 so I dont know if it is all glass or a core type construction (lighter). The 2 boats are basically the same except this one has a much longer and pointier nose.
As for the work involved ..... I like a project.

That's a neat old boat, but you will be very unhappy with Alphas on a 40' boat that heavy. With the kind of power it will take to get that boat on plane you will destroy drives in no time.

Putting Alphas on that would be like putting 13" tires on a Corvette.

Whats wrong with the Donzi that your making it a donor boat? Those are TRS cut outs and the 2 holes at the keel are for the old style kiekefer water pickups. You are going to have to glas in those holes and make new cutouts for the new drives. Alphas are never going to hold up to pushing that tank around. Even on a 30' Donzi is on the edge with any more power than the stock 330hp. and that thing isnt getting up on plane with 2-330's. I'd think this through if I where you.

thanks guys,
Well, the donzi is ok but not really my style. I bought it to get all the stuff I needed for this boat. I'll run the donzi this year and work on the other until next year when I'll swap the stuff over. When the drives die, I'll get some bravos. If the boat wont plane on 2 330's maybe I should beef them up before swapping them over. I wonder how much power it would have had when new ? It's an MSV Miller, Saccenti, Varese.

you will have to re cut again if you go from alphas to bravo. should be pretty easy to find the right parts for that, or just do transom and cut for bravos

drives
 

Alpha's and bravo's have the same cut out hole.Just have 2 more bolt holes.JOHN SR

I think this guy is gonna be one of those guys that asks for advice but refuses to take it.

Thousands of his dollars and hundreds of hours will be wasted doing what he wants to do and in the end he'll realize that the advice he got is what he should have listened to and done. 30' Donzi isn't his style? Where's the style in what he wants to do? Sell the Donzi as a running boat and put the money towards buying the right parts to put this project back together the right way with the right power etc.