hey guys/gals i've been arround boats my whole life. just bought a '89 four winns liberator 211. (for next to nothing) just built a 400 hp smallblock for it. what kind of speed should i expect, and is this a decent project boat???

Any project that cost you next to nothing is a great project start.Now you just have to figure on how to put next to nothing into it and you are set.

O did you want good advice.I have non ,sorry

Good luck

LMAO.....

Welcome to the club. Both the OSO site, the "bought a Lib for cheap," (mines a '87 241) and the just built a 400HP SBC for it. Motor ingested water and dropped a valve seat. Interior is like showroom.

Mine has an Alpha drive on it, with the old "stock" (?) 350 Mag (Carb) it did 42. My local boat expert told me to expect 53-56mph.

I hope you have an alpha or bravo, if you have an alpha, I'd put a drive shower on it.

Welcome ! I have an 86 211 Liberator. SBC about 375 - 400 HP. The top speed that I see is about 57 MPH GPS. But I really haven't spent any time dialing the boat in, Trying various props etc. With the original 260 Mercruiser and Alpha drive the boat would run 50. By the way don't believe all the stories you are going to hear about the Alpha drive if your boat has one. Again, mine is 20 yrs. old and is in excellent condition according to my mechanic. It was just gone through for the first time and he said all the internals look good. The only thing was it needed to be resealed. I use synthetic drive lube and a shower!
Good luck with your boat, Dave

What kind of drive?

Is it a decent project boat in what respect?

How are the transom and stringers?

Don't believe the stories about Cobras either.

Bravo stories you can believe.

it has a king cobra drive in the process of being rebuilt. everything else is solid..... the boat has about 275 hrs on it.

From what I am told, all libs had OMC cobras/king cobras. Somewhere along the line mine inherited an alpha. I have seen kings come with 460 Fords