Prop choices for '83 F3 LS


sprink49

sprink49

New member
This is my brother's boat. This past year he replaced a tired 260/5.7 Merc with a strong 5.7 w/Holley 600 Double Pumper on an Edelbrock square bore hi rise manifold. The cam is about 285 deg with .450 lift. We are guessing about 330~350 HP. He replaced the marginal MR-1 drive with a near new Alpha Gen II with the 1.62 gears. Running the original 19" prop his RPM jumped to 6000!! He immediately changed to a 21" Cleaver and the RPM dropped to 5500. GPS is showing around 45~46 but when he was testing it he was in Destin and the water was so rough he couldn't stretch it out much. He has it here in West Palm with me now and we are going to run it some over the next few weeks with better weather. I told him that with as light as that boat is he should break 50 with ease with the 21. We are still thinking that 5500 is on the edge for the drive and he is considering a 23" Mirage.

I have to say it is a treat to see this F3 again. After 27 years it still looks great and turns heads.

Any thoughts or experiences with a similar set up would be appreciated.

Thanks

John F (posting for Tom F.."Old Boat Crazy")
 
Wow...29 looks and 2 weeks on the forum and not one reply. Surely someone has a thought about this. ???
 
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