Chris Craft and Ford Mustang V8

[FraserB]

I have a classic chris craft motor boat (like the riva) with no engine and a 1985 Ford Mustang 5lt V8 engine. Am I mad to contemplate putting the two together? Basic advice would be appreciated for starters. Thanks Fraser B

[Jango]

Will work fine if you do it right.

1. Starter and Alternator needs to be for marine application - closed to prevent sparks from getting in Engine area.
2. If carburated, must use marine carb - prevent gas & fumes from getting out + flame arrestor
3. Should use a truck type cam - 96 & newer "Explorer HO" (tremendous torque, great cam for stock type motor)
4.ALL gasgets exposed to water should be Stainless steel or copper.

Research the threads in "Marinizing" in this section.

[FraserB]

Thanks for the information. A guess before answering the "how to" I need to answer the "should I". Will this be a good (fast) engine for the boat or will it just be a pain in the bh? Is it a good solution or a crazy undertaking that might cost more than a suitable new marine engine? Thanks, F

[Jango]

Cost will depend on how the undertaking will be done. If you purchase all the necessary Marine "Stuff" new and do your oun work, you're probably looking at $3000 - $4000 (transmission, Exhaust, raw water pump,motor marization stuff, etc). Cost of a new Marine V8 will run between $10,000 & $14000. Buying used could reduce costs by 1/2.

Chris Crafts used 180 - 220 Hp chevy V8,s which provided speeds around 40mph. A stock 5.0 Ford should do at least that speed. I have a 5.0 Ford stroked to 327cu in, Producing 450HP in my 20' Mahogany Runabout (modern cold formed construction) which does in excess of 80 MPH.

My question would be: Should a classic boat be instead restored to original?

[FraserB]

Ok, thanks. So it can be done. (albeit should it be done). The boat came with an old marinized engine that no longer works. Of your estimate of 3-4k for parts, how much of this engine could be used to adapt my Ford engine or are the parts I need really specific to the Mustang V8?

[charmc]

FraserB,

Welcome aboard. Jango is giving you good answers. The "should I" question, IMHO, breaks down into: Do I restore this classic to original specs and materials? This would yield the maximum value, but also be the maximum cost; if the value is high enough you might not use it very much, making it a museum piece. Locating, buying, and restoring an original engine can be something to empty the pockets of even a multimillionaire.

Part of the question is: Do I want a museum piece or do I want to use this classic boat regularly? If you want to use it more than occasionally, then a modern powertrain is probably the way to go. There are many wood classics with modern engines, including some of the world's best known boats.

If you decide to go with a modern drivetrain, Jango has good advice. I agree with his numbers on the various options. One final word from personal experience: I owned and restored a classic wood hull Pacemaker, a 30' sportfisherman. It had been repowered before I bought it, with a 1972 Palmer 220 HP V8, which was a marinized 302 (5.0 L) Ford block. That boat was about 8,000 lbs, and had no trouble exceeding 35 mph. Your Chris Craft should be much lighter and does not have a deep skeg like the Pacemaker's, so it will have a significantly higher speed potential.

Bottom line: a 5 liter Ford V8 is an excellent choice for marinizing. Without any special high performance parts or tuning, it will give you 220 reliable HP.

Good luck!

[Jango]

Most parts except the transmission are specific to Ford Sm Blk, i.e.289,302 (5.0)351. Almost All transmissions are universal - only the Bell housing change.

What Marinized engine was in your Boat ? If sm Blk Ford, chances are some parts can be reused

Forgot to mention. The Mustang 5.0 is basically the same 5.0 in a sedan. Perhaps a cam change

[charmc]

Originally Posted by FraserB

Ok, thanks. So it can be done. (albeit should it be done). The boat came with an old marinized engine that no longer works. Of your estimate of 3-4k for parts, how much of this engine could be used to adapt my Ford engine or are the parts I need really specific to the Mustang V8?

I think most of the parts would be unique to your old engine; I doubt any would transfer. Possibly the reduction gear can be reused, with an adapter plate.

Since you have an engine, it might be a good idea to look for a nameplate or any numbers engraved into the block to identify it. Rebuilding might not be any more costly than buying a used modern engine. If you can get it running, the added value of an original engine might make it worthwhile.