Hey so i know there isn't allot of love for the alphas but i have what i have so i need some input.

1. ive heard of HD alphas? whats the deal with those.

2. Is there aftermarket parts i can install to strengthen a stock alpha ?

3. can you put a drive shower on a stock alpha? does it help?

4. if the HD alphas are out there....how much power can they take?



I know that a drive will handle alot more power than rated and long and you dont hole shot them, and slow down slow, and dont come out of the water and come back in under load....all about the driving but im building up my 350 merc, and gonna push close to 500hp when done. any input appreciated and if you have anything to open my mind to other options please let me know, im a budget builder tho keep that in mind., also is a 21 foot deep v boat too small for a surface drive?
thanks guys!!!!

There are a few flavors and gen's of alfalfas, however none of them are really a heavy duty. There was a guy a few years ago doing some alpha work but it was questionable expensive the guy was an idiot. About the best your going to do with an alpha is an SEI replacement. about $1300 brand new....but it has a 3 year unconditional warranty., you blow it up, hit a rockpile etc, its covered,

SEI you say? I am def going to look into that. thanks!

Oh and just to clarify i have an alpha gen 1 if anyone else is wondering!

ok, you have 3 boats in your profile. all are smallish. the biggest alpha killer is largeness of hull and weight. the 211 libby is a little heavy for a 21 boat but still not a serious threat. alphas run fine on 27 dancers and 4winns cruisers, cuz they only drive around. boat won't do 35 on a bet so it is a waste of time trying. you put a 454 or hot 350 in that libby and launch out of the hole like it is a sanger drag boat you WILL break that vert shaft. and if the prop comes out of the water at speed re-entry could be an unhappy moment too. but if you try not to kill that drive, you probably will succeed in not killing it. stay away from pre-alpha lowers with spring pins in top of vert shaft.

yep talking about the libby, 211 weighing in at 3100 lbs.
so saying i drive like i should to protect the drive, i should be okay for a while on 500 hp?

500 is pushing it. Bravo xr, k planes and full hyd steering and that boat will be dangerous with 500 hp. Alpha drive and merc steering...just jump off a bridge. Cheaper way to commit suicide. You wanna go that fast you need a longer more stable hull.

Haha if its not scary its not fun hahahaha thank you!

I'd like to know how you are going to build a 500hp 350 and put it into gear low enough not to break the Alpha.

The early alphas that came with the magnums (350, 454mag-1987-90ish) had heavier duty components. Not sure of later units. That being said I raced a 3200lb. boat with a 300hp smallblock alpha mag drive before the days of driveshowers and synthetic gear lube. All the jumping out of the water blew one drive around 1989 or 90. After racing I put in a 400hp smallblock but then put on a Simrek drive shower (the best) and used Amsiol marine gear lube. Obviously I wasn't jumping tall waves in a single bound, like I used to, and took it easy getting on plane but still ran hard in poker runs for another 16years and the drive has lasted through the current owner. 500hp is really pushing it but whatever hp you push take it easy getting on plane, feather that throttle when in the air and get a great drive shower and synthetic gear lube, instead of that Merc green death lube