Volvo 280 to bravo upgrade on 18

[Kent Perroux]

Here are a series of photos. I posted a few here and there, but this will keep most of them together.

volvo 280 drive before conversion.
http://www.donzi.net/photos/kperroux1008.jpg


Removed engine and drive.
http://www.donzi.net/photos/kperroux1001.jpg

I screwed a 3/4" plywood board with waxed mylar to the transom, then sprayed a layer of gelcoat, and started laying glass and epoxy.
http://www.donzi.net/photos/kperroux1002.jpg

With new transom (two pieces of 3/4" marine ply, epoxied to the transom, then glass and epoxy over.
http://www.donzi.net/photos/kperroux1003.jpg

Finished engine compartment with 2-part epoxy paint. Notice the big stringers for added power later.
http://www.donzi.net/photos/kperroux1004.jpg

Engine almost ready to install.
http://www.donzi.net/photos/kperroux1005.jpg

<small>[ March 19, 2003, 04:20 PM: Message edited by: Kent Perroux ]</small>

[Kent Perroux]

Engine installed for testing.
http://www.donzi.net/photos/kperroux1006.jpg

http://www.donzi.net/photos/kperroux1007.jpg

A few changes and ready to rock. I did miss the exhaust height by 1/4" which means I will be trying to cover a couple holes in the deck.
http://www.donzi.net/photos/kperroux1009.jpg

Drive and steering. X-dim still looks a little low, so I will be watching for a 2" shortie.
http://www.donzi.net/photos/kperroux1010.jpg

So far I have pegged the 75mph speedo with a 23 prop, but the rpm's were pretty high. I have a 25 mirage working good now that is going to the shop to be blueprinted and diameter reduced.

<small>[ March 19, 2003, 04:23 PM: Message edited by: Kent Perroux ]</small>

[Dredgeking]

the pics didn't come out. frown

[Dredgeking]

nice post.

[Kent Perroux]

Ok, now you can see them. Funny how XXX.jpj does not work well.

[Dredgeking]

i was too impatient. couldn't wait long enough for the pics. :o

[McGary911]

Kent,

Looks great! Wondered what happend to you and your 18. Guess you decided not to sell after all. Looks like the manifolds and flame arrestor cleared in your "testing" photos, but not in the final? is anything different, or is it just the angle of the pics? Is that a cutout in the middle of the current hatch that you removed to fit the arrestor? is the gel intact on top? Good luck with your "new" 18.

[Kent Perroux]

I already had a small scoop and a small cutout for the flame arrester from before. I needed the room for the flame arrester when I put a highrise intake on it (with the original X-dim).

After I raised the engine, I had to make the deck hole a lot bigger to accomidate the distributer and the flame arrester set up significantly higher. When I put the deck on, it would not close all the way because of the exhaust. I ended up having to cut small holes in the deck so the deck would close.

I did not raise the engine from the fist engine installation pictures. Although some final adjustments to get the engine properly aligned brought the starboard side up a bit. Most of what was changed from the fist installation was the following:
1) Aluminum flywheel sucked. Changed it. Could not shift into gear without killing the engine unless I ran the r's up and feathered.
2) I have a solid race mount for the engine with no adjustments. I found that although I could get the alignment tool in, some adjustments made it much better. It is called filling the holes and re-drilling.
3) The engine ran really good but found that I was running too lean, F@#$ed up my bearings and had to rebuild. Was using same carb and jets as before, but took out the recirc cooling. While rebuilding, I decided to go to a dual plane intake for lower end torque and better carb metering.

[Danny]

Kent
In your preconversion picture with the 280, what kind of prop is that and what are you doing with it?
Danny

[oldLenny]

...nice post Kent!...

[Moody Blu']

nice pics kent!

That looks exactly what Ill have to be doing if I plan on raising my x dim.

nice fiberglassing job.

when you sprayed the gel coat how long till you started layering the fiberglass?
How did you fill the cut out?
did you cut layers of fiberglass mat to fit the old cut out or were they oversized?

Also, whow did you do the exhaust holes?

:)

[GEOO]

Nice Project Kent!! Thanks for the pics.

[Kent Perroux]

Moody, first you have to remove the wood from the transom. Cut out all around, then a lot of hand chipping. You will then have about a 3/16 to 1/4" fiberglass transom with 3 holes. That is my fist picture with the drive removed. Feather the holes back about 3-4" from the edges. I think Geo presented a good process. Then you start laying glass in increasingly larger pieces. I used Epoxy instead of resin, but that is your choice.

Lots of work.

Prop in first picture was a Mecury chopper I had modified for a Volvo hub.

What's Mount Dora? Is that a new race site?