Nice find. Someone modified the hatch, as that looks like it’s hinged on the sides split into 2 vs the stern one large sun pad.

And someone replaced the rub rail. So I would assume someone resealed the deck to hull as that’s common to leak.

good news on the dry cabin, as they tend to leak as well and usually comes in around the window and the dash area.

keep us posted on the Volvo conversion and performance, as that’s not common, nor have I ever seen it.

good luck.

chris

Yes the guy I bought it from said the previous owner spent about 10g on the engine hatch, it has hydraulic or electric rams to open it, I walked on it and it doesn’t flex, didn’t know the rub rail was replaced, how would I check to see if it’s sealed as I have not had time to go through it with a fine tooth comb yet.
i am doing the Volvo conversion cause the trs/merc trans from the scarab were in rough shape and I am a Volvo guy, the old 290 dpe drive I have found to be great and pretty tough. I have several very good Volvo mechanics and parts around here are plentiful. Unfortunately the scarab was a 1977 and apparently they came with Sbc, so I am rebuilding them(at least cheapest on planet to rebuild) hopefully with all the aluminum on the engine and going to 388 inches hopefully should be similar performance that an all cast iron 330 bbc. I assume the standard 330 bbc came with cast iron everything, I guess we will see

Did build engines with big dished pistons for the 2 blowers in my closet

To check the Hilton deck for leaks…. I would have someone inside the boat and look at location deck bolts to hull. Then I would have someone outside boat spray water at hull up toward the rub rail. If you see water come in anywhere, it was not sealed good. You can look the gunnel from the side storage areas. You can see the aft and engine areas from engine bay. You can remove the black trim piece up in the bow to check the sides there, same in the porta potty room. Then the locations where couch is you have to wrestle with it and put hand up there and pull back some of the hull padding and just feel for leaks while someone sprays water outside there.

hope that helps.

Having owned a 311 for years… they’re slow without torque. Small blocks even with superchargers are not going to be fun.

The boat is also designed with a specific weight in mind for the rear third of the hull. Taking weight out of it hurts the balance.

Sell the 388s and build some 496s. 70+ MPH boat with iron heads all day long on crap fuel. Trust me, you’ll thank me later.

Thanks while I would love to do bbc I am stuck with what I have and changing course would add a couple years to project, I am on a strict budget and getting blocks,heads and rotating assemblies,watermanifolds etc are just not in the cards, just gonna have to see how it goes.