vintage chromoly

iTrader: (3)

i'm in the process of buying a 77 pantera that has no engine. i'm wondering if it's better to repower with a big block chevy or is the stroker small block the way to go today?

it's a 24' hull.

i'm thinking the small block is lighter than the big block but the big block makes gobs of torque and at a nice and low rpm.

thoughts.

thanks, rob.

GPM

What drive ?

vintage chromoly

iTrader: (3)

the boat has an old volvo 280 but i'm considering a change to a bravo.

still in the planning stages of this project.

thanks, rob.

hotjava66

I would love to do a 454 cube small block, 550 hp or so NA or throw on a small blower and do 700hp. Problem is it will cost you the same or more than a bbc. Big time cool factor though and weight savings, that and I would think it would be a bit easier on drives.

GPM

What was the hull designed for, will it handle the extra HP.
How fast do you want to go ? How much do you want to spend ?

vintage chromoly

iTrader: (3)

the boat was originally rigged with a small block chevy but in 1980 the guy i'm buying it from put a 426 hemi in it and it was powered that way until recently when he decided to use the hemi in a musclecar project and sell the boat.

i'm pretty sure big block chevy engines were routinely used in the panteras.

65mph or more would be cool.

i"d like to keep the engine and bravo outdrive converion in the 10,000 range. i'm thinking i can do it with shopping around the net and using some rebuilt / salvaged stuff.

i'm thinking 4 grand on the drive conversion and 6 grand in the engine. (real good friend of mine is an engine machinist by trade) maybe i'm nuts and like i said, i'm still in the planning stages of this project.

thanks for any input, rob.