Just bought a 1986 Formula 272 ls twin engine with no drive lines. Trying to figure out if 454's perform better even though they are heavier or if i should just stick with 350's.

If it's just a 27' boat I think I would go with a pair of healthy small blocks. What drives are the holes in the transom cut for?

I had a 272 with big blocks and bravos. Too tail heavy,small blocks are practical choice.

Welcome to our world!!

This might help you with your thinking and possibilities.

http://www.offshoreonly.com/forums/f...or-update.html

In my opinion...30 feet is about the break point to move from twin SBC's to BBC's. Twin 454's in that boat adds about 600 lbs to the a$$ end and throws the entire balance of the boat off. A 27 doesn't have enough weight forward of the center line to balance that much weight.

Twin, stout small blocks with Bravo Drives is the "Trick" set up for a 27 footer.

383's with little blowers

Sprink58 thanks for link good info

Looks like small blocks with Bravo's best long term setup.

Yes. 383's if you can swing them.

Bravos for sure.
Smallblocks with lightweight aftermarket exhausts will really help your weight distribution.

But big blocks are not the devil.
Lightweight exhausts, aluminum intakes, and you're not looking at a huge difference than a complete cast iron smallblock.

Just depends on what you are able to economically find available.

That boat with two 400hp motors will run very well (EASY with smallblocks with good heads).
Twin 500hp is about as much as you ever want to throw at it - it will be a handfull at that level.