TOPIC: Thinking about doing something different....

I've got this G3 hull. It's completely bare, so it's never going to be a candidate for restoration. I have it split right now to replace the transom, floor, etc, etc.

I'm thinking about running an inboard engine...something light that sits low...maybe one of those 4cyl subaru boxer engines. I'm also thinking about building a surface drive for it.

Thoughts? Comments? Ideas?

Anyone have some pictures or videos of inboard G3s? I did see that one from "down under" in the forum, but haven't found more than a couple others.

Thanks,
Phillip

. ""I'm also thinking about building a surface drive for it.""

Whats that??? A paddle wheel....

Cant get the smiles to work:(

A bunch of different companies make them now, but here is a picture of one from the Arneson website: www.arneson-industries.com/products/asd6/arneson10_005%5B1%5D.jpg
Of course, I would be building mine myself.

Basically, they run a fairly large, high pitched prop about halfway in the water. It sounds ridiculous, but they are more efficient due to not having so many parts dragging through the water.

-Phillip

I'd say have at it! Ive run from 75-125 hp on a G and would like to put in a ford 2.3 4cyl with a cobra outdrive, run a motorsport head,pump her up to 250hp and hang on!.....maybe next year......

Looks like you're in for a shower when you put it in reverse. Why is efficiency important when you are dropping in a car engine? Sorry, but I dont understand why anyone would use such a thing... guess I'm just more of a traditional guy... I'd rather see a cool outboard hanging off the back... or an aluminum small block on a V-drive.

Interesting, never seen that before. Not the safest looking drive I've ever seen, just dont fall overboard,lol, or not!

A Subaru motor sounds like a good choice but i'd use a small I/O drive myself.

Interesting ideas Philip. I have seen one of those outdrives on a bigger boat (about 26') and it worked very well. Scuby-do make good motors, nice low CofG, but heavy as Dean points out.
I like Ponyboy's dream.
Hey Ponyboy, let me know when it is done, will you need a cameraman?
Ken

Efficiency is supposedly even better with a car engine and surface drive than it is with a two stroke outboard.

I got this hull home and instantly started trying to warm myself up to the idea of a 2-stroke outboard engine. I do like the look of the old 6cyl mercs, but in the end, I really don't care for 2-stroke engines. I can build and dial in any 4-stroke gas or diesel engine, but 2-strokes have always given me problems for some reason.

Ponyboy, The 2.3 is a great idea! I like the boxer style engines for the fact that they sit low, but I'd always rather use Ford power. Since writing the original post, I had started thinking about using a 302, but a 2.3 Turbo with a air-water intercooler would be sweet. About the same power, but lighter and shorter.

Also, I was originally thinking about a single surface drive, but with all the talk about chinewalking over 50mph, Last night I started considering running two counter rotating surface drives off the single engine.

Who knows...it could work.

-Phillip

This might get you thinking