rebuilding engine/transmission mounting beds.

[7228sedan]

I have a 72 Luhrs 28 flybridge sedan. I'm in the process of replacing the wood timbers that the motor & transmission mount to. These wooden beds are roughly 4"x8" and are through bolted to the stringers. They run from the main cabin bulkhead back to about 2 feet before the transom. What species of wood is recommended for this?

[gonzo]

Oak, red or white. Hard pine. Mahogany.

[7228sedan]

Does anybody know where I could find a piece of hardwood roughly 4 X 10 X 16 inches? none of the local lumber yards here in NJ have anything remotely close in size.

[7228sedan]

Also on another thought, I located a pair of fabricated aluminum engine bed brackets. They would bolt through the stringers and provide a mounting platform for the transmission mounts to bolt through. My only concern is; the wood mounting beds extended the whole height of the stringer down to the hull floor. Would the stringer be strong enough on it's own to handle the energy, or (as I assume) is that wood going down to the hull floor for a reason?

[gonzo]

Your best bet is to make them the same as before. Anything else will need on-site engineering. 4X8" pine is readily available and structurally strong enough for the job. That is what they originals should be. They lasted almost forty years with probably a lot of holes for accesories, etc.

[7228sedan]

Thanks for the reply, I finally found a local mill that had 3 X 10 African Mahogany. I had them mill me a patch to spec; If I have this one long enough to put a diesel in, I'll be sure to replace the whole engine bed structure with that. It looks to be the answer. On to the next...

[gonzo]

Those will be fancy beds