So I have an opportunity to pick up a 33hp/454 on the cheap. The guy wants to trade for a paddle boat and I happen to have one. The motor in my boat is fine so I figure this will be a project for a few years (hopefully). When the current motor needs a refresh I can drop this in.

http://detroit.craigslist.org/mcb/boa/2944410613.html

Does this seem like a good deal? I was thinking it would get bored out anyway. So the cylinder dosent worry me too much. I would like to make a little more power with it, roller rockers, better heads, intake, exhaust ect. Nothing crazy but I can get a few more mph out of it. Currently my boat has a 330 in it and gets to 56. Wouldnt mind breaking into the mid sixties.

Im not a mechanic by any means but I can turn a wrench and can do anything I put my mind to. Does this seem like a doable project? A good motor to build off of? Any tips? Ive done tons of reading and I think I can do this.

Thanks ahead of time.

Looks like more then 13 hours of carbon build-up alone on that baby. have you seen it? How clean is the rest of it? Did any scoring of the cylinder wall happen when the valve let loose?

That's my engine! Cylinder wall is not scored, its got some dings from the valve and you can see them in the picture.

if you don't need the paddle boat do the trade.

You already have a 454 block. If you want to build something find a 502 block and go from there. If you needed a donor block and you were going to use existing parts then maybe yes buy it. But it needs to be bored and new pistons so might as well put that money into a 502.

Trade him. The motor (at the VERY least) is good for parts and trading. Much more so then a paddle boat.....

I listed this motor in the swap shop and it still is but nobody has shown any interest (I also don't TTT my stuff). I have had it on Craigs for awhile thinking maybe a car guy would want it and not just boaters? Then I re-listed the other day with trade options and now got some interest. I really just want it out of my garage and my girl keeps talking about wanting a paddle boat so I think its a win-win! I haven't seen the paddle boat yet but if its nice I will do the trade. I have been listing this motor for a long time now. If this deal does not work out I'm going to keep the block to build into a 496 later on and I will just take everything else and sell for scrap.