87 272 SR1 - 320EFI & AlphaSS Drives
 

I'm trying to get some accurate information on a boat that I am very seriously contemplating buying but would like to know what kind of performance i can expect. There is a lot of what seams to be conflicting information on the web about the pros/cons of the SBC's over the BBC in these boats. Ass heavy with the big blocks but slower with the small blocks. Most of what I have read states that the SBC version of the 272 is completely maxed out at 60 and the BBC's may hit 65 max but 62-63 is more likely. I'm assuming most of the figures are assuming the boat has the standard Merc 260's and not the 320EFI's.

Do you think 60-65 is realistic with the 320's assuming the motors are strong or would I be lucky to reach 60? The boat is in fantastic shape and has been very well taken care of. I know parts are hard to come by for the 320's but worst case I could always just slap on some new intakes and carbs and call it a day if it gives to much trouble in the future.

I very much appreciate any information you can share on this configuration. The more I read the more intrigued I become. It would be nice to have something a bit different from everyone else out on the lake.

My current boat is a 24' Checkmate Enforcer with a SBC/Alpha and looking to upgrade. Most of my boating is on Lake St. Clair and it can get pretty snotty out there on the weekend and my boat just wasn't designed for those conditions.

There is a guy on here with a 272 with 320s so he may chime in. I owned one though, and know of others that have. With my 330hp 454 they ran 64 to 65 with almost any load, full fuel 4 big guys and gear maybe 63. With regular 260/270hp 350s 59.99 is the best I've ever heard. The 320s efis are on par with the 330s but I think you will feel the torque loss over the big blocks.

Riding along, I share the OP's question.

PM now clear...send again

I have a 1988 272 sr1 with 320 efi and BRAVO drives. 1.5 ratio and 23 mirage2 props.
We had it out a few times and I am very happy with it, Last weekend we had 7 people and 3/4 fuel 82 degrees and humid. Did 64 mph.gps

three or more weeks ago 5 people full tank. 65 degrees and dry, 67mph. (One drive wouldnt trim up enough since fixed that)
This boat gets on plane imediately, not stern heavy. gets good fuel economy and is fast. I think we can get 70 out of it. oh and it sounds awesome. !!!

Well that is very encouraging to hear. I realize yours has the bravos and the one I'm looking at has the Alpha SS out drives so its not a complete apples to apples comparison but I would think it should be pretty similar.

Do you have a rough idea of about how many GPH at cruise your burning through? Just looking for ballpark figures

I have a performance sheet on the boat I got from formula is has
GPH specs for the small-blocks----18 gph at 3000 rpm 36 mph with 270 mags which are carbed so mine should be better GPH being EFI.
Your boat would be probably faster than bravo's with the alpha SS drives I would think.
Also the same boat with 7.4 - 330 hp motors weigh 600lbs more at the stern. on the 320, the MPI intake manifold is all aluminum and no carb and the full factory EMI exhaust is aluminum along with the lighter weights of the small block engines calculates to about 600lbs less. even less with alpha drives! So its logical that it plains out fast, without any tabs being used.
I love my boat:nicethread:
what color combo is it? mine is the palm beach

+1 My 272 with 350 mags ran 59.99999999 with 23 Mirages at 4900 never could break 60.

I'm getting more and more excited about this configuration the more I am hearing about it!

As for the color scheme I'm not sure what the official name is. I have not been able to find it on any other boat. Here is a picture of the boat:

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2...psdtworl5u.jpg

my network wont let me open it. what colors?

Mainly white hull with the "standard formula" style stripe in Gray, Black & dark Blue going down the side.

nice. here is a link to the 1987 brochure
http://www.formulaboats.com/wp-conte...a-Brochure.pdf

That brochure is great!

Is there anything specific to these boats that are known problem areas that I should focus on and watch out for? I've seen it mentioned that under the step going down into the cabin can be a known area of rot in the boat since it can trap water. Any other areas I should look out for specific to these boats?

I'm looking to get the same package with Bravo's. It is taking longer than anticipated to get the boat, but this just made my day! I believe the way I hear this is "the boat will do 65 all day long with a full tank of fuel, a large cooler of beer and a handfull of fat guys" :D If I could go 70 with 1/4 tank of gas, no beer and only 1 fat guy i would be extatic!

The Alpha SS is much faster and lighter than the Bravos. I used to race an Alpha SS on a 22 Velocity, as long as you can throttle decently, they will hold up to small blocks. I ran a 530hp small block and could keep it together for 3 races turning 7200rpm. As a test we put my drive on a friends 22 velocity with a standard alpha. The ss ran an instant 5mph faster. You have to remember, the ss's are 3 inches shorter than a standard alpha and have the same surfacing gear case as the 2.5efi racing outboards. I think you could have a sweet package. If you don't like the Alpha SS, you can always sell them off. There have been multiple people searching for them on OSO. They bring better money than a Bravo!

I had a '86 272 LS with twin 320 EFI's/Alpha SS Drives new from the factory. With 23" SS Cleavers it would run a speedometer indicated 75...we had no GPS in '86~'87. The motors would run 5500~6000 RPM for hours at a time. Probably the best all around boat I ever owned.

I used to run with a group of guys out of Ralph Martins Everglades Marina in Ft. Lauderdale to Bimini once a week when the water was right...called our selves the "Bimini for Lunch Bunch". There were a couple of KV Scarabs, a "Mistress", F-302 Formula with a pair of 420 HP Cyclones. We would clear the Port Everglades jetty's at about 10 AM...cruise in a group formation about 60~65 and be sitting at the bar in Bimini with a beer and Mahi (Dolphin) sandwich by 11:30.
We looked like a scene out of "Miami Vice" tied up at the dock...those were the days !!

My little 272 was the smallest of the group but would run on the top with any of the others....even in the rough stuff. I broke a few cabin doors and dumped a refrigerator in the floor once or twice but never had and real damage from rough water...but my knees are paying for it now...30 years later LOL !!

IMO the 320 EFI's in the mid/late '80's were a glimpse into the future....a piece of history...solid bottom end and revolutionary intake system for the times.

I think what we are seeing now with the LS motors is another glimpse into the future...6.2's with just a bit of soup making 500+ HP !!?? LOOK OUT !!!:evilb:

Very cool story! I've been around boating my entire life growing up in Michigan but just recently started getting into performance boats of my own. We always had ski boats at our family cottage up north and then we also had a Sea Ray Sundancer that we would take weekend long trips on.

A few years ago I bought an 1987 Checkmate 24' Enforcer. It is a great boat and lots of fun but it does not handle rough water well and that is the main reason why I am upgrading. On a busy weekend I typically have to run with full tabs and cruise around 20mph just to stay somewhat comfortable. Also would like to be able to overnight on it and the cabin is just way to small. Practically have to army crawl to get down there.

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2...ps62d8abee.jpg

Jim...sounds like you will really enjoy a 272. I have been at the helm of 272's with 454's and owned one with twin Small Blocks. Either one is great but personally I like the feel of the smaller motors...lighter in the ass end by about 300 pounds and just feels more nimble in the way it handles.

Well today was the big day. I went and looked at the 272 this morning and it was just as described. I looked over the boat very well and beyond a few minor issues it is in fantastic shape. Especially considering the boat is close to 30 years old. I guess that just goes to show how well Formula built these boats. With all that being said we shook on a deal pending a water test but as of right now it looks like I will be joining the Formula family. Unfortunately the soonest that will happen between our two schedules is a little over a week away. Its going to be a very long week.....

I took a few more pictures while i was there as well.

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2...pscsqdjqwd.jpg

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2...pshpmbkklp.jpg

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2...pstoeqahci.jpg

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2...psgkxzjew5.jpg

Nice, any pics of drives? and motors? good luck with the test ride

Unfortunately the pictures I took of the engines & drives did not turn out at all. Phone acted stupid with the focus and all I got was a few blurry images. I will take some new ones when I see the boat next. Looks like there might be a chance that the water test could happen this week and as early as tomorrow but more than likely if it does it will be Wednesday. Crossing my fingers we can make it happen and I can bring her home this week! Already have the old boat up for sale and received quite a bit of interest.

great looking boat, and those motors are a nice combo, but you don't here much about em do to rarity, can't say if there one way or another, but make sure they haven't been toyed with first, how many hours? maybe I missed it somewhere in the thread

That boat is a rare find...looks as if it's been in a time capsule. Seeing that interior brings back a lot of memories !! Thanks for sharing.

Any news? Did ya test it out?

So yesterday I met up with the PREVIOUS owner (spoiler alert!) at a local launch for a sea trial. Not much to discuss other than it went very very well. Boat behaved almost perfectly. I say almost because each of the engines ended up stalling once or twice if you brought back the throttles quickly or idled for a long period of time. The boat has barely been used over the last couple years and I honestly believe it just needs some gas run through it and to be used. A little disconcerting since the engines are difficult to troubleshoot. Might just be bad gas who knows. Either way I am not to worried about that. Performance wise this boat is impressive and the engines run very strong. I briefly opened the throttles and the boat shot right up to 60mph (GPS) with out even fighting or messing with the trim. Obviously I'm still very unfamiliar with the boat still so I pulled them right back to a nice steady 40mph cruise.

I am VERY impressed with the quality of the ride on this boat. Night and day difference between my old boat and this Formula. It was kinda rough yesterday (steady 1.5' footers) and while the Checkmate would have been fine it wouldn't have been very comfortable and I would have been constantly adjusting tabs and steering. This boat didn't even seem to notice them and happily cruised at 45 while me and the owner had a conversation.

Needless to say the boat ended up coming home with me. He gave me everything he had for the boat (including a spare ECU for the 320's) along with the boats complete documentation in the red 3 ring binder I notice everyone talk about. every dime that was ever spent on the boat is listed with the receipt. Quite impressive.

Enough of me rambling. Time for what everyone really cares about, the pictures.

At the launch about to head out:
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2...psvvz9hsmx.jpg

After the test and hooked to my truck!
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2...pst3hglgaj.jpg

Engines just don't want to be photographed! sun kind of screwed this photo up but oh well. Its the best I have at the moment
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2...psa7whqg8u.jpg

Alpha SS outdrives
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2...pslkgv0s9d.jpg

Pictures of the Helm. Boat is like brand new inside. Kudos to Formula's build quality and the great care all previous owners gave this particular boat.
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2...psfjfcm9zz.jpg

All tucked away. Poor checkmate getting kicked out of its home.. haha
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2...pstr2bjuxq.jpg

awesome, good luck!
I have the red 3 ring binder too!

Thanks!

I know your boat has the bravos so it's not a direct comparison but out of curiosity what props are you running?

mirage plus- 23pitch. what about your boat?

Haven't ran the part numbers but they are stamped with Quicksilver 21. I have a single 23 mirage in my shed. Need to find another one and try it out. Also have a 21 mirage plus as well but like the 23 would need to find a 2nd one. Oh the joy of twins haha

Jim, you have one of the best of the best...enjoy it and appreciate the classic nature of the boat.

23's are what I'm running on my 255 Liberator/Bravo's Twin Vortec 400+ HP. Very similar boats in weight and size. At 70 I'm about 4800. Very good combination.

You might consider joining the Formula Boat Forum http://www.formulaboatsforum.com/VBFORUM/forum.php and sharing that beauty with the guys over there...I'm sure they will appreciate it !!

im at 4750 rpm 67 mph with the 23's. maybe i should get 21's to get the rpms over 5000. the rpm range is 5000-5400/ ???

I would try the 21" Mirage Plus. I have a pair I use about half the time if I'm not running long distances offshore and they give the boat even stronger jump 0-50...as if it needed it !! If you're on a small to medium size lake the 21" Mirage will let you run out 5000 plus for sure and make the boat a bit more "snappy". I have run mine to just shy of 80 with the 23's at 5500 RPM and 75 at 5500 with the 21's.

The difference is 30 years of technology with the roller cam Vortecs with 800 plus horsepower in the water. I also think the 272 hull is a bit faster than my 255. That being said...I think mine will break 80 with the 23's but my being a bit older than you guys, I run out of "Testicle" in these older boats with out hydraulic steering above 70 !!! LOL

Keep in mind...always use your kill lanyard and wear a GOOD PFD ...especially when you're running hard upstairs on the water. I have had some close calls and seen some bad things happen when a "rogue" boat wake appears out of no where or when one drive locks up on a twin causing a sudden 90* turn !!

hey did ya get it out over the weekend? hammer down yet?

I sure did! Weather was gorgeous here on Saturday so I spent the majority of the day and well into the evening out on the lake. Had a fantastic time and the boat performed great. Before I went out I ran a bunch of highly concentrated fuel injector cleaner through the system and that seemed to help some but the boat was still stalling quite a bit when pulling back into neutral or idling in gear for a while. The boat was trying to idle around 450 RPM which is obviously way to low so I ended up adjusting the idle up by turning in the throttle stops and that seems to have fixed everything. I'm still not confident that is the real underlying issue but for now it seems to have done the trick.

Performance wise this boat is pretty damn impressive and I haven't really tried to get every last mph out of it yet as I'm obviously still learning the boat. I do want to find another 23 mirage and see what those do in the near future . As the boat sits now it rockets right up to 60 without much hesitation or drive trim but at that point I'm already around 5200-5300 rpm. This was with 3/4 fuel and 3 people. I'm pretty confident with the right set of props this should be an easy 65mph boat and quite possibly even crack the 70 mark but we will see.

Finishing the night at one of my favorite restaurants on the lake before the 25 minute cruise back to the launch.
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2...pslnlsomlu.png

Sweet. Glad to hear. I poured Techron into the fuel water separator filters and ran it then I also poured a quart of Lucas cleaner most recently. We did a gas pump kettle cove sebago, run in the rain . it was still fun, light rain... responded better on new 91 octane on the way back. too rough with passengers(kids) to keep it WOT. The gas I had in it was previous owner gas 1.5 seasons old

Another beautiful weekend here in Michigan so the girlfriend and I along with a couple friends spent all day and evening Saturday out on the lake. The boat performed fantastic as again and even recorded a new top speed of 65mph (well 64.7 gps) with a full tank of gas and 4 people. Ran out of of room but it was still slow climbing. I need to get my hands on a 23 Mirage and see what that does as I was approaching 5400rpm at that point.

ended up staying out later than planned and had to cross the lake at night which is no big deal at all. Only problem is that the Mayflies have hatched and well, I'll let the pictures do the explaining even though they don't really do it justice. It was bad. Really bad...

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2...psqzsutozd.jpg

Look closely at the windshield and you'll start to get an idea of the Mayfly massacre that took place on the boat last night..
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2...psdbvamrqu.jpg

thanks for the update. The 23's would be fine. Mine goes right up on plane with a heavy load no problem. Im wondering if anyone has a dyno sheet on these motors? i havent got mine over 5,ooo rpm with the 23's but i should be able to ....

Love It !!!

I have 2 sets of 23 mirages one being used on my boat and the other as a spare set,so I just got a set of 21's to try so now I can sell a pair of the 23's... you interested?