Anyone else with a 26' Scarab
 

I'm tring to find out if anyone else has played with perfomance mods. Best prop for 502, set-off boxes,shorter lower unit, hull modification, etc.

Re: Anyone else with a 26' Scarab
 

Curious what your last boat was and how you like her? I'm looking at 29's right now moving up from a Donzi 18 Classic.

Re: Anyone else with a 26' Scarab
 

I am in the process of purchasing the exact same boat as shown in the pic, the deal should be complete in 2 weeks. The one i am purchasing has a stock 502 with a procharger i ran it up to 4700 rpm and was running 70 on gps i got a lil scared and backed off. I am going to change the exhasust as soon as i get it and was wondering if anyone has suggestions as far as namebrands. I will be posting pics etc as soon as i get it thnaks brandon

Re: Anyone else with a 26' Scarab
 

I owned the very same boat for three years. Colors and motor were exactly the same.

Re: Anyone else with a 26' Scarab
 

Myself as well. 3 years in fact. It's a great boat for the price. I did change my graphics and need to do so again.

First thing lose, the factory exhaust all of it, get some head work done, turn them into real high performance heads, inconel, titanium etc. I haven't played with prop yet.

I know that feeling about 70, the boat does get alittle loose, at least mine does. I chose Gill Offshore for exhaust and Hardin Marine risers and Hardin marine switchable mufflers. The sound awesome and delivers a lot of torque.

Re: Anyone else with a 26' Scarab
 

Ditto...changed my graphics too. There were just a little much for me. Also had the cushions in the cuddy recovered with tweed. The factory looking material looked like a box of crayons puked on it to me.

I too agree on the exhaust. Mine didn't even have thru hull. They were diverted to the side and ran through a big canister. Hated that thing.

I always felt like Wellcraft could have put more thought into the cuddy area. Would have been nice to have a couple of benches down there to sit on. Storage was almost non-existent IMO.

All complaining aside I did like the boat. I got my money's worth of it. Didn't get my butt handed to me on resale. Overall I have no regrets having owned that boat.

Re: Anyone else with a 26' Scarab
 

Yup, when my orange faded to pink it was time go. That pink chit was too girly. And that interior stuff ... a pattern that on Ray Charles could like.

I had the same .. nice and quiet. :( . I heard they were reversion prone but when I changed them out the heads were fine except for weak valve springs, I could compress them by hand. Engine had 374 hours when I had the heads rebuilt.

Stabbin cabin only.

I hope when I sell mine next year I come out even and I will be happy.

Re: Anyone else with a 26' Scarab
 

I removed the dash panel and had it dyed red. It was a nasty, faded, purple color. Then I installed a set of Livorsi II platinum series gauges. Looks a ton better.

Re: Anyone else with a 26' Scarab
 

Look at my previous post from 6-16-06 and you'll see what I did with mine in order to run silent choice to the red cannisters. Or you can go back to the June thread"exhaust options" under the Scarab forums.

Re: Anyone else with a 26' Scarab
 

I had a 1998 with a 502 Mag after doing some minor things I got it to go 69mph on light fuel. I have found the hull bottom on these boats to not be very flat so I blue printed the bottom. Also you will have 2 large hooks in the hull at the outer edge at the transom. Sharpen the transon edge and the strakes too. I removed the windshield and gained 1 mph easy. I had the heads re built and added Stainless marine exhaust for another 2mph. No muffler and straight through the transom. That water muffler exhaust is horrible. Since this boat is not built with stringers it is hard...very hard to add traditional hydraulic steering. Also keep an eye out on the engine mounts.
Enjoy it!

Re: Anyone else with a 26' Scarab
 

Yes sir on those engine mounts. Forgot about that one. They do work loose. Check them every two weeks.

Re: Anyone else with a 26' Scarab
 

For those that are interested the boat with a stock 502, procharger and 25 4 blade prop ran 74.5 on gps with 4 people and 3/4 tank of gas 1996 26 ft scarab

Re: Anyone else with a 26' Scarab
 

I've had mine since it was new (1997) , I got lucky and had straight thruhull exhuast instead of those canister things.
Mine stock (502mpi) , with the addition of Stainless marine exhaust and a remapped ecu went either 65 and some change or 66 and some change , its been a while. I think that was a whopping 2mph over stock.
I have since added , Hyd. steering, custom motor mounts, gaffrig gauges w/bezels, billet grab handles, solid white lexan windshield(had a plastics company mold it from the original glass) , Stainless 18.5" Victory tabs, and the best part ,a N/A 540, dry CMI's and an XR geared B1 with nosecone.
The best speed I've ever had was 80.1 on GPS , spinning a 26 Bravo 1 @5800-5900rpm.

Re: Anyone else with a 26' Scarab
 

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Re: Anyone else with a 26' Scarab
 

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Re: Anyone else with a 26' Scarab
 

What kind of horsepower are you running?

Re: Anyone else with a 26' Scarab
 

To be honest I don't really know. I'm guessing when the boat ran 80 it had to have around 650 +hp , I've just recently went thru the motor and changed the cam and am only getting 76-77 out of it so somewhere between 600-625 I'm guessing.

Re: Anyone else with a 26' Scarab
 

Glad to hear that you had that hull running 80, that is where I would like to be. I have the factory manifolds now but plan to add gil/hardin exhaust over the winter and maybe a few other things i would like to run in the high 70s possibly 80. How much did that windshield cost you 26scarab and do you know if you can even still get them

Re: Anyone else with a 26' Scarab
 

I think it was something like $500. I had a local plastics shop make it. I'm sure any of them could.

What prop are you running ? you mention a 25 4 blade, is that a Hydromotive ? What kind of power are you estimating with the procharger ?

Re: Anyone else with a 26' Scarab
 

Actually the guy i bought the boat from told me it is a custom built 24.5 pitch but the stamp on the prop says 26.2 I am planning on taking it to a prop shop around here and see if they can determine exactly what pitch it is because i think i am going to have to go up in size beings i am already hitting my rev limiter and i plan on doing a little more work to the engine. The procharger book says 570 hp so i figure somewhere around there 550 or possibly 570

Re: Anyone else with a 26' Scarab
 

Great to see all the info on these boats. I just purchased mine in Aug - 1996 26' and can't wait to start modifying it. I'd love to see mid 70's or so, but need to keep it reliable.

Re: Anyone else with a 26' Scarab
 

That's why I started this thread. I'm trying to get the most bang for my buck as I start to modify mine. It's just a matter of where to begin and how far I want to go.

Re: Anyone else with a 26' Scarab
 

Well I know very little about boats but i am really liking this supercharged 502 and it seems to be very dependable, my plans are to get the boat running 80s dependably if possible i have a few more mods to do that have been highly recommended to me just saving up the cash to pay for them. Do yall have any other pics that you can post on here if so i would like to see thanks jamie

Re: Anyone else with a 26' Scarab
 

That's about where I would like my boat to be. Procharged 502 w/headers sounds good to me...just gotta start saving the $$$

Re: Anyone else with a 26' Scarab
 

Does anyone have any thoughts on the best headers for the money? This will probably be the first mod on the boat and I want to get the best bang for the buck.

Re: Anyone else with a 26' Scarab
 

Everyone i have spoken too has recommended gil/hardin, That is what I am saving up for now. I called one or two places and they are about 1800 bucks with 75 s/h

Re: Anyone else with a 26' Scarab
 

Check with CP Performance. I don't think I paid that much last year. Gil Exhaust and Hardin risers I think were about 1600, maybe even less. I would have to locate the reciepts. Pricey .. yes, worth it, oh yeah man. Lots of torque and a goo hp boost as well.

Re: Anyone else with a 26' Scarab
 

Do some price shopping , and I think you might be able to get some CMI's elbow tops for around the same as the Gil's and in my opinion you will be better off.
I got lucky and traded my old Stainless marines (off of the 502) for the CMI's I have now.
Don't skimp in the exhaust dept, it's just too expensive to have to do twice.

The supercharger is a nice route to go , if you want to run 80's but you will have to do some drive work to get it to live. I picked N/A for cost and I think it's a little easier on drives. Your probably going to need a solid 650hp to run 80.

Re: Anyone else with a 26' Scarab
 

i've got a 98' 26 which have owned from day one. it is used mostly offshore in the norytheast. with the stock 502 mag and 24 pitch 3 blade it ran 68mph(gps) at 4800 rpm. with the 502 reworked and a whipple, 28 pitch wheel and xr drive, it ran 83 mph (gps) at 5100 rpm.
then i blew motor and drive.

form july of 05 to july of 06 i had every component updated. i bought a 500efi done up by innovations in fl., new livorsi everything, guages,wheel, throttle, new xr, external dual ram, ect... with 24 hydromotive intimidator. more than 50k later, at 5400prm with a 1/2 tank and 4 people it does a solid 75mph.
i love the damn thing. properly rigged, there is no better single power ride.

Re: Anyone else with a 26' Scarab
 

oh, yeah, i almost forgot....cmi (see pic. above) is the way to go, a little more $, but exhaust isn't the best place to cut corners.

Re: Anyone else with a 26' Scarab
 

Thanks for the advice...keep it coming!! I just pulled it out of the water to get it ready for winter storage :( I plan on shopping around a lot over the winter and see what I come up with.

Re: Anyone else with a 26' Scarab
 

yeah same here thanks for all of the info and pics

Re: Anyone else with a 26' Scarab
 

If anyone is looking for a cheap winter project, this is whatI did last year to my ugly lavender dash panel. I took it out, removed all the gauges, and had a vinyl guy paint it with a vinyl specific dye. I then replaced the gauges with Livorsi II platinum edition gauges.( you can't use bezels, the gauges are too close together.) Then I found a spraypaint that was close in color and painted the trim indicator rimand the throttle and shift assembley. I had looked at a Livorsi set-up, but from what I remember the hole in the dash was too big or there was another fitment issue.

Re: Anyone else with a 26' Scarab
 

Dash looks great !
You can fit bezels though, got purple ones on mine just check out post #15 , 2nd picture.

Re: Anyone else with a 26' Scarab
 

awesome looking 26'r. In the pic of the stern I can't see the trim tabs. My poor eysight or what. You did a great job.

Re: Anyone else with a 26' Scarab
 

chainedowmn and 26scarab, great looking dashes.

I plan on having mine dyed red and putting in new guages this winter. I'll post some pics when I start the project.

Re: Anyone else with a 26' Scarab
 

I don’t see any either :eek: at 80mph that could be a scary ride.

Re: Anyone else with a 26' Scarab
 

I didn't see any either. I added 18.5" Victory stainless tabs on mine and just keeping them neutral makes a HUGE difference in ride, expecially around the 50-60mph mark.

Does anyone know who bought the 96 from Hideaway with the Chief 575 motor ? Add say's 94 mph boat.... there is no way in hell that boat runs that fast with only 575hp. I don't care if its got a shorty on it or not.

Re: Anyone else with a 26' Scarab
 

have a 94 26 scarab cc 250 yam efi 50 mph,does that count? :D my scarab actually has a pad on the bottom like a fountain.

Re: Anyone else with a 26' Scarab
 

I don't know who bought the boat but I always liked it. 94 seems a bit fast but Chief used to build a great engine.