GrannySShifting

Figured Id start a build thread up here since a few people Ive talked to suggested I show progress on the build. As with anything it seems I end up with, this was a "I bet you wont" - the last one being a Volvo station wagon converted to a turbo LS v8 engine with a 6 speed and a Ford 9" rear end and full custom rear suspension we built. Ive been told Im crazy yanking out 502s and putting small blocks in their place but working on boats is a pain enough in itself without all that big dumb motor getting in the way of everything. Shes a fat old girl but Im not trying to break any speed records, I just want it to cruise near as fast as it goes now, not burn a ton a fuel (unless your down on it of course) and prove my theory correct that these big heavy boat anchors should be tossed over board. I guess we shall see...

boats74

Following.
Sticking with Bravos?

GrannySShifting

After taking what seemed like forever, finally got POS Key Bank in gear to get the lien released I can finally start getting stuff done on this thing. it only took Attorneys and nearly a year, and making insurance payments on the thing for the entire time while it sat on the trailer



That damn gauge cluster is getting redone asap, and while just one of the cables for the tabs looks pretty rough, Ill prob run all new cables to the controls while its under the knife for so many other things



The reason I got hung up on the ZXs was the interior (and the exterior for that matter) doesnt look dated to me like almost every other 1990s to mid 2000s boat looks, with the pastels and blue/green/pinks. I absolutely hate how a LOT of them look. Pretty roomy too for a 33' boat, too much work to build something you dont want to spend any time below deck on as far as Im concerned. Yanked the fridge out, it was setup for shore power only, and Id like to be able to overnight on it for a weekend and still be able to use the fridge, stove, microwave etc so Im adding a couple Group 31 AGM drycell batteries for more reserve capacity. Not really sure on my 12v to 120v watt usage math just yet, trying to figure out if I should run an inverter and the fridge on 120v for example, or just run it on 12v DC. Amp draw is higher on DC, but with the loses from an inverter factored in which way is REALLY more efficient? Need to figure this out so I can size the inverter right. From what Ive read if I want to run any fans likely best on 12v, microwave DEF should be ran on a pure sine wave inverter, and I think the cook top is already 12v DC judging from its wiring

jeff32

Will follow your progress!

Wobble

Subscribed. those motors will change your center of gravity. Which could be an issue. Or you could use the weight savings to justify a generator. Which could mitigate any cog issues. Anyway looking forward to see how this plays out.

GrannySShifting

Yeah, budget not there for billy bad ass drives right now. Im going to cut my teeth on and learn my way around the Bravo drives, upgrade the low hanging fruit (the weakest of the links) Im not going to be slamming throttles open and purposely trying to get this pig out of the water jumping waves and such, hoping if I take it easy on them they will hang around for a bit until a get some mildy beefed up XRs behind the 600-700 hp they will be

Im ditching the silent choice, just to simplify the exhaust setup and get rid of some more clutter in that fiberglass hole in the water you throw money into. Some of the actuators need fixing and just dont feel like dealing with it. They are factory cams so should idle down into the 500 rpm range with ease, with the OEM computers Ill be running I can change the idle up or down with the flip of a switch to quiet it down idling through somewhere or bump it up to a faster idle (I was thinking this might come in handy docking possibly?)



The Mirage 23p are gonna go, start with Bravo 24p (from my understand cruising speed will be better with Bravo 4 blade props and 3 blades would generally gain a couple mph up top which doesnt concern me at all) After its together I think it will want 26s or 28s but Im not well versed in propping drives. They are 1.50 ratios I confirmed after popping the top caps off, and these engines would normally turn 6500 rpm or so. However I bought adjustable cam gears so I can advance the factory LS9 Corvette cams and get them to peak a little earlier in the 5800-6100 range. Figuring out the props for top speed seems a little more straight forward, but what Im really going to have to figure out is the right props for best speed at 3500-4500 rpm cruising. Ill take 70 mph cruising and 84 mph top speed over 60 mph cruise and 92 mph top speed all day. Sure you might blow by me once when we leave out... but when your going somewhere 45 miles away Ill be working on my 2nd drink already when you pull up (unless your leaving the sticks forward the whole ride! And like Kevin Hart said see the way my checking and savings is setup...)

Side bar - How do you measure your X dimension exactly? Anyone with experience with the 33ZX hull see any differences turning props inward vs outwards? Any more of a pain in the ass docking with them switched up

GrannySShifting

Definitely will be a bunch of weight out, I was thinking like 1000#s. i dont think it will be that much, because they will be iron 6.0s instead of aluminum blocks, and the superchargers themselves are pretty heavy, plus parking some water on board for the closed cooling system for the supercharger heat exchanging system. If you take away aft weight, that would be like adding bow lift correct? Ive heard where some boats need more bow lift and use different prop setups as a result of that, whereas I may have to do the opposite of that Im thinking. Im also not opposed to sticking a quiet genny back there with them, or 4-5 blondes and brunettes on that back bench either if need be

Not my engines, but this is what they look like in crate engine form



The intercooler brick (located under the top black lid) after we reinforced the back plate. They actually collapse under elevated boost when the differential pressure gets higher. Factory is 8-9 psi, the pulley setup Ill start with should be around 13 psi. Has to be a lucky number of course

Marginmn

iTrader: (1)

Looks like it's going to be a first class refurbish.

dykstra

iTrader: (1)

Subscribed!!!

TBAG

Awesome build, can't wait to follow! I'd love a 22' Classic with an LSA!