Ford/ Chrysler Powered Cigarette Boat?
 

Why arent high performance boat companys rigging boats with Chrysler, Ford, or Pontiac engines now- a- days ?

Im going to post first here actually, I think Pontiac being a GM product doesnt even have their own engine anymore. So that rules them out............

Chrysler (via ILMOR):

We had a 22 Thoroughbred (Velocity) years ago with a Pontiac in it. Boat was named "Excitement One" One of the most fun/fastest boats I have ever driven.

Actually they are ruled out because Pontiac doesn't exist anymore... :eek:

One of the guys on here from Washington has a Gladiator with Ford power. It is BADASS!!!! He also had a fountain with Ford power. Hopefully he will post some pics!

Dustin had a hemi powered eliminator I believe.

There just isnt anyone producing the necessary engine dress to make it happen at a decent cost - headers, mounting brackets, etc.

I do like the response the GM Ls series engine is getting. Great platform.

Ford lost out because they stopped supporting the original V8s a long time ago (302 351 460) They went as far as destroying the machinery to build them. This was done when they went to the modular series of engines.
Chevy still to this day supports and builds their old designs (350 454 496 502)
in a marine version and also has modern designs such as the LS series motors.
Remember the base V8 Mercs are straight from GM , only thing Merc does is add accesories,harness and ecm.
No other manufacturer provides ready to go marine versions of their V8 engines so Chevy has it all to themselves.

Heres a 41 VELOCITY, built in 1991 and was in powerboat magazine in mar or april issue that had SVO 600" N/A FORD motors and #3s and ran 94 mph back than. The boat has toilet, shower, and sink, not stripped down. I bought the boat 6 years ago, totally rebuilt everything, changed the paint to my liking. The name was and still is EXCESS ENERGY. The first 2 pics are now, and the third is when I first bought it. Runs a little faster now, and soon to be much faster. Bob

It's not a Cigarette but it has been done.

See this boat:

HEMI under Glass II

http://sharkeyimages.zenfolio.com/32hydra



http://sharkeyimages.zenfolio.com/im...94845794-4.jpg

http://sharkeyimages.zenfolio.com/im...84695247-4.jpg

I remember that one. Cool stuff.

Loads of squirt boats run 460 FORDS.

I think the original question is why new boats arent rigged with
other engines .
Older boats did use Ford,Mopar,Oldsmobile,etc back in the day,
when the Mercruiser plant had trouble filling orders in the late 80s
a bunch of 32 and 36 Carreras were rigged with the OMC 460/King Cobra combo but those are not new boats.
For new boat rigging Its Chevy almost exclusively with the odd Ilmor V10 here and there.

I have a SPEEDBOAT Jan. 2006 report on a Velocity VR1 ( 28'6" ) powered by a HEMI 572" 700 H.P. Max speed... 100.2 !!! "HIGH LIFE"

The HYDRA was brand new and built just for that HEMI.
Unfortunately the warranty ran out prior to getting it in the boat and when they ran into issues the owner was stuck ! :(

http://sharkeyimages.zenfolio.com/im...73143651-4.jpg

I'm suprised nobody has mentioned the new merc 1350's

Looking good BP. Hope to see you this summer, I did not make it to the Chesapeake last summer.

Stephen

Thanks Steven, hope to see you this summer also. Bob

How do they stack up?
 

I love this thread. Can anyone give an A,B,C comparison of engines? Obviously BBC is most popular, but how do they all stack up technically? Valvetrain stability, bore spacing and cylinder wall thickness, bearing sizes, rod ratios, etc? Maybe to simplify, we limit discussion to 426 Hemis and 460 Fords.

Thanks, Randy

I have a 06 GTO with the LS2 motor in it... Thing is sick!

My 1995 boat had a 540 Ford in it(bored/stroked 460) It was the original motor according to the seller. The only difference between it and the GM Marine motors was it had to have adapters to fit the exhaust manifolds. It used the same marinized Holley carburetors that the GM motors used.

Awesome Pentastar and paint job especially the deck. Very talented and creative guy is Rich.

What size and power is that Hemi?

I still have that same issue. I would love to have that motor(or two or three of them) in a boat.

If my memory serves me right (it's been a while) it may have been something like 600hp with 600lbs of torque ?

He bought it as a crate motor.

Rich's talent was really shown here when you stare at it long enough you can see what is behind the scenes..... :eek:

http://sharkeyimages.zenfolio.com/im...42406377-4.jpg

Sharkey didn't you go up to some garage in upstate and look at a couple old Ford motors that some guy had found? It was a post a LONG time ago just seems to stick in my mind.

I think you are referring to this one.... :drink:

http://www.offshoreonly.com/forums/g...-out-barn.html

Things are coming along on that project. The boat actually hit the Barnegat Bay a few months back for some testing...

sweet!!!

I want to race something in the 3-400 class apba with Chrysler Hemi Power.

Hell theirs even aneliminator on here with a 2j toyota turbo motor in it that runs 136 mph.. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJlCSjEr-ls