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View Full Version : tahiti w/455 change to 454,502,496?



blueheronsales
06-23-2003, 04:35 PM
I have just decided to keep an 18' tahiti as a project/personalboat. The boat is in good condotion but the engine was locked up...looked into a motor built by mondello in Cali but way too much money...so I am wondering that since I have a lot of contacts in SoFla should i put a chevy in it since those are easy to find built.....my only other option is to get a new long block and stick with the olds....what do ya think?

Stv Euro
06-26-2003, 11:20 PM
Well it is your call BUT I also have a tahiti 18ft w/ a 455 olds built to a 468 with a hugh Mondello cam, heavy head work, all balanced engine and the chevy's still blow me away. After all the work and money I can only turn about 4900 rpms on 93 and 5000 on 108. The big chevy's 454, 468, 427 and so on will spin 6000 plus all day long. Also like you said chevy parts can be bought anywhere. Keep me posted on your project. I am close to tearing the jet back out and trying a diff model.


Kevin

Stoker100
06-27-2003, 12:57 AM
I have a laveycraft with 454/bravo 1 runnin sweet, will do 95 with solo driver, extremely stable and easy to drive. Sell it for 12K, less than what you would spend on a motor to make the ole Tahiti do 70mph!

blueheronsales
06-27-2003, 08:41 AM
I'm really unsure what to do at this point....I own a small marine store/sales facilty and have been busy buying and selling other boats while it just sits in the shed stripped down. I was under the impression that the olds was THE motor for jets because of the torque but if it is just rpm and hp then I will dump a bow-tie in it. All I know for sure is that its nearly July and soon enough I will close for the year and head back to Florida. I'm not even sure why I want this little thing to begin with!! Anyway...is it a big deal to switch power? I have the flywheel off the olds with the u-joint does that just bolt up to a chevy?? or should I stick the hull and trailer up for sale for $500

Propster
07-14-2003, 11:04 AM
I looked into the same thing when I had an Olds motor in my jetboat. Once I checked it out, it was more involved than I wanted to get into. You will need a new bell housing, (motor to jet), flywheel, coupler to flywheel adaptor, headers or log manifolds and motor mounts.

Just the cost of new manifolds was enough to shut me down!