thirdchildhood, did you buy that 525efi in your Donzi from me?

User name sounds familiar. Are you in Tennessee? I'm very happy with the motor after two seasons. It's all you said it was. I picked up 9-10 mph over the 496 HO and a lot more durability. Blew the Bravo 1 in 7 hours though lol. Got an XR upper/Imco shorty on there now.

Thats me. Right out of Nashville in Mount Juliet. You came and backed into my shop and we put it in your truck with an overhead crane. I think I even sold you a shop manual if memory serves me correctly. Thats great to hear. The 525 has some nuts compared to the 496ho. I think I remembered telling you that I would add steering and an XR. Glad to hear its worked out for you. That has got to be a fun combo! I believe I had it all serviced, new impeller and even had the 10 pin adaptor you needed. That motor had the upgraded ARP headbolts, upgraded CMI exhaust and the good headgaskets. It was Whipple Ready!!

Whipple ready...ha, how long will the XR last then . I remember it all well my friend. Maybe we will hook up again sometime. Enjoy these pics: Out with the POS 496. In with the new. Upgraded drive, steering and BBlades prop! Come on spring!

Sorry about the Donzi detour on the OL thread.....

That looks sweet in that boat!! I have a pair of XR's that will stand up to a whippled 525 and then some that I am gong to be selling. They are built with the best parts available and I will stand behind them. Pm me if you are considering supercharging that motor. Congrats on getting it all in there. That has to be a fun setup!

Honestly, the boat is right where I want in now. I am not looking to be the fastest but I needed more. I also need durability and reliability on the Great Lakes. I'm running 83 pretty much anytime I want and a best of 85.4 bumping the limiter. Yes, it's a blast to drive now and I've surprised a few guys who thought I'd be easy prey.

I love it man! That's awesome. I was up at Lake Cumberland years ago with a set of 468's in my 38 Stryker that ran really well at the time. I ran a 22 Donzi for 10 miles in nasty water. It spent way more time in the air than it did in the water. I finally just stopped....we ran dead nutz beside each other for 10 miles and neither one of us could pull on the other one. If it had been smooth water, he would have run off and left me. When I stopped I talked to him......I told him that was one of the craziest things I have ever seen and either he had brass balz or a mental disorder.....it was landing on the rub rails....tripping it....every thing that could go wrong did and he NEVER lifted. I bowed down to his mad skillz that day. From that day forward....I always did a double take on any small Donzi and listened very carefully to the exhaust note. I had no idea that there was entire clan of crazy people packing gorilla power in those boats. He got respect from me that day....thats for sure. I kept telling him I wasn't wide open. I think I bent my throttles cussing that effing Donzi tring to get one more MPH out of my boat.

Cool story. There are plenty of fast 22 Donzi Classics running 80s and more. Mr. X has an Ilmor one that hit 103 TTBOMK. A bigger boat would be nice but this boat can get me on the local ponds too. They are very predictable in the rough once you get it dialed in and after some seat time.

anyone on OSO own "the joker"? Just curious cause I saw it headed toward Detroit going through Lansing last friday. BAD MOFO!