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used boat motors.. are they gonna be worth it?

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by Revhead, Feb 28, 2007.

  1. Revhead
    Joined: Mar 19, 2001
    Posts: 3,027

    Revhead
    Member
    from Dallas, TX

    I have found 2 free engines... here's the catch. they are stuck inside a 32' chris craft. The boat is early 60's and has twin V8s so they are probably either 283s or 327s. The boat is trash apparently and all he wants off it is the steering wheel. I was gonna go look at it for gauges gauge panel etc and maybe the engines. I think in this boat the engines were just lake-water cooled, so will they be worthless now that is has been on land and hasn't run in years? I know alot depends on how it's been kept, but in general what usually happens to old boat engines as they sit for long periods.
     
  2. the-rodster
    Joined: Jul 2, 2003
    Posts: 6,959

    the-rodster
    Member

    One engine will most likely rotate CCW.

    It probably doesn't get below freezing in Dallas, but if so, and the engines haven't been drained or filled with antifreeze, well you know.

    But heck, free is FREE.

    Rich
     
  3. seymour
    Joined: Jan 22, 2004
    Posts: 5,125

    seymour
    Member
    from PNW

    Aluminum flywheels. Neat valvecovers.
     
  4. the-rodster
    Joined: Jul 2, 2003
    Posts: 6,959

    the-rodster
    Member

    Spark arrestors too.....
     
  5. Retrorod
    Joined: Jan 25, 2006
    Posts: 2,034

    Retrorod
    Member

    My experience with marine engines, especially older ones, is that they can be great for extra parts but could be all sludged-up from running cold oil temps. Those without closed cooling systems always ran pretty cool.....hence, muck in the pan. Some of the other pieces from a boat are definitely cool though as others have mentioned.
     
  6. Revhead
    Joined: Mar 19, 2001
    Posts: 3,027

    Revhead
    Member
    from Dallas, TX

    yeah that's what I'm thinking.. there's probably enough neat parts aside from the engines that it's worth looking into anyway..
     
  7. 1950ChevySuburban
    Joined: Dec 20, 2006
    Posts: 6,185

    1950ChevySuburban
    Member Emeritus
    from Tucson AZ

    They'll never make 2 cycles illegal to have, but they've been restricting where you can run them.... killing any value other than cool parts.
     
  8. 29 sedanman
    Joined: Mar 22, 2005
    Posts: 2,282

    29 sedanman
    Member
    from Indy

    My gas cap came froma Chris Craft Boat. I have no clue what year or model. There has got to be some cool parts to be had. Maybe even some odd ball stainless fasteners, who knows. Good Luck!
     

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  9. Jmountainjr
    Joined: Dec 29, 2006
    Posts: 1,774

    Jmountainjr
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    My experience with fresh water cooled engines is that when they sit around they develop a lot of scale / rust in the cooling jacket. So you'll most likely have to hot tank the blocks to be able to give them a good check over. But free is nice. I have a nice aluminum oil pan for my rod that came off a boat engine.
     
  10. triton6972
    Joined: Apr 3, 2006
    Posts: 179

    triton6972
    Member

    Some of the early ones had pretty cool window stanchons(sp) too.
     
  11. leadsled01
    Joined: Nov 19, 2004
    Posts: 1,123

    leadsled01
    Member

    Check out "classic boat parts" on e-bay. You should be able to make a good dime. Especially anything Chris Craft.
     
  12. jaysberman
    Joined: Dec 15, 2004
    Posts: 97

    jaysberman
    Member

    I found that a lot of boat engines have been severely overheated and have cracked blocks etc.
     
  13. KCsledz
    Joined: Jun 19, 2003
    Posts: 2,333

    KCsledz
    Member

    Wouldn't hurt to pull 'em!!!! Free is free! you might even find a use for misc trim and what not like seat frames or at least pads for a cool pattern to incorporate in to a new interior.

    My only caution is if the boat has ever run in the ocean. Repeated ocean use has a tendency to cause cancer spots on the inside of the water passages.

    cody
     
  14. rixrex
    Joined: Jun 25, 2006
    Posts: 1,433

    rixrex
    Member

    I hope so..I've saved two flathead six cyl. Mercruisers and a really cool little Italian made outboard water jet, no propeller
     
  15. ray
    Joined: Jun 25, 2001
    Posts: 3,798

    ray
    Member
    from colorado

    i guess you didn't realize we're talking about 4 cycle V8 auto engines used in boats.
     
  16. 55olds88
    Joined: Jul 23, 2001
    Posts: 2,386

    55olds88
    Member

    I've been running a fresh water cooled early olds that was run in a displcement launch here in my Olds for about 8 years now, all I had to do was swap the sump from the marinised one and unfortunatly swap the heads as the salt in the hull had been sitting on them and rotted a hole around the exhaust on one.
    Other then that its the best $400 I ever spent !!!!
     
  17. the intakes are probably alum also....after you part out the boat, they make great bonefire parties! We used to do it often when I was in high school.....
     
  18. If you want to build a side-by-side two-engine dragster you've got the combination already ! :)
     
  19. Revhead
    Joined: Mar 19, 2001
    Posts: 3,027

    Revhead
    Member
    from Dallas, TX

    that would be awesome

     
  20. eyeball-shifter
    Joined: Sep 27, 2006
    Posts: 65

    eyeball-shifter
    Member
    from MA

    This is my flattie that came out of a boat. I was always told that you rarely had to deal with an overheated/cracked block on boat motors due to the access to lake water cooling. This thing runs great and I have had no issues. The block was in great shape.
     

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  21. 1950ChevySuburban
    Joined: Dec 20, 2006
    Posts: 6,185

    1950ChevySuburban
    Member Emeritus
    from Tucson AZ

    yeah, your right. I'm just slow today I guess
     
  22. the-rodster
    Joined: Jul 2, 2003
    Posts: 6,959

    the-rodster
    Member


    That's one clean boat motor!

    Very nice.

    Rich
     
  23. My engine is a 330 horse Crusader 454 big block Chevy. It came out of a boat that had twin big blocks.The other motor threw a rod and then the boat sank.Imagine that.......no problems so far after I rebuilt it.
     
  24. You didn't mention a trailer, but if one comes with the boat, it can easily be converted to a motorcycle trailer.
     
  25. Roupe
    Joined: Feb 11, 2006
    Posts: 723

    Roupe
    Member

    Note if the two engines are out of a twin engine boat, one of them will probably be reverse rotation. You will need to change the cam and starter on the one. Also alot of marine engines are 4 bolt mains, brass freeze plugs, explosion proof starters and altenators. If they are free I would grab them.
     
  26. alleyoop
    Joined: Jan 2, 2007
    Posts: 274

    alleyoop
    Member

    Get a hold of ( al schinnerer ) on this site he is a hamb er and he restors old boats ,and old parts he has a store in hunting beach cal. as for the engines i would get them and all the parts you can off that boat,cash in the bank,i have done alot of them,some of the iron wood is like gold. aka alley
     
  27. alleyoop
    Joined: Jan 2, 2007
    Posts: 274

    alleyoop
    Member

    O i forgot al schinnrer also has 2 of those GAA OHC engines in fair shap i was going to get them but they were to tall for what i wanted ,he is a nice guy ... aka alley
     
  28. Flatman
    Joined: Dec 20, 2005
    Posts: 1,975

    Flatman
    Member

    I did some work on a '62 Chriscraft around that size. The engines were twin 318s. Everything looked iron to me, judging by the rust. I have heard that the iron in marine engines was higher nickel.

    Flatman
     
  29. Most boats that large aren't readily trailerable. A 32' boat would require a huge trailer, way too big to pull behind a motorcycle.
     
  30. Ramblur
    Joined: Jun 15, 2005
    Posts: 2,101

    Ramblur
    Member

    My brothers Chris Craft got caught in a flood on the beaver river
    near Pittsburgh a couple yrs. ago. Somebody found it down on the Ohio river and used it to tow others back up the beaver. Insurance
    totaled it and its sat at a marina up on land ever since. Stuff has been
    pilfered off of it quite a lot but there's still two REAL low time 454
    mercs in the hull. Can't believe nobodies snagged them yet.
     

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