534” V8 twin turbo Ford marine engine
 

https://www.macsmotorcitygarage.com/another-forgotten-ford-big-block-the-giant-534-sd-v8/

wow, I’d never heard of such a thing.

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...827d55b3cd.png

I'd venture to say it hasn't been heard of due to 534ci and only 400hp...

But, 667 ft of torque.

True, not much w/twin turbos but, was back in the day and…., a lil compression, a lil boost…


Ive always wondered why no Fords in go fast boats (other than noisy 60 mph jets back in the day)?

When “Engine Masters” was still in magazine format, and a motor against motor contest, John Kaase was destroying the big block GM’s w/a 460 based Ford.

And did it yr after yr.
As in, not a fluke, playing w/the rules for one yr.

And by a huge amount!
And W/tons of torque.

Appears to be genius level guy.

Here’s a link to a pretty good story on header design on a 409 cu in Ford small block modular motor in an Engine Masters contest.

Made 720 HPs and 660 lbs NA @ 11.5:1 compression!

i would partly blame OMC for not seeing more ford motors in boats. As far as I know mercruiser hasn't used a ford motor since the 70s. OMC used them up until volvo penta took over in the mid 90s. Maybe if OMC was still alive like mercruiser, we would have seen more ford engines.

I'm also a big chevy engine guy, so maybe the ford engine is why OMC went under 😅

Great point.
I had forgotten that.

Worked at a dealer in that era and we had all three.
Not Merc Hi Perf though.

OMC had some great ideas w/their IO’s (including changing impellers w/o pulling drives) but they used their OB gear cases for all of their IOS.

I know them very well and they’re decent on an OB but not behind a car motor.

We had/sold a couple of 22/23’ performance cuddies w/OMC drives.

Their small blocks (351’s) were called Cobras and used the V-6 OB cases.

We had pretty decent luck w/them.

The 460 big block packages were called King Cobras.

Those ran the V-8 OB cases and those OBs only made 300 hp and probably 1/3 the torque of a 460.

Highest advertised HP I remember was 340.

The one or two yah we sold were back constantly!

Owner of dealership blamed the owner of the boat and claimed abuse.

Worked at another dealer who sold Checkmates w/Merc or OMC IO’s.

We had two 25’ Convincors.

One was a first yr Bravo 1, 365 HP 454 Mag and one w/a 460 Ford/OMC.

The Merc boat sold while I was there and the OMC did not.

I think it went to the repo man w/everything else.

Cant imagine the hit in resale that boat would take.

But yeah, the Ford was clearly under developed for the app but was only 25 HPs off.

At this point it’s a dead issue as the big block GM is the only thing w/aftermarket support anyhow.

But for someone wanting something different……, read up on Kasses big block Fords.

I replaced the cone clutch a couple summers ago due to losing reverse. I had a really hard time getting the shift adjusted properly, and actually ended up cutting and Welding one of the shift arms to make it work. I was able to get it to work but then at the end of the summer it lost forward.... I ended up finding a good used drive and it has been good since. Still have the old one in the shed that I would like to rebuild again and keep around as a good spare.

I have currently have 3 v6 cobras, all I replaced because of bad lowers. Never new they were an OB lower, that's cool info!

Now I want one for my 1977 Lincoln Mark. :D

To my knowledge, internals are the same.

As in, different drive shaft, shift and cooling tube.

I had a small block version that would stay in gear.

They recalled them and blamed stretched shift cables, at the drive.

I would blame shift interrupters.

On the OB’s, they use a switch on the shift linkage on the powerhead.

It senses load on the linkage which activates a switch which momentarily kills ignition to one cylinder bank, unloading the gears, allowing them to disengage.

The way the gears are cut, they lock in once engaged and is impossible to shift.

I had a switch act up on one while docking in wind and I forced the shift lever at the helm which broke the shift lever in the nose of the case!

Last I saw, SEI was still making OMC/IO units.

Funny too, Volvo through their hat in the Hi Perf ring while I was still involved at dealer level too.

But they were using their Duo Prop which is great unit, but not for performance.

I worked a boat show that the dealer had a beautiful 23’ Crownline cuddy that they pimped up.

Drop out bolsters, switchable exhaust w/a 502 in from of a Duo Prop.

Was very, very nice!

They claimed 72/73 mph which was flying for that hull.
(I wanted it)

Volvo was claiming they were all in!

That hoopla died as fast it started!

Kaase is the man!

The engine Masters program changed parameters every contest but for a few yrs in a row it was based on big blocks.

They would change compression limits, intake configuration, aftermarket heads etc.

I never heard of the guy until then.

I think he made 200+ HPs than the best GM!

Basically was his Ford way out front then 6 or 7 GMs fairly close together.

I figured it was fluke but then he did it several yrs in a row!

And was never just a few HP spread.

I think he does a lot in the classic car world.

I am a purist when it comes to the motor.

Could never do an LS in a Fox Body Stang.