40' Outlaw Upgrades - Twin 900Sc to 1000hp Duramax Diesels
08-03-2016, 04:30 AM
#1
Registered
Thread Starter
40' Outlaw Upgrades - Twin 900Sc to 1000hp Duramax Diesels
A few months ago a new member contacted me about helping with a diesel swap in a boat he was purchasing. Besides owning the first Duramax powered boat, I've helped out with several other custom conversions over the years. So I figured no big deal, I'll happily pass along some pointers. Until he told me what he was upgrading from.
When Dave [who lives as far from me as one can can get on this planet,, Australia] said he was purchasing a 40 Baja Outlaw, my first thought was twins or triple 525's and Bravo 1 drives. Should make a nice long range diesel cruiser. When I learned he was ditching a pair of supercharged 900hp BBC's for diesels, my next thought was Jim Darr has a new screen name I've missed...
After confirming he was serious, and the boat was actually listed for sale on OSO, I agreed to go check it out in person. Sure enough, it was a clean 2003 OL rigged with Merc 900SC's and #6's from the factory. The current owner had it tucked away in a garage, where it wasn't easily coming out for an early spring test drive while I was in town. Since there can't be that many 900SC Baja's with 6's out there, I Googled it. Which lead me right back here to a couple old topics. Here is how it looked a couple months ago, before we scrapped all the powertrain.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]557927[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH=CONFIG]557924[/ATTACH]
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[ATTACH=CONFIG]557925[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH=CONFIG]557926[/ATTACH]
When Dave [who lives as far from me as one can can get on this planet,, Australia] said he was purchasing a 40 Baja Outlaw, my first thought was twins or triple 525's and Bravo 1 drives. Should make a nice long range diesel cruiser. When I learned he was ditching a pair of supercharged 900hp BBC's for diesels, my next thought was Jim Darr has a new screen name I've missed...
After confirming he was serious, and the boat was actually listed for sale on OSO, I agreed to go check it out in person. Sure enough, it was a clean 2003 OL rigged with Merc 900SC's and #6's from the factory. The current owner had it tucked away in a garage, where it wasn't easily coming out for an early spring test drive while I was in town. Since there can't be that many 900SC Baja's with 6's out there, I Googled it. Which lead me right back here to a couple old topics. Here is how it looked a couple months ago, before we scrapped all the powertrain.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]557927[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH=CONFIG]557924[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH=CONFIG]557928[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH=CONFIG]557925[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH=CONFIG]557926[/ATTACH]
Top Answer
06-17-2023, 06:30 AM
Registered
Thread Starter
Sorry I haven't posted anything in a while. Some of you have known for a bit, but for the rest, here is the story. My partner in Project Voodoo, and Aussie brother from another mother, passed away very unexpectedly this past April.
David was at his family farm in northern NSW Australia, where he had just celebrated his 60th birthday a couple weeks prior. Hosting and cooking up a feast for friends and family, which was one of his favorite pastimes since officially attempting retirement in 2020. As a highly successful global entrepreneur, David wasn't the type of person to just take up fishing and disappear. So renovating their newly purchased farm had became his latest project. Along with helping his kids in their careers, and learning how to actually make money while dabbling in high end vehicles. He'd also just finished his new "shed" to keep a few of his best collectables in, and was constantly sending me pictures of the construction progress. Hence the jokes above about becoming a farmer. Yes he actually has a couple nice tractors, in a different shed full of tools.
We last spoke a few days before his birthday, and he promised that he was still going to come back to the US to do a couple poker runs with me on Voodoo this summer. His last trip here end abruptly with the outbreak of Covid. Related travel restrictions, along with living in a major city like Sydney through the first year of the pandemic, I believe played a small role in purchasing a remote country farm. I often joked that hanging out with me in Southeastern Ohio over a couple months had ruined him. I mean who would actually trade a beautiful house overlooking the marina district on Sydney harbor, to mow 15 acres of grass every week?? But he was obviously very happy out there, and often said "What Covid?" Always a bit smarter than he would let on. A constant observer, quietly soaking up knowledge about whatever topic interested him at the time. Also a great business mentor to many, as I learned from those who worked with him.
A week or so after his birthday, I hit him up on Skype to check in and see how the big bash had went. He responded the next evening with a video compilation. Said he had an amazing time, and had much more to share. I replied, but didn't hear anything back, until a couple days later, when I received a message on his account from his wife Susan. After reading the message, my first thought was his account had been hacked. But sadly it had not. Message stated David woke up that Monday morning not feeling well, and had died at a local hospital later that evening from a brain bleed. Truly devastating news. A huge loss to everyone who knew him. As a friend over here best put it, the world definitely lost a one of a kind..
I waited until I spoke with his family, and let them have some private time before posting anything here. David's business ventures were fairly well known on the other side of the pond. One reason he'd said he liked hanging out with me in the US, nobody even knew his name. Yet his family history traces directly back to a little known story about the formation of Australia. Which he did like to share I will say. Personalized plates on his two BMW's were, MUTINY and BOUNTY... Guessing maybe that where the crazy obsession with building Voodoo originated. A true pirate at heart, who loved Cajun spices and accomplishing what others said couldn't be done. But rather than go on about what I unique and accomplished human he actually was, I hacked together a short video below. The last one he shared with me was really nice, but I didn't feel it would be proper to share his family and friends without everyone's permission. So I borrowed some parts from it, added a few pics he'd shared of favorite toys, plus a few more pics from his times over here. Those who would like to learn more about David, might find the key in the last pic. One thing I can say for certain, his family legacy has only just begun. Voodoo is on hold again for a bit. So for now, I leave you with his last post on here..
Rest In Peace Brother.
David was at his family farm in northern NSW Australia, where he had just celebrated his 60th birthday a couple weeks prior. Hosting and cooking up a feast for friends and family, which was one of his favorite pastimes since officially attempting retirement in 2020. As a highly successful global entrepreneur, David wasn't the type of person to just take up fishing and disappear. So renovating their newly purchased farm had became his latest project. Along with helping his kids in their careers, and learning how to actually make money while dabbling in high end vehicles. He'd also just finished his new "shed" to keep a few of his best collectables in, and was constantly sending me pictures of the construction progress. Hence the jokes above about becoming a farmer. Yes he actually has a couple nice tractors, in a different shed full of tools.
We last spoke a few days before his birthday, and he promised that he was still going to come back to the US to do a couple poker runs with me on Voodoo this summer. His last trip here end abruptly with the outbreak of Covid. Related travel restrictions, along with living in a major city like Sydney through the first year of the pandemic, I believe played a small role in purchasing a remote country farm. I often joked that hanging out with me in Southeastern Ohio over a couple months had ruined him. I mean who would actually trade a beautiful house overlooking the marina district on Sydney harbor, to mow 15 acres of grass every week?? But he was obviously very happy out there, and often said "What Covid?" Always a bit smarter than he would let on. A constant observer, quietly soaking up knowledge about whatever topic interested him at the time. Also a great business mentor to many, as I learned from those who worked with him.
A week or so after his birthday, I hit him up on Skype to check in and see how the big bash had went. He responded the next evening with a video compilation. Said he had an amazing time, and had much more to share. I replied, but didn't hear anything back, until a couple days later, when I received a message on his account from his wife Susan. After reading the message, my first thought was his account had been hacked. But sadly it had not. Message stated David woke up that Monday morning not feeling well, and had died at a local hospital later that evening from a brain bleed. Truly devastating news. A huge loss to everyone who knew him. As a friend over here best put it, the world definitely lost a one of a kind..
I waited until I spoke with his family, and let them have some private time before posting anything here. David's business ventures were fairly well known on the other side of the pond. One reason he'd said he liked hanging out with me in the US, nobody even knew his name. Yet his family history traces directly back to a little known story about the formation of Australia. Which he did like to share I will say. Personalized plates on his two BMW's were, MUTINY and BOUNTY... Guessing maybe that where the crazy obsession with building Voodoo originated. A true pirate at heart, who loved Cajun spices and accomplishing what others said couldn't be done. But rather than go on about what I unique and accomplished human he actually was, I hacked together a short video below. The last one he shared with me was really nice, but I didn't feel it would be proper to share his family and friends without everyone's permission. So I borrowed some parts from it, added a few pics he'd shared of favorite toys, plus a few more pics from his times over here. Those who would like to learn more about David, might find the key in the last pic. One thing I can say for certain, his family legacy has only just begun. Voodoo is on hold again for a bit. So for now, I leave you with his last post on here..
Rest In Peace Brother.
08-03-2016, 05:22 AM
#2
Registered
Thread Starter
A little searching here produced a couple old threads related to this same boat. One of those threads confirming it ran mid 90's when first built. So after a few more emails and phone conversations, I agreed to run some numbers on what it would take to replace these gasser's with equal or greater diesel power.
Dave said he'd wanted to do a fast diesel poker run boat for a long time, but no one was interested in tackling it. I on the other hand had owned a fairly fast single engine diesel, but traded it in for a big cat that needed basically everything. Then decided wasn't worth the investment to rig like I wanted. So while searching for a new hull myself, why not help put this one together as a great proof of concept.
The short story goes, we decided that building engines, rigging, and testing the boat here in the states would be far easier and quicker than shipping all the pieces to Australia and trying to assist remotely. Paint and interior upgrades would wait until it arrives at it's new home port. Leaving myself with easy stuff, like build and marinize two 1000hp Duramax engines, fab up all the mounting hardware, upgrade the electronics, modify the drives, and find somewhere suitable to do all this rigging work.
A few weeks later the boat arrived at my place minus the 900SC's. By this time we had concluded those early model 1.5:1 ratio 6's would cost more to upgrade with 1:1 gears than planned. Plus 1800flbs of torque is slightly over their max power rating. When another member alerted me to one of the only pair of Weismann surface drives in private hands. The plugin Huber 1450's and 6's were pulled and sold the following week. And I still can't believe I just sold a pair of 6's, after searching a full year for a good used set to fit my cat project...
[ATTACH=CONFIG]557932[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=CONFIG]557933[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=CONFIG]557934[/ATTACH]
The #6's and 1450's went to another member where they should fit his build perfectly. While a certain 50 Nor-Tech is getting ASD8 upgrades, and I now have the best diesel drives available to use on this project. Some assembly required.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]557931[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=CONFIG]557935[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=CONFIG]557936[/ATTACH]
Dave said he'd wanted to do a fast diesel poker run boat for a long time, but no one was interested in tackling it. I on the other hand had owned a fairly fast single engine diesel, but traded it in for a big cat that needed basically everything. Then decided wasn't worth the investment to rig like I wanted. So while searching for a new hull myself, why not help put this one together as a great proof of concept.
The short story goes, we decided that building engines, rigging, and testing the boat here in the states would be far easier and quicker than shipping all the pieces to Australia and trying to assist remotely. Paint and interior upgrades would wait until it arrives at it's new home port. Leaving myself with easy stuff, like build and marinize two 1000hp Duramax engines, fab up all the mounting hardware, upgrade the electronics, modify the drives, and find somewhere suitable to do all this rigging work.
A few weeks later the boat arrived at my place minus the 900SC's. By this time we had concluded those early model 1.5:1 ratio 6's would cost more to upgrade with 1:1 gears than planned. Plus 1800flbs of torque is slightly over their max power rating. When another member alerted me to one of the only pair of Weismann surface drives in private hands. The plugin Huber 1450's and 6's were pulled and sold the following week. And I still can't believe I just sold a pair of 6's, after searching a full year for a good used set to fit my cat project...
[ATTACH=CONFIG]557932[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=CONFIG]557933[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=CONFIG]557934[/ATTACH]
The #6's and 1450's went to another member where they should fit his build perfectly. While a certain 50 Nor-Tech is getting ASD8 upgrades, and I now have the best diesel drives available to use on this project. Some assembly required.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]557931[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=CONFIG]557935[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=CONFIG]557936[/ATTACH]
Platinum Member
08-04-2016, 02:54 PM
#6
Registered
Thread Starter
While the coolest part of this build is defiantly the powerplants, the hardest has proven to be the rest of our driveline components. Getting the final gearing correct for the diesels is made much easier with the Weismann surface drives. Shifters dry sump gear cases not only control output shaft direction, they also allow for setting any gear ratio you can imagine.
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Down side to this setup, the X dimension on his drives are not same as the old plug in #6's our boat was previously rigged with. Requiring all new engine and transmission mounting locations to match. No lower unit spacer plate options either like a bravo. Set it and forget it. Add that to a transom angle that's different from the drive or extension boxes by 3deg or so. Equaling a bunch of moving puzzle pieces that need to fit exactly. Luckily I've enlisted the help of a couple very skilled members / riggers who share my interest seeing these drives perform as designed behind some big diesel power.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]558006[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=CONFIG]558007[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH=CONFIG]558008[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=CONFIG]558009[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH=CONFIG]558005[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH=CONFIG]558004[/ATTACH]
Down side to this setup, the X dimension on his drives are not same as the old plug in #6's our boat was previously rigged with. Requiring all new engine and transmission mounting locations to match. No lower unit spacer plate options either like a bravo. Set it and forget it. Add that to a transom angle that's different from the drive or extension boxes by 3deg or so. Equaling a bunch of moving puzzle pieces that need to fit exactly. Luckily I've enlisted the help of a couple very skilled members / riggers who share my interest seeing these drives perform as designed behind some big diesel power.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]558006[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=CONFIG]558007[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH=CONFIG]558008[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=CONFIG]558009[/ATTACH]
Last edited by kidturbo; 08-04-2016 at 02:59 PM.
08-06-2016, 12:05 PM
#7
Registered
Thread Starter
Some bling you'll feel but never see. Straight out of the same Ohio shop that produces the QC4v cranks...
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Connected to ceramic coated soup bowls. Still equals 16:1cr
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[ATTACH=CONFIG]558053[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=CONFIG]558054[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=CONFIG]558055[/ATTACH]
Connected to ceramic coated soup bowls. Still equals 16:1cr
[ATTACH=CONFIG]558058[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=CONFIG]558059[/ATTACH]
08-08-2016, 06:02 AM
#10
Registered
Hi there guys...and gals!
It's Dave from Sydney, Australia, the owner of this great project.
I have been dreaming of building this project for about 5 years, but have searched unsuccessfully for the right people to make this happen.
The tradition, as far as I can see it, is that a Poker Run Boat can only have a BBC or get off the train...so to speak.
Now we're I live at Northbridge, in Sydney, we have a small bay, just down the hill from were I live and the marina has only 29 wets berths, so it is very hard to get a berth, almost to the point where you need to have it passed onto you....anyway, was lucky enough to score a berth and bought a beautiful day boat of 44 foot, built in Australaj in the mid 1990's by Riviera in Australia and called the Diavolo. My model was called the America's Cup Edition and they only made 12. Mine has been completely rebuilt and is absolutely stunning. Anyway I was talking to the mechanics at the Marina about my desire to build a diesel Poker Run Boat and they said why don't you just bring the hull in and fit s couple of 525's and be done with it......and I said well were the bloody challenge in that.......beyond which, the prospect of motoring out of our quiet bay with BBC's would have people run me out of my own neighbourhood.......I hopped onto OSO and found a gem, a nice soft hulled Baja 40 Outlaw and off we went....
It was around March when I went onto OSO and having done so for years without finding anything and now with my boat already paid for I saw a member named kidturbo talking about marinising a Duramax diesel.........we chatted about a day or two and after Ken understood what I was trying to do and after I asked if he would like to run the project, we were underway.
Now all I can say is that Ken has delivered on every milestone and without me never flying anywhere to see anyone. You see us Aussies are brothers of the Yanks, having fought many wars together, the Aussies are inclined to trust a boy from Ohio, Ken, with everything. That's just the way Ken and I have rolled and I have not looked back.......
So now you are looking at a project that should have engines ready for dyno runs in two weeks, then let's just watch the rest of the project unfold from here.......
This project should have the establishment sitting up and wondering what the **** was that boat that went past, which made no noise on its approach but upon passing it sounded like a jet, with four 64mm NRE symmetrical turbos spinning st 300,000rpm..........at 2.6mpg at 100mph and not an engine rebuild in site......no stress.
Cheers - Aussie Dave
It's Dave from Sydney, Australia, the owner of this great project.
I have been dreaming of building this project for about 5 years, but have searched unsuccessfully for the right people to make this happen.
The tradition, as far as I can see it, is that a Poker Run Boat can only have a BBC or get off the train...so to speak.
Now we're I live at Northbridge, in Sydney, we have a small bay, just down the hill from were I live and the marina has only 29 wets berths, so it is very hard to get a berth, almost to the point where you need to have it passed onto you....anyway, was lucky enough to score a berth and bought a beautiful day boat of 44 foot, built in Australaj in the mid 1990's by Riviera in Australia and called the Diavolo. My model was called the America's Cup Edition and they only made 12. Mine has been completely rebuilt and is absolutely stunning. Anyway I was talking to the mechanics at the Marina about my desire to build a diesel Poker Run Boat and they said why don't you just bring the hull in and fit s couple of 525's and be done with it......and I said well were the bloody challenge in that.......beyond which, the prospect of motoring out of our quiet bay with BBC's would have people run me out of my own neighbourhood.......I hopped onto OSO and found a gem, a nice soft hulled Baja 40 Outlaw and off we went....
It was around March when I went onto OSO and having done so for years without finding anything and now with my boat already paid for I saw a member named kidturbo talking about marinising a Duramax diesel.........we chatted about a day or two and after Ken understood what I was trying to do and after I asked if he would like to run the project, we were underway.
Now all I can say is that Ken has delivered on every milestone and without me never flying anywhere to see anyone. You see us Aussies are brothers of the Yanks, having fought many wars together, the Aussies are inclined to trust a boy from Ohio, Ken, with everything. That's just the way Ken and I have rolled and I have not looked back.......
So now you are looking at a project that should have engines ready for dyno runs in two weeks, then let's just watch the rest of the project unfold from here.......
This project should have the establishment sitting up and wondering what the **** was that boat that went past, which made no noise on its approach but upon passing it sounded like a jet, with four 64mm NRE symmetrical turbos spinning st 300,000rpm..........at 2.6mpg at 100mph and not an engine rebuild in site......no stress.
Cheers - Aussie Dave
