New Mercruiser engine just arrived

[Dale R. Hamilton]

Some of you guys know that I've been using Mercury's Vazer engine in my mahogany runabouts.
As this engine is no longer available, I've had to select something else. I selected the Mercruiser 3.0L TKS 4 cylinder with Alpha genII outdrive. This is a really nice package- its 135 HP but also a little heavier and taller than the Vazer. This engine has decades of development behind it -first appearing in 1962. So its well thought out. I'm going to have to raise the last 2 frames to increase the headroom but I don't think it will affect appearance. The latest hull is in frame and without the skin. I'm going to fit the engine now- before skin goes on. I'll post a picture at that stage.

[Rich Jones]

Some of you guys know that I've been using Mercury's Vazer engine in my mahogany runabouts.
As this engine is no longer available, I've had to select something else. I selected the Mercruiser 3.0L TKS 4 cylinder with Alpha genII outdrive. This is a really nice package- its 135 HP but also a little heavier and taller than the Vazer. This engine has decades of development behind it -first appearing in 1962. So its well thought out. I'm going to have to raise the last 2 frames to increase the headroom but I don't think it will affect appearance. The latest hull is in frame and without the skin. I'm going to fit the engine now- before skin goes on. I'll post a picture at that stage.

Kind of like Jim Ledger's build. Mount the engine on the keel and build the boat around it!

[Tom Wilkinson]

So how do we get you to do a build thread a la the brewer catboat? I'd love to see it.

[Spokaloo]

Had her Volvo counterpart in Tailgunner, it was remarkable how big of a load we could put on the boat and she'd just keep going. The torque output of that motor is remarkable.

It's gonna make your boats into rocketships!

E

[johnw]

Is that the GM Iron Duke?

Not if it goes back to 1962. The Iron Duke came out in 1977.

[Dale R. Hamilton]

So how do we get you to do a build thread a la the brewer catboat? I'd love to see it.

Ok guys, I'll do it and post the first picture with the engine in place. Waiting for the transome drilling jig now, so it may be a week or two.

I build on a steel auto rotissary. I never found another builder who does, and WB magazine is totally uninterested in a story about it.

[Tom Wilkinson]

That would be great. Can't wait to see how you do it. I have been impressed with you boats for a while. Thanks.

[johnw]

Nun uh. The 4 cyl engine designed for the econocar Tempest was known as the Iron Duke.

Different Iron Duke, then. I was thinking of the one designed after the aluminum four for the Vega turned out to be a lemon. Funny thing, when I looked at a Nova with a four-cylinder engine in '76, it had an engine based on a 8 cyl. block, with sheet metal over one side. That looked odd. I suppose it was cheaper than putting the old tooling back in use.