To get the best bang for your buck, would a 496 mag with a pro or whipple charger be a good alternative to a straight 500EFI? I'm looking at a 29 nordic Heat. Do you have to run high octane fuel in the 500EFI as you do in the 496? The marinas in my area don't carry high octane, so it would mean pulling the boat out every time it needs gas. Pain in the &%$.

Running a HP500efi with 93 octane will only give you more soot on your transom, no performance increase.
All the manuals and magazines I have read say 87 is all you need.

You want a 500efi or do you mean 525efi. Everyone is saying the new 525efi's are putting out around 550hp stock. Procharger on a 496 will get some more horses but it might be a little less reliable down the road.

I agree,,, 87 is what they want, 87 is what they get !!!!!!!!! It will probably perform WORSE on 93,,, it doesnt have the compression to support running 93.

Yea, what OBNOXUS said!

I am going single.

You must mean a Nordic 28. I have one. If at all possible, stay away from the 496HO (I got one too). It's a nice engine, but not enough for this boat. I would not super charge this engine either, I'd not trust the longevity of the engine. I think the super charger manufacturers will be beta testing on the public for a while, I'd let somebody else blow up their engines first. Canada Jeff has a good point with the drive also (are you going Bravo 1 or ZR?). If I had to do it all over again, I'd get a well built, conservatively set up n/a 540 or 572 and run the heck out of it. I feel pretty strongly about that too, I've had two years on the boat and it can handle much more power. With the 496HO it's a bore unless it's rough out. The 500 EFI is not that much faster and I'd not consider that one either. Just an opinion from sombody who has the same boat, for whatever it's worth. Hindsight is 20/20, I wish I had it when I purchased.

Indy,

Thanks for your input. I do mean the 28 heat I was looking at the 29 fever as well so I must have mixed up my numbers. How fast do you think the 500 EFI will take this boat. What other hind sight suggestions could you give me? I understand that the bolsters are a little too far away from the dash, and that an anchor cleat would be handy. How durable do you find your windshield? does it show stress cracks or scratch easily. Thanks

I would have to go with the 500 for having forged internals.

71-72 with the 500EFI...I get 67 with the 496HO. If you are ordering the boat, specify a 6" pop-up bow cleat which is what I did. The bolsters are a little far, so I moved mine up this past spring, while I had the interior out, I ripped up the carpet and put down diamond plate in the engine compartment and a Prielli type floor. I've heard that they are now putting the bolsters closer, but not sure. If you want measurements for specifications when ordering, give me a call at 203-762-9281. The windscreen is Lexan and is not at all flimsy, however, take care with it because it's not as hard as glass. There are no stress cracks at all and don't think you'd get any unless you jump up and down on it. It comes in the standard dark smoked color and a lighter version which I specified when I ordered my boat. If you're going to dunk the trailer in salt water, don't get the Nordic trailer...please. Mine is taking a beating. Order a galvanized and painted trailer from somebody else. Here is a link to some pics of the boat and last spring's project. The colors don't come out too good in the photos, but it's a yellow>purple>dark purple fade. If you have any other questions, feel free to call...Steve

http://community.webshots.com/user/inders

blkspringer
See the 496 Whipple posting on the general discussion sight for info on pumping up the 496HO. A Whipple stage-I package would give you approx. the same hp an HP500 would give. Fuel requirements would stay 87 Octane and the cost would only be another $1K on top of the original cost versus the upgrade to the "NON" semi-closed loop cooled HP500. Besides, I eventually see the HP500 phased out with the introduction of the new HP525...