28ft power cruiser re furbishment

Well Hello folks, this is my first posting so please be gentle with me!
I have just about finished the first stage of renovating a 28ft fletcher zingaro
a very sleek if old power boat. I have completely stripped her and replaced all internal structures including new bearers decking and PU foam bouyancy.

She has a very sound hull which was driven by a single 7.4 ltr V8 hi-perf gas guzzling monster through a borg warner velvet drive gearbox to a mercruiser
TRS2 out drive leg with a SS cleaver type prop. however, I have hauled the monster from its lair during the refit with a view to trying to save my marriage
and fit a diesel? as you may have guessed I am not blessed with tons of cash but I do have tons of enthusiasm, some skill in my hands (plumber/welder by trade, with a now healthy respect for carpentry and fibreglassing!)

I believe my options include: a suitable pre used truck engine with some modification? a pair of smaller, say 3ltr 4x4 diesels but a change of propulsion units would be needed as the TRS2 leg is quite a lump to double up on, or even trying to get the existing monster to live on LPG with all its difficulties?

I know the real answer is to go and buy a "Hammerhead,Tigershark or some other wonderful diesel marine engine, but alas!

I have been looking at the simplicity of straight shaft surface drives and the weight saving over twin large outdrives, but with no experiance with these, I am hoping for some suggestions.

Best wishes to all, I await with interest to see if anyone can help?

I will try to post a jpeg of my boat (I have tried to edit out the timber frame that holds the tarpaulin covers as a work tent)

Zingaroo.

 

Hey Zing,

I would recomend a 6.5 litre GM diesel with the stanadyne DB-2 mechanical injection pump. Your exiting mounts, bellhousing and velvet drive would all work with the same foot print. You would have to buy manifolds and I would buy a water cooled turbo to complete the package. Osco, Marine Power, and Penisular all sell the exhaust manifolds you would need. You could make the conversion yourself and save a lot on fuel expenditures. I would recomend a manual push button glow plug set up with the 60G glow plugs

 

Thanks for your quick reply carteret
I will keep this site informed of my progress, I take it that the engine you suggest is a readily available unit ? where do you suggest I look?
I am here at the far bottom left hand corner of England so most of my reseach will have to be via the net. I will wait with interest for further advice, in the meantime thanks Zing! (never been called that before!)

 

Hey Zing,

The 6.5 litre GM diesel is found in GM pickups and blazers. The cubic inch displacement is 396 ci, therefore it is an exact match for your existing big block. Engine parts are relatively cheap. I would look for the engine in chevy pickups and blazers from 1993 on up to about 2001. The American Military uses them in the Humvees. It is not a work boat type engine but for pleasure boating it is a good match. Affordable and dependable.

 

hey carteret, I'm now on a mission!!

Zing

 

Fletcher Zingaro

Hi, how is the rebuild going? I purchased a wreck in 1994 and had her totally rebuilt, she was the subject of an article in Motor Boat Monthly back in 1995. Still got the boat and what a diamond she is. All I can say is give her as much power as possible, because she can take it all and some.