Anybody got any leads on some 18 cylinder Deltic engines? Preferably running takeouts with marine gears from a Nasty or surplus crate engines with good documentaion

Sure. Got a big pile of 'em out back. Send me an address and I'll toss a couple in the mail for ya'.

A what . . . . .

It's a British opposed-piston 2-stroke diesel. They used 3 crankshafts in a triangular position. Very light and powerful- and very few moving parts.

I wish... Ya know I'm running out of leads when I'm posting here

Yup all 3100 Hp.

So then this isn't a practical joke...

What are you thinking about building?

Customer wants to go real fast in an old boat. It's FRP but the hull is a spitting image of a Nasty. From day one I've been telling him go gas turbine but he is hanging fast that he wants piston power. Someone from the peanut gallery suggested the Deltic to him. I keep saying no no no don't do it. But you know how owners get a bad idea and want to stick with it. I told him I could get him a surplus Japanese Coast Guard patrol boat and refurbish it and he could go faster but he doesn't want to go with an aluminum hull. Day to day maintenance wise the Deltics are a nightmare. I could make em run and the boat would be fast. But they would be a damn full time job for me. Dang it would take a 1/2 a day just to get them started. But you know the deal no matter how stupid the decision it's the customer's right to spend his money the way he wants to.