OK guys talk me out of another build

We're getting rid of the wife's commuter car when I suddenly got the brain storm. The Cavalier has an ecotec motor in it that is in great shape. We've had the car since it had only 43k on it. Since I have the whole car I have pretty much everything I need.

Im thinking about building a new 14x6 hull for it, I don't want to go too wide. From what I am reading so far the bare motor weighs 220lbs. Just what I need, another boat. I won't be getting rid of the tank, it's like family I've had it so long.

Papee,
I will play "Devils Advocate"...

Will you run it direct drive or belt drive? Direct, you will be down on hp and torque... Belt drive will gain better hp and torque... add to that, cooling system weight... Does it really bring that much to the program??? over a mid-sized air cooled power package ...
kent

They make a nice gear reduction unit for it. The ecotec engine is a real gas miser. In the configuration mine is in right now it is compared performance wise to your motor but they last longer.

Mabe you're talking to the wrong crowd to be talked out of it..:lol:...150 hp and 200lbs...Sounds like 2 more seats in the new boat..;stir; Tell your wife about what you're thinking about doing that usually takes care of it for me...:roll:

I told the wife and she was silent, that usually means she is hoping its just a passing brainstorm. I sometimes get the old "not only no but_______ no" look.

The he engine gives me lots of mods to think about down the line,turbo, etc. Some mods up to 400hp but I doubt the reliability would be there. I don't need any of that, but I would like something I can run some dry with at our place in Ga.

I had no idea a small auto engine could deliver that kind of power to a prop... Guess I'm just out of touch with what "modern" elements have to offer.... I cut my teeth with a C65 back in '58....

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Corky

Mabe you're talking to the wrong crowd to be talked out of it..:lol:...150 hp and 200lbs...Sounds like 2 more seats in the new boat..;stir; Tell your wife about what you're thinking about doing that usually takes care of it for me...:roll:

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Yes, this will be a ride boat, I'll keep old reliable tank for fishing. This boat will most likely spend most of its time in GA.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by kent

I had no idea a small auto engine could deliver that kind of power to a prop... Guess I'm just out of touch with what "modern" elements have to offer.... I cut my teeth with a C65 back in '58....

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There are a good number of guys going to this setup now because of the fuel usage and performance.
Heres a video of one, this guy has a few videos up.
http://youtu.be/_nBoqO_6aUc
http://youtu.be/_nBoqO_6aUc

That was amazing !! I'm not sure on the dimensions of that boat but it looked like plenty of power to spare even running dry...Never really looked at them until this thread but there seems to be a wide variety of the ecotec engines built for production over the years...Even a turbo and a supercharged version...Looks to be a very popular engine...The grass and mud terrain would be great for a boat like that...I could just see me in this area with that boat running fast and squirrely until splitting the hull on a sharp rock like the titanic from front to back before you got stopped....:eek:...:lol:

Like Kent said about pounding the rocks down, I've hit about every rock in the river in my 35+ years boating it so I pretty much know where they are now.

Papee
I hope you do this. I have a Caviler that was my moms , 18 thousand miles on it
It is a 97 so I am not sure if it is the same type motor.
My bowfishing rig is a 7ft wide by 11 ft long alum hull , might make a nice combo.
Ron

I know chuck put in some good research on this engine. Ive read quite a few reviews about them on the southern site and the people running them seem to like them. You have to get reduction drive on it otherwise as stated youd be leaving a lot on the table. Good on gas, not too big as to need a huge boat, lot of power to be had, and readily available parts from a lot of auto parts stores.....sounds like a winner to me.

I talked to chuck back when he first started working on this engine combination and have been following it all along. This is no spur of the moment decision, I've been thinking about it for a few years. This will give me a chance to do a project where I'm not in a time crunch to get it done like I was on the last one.

It will give me a chance to put all my hull ideas to use, the bends in the gunnels, new bow design, etc. the boat will only be 6ft wide on the bottom to keep with my own theory about bottom widths and speed. I'll also be using a longer hull to spread the weight and keep it off the back of the boat.

Ron, your car will not be an ecotec motor in that year car, they didn't start using them until 2002. It's easy to tell, they say Ecotec on the valve cover.

Papee, What a cool video on that airboat. Something to be said for "good things in small packages !" TFS kent

Well, I'm pulling the trigger on this but most likely won't start until spring. The wife will not be happy if she has to park outside this winter while I have a boat inside. I'll do it a bit different this time with my build order so it doesn't take so long. I'll finish the hull completely including paint so I don't end up waiting out the winter before I can paint.


The the last one I had complete before winter but had to wait till spring to paint. I may even just put it all together and run it unpainted until weather permits.