Installing a BIG BLOCK CHEVY into my JET BOAT

[@AutoTechNick]

What do you guys think is the cooler option for forced induction on the boat. A good ol' 8-71 roots blower, or a period correct Gale Banks twin turbo kit? I've always wanted to install a roots blower. But now I look at the vintage twin turbo kits in a different light knowing that it used to have one on it. ~ Nick

[@eliminator1978]

The Banks kit is very cool. They didn’t make a bunch of power though. (Compared to today). The tunnel ram is the way to go unless your going blower. Were you planning on taking the motor cover off for the tunnel ram? Or will it fit below it? My vote is for tunnel ram- simplicity vs the fitment problems of the others. And if you have to run without the motor cover, you’ll be showing off that awesome bilge.

[@melvinrawlings1457]

Blower for sure brother. That thing would be epic

[@AutoTechNick]

I actually think that I have a small shot at fitting a tunnel ram under my engine cover. It is in two pieces, so in a worst-case scenario, I would only need to rework the top section. I am well aware of the power constraints of the Banks turbo kit. But I think that the coolness factor almost offsets that! If I went with one of the kits, I would want a clean and complete kit, so the chances of me finding one at a decent price are slim.. An 8-71 is REAL easy to find 🤣😂🤣 ~ Nick

[@filitamayo]

Blower

[@AutoTechNick]

@filitamayo 🤤

[@it426]

871 AL THE WAY Nick!!

[@JoeJoeOnTheRadio]

I’m running my tee from the pump under my bell housing. P-clamps with spacers to lift off the bottom suction housing. Looks clean for my set up.

[@AutoTechNick]

Nice touch with the P-Clamps!!! I wish more people used them in their builds, rather than just letting the hoses lay loose on the hull. ~ Nick

[@anthonysiegel4685]

Tunnel Ram my choice for that build

[@jaredstafford5565]

Looking sweet nick .!! I must say I'm really enjoying this series of videos keep um coming 👍🤙🤙

[@AutoTechNick]

Thank you!. Ill do my best to keep the videos on the way! ~ Nick

[@melvinrawlings1457]

Awesome video and I just love the work that u do brother. Keep up the hard work and dedication towards the channel. And much love to ya from Maryland❤❤❤

[@AutoTechNick]

Thank you! I appreciate the support!! ~ Nick

[@HalBloomer]

Haha, i saw the log clearance issue coming. I had the same issue , with a boat i built, recently. Had to do the same as you.

[@jamiesonsime9197]

Looking good!

[@AutoTechNick]

Thank you!

[@Epik-hm8ws]

Love the look of Tunnel Ram and Blower Jet Boats! Tunnel Ram would probably be the best to just enjoy the boat and build memories with your family out on the water. Turbo and Blower SetUps will just leave the boat in the garage for longer. I do gotta say that Tunnel Rams need compression to work efficiently. To suck down the air through those long runners. If it is just for looks, screw it and do it. 8-71 Blower would of course look bad ass. Again, time in the garage figuring it out the interior and setup instead of time on the water with your kids. Turbos are a rabbit hole. Crazy cool yes. But prepare for lots of tinkering and stopped runtime on the water figuring out what the hell went wrong. Maybe finishing the family boat to just a badass stroked Big Block family boat and get a different smaller one like a Bonneville TR or Eliminator Daytona as a Drag Project with High Rise Headers and Blower or turbos when the family boat does family boating stuff. In the end your choice and I will enjoy your videos anyway 🤙

[@AutoTechNick]

I agree. The tunnel ram would be relatively quick and easy with minimal downtime. Any other option will cause significant downtime, which at this point I will avoid! ~ Nick

[@hotrodhatch]

Roots blower for sure! 🤘

[@AutoTechNick]

I am a sucker for some good blower surge…. I don’t even care that it’s not a good thing. 😂

[@mitchklaserner9842]

Perfect time to be waiting at the airport!

[@AutoTechNick]

Headed anywhere fun?

[@Tchrome_84]

Keep it old, school nick with the turbos. You seem to be a lot like me, and at only 39 years young, i love the nostalgia of vintage boats and cars as i must have been born into the wrong error. 😂 You have taught me so much over watching your videos. I just recently boat my first jet boat. But mine wasn't originally a jet. it was a V-drive. But as i know very little about a jet boat although i have owned several jet skis over my lifetime... you have inspired me thru your channel to go ahead and pick up this boat from my friend. It has a 454 bbc in it. all dressed up with a nicson log exhaust system, Nicson three piece bellhousing, Offenhauser intake and a Offenhauser power port turbo-thrust 360 toped with a holley 750. It has the original heads on its 😢 also been bored over .40 with a 292 comp cams cam. I dont know if thats a good setup or not. Maybe you can give me alot of insight as to what im getting in to. 😂 Im currently rebuilding the motor and pump. Im ready to throw a rooster.

[@AutoTechNick]

That is awesome to hear! I am glad these videos have helped and inspired others with their projects!! Congrats on the boat. Have you had it out on the water before you started the rebuild? ~ Nick

[@HalBloomer]

HTP makes a billet Alternator, bracket that moves the alternator up higher on the passenger side head. Very nice piece.

[@doccyclopz]

Love how you're keeping it old school with the thru-hull as opposed to everyone else these days going with Headers or god forbid Zoomies. 🙉

[@AutoTechNick]

I also enjoy the look of the old-school logs, esp. when polished. Plus it's hard to be their practicality!! ~ Nick

[@doccyclopz]

@@AutoTechNick Also your hearing will thank you thirty years own the road

[@noeldrach7956]

Enjoy your videos. Thank you.

[@AutoTechNick]

Thanks for watching! ~ Nick

[@NOTIT72]

Yeah, go ahead......

[@charlessterling379]

Great video and perfect timing for when I get back to Washington as I am fitting the rails and my SBC motor. In terms of future next steps Turbos seem to fit your packaging constraints best....I haven't forgotten I still owe you lunch!

[@AutoTechNick]

Looking forward to it!! ~ Nick

[@PBZKYLE]

It's ironic that yours had a Gale Banks turbo kit at one point. Allegedly mine did originally as well and ran some big numbers for 1984 or so. So, with that being said, i think is only appropriate to go back with one at some point since the cover is already clearanced for it. Plus that should keep it pretty stealthy vs. a blower or big tunnel ram. I'd also have to think the logs would really choke it out with a blower.

[@AutoTechNick]

Ironic indeed! I actually think that I have a really good shot at fitting a tunnel ram under my stock engine cover. It would be close. It's two pieces so the worst case is that I lose or rework the top section. I am not terribly worried about the logs. If I go the route of FI, I will also invest in a set of Lighting Jacketed headers for the boat. ~ Nick

[@donriedl3484]

Looking very good. !!

[@AutoTechNick]

Thank you! ~ Nick

[@aarong2387]

I’d think the tt setup will take more work up front. The extra torque over a blower on a jet drive plus less strain on the crank.. the hole shots! I say all of this with no idea how much the turbo is going to be 😂. What efi would you use? It would be cool to see a sniper 2 review/install on it. I vote turbo!

[@AutoTechNick]

I haven't really considered it I would swap to EFI with a TT setup, or just be old school with a carb. The old Banks TT kits used a draw through carb setup, so I would consider that. However, I would not run a blow through carb setup, at that point I'd switch to EFI. ~ Nick

[@bryanturner683]

As usual, excellent work!!! Excellent tip on the bottom housing bolts!. Where did you get the fancy inside fasteners for the transom housing? I would Lean towards the Turbo kit, but cant really say why? Since your not trying to win races , which option do you feel would be most dependable for the family??? Cant wait to see it run!!!!!! Dont worry about your minor issues, Im still struggling with stuff on mine!

[@AutoTechNick]

The hardware for the transom housing is just regular 1/4-20 bolts, backed with "stringer washers" and a nut. Once I install it permanently I will dress them up a little more.... I am sure I can make them look better 😉 The most dependable option for the family would be the single-carb setup it has now.... lol. I think that a well-sorted turbo or blower setup will be equally dependable. But the key word in that was "well sorted". I think the turbo kit would take far more time to get sorted out over a blower. Both of which would take more work and time over the tunnel ram. ~ Nick

[@bryanturner683]

@@AutoTechNick Thanks! I think the washers look great the way they! way better than standard nuts and washers.????

[@donriedl3484]

Good job Nick . I am putting snails on my boat . What size are the outlet where the hose goes on the email ?

[@AutoTechNick]

Thanks Don. The outlets are 3" ~ Nick

[@Robert-mn8gc]

Unfortunately U didn't do a set back Jet Pump which would have given u 2 things . 1) Better Performance. 2) More Interior Space. Gr8 Shame because of ur hard work. Would have given u approx 8/12 inches of xtra interior . 😅

[@AutoTechNick]

A pump setback will not gain more interior space, unless I set the engine back with it, which would have radically upset the balance of the boat. This is a family lake boat, not a race boat. It's big and heavy. It will spend more time at slow to low speeds rather than racing across the lake. I did not want to worry about the integrity of the epoxy holding the intake in, esp with it only being held in on three sides with a setback. It's for those reasons that I chose not to set the pump back, but I did heavily consider it. For me in this case, the juice wasn't going to be worth the squeeze. ~ Nick

[@Robert-mn8gc]

@@AutoTechNick I do understand that with a pump set back the engine also heads rear ward . As u mentioned its a heavy old boat all the more reason 2 do it . 2 Late Now . Other than that I am enjoying Ur determination 2 get the Old Gal out on the water 💧 again .. Looking 4ward 2 👀 👀 more content & 1st road test ( lake test ) 👌

[@Eeropolvasti]

Nice, lots of Powerrrrr!!!! Question: Is this 2 or 4 seats?? Hope 4??/, should have room for 4??? Thanks , Greetings from South Florida, only 97 today...... had a chance to buy Jet Boat, , 18 feet Side Winder, with Berkley, and Oldsmobile engine on it, loved the boat look, lines, but.... passed it, it was a not done all the way, bottom was done, needed Transom, + other finishing touches, plan is to buy one later....., was "cheap", $1700 only ;o)....Ps. how long is your boat?? 20 feet?? Thank you, youtheman =)

[@AutoTechNick]

For seating, I am running two buckets up front, a bench in the back. 4 people comfortably, 5 crammed... LoL. My boat is 20.5 in length. ~ Nick

[@braddycarter9312]

Why do you find the Gale Banks oil pan weird? Gale used to be into jet boat racing! He used to make a good bit of parts for boats!

[@braddycarter9312]

Was too quick with my comment 😂

[@AutoTechNick]

😂🤣😂

[@braddycarter9312]

@@AutoTechNickI greatly appreciate these videos. Not near as nice but I am installing a 460 with a Berkeley in a Southwind for a friend. Was dreading the install but your videos helped greatly with intake plate install. Very informative and made the install a lot easier and gave me peace of mind knowing it was done 100% correct!

[@AutoTechNick]

@braddycarter9312 Right on! I love getting that kind of feedback. Not much better than hearing that others find the videos helpful with their own projects!! ~ Nick

[@geogonzo2069]

Question AutoTech nick What made you to decide to keep the log manifolds with the snail risers, reason I'm asking is I believe they no longer being made if you ever needed to replace them what would you do? why not a header style or exhaust manifold style system? Also, where you are getting your AN fittings and lines from? please advise Thanks

[@AutoTechNick]

Fair question. Several factors influenced my decision to keep the logs and snails. A key reason is the boat’s design-it has an engine cover that extends from the back seat all the way to the rear. This cover is sturdy enough for an adult to walk on, and along with the swim steps on the back, it makes the boat incredibly family- and kid-friendly. Retaining that practicality was essential to me. Over the transom headers are cool but are not practical for family use. While I could opt for through-transom headers, the fact that I have an enclosed engine, requires me to run water-jacketed headers. That’s around $3K for mild steel, which doesn’t last long, or over $5K for stainless steel. Maybe down the road, if funds allow, I’ll consider that upgrade. For now, though, my snails and logs are in excellent condition, making them the most economical and practical choice. ~ Nick

[@geogonzo2069]

Makes total sense I have the same thoughts, although my eng. bay on my boat is open the log manifolds work well with how I built my boat for reliability turn key to go out and have fun on the lake or river. Plus with the cost of these fancy exhaust systems way too pricey.

[@HalBloomer]

HTP makes a billet Alternator, bracket that moves the alternator up higher on the passenger side head. Very nice piece.

[@AutoTechNick]

I heavily considered that bracket. But I chose not to go that route, it was just going to be too crowded on that side with the mechanical fuel pump. I ended up finding a pretty good solution that required minimal cutting of the engine plate. ~ Nick