A 351w (stroker?) from scratch...

I knew I was doing something wrong, I havent had a drink in almost two months as I am trying to get myself back in shape after nearly two years of injuries

Joe - Any updates?

Well June 9th was a big day on this project, the last wood stringer has now been evicted. I have three stringers fabricated, shaped, bedded, filleted, and taped, one more to be laminated today, shaped and bedded tomorrow. I basically go from work to the gym to the shop to bed these days so havent loaded pictures yet, but I have more pictures of fiberglass dust than anyone could ever need.

Interesting time of year to be doing this project, I have the triple joy of sunburn, mosquito bites, and fiberglass itch driving me nuts... but there is light at the end of the tunnel.

This time I mean it, I am never doing this again....

If anyone has a picture of the cooler setup for thier pcm transmission, or of how the cable attaches please share, I think I still need a couple peices.

Tim,
Where did you get that flame arrestor? My son just put a performer intake on his boat and now he has motor box clearance issues with the stock one. Thanks

Thanks for the pictures Tim, I am definitely going to need a few more bits.

I was taking a look at my arrestor, couldn't they be cut down? They're brass right? Couldn't you cut the mesh part down to the height required and then braze it back onto the top piece?

Seems to be the easiest way to get a shorter arrestor.

SUNAPEE CROW wrote: Mark, I am thinking that you would have to keep the surface area the same or larger. Keep in mind that the motor is pulling 351 cubic inches of air every two revolutions.If sombody has proven that shortening the stock arrestor still provides enough flow, that would be the easiest way out.

not an issue there is more than enough air flow even with a shorter arrestor

Mark Mel wrote: In the pictures above, TRBenj's shortened arrestor looks to be about the same diameter as the stock.

My stock arrestor was actually 6.5" in diam, with only 2" of element (and a 1" ring below it). The new arrestor is 8" in diam, with the same 2" element- so I picked up area.

None of the arrestors Ive seen are very restrictive- so I wouldnt worry about losing flow by cutting down the stock arrestor.

Joe, can't wait to see the pics. I did it the old way and have been lookng forward to seeing the new fangled way!

Tim, isn't that the stock arrestor for the 454?

Well slowly but surely things are coming along,

This is me screwing around with the toys coming in and avoiding the grinder for a few minutes..







I dont know if I had showed this yet but this tool is worth its weight in gold, for cutting fiberglass, faster than an abrasive wheel and it made it through the whole project with basically no damage, its a little over twenty dollars but a bargain compared to the cutoff wheels you will break and it isnt constantly getting smaller on you.



Here is the last stringer laminated, shaped, and ready to go in, you can see the three half inch layers of coosa, one layer of glass inbetween each layer.




new home after stringer removal, grinding, acetone wipedown.


fiberglass matt and cloth rolls hung up for use, each is over a hundred lbs





Boat with last stringer bedded and taped in.


Everything is covered in dust



This was the worst stringer, serious rot under the drivers seat and more under the fiberglass by the rear cradle bolt. I have to keep it around to show to the people who keep asking me why I tore apart a "perfectly good boat"


My fiber glass supplies were holding out well at the begining of the weekend.



Damn, I seem to be missing bunches of pictures so thats all for now, I have two stringers pretty well glassed in now, and two more that I will finish tonight. then on to the supports, the front work, and the floor..

Joe,
What's the gray filler? in the center of the bilge? You're not planning on having the boat ready for GL are you?

BTW, Before you post more pictures, I think you need to put a warning about your work area not being in the best of shape. This of coarse is for Greg - He may be in shock about now!! You notice that I don't post many pictures of my work area for fear of Greg's mental health!

8122pbrainard wrote: Joe, What's the gray filler? in the center of the bilge? You're not planning on having the boat ready for GL are you? BTW, Before you post more pictures, I think you need to put a warning about your work area not being in the best of shape. This of coarse is for Greg - He may be in shock about now!! You notice that I don't post many pictures of my work area for fear of Greg's mental health!

Et Tu Brainard, then fall Fennessy.

That boat will be ready in time for green lake hoping to have it for the fourth of July weekend, worst case scenario parts of the stereo don't get in before green lake. Last year I didnt get the engine back from the dyno shop till the 3rd of July so I figure I am much farther ahead this year...

When I started the night my shop was mearly in a state of complete and utter disarray due to some very heavy rains and flooding tonight is now an abomination but the show must go on, I will clean up in the fall, or the first rainy day after I finish the boat, whatever comes first.


Some more toys to go in









Here is a series showing the lamination of the second secondary stringer







Results after shaping and sanding









And where I left it tonight







Thats all four stringers down with 2 layers each of 2 inch tape, 4 inch tape, 8 inch tape, and 10 oz epoxy mat. More than enough for the secondary stringers, the main stringers will get some additional layers of cloth from the engine cradle back. Havent ground down the center area yet because its a waste of time to do so when your center stringers arent finished yet, as drips and dirty resin from walking around in the middle will continue to make it a mess until that point.    


I really started going through epoxy when the mat came into play, I using gallons at a time now I have 3.5 gallons left but I am going to call in for more tomorrow so I don't end up waiting, Will probably go overboard but I have to have something to go along with all the extra cloth and epoxy mat I bought just to have around the shop.

The strut and log stay the same (although the strut gets a new vesconite bearing and the log is going to be an oj dripless). The transmission is longer and requires a shorter prop shaft 51 vs 54 inches. The transmission mounts bolt to the same place on the cradle but are different


Old left, new right.


The attaching blocks are different, but old top, new bottom, but the new would work on the old, maybe vice versa as well.



The main difference is the range of adjustment is centered much higher on the pcm style vs borg warner style

new on top, old on bottom


new left, old right


near as I can tell the engine mounts themselves are the same except for the attaching blocks and mount in the same place, I have the new ones but havent compared them to really figure out the difference yet.

The engine will be much more level with the new transmission but I do not know if that will have the engine higher, lower, in the front or back yet in relation to the old setup.

So I am sure I can get it in there and aligned but will the motor box fit is another story, plan to put the engine in to test fit before carpeting it up that way I can build a sub base of some sort if need be.

8122pbrainard wrote: This of course is for Greg - He may be in shock about now!!

Now see...you got me all out of context. From the way Joe described a few things on my thread, I was sure he knew something that I hadn't figured out yet?!!?

Joe, I'm happy to see the dust. Anyone making the kind of time you are is gonna make a mess!

Joe
Thanks for the info, she is going to fly, forget Air Nautique yours is a Fly Nautique, and looks like I have Tug Nautique Oh Well.

Great Job.

Roger.