22 Donzi with Volvo, any good?
 

My 16 is just a little bit too small. As i idle down the intercoastal it leans so badly to the right (my side) it's embarrassing! I'm Looking at a 22 Donzi with a Volvo Penta 7.4 engine with a
Duo-prop Volvo counter-rotating outdrive. Is this a good package? Is it as dependable as a Merc? Any idea what kind of speed to expect?

DuoProp on a boat with as narrow a beam and as much vee as the 22 Donzi might not be a good idea. Sea trial it first. Also ask the same question on donzi.net,the guys over there know pretty much everything about the Classics.

it is a fantastic drive (and engine) and VERY well suited to narrow beam V's. we run them on all the Batboats and hard chine to hard chine is only about five feet or so. Its is one of the most durable drives out there, very depenbdable i would trade my Bravos in a heartbeat for a pair. what model Volvo drive? DPX i assume, the boat will run like its on rails. :D

I was thinking std duoprop drive,not aware of any 22 Classics with DPX.If so,that changes things a lot.

wanna sell the 16 gino?

LOL . . tell ya whats even more funny. . i was thinking they only put DPX's on them. I actually have no idea i just assumed because its a performance boat. :D

Will be interesting to find out more details. The 22 Classic is my favorite Donzi,sold them for several years,always big block Mercs with Bravo 1's.Gino may have found a sleeper.Wonder what the model year is,as I don't recall any Volvo boats when we were a dealer.

I agree, i did a ton of work for a local Donzi dealer and they had the whole classic line on the floor plan. Their 22 was blue and grey with matching eagle trailer, boat was awesome. There is also a 22 Blackhawk edition running around here. I believe the boat runs in the upper 70's

Yeah,kind of amazing that after 40+ years the Classics are still around,basically unchanged. The Blackhawk 22 was interesting,they had to make a new hull mold with rocker in it for the Blackhawk to work,boat was not very user friendly, but today,still a desirable boat to have if you can find one.

Actually, the first year of the 22 Classic was 1981. Donzi made a couple other models a couple years before that with the same 22 hull. I have a pristine 1982. It has a TRS drive. They made a few with the Volvo drive, which I wouldn't hesitate to own, if it was in good shape. The only 22 I'd stay away from, would be a small block with the Alpha drive.

Member Tony has one on Donzi.net-
http://www.donzi.net/forums/member.php?u=46
His Sig. reads -
Member: Red Boat Club
1996 22' Classic
Volvo 7.4gsi/DPX (E-4 props)
bone stock 72.8 gps mph
Tony's a great guy !
Send him an Email from his profile.

Gino, Volvo's stuff is great. It's just not as easy to find people who really know the ins/outs. That 7.4Gi is basically a 454 Ramjet with large oval heads (I think) and a mild cam. Wouldn't take much to get 450+HP out of it. Good luck!

IMHO... Stay with Merc on the Classics. Folks will try and justify the Volvo, but at the end of the day you'll only have buyer's remorse. The Volvo is a proven unit and would work well on a nice cuddy,but a limited package on up grades. And like Cuda said stay away from the small block Alpha drive! These boats need/like torque to push'um!

Gino, that's a brilliant all around package... is it local? if so, PM me and we'll help ya with opinion's.

Jim

yes it is a great pkg and will take some of the quirky handling stuff that all the single screw classics have plus the block is basucally a BBC so all the hi po goodies are available and put the power to it
the only remorse you'll have is if you don't buy it! ;)

Would not hesitate on this one. That is a great drive. Too bad the engine is not a mag but it ought to handle great with the counter rotatiing props. The Blackhawk is fun but can be a bit funky to drive.
Good luck,
Greg

about the only handling issue you might have will be idle speeds are a bit high. Not terrible but it does keep ya on your toes, the DPX shifts well though.

Gino/All ....Have no problem with the Volvo package. I'm just posting an opinion and was completely aware there would be some "Strong Headed" veiws. Do a poll here and on Donzi.net. for a better consenus!

gb will you and pw be in doha??

Pete ck your PM

I've run with Tony @ Cumberland several times.. The boat runs great. Flies flat, stable in a chop, and just as quick as a similar powered Merc boat. I'd buy one in a heartbeat if I was in the market for another 22..

i like my volvo drive, it might be "outdated" but it is so realiable that it makes up for it, anyone that ran the 20' cig run in detroit last summer can tell you how i run the boat, and thats how we always run it, only thing weve ever done is changed the lube in it, i dont think i could push a alpha to what i put mine through, a bravo maybe because its a light boat, but overall volvo makes a great product imo

It's odd that you never see them and right now they are 2 of them on the market. Sanford &Tavares Fla. Red and blue.
I wonder if you did decide to power up what your prop selection would be to follow along.
I don't know about these speakers being on the floor on this one.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/DONZI...spagenameZWDVW

Ken,
very true not alot of these boats around, as GB said merc has a strong hold on public perception and as a mfg'r perception has alot to do with sales.
the volvo duo props sets are not numbered in pitch like 24" they use a number E4 and i think they go up in pitch has the number rises there are always duo props on ebay

on a boat that size E-4's and a 1.49 gear set with moderate bigblock power (600hp range) ought to put in the upper 80's pretty easy. And yes the drive can handle that no prob.

if i wasn't such a freak about originality, I 'd replace my 40 year old holman moody volvo and go to a duo prop on the 16

I have never driven a better shifting drive.

Shifts great.

Very nice looking 1996. It is a 96, it has the Blackhawk unmuffled exhaust tips like my 96. New dash, nice touches like the pop up cleats and bow light. Stainless windshield. Hate the numbers tho, easy to change. Volvo should be fine. The reserve will decide for you......

interesting thing is how simple the Volvo shifter/dog clutch is, very few parts. Durable and simple. . . . imagine, a drive designed to be reliable. . . . . now if Merc would only steal THAT idea from Volvo:hitfan: :D

Scoot the cooler over to the opposite side. Move the battery or add a sandbag or better yet a Hottie to the opposite side. Problem solved.
Had to say it! :)
Jim

Try calling it starboard and see if it stops leaning. :D