390 FE powered Jet boat - anyone interested in a thread?

[STINEY]

Wasn't sure if you guys would want to see this or not.....but I have a question for you anyways. Maybe do an informal poll if you want to see more of this project as it progresses?

I've been searching for a color for the engine block for weeks. Nothing jumped out until this past weekend at TrueValue, and I think I found it.

What do you think?

Keep in mind that the boat is 70's-riffic, in all its BurntOrange-n-Brown glittercoat madness. And I definitely do not want black, its not on the table at all. The engine in these is the focal point, so I want to take that fact and run with it.





Here's a picture of the boat for reference to its colors.






I was certain I liked the gold valve covers before I found the block color, and I'm fairly certain I like the block color now, but do they clash or work?

Also deciding on what color for the oil pan......the intake is aluminum and there is a fair amount of polished aluminum stuff that goes back on the engine as well, along with a few miles of stainless braided hose.

[nesabo]

I voted hell Yeah..

[milner351]

Absofreakinglutely!

I'm trying to resist asking you about the "beads" in the doorway by the dart board - clearly your old barn has way more personality than my boring old tin can!

I'm waiting with baited breath to hear about what those cams spec out to be - and what the inside of that carburetor looks like!

[Mater]

less asking more posting of the epic boat

[Stich496]

ha, put the vw engine in this and that 390 in that rail..

[STINEY]

Absofreakinglutely!

I'm trying to resist asking you about the "beads" in the doorway by the dart board - clearly your old barn has way more personality than my boring old tin can!

I'm waiting with baited breath to hear about what those cams spec out to be - and what the inside of that carburetor looks like!

The beads.... I get a lot of strange looks over those. See, in college I had this female friend/classmate from Poland, and she worked at WaterBeds-n-Stuff. The beads just sort of happened somehow......our apartment also had lots of caution tape, christmas lights year-round, astro-turf football field in the kitchen.....Kool-aid colored water in the fishtank, "interesting" Halloween decorations in the front windows.....one day walking home for dinner, the construction workers up on the gantry got a little too rowdy about her mini-skirt, and she just grabbed their cooler and told them in her Polish accent "Looks like you just lost your lunch, Budd-ie"... I still have that cooler, who knows where the lady is.... good times.

I keep goofy stuff like that and try to put it to some use, or at least hang it out of the way. Keeps me sane sometimes, but I'm learning that some of it is kinda hard to explain to Will & Wes in an appropriate manner.

[milner351]

It's probably a good thing we didn't know each other in college Chris - we might not have graduated! That Polish lady sounds like a blast!

Have you measured the cams yet?
How about sending the one that was in the engine to Delta for a regrind?
(I have a feeling it's more radical than you'd want for this build)

I hope you can get the old rotten fuel tank out from under the bow without splitting the whole boat in half.... but you have lightyears more experience with that sort of thing than I do!

[SuperBuickGuy]

not sure I'm a gold engine kind of guy.... as it's only taken 30 years for browns to make a reappearance, maybe this time use some restraint in its shades?

Also, boat motors look awesome black or dark grey - not so much yellow, red, orange, or blue (highlight oil leaks).

[STINEY]

Oh that's not gold.....that's Krylon Copper-something-or-other. Has a fu-fu name and the can shows it being used on metal outdoor furniture.
John, I'm sure we would have graduated, but with lots more mileage than years on the old bodies! I couldn't take college again.....my body would mutiny. Then again maybe.....

Havn't measured out the cam yet. Regrind would probably be the best plan.

I'm thinking the boat will be getting a leftover aluminum buggy fuel tank. I have one that is made from a keg just sitting around gathering dust. How long do you think 6-7 gallons would last?



So it's taking you back to the age of browns. Excellent! That's kinda my goal, so thanks for the input - I'm on the right path (even if the path is wrong, as it were)

I'm still not stuck on the gold valve covers. I really like the early FEs with them, but..... open to suggestions. This was just a quicky spray to see if I liked it or not.

[milner351]

The early fords with the gold valve covers over the black block looked good, but given the visual theme of this water borne monster - I like the brown/copper/gold theme - but - you can't get away from the polished silver aluminum - so you have to work with that.

I have a feeling 6-7 gallons would have you carrying a 5 gallon can in the boat with you - all depends on the size of the body of water you are on and what you're doing. I'm going to SWAG that 5 gallons wouldn't last much more than an hour of tubing / water skiing in the 25mph speed range.

[Scott Liggett]

It kinda looks like Old's engine paint from the late '60's. I'd like a bright gold on the motor. It would go well with the metal flake butt stain brown boat. That color you have there works as well.

[STINEY]

It kinda looks like Old's engine paint from the late '60's. I'd like a bright gold on the motor. It would go well with the metal flake butt stain brown boat. That color you have there works as well.

I can see that working as well. I can't see the valve covers being bright gold on this theoretical combo either though, what do you see for valve covers Scott?

(metal flake butt stain brown - I like it, its catchy!)

[nesabo]

I see Chrome valve covers on the gold engine... d'oh sorry I am not scott

[STINEY]

I've been avoiding thinking of Chrome or Aluminum valve covers on purpose. $$$$ I'd rather not spend on this project. But they would do the trick, no doubt!

[nesabo]

Cheap silver paint then....