Sedan speed question
 

What would the approximate top speed of a 27 sedan with twin 225 HP motors through Volvo out drives be?

If the sedan is in stock condition with the Volvo drives it should run around 48 to 52 mph..

Thanks. It has small block Chryslers. I plan on building a pair of 350 - 400HP motors. Hoping for mid - high 60s. I know the Volvos aren't going to help, but I'm a MOPAR guy and like the small blocks

With 400hp & stock X dim you may see 60mph with today's props. My sport has 400hp 355cu Chevy engines, & Volvo drives with a 3" raised X with 23p Mirage props, I only run 68 to 70mph on Jeff Hall's GPS.

My sedan has 2x250 hp at the prop with bravos. I do a solid 65. let's see some pictures.

68-70 would make me very happy. With the easy availability of 4" Stroker cranks I can build easy 402 Cu In motors with Indy iron heads and make 400HP. I was already thinking about the 290 transoms to get trim so raising the X is not out of the question either.

http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x...ps16e31689.jpg

http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x...ps5730db55.jpg

http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x...ps3a3180ba.jpg

It's definately a project bits it's all original and not hacked up

I would just make your own power trim using Merc OB trim cyl & Merc pumps it's simple & easy if you feel you need power trim rather than changing the drives to 290 Volvo drives. I have this trim set up on the X-18 Donzi works great, been making them for my boats since 1976. On my sport I dont have any need for power trim, I just keep it on the second pin, I get all the speed I need. I like to keep things simple..

How didraising the X affect the performance of the boat aside from
Top speed? Did it change the planing or handling characteristics at all? Does it still pull out
Of the hole well? I don't want to give up other areas just to gain top speed. If it does not make a big difference in other places I'm all for it

----Ive seen H20s trim set-up and it really slick........Bill S

I have had no adverse affects from raising the X. I would go another inch that would put it right up to the rub rail.

Jeff

Raising the X up 3" had no ill effects, my sport gets on plane easily even without trim tabs. When raising the X you need Mercruiser type props like Mirage or Bravo. I have Merc prop shafts on my Volvo drives that makes this possible, with stock Volvo shafts you need to broach out a Merc props to fit a larger Volvo prop shaft. Jeff & I are working on a Volvo to Merc prop adapter that would make this easy, hope to have it done this summer.

That's awesome. I like white hardware hanging off the transom. My previous 25' Nova had Alphas and I was never a big fan of them.

Does anyone still make nose cones for the Volvos?

That's been a topic here on this site I don't believe they are available anymore. I don't think they made much difference, Jeff [hallj] does not have them on his sport with raised drives.

Would it be a sacrilege to cut up a sedan? I'm thinking a L shaped rear bench that comes up to the Passenger seat a sun pad similar to the later sedans, and possibly a Mid Cabin open bow cutting the cabin roof off in front of the second set of windows. I never used the cabin on my Nova and would like the extra seating for cruising days. Would that weaken the hull too much? It seems the Sedan is the red headed step child compared to the Maltese and Sports but if the general consensus is to leave it alone I can abide lol I've been in the Mopar muscle car world for 30 years and know how people react to certain mods. If cutting up a Magnum is bad I can always look for a Clem Jem to cut i guess... I always liked the lines of the hull on the 27 and how well they work. I loved my Nova but always wished for 2 more feet of hull when on Lake Michigan and not wanting to go much bigger as I do like to run the Illinois River past Joliet from time to time so this Magnum, especially with my Mopar addiction this sedan really fits the bill.

So I take it I should not cut up the deck? I don't want to be "that guy" that cut up an original Magnum if that is what the consensus is.

In the past some of the sports have been cut up into center console hulls that were never finished, now that's a crime. Because many sedans have been left to rot in the weeds so bringing back one from the grave would be a good thing. Making a bow rider out of one would be cool but at what cost to do this. When Mags like Short Circuit are on the market @ a very good price for years tells me don't over spend on a restoration unless you plane to keep it forever. Lastly Klem never built a sedan so cutting up a Klem flat deck might be easier, just be ready to replace all the wood.