If you have a garage that the boat can be backed in to, you can lay a 16' 4x4 across (perpendicular) the trusses (provided the trusses are spaced on 2' centers - i dont know what load capacity 4' centers would handle).

When I was a kid, I stuck a 6" steel pipe between two trees with Y's in them and yanked and put back all kinds of car engines (that pipe is still in the trees, and that was almost 30 years ago!).

I've friends that use 3pieces of 2" pipe and make a teepee like structure out of it. Its held together with a piece pf log chain at the top. Then simply hanf your sling and chain fall off the chain - this actually works really well, as you can take it apart and store it behind the garage for next time.

Good luck!

There's always the "redneck" method: A good tree in the back yard with a chain hoist.

Thanks for the replies guys, I forklift would be real nice but currently I don't have access to one, shoot I don't even have a tree in my back yard. I think I'm going to make one. From what I've found sbc weigh around 600-700 lbs.

A 4x8 perpendicular to the boat, with 4x4 posts sitting on 2x4's with 2x4, or 4x4's as lateral support. Think this will work??

You need bracing going the other way too, so when you pull the boat out from under it, it wont fall over.

Yeah if you are going to use wood, you are going to need support for the verticals towards the internal section of the rig as well. You will not have enough rigidity in that to hold the entire thing from moving side to side, only front to back.

That's a Gantry...as Shag said...support it from both ends to keep it fro racking and you are good to go. I'll try to get a pic of my brother's and post it. He used it to put a 454 in his 22' Formula F3.

The other thing... Plate the 4x4's with your 2x's. All pole barns I've ever seen are built this way (for strength).

Go to harbor freight and buy their gantry crane - for under 500 bucks you'll be up and running.

I was planning on using plates screwed in for some extra strength. I checked on the harbor freight gantry, they want $699 for it....I'll pass.

Sprink go work on your boat....that thing needs to get done already. Where did you end up getting the small blocks? does 4k, sound right for full rebuilds and another 2k for removal and install?

So something like this?

You are right...it needs to be finished...I worked on it 4; days last week and put about 4: hours in it yesterday. The little things are slowing me down..like all of the cooling hoses are different on center riser exhaust vs. the log style that I had. The entire cooling system set up is different because mine never had raw water pumps with the pre Alphas and I am going to Bravo's that has to have them. I spent 4: hours recently sandblasting and painting pulleys and brackets...time consuming. Had I decided to stay Alpha I would be on the water already...I don't regret the extra time/$ to upgrade to Bravo.

The $6K is reasonable all things considered. I would seriously consider going with Vortec heads and roller cams if you can squeeze it in the budget....it's 50~60 HP in bolt on power real quick and easy.

Mine are built from L31 Vortec Blocks by a performance engine builder in Pompano Beach. They were built for a lawyer re-powering a 27' Sea Ray Pachanga. The total of his deal was $10K to build the engines from the ground up...all new everything. He gave the builder a $5000 deposit and never came back. I bought them for $4000 cash Builder was happy and so am I.