1969 302 H&M

[boatnut]

Probably not too exciting to most, but this is the original 302 in our 18.
Engine block remains original, heads off three times for valve work etc.
This engine has been aggressively used in this Donzi for 36 years (also same for the Volvo 250, with only a u-joint change and a lower seal replacement).
Quite a testimonial to the small block Ford and the Volvo durability.
Engine is understandably a little tired now (difficult to get to 50mph), so we are trying to decide between a repower with Volvo or upgrading to a Bravo.
Comments/suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Ed

[Morgan's Cloud]

You'll only get a durability record anywhere near as good as that from another Volvo package.
You've done exremely well without 'black power' for all these years, the choice is obvious to me. (You will miss your Ford eventually :bawling: )



Sweet boat too !

Steve

[JimG]

Stick with the Volvo... :yes:

[boldts]

What year is the boat? I had a 69' with that combo only in blue and white. Had to rebuild the Volvo once right after I bought the boat. Kept it for 12 or 13 more years with-out a problem. Talk to Grizzly about a Solas prop for it and you may be able to improve that speed a bit. Very nice looking Donzi!

[boatnut]

What year is the boat? I had a 69' with that combo only in blue and white. Had to rebuild the Volvo once right after I bought the boat. Kept it for 12 or 13 more years with-out a problem. Talk to Grizzly about a Solas prop for it and you may be able to improve that speed a bit. Very nice looking Donzi!

The boat is a '69. Completely original (except for the Mallory ignition you can see in the picture), including the gelcoat. Seats were redone by Donzi's vendor. There are more pictures of it in the Registry's photo gallery. We have owned it since '73.

[mphatc]

Boatnut,

KEEP IT ORIGINAL, Maybe refresh the Ford, stay with the Volvo!! For over a year I have been w/o my Donzi . . . . A very looooong saga

http://www.donzi.net/forums/showthread.php?t=35464

I swapped to a Bravo / Ford creation in my 69 Corsican . . . and am only now nearing the end. My goal was to add power trim, and keep the original H&M hardware. I did not like the newer Volvo outdrive housing, I felt it was too large on the back of the Corsican and ruined the visual beauty of the boat. The Bravo is smaller, but Ford to Bravo is not a manufactured set up.

Mario L.

[penbroke]

Nice boat!! Keep it original. Otherwise you kill the whole H/M cool factor as well.

Frank
'66 Triple Hatch 18'
Ford 289 HIPO / Volvo 200

[KDG]

Ed: The boat looks great. I hope that my 66 triple hatch looks half as good when I'm done with it.

Mario: I had a look at your pics and noticed that you have the same crank mounted water pump as I do. Where can I find one of these? I recently purchased a set of aluminum exhaust manifolds for my 351 Windsor off
E-Bay. These were off a jet boat. Although they don't have risers like yours, the outlets are at a 45 degree angle. My concern is water finding it's way into the engine when reversing. Perhaps I should reverse them as well? Could you provide information as to how the cooling hoses should be run for the block, manifolds, etc? You engine looks fantastic.

Thanks,

Kurt

[mphatc]

Kurt,

Sorry for the delay, I rarely get time to visit here :( as work absorbs all of me presently!

The pump is the original Jabsco as installed by H&M back in 1969, the model number is on the pumps front cover, behind the mounting plate. Rebuild kits are readily available, I used a new style silicone impeller which allows one to run it dry intermittently.

Hope this helps . . I have seen one on Ebay in 2 years as I keep my eyes open for a spare . .

Mario

[MOP]

Mario the late style Jabsco crank pump (not for the purist) does away with the coupler that the Moody's had, they run about $120

[gcarter]

Yep, what MOP said.
Try here;
http://www.marineexhaustmanifolds.com/rawwater.cfm

[BigGrizzly]

I don't want to blow my one ho4n, but our 1966 H&M16 is still going but wore out the first engine. The only reason to go Bravo is props but we now have that covered with stainles steel props. One fact that was left out of the previous posts id that the 250/270/280/ and 290s is that they ate stronger than the standard Bravo.

[mphatc]

And the Volvo 250 that came off my boat is still a good unit . .

The sole reason I went with a Bravo was that any Volvo with trim is ugly . . and would ruin the visual of the Corsican . .

I also need trim, no one prop at one transom setting would work where I run my boat. In one trip on Winni I can be running in flat water with no waves and before I dock it could be 3' white caps, or 3' motorboat chop. There are times where it's best bow high.

Mario L.

[boatnut]

And the Volvo 250 that came off my boat is still a good unit . .

The sole reason I went with a Bravo was that any Volvo with trim is ugly . . and would ruin the visual of the Corsican . .

I also need trim, no one prop at one transom setting would work where I run my boat. In one trip on Winni I can be running in flat water with no waves and before I dock it could be 3' white caps, or 3' motorboat chop. There are times where it's best bow high.

Mario L.

It is a tough decision, I have continuously since 1970 been running 18 Classics with Volvos without trim and haven't missed it --- I just always run the drive trimmed out as far as the manual adjustment allows. And I have run in all water conditions. There have been times when tabs (afterplanes) would have been nice to prevent having to move passengers around --- but I haven't used them either. I did have a 22 classic with a TRS and afterplanes, lots of adjustments but I'm not sure that it ever got in the grove any better than the 18 with a responsive motor and a good old 250.
I guess it is another case of "whatever floats your boat". Ed

[Moody Blu']

the volvo drive is rock solid ive had mine for 15+ years, not including the years before i owned it. I beat it pretty hard and it just takes it.

swap the motor for a 351w ;)

if you search under my name youll find a post about stainless headers for the 302 and 351w. I can get them for you if you want them.