I'm thinking of just staying pretty much stock right now when I get a 5.3. The only expensive thing is the exhaust so I'm trying to figure out a way to build the exhaust myself using a weld -it-up stainless header kit and boxing that in with stainless sheet. It will be a lot of work and pressure testing, but in the end I could save a lot of $$$ and could say I built it myself. If I could find a set of the imco for LS for less than $1000 I would go that route, but I haven't found any yet. I'm not going for an all out hot rod just something that is reliable and fun!
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Convincor LS Swap Project Thread
- Thread starter corey331
- Start date
corey331
Well-known member
Just wanted to update this thread a little. I'm actually going on my 4th season with LS power in the boat and I'm still really happy with it. Other than fighting an issue where the alternator didn't want to excite some times, the last two seasons have been really great and super reliable. The boat fires up great everytime I hit the key and hasn't missed a beat. I have no reservations anymore about making the 130 mile round trip to the other end of our lake and back and in fact do it on a very regular basis. What has surprised me the most is how much better the boat handles in rough water than it did with the BBC. In snotty water that I used to have to slow down to about 25mph in, I now crank it up to about 50mph and the boat lightly bounces from wave to wave. It's amazing!! I still haven't played with props very much at all so I'm currently running a box stock 24p bravo. It'll turn it up to about 5600-5700 rpms and run right at 75mph on GPS with it. After talking to Harold and Jason Kunkel, they have lined up a couple more props for me to try this year. But it looks like work is going to keep me from doing any boating till almost August. It's a bummer but at least the overtime will give lots of gas money to burn August to November!!! I have also started collecting parts to put a ProCharger on the boat, but I also just picked up a truck project that is going to put that on hold for a year or two.
One problem that I had to deal with was the noise of the exhaust at times. The boat is pretty damn loud with the dry exhaust, 98 dB in the cockpit at idle to be exact. While running down the lake, the noise actually isn't bad at all, but through a long no wake zone it could get irritating especially with my 6 year old twin girls in the boat. So I built a set of clamp on mufflers. They are GGB 3 ring inserts that I welded into polished stainless 4" pipe. I welded a polished stainless clamp onto them so I could take them on and off when ever I wanted. I was actually amazed at how much it quieted the boat down. Almost too quiet, lol.
Here are a couple of videos I took of it idling. First is no mufflers and second is with the mufflers.
https://youtu.be/6C-30yHAhlQ
https://youtu.be/J6R7XO1WVYo
Taking the "crackle" out of it helped a ton. But when ever its just the wife and I on the boat, they come off!!!
Here is the last video I'll post for awhile. Its just a little fly by video my wife took of me last August. I was running right at 75mph in it. It has some more in it I believe, but all in all, I'm pretty happy with how it runs for a 253 with a N/A small block in it. I'll update this as I do more testing. I put an o2 bung into one of the headers this past winter so that I can run a wideband and play with the tune up a little. Between that and playing with props, I'd like to see 78mph. Just have to see!!!! Thanks guys!!!
https://youtu.be/vyy4ES5d-VU
One problem that I had to deal with was the noise of the exhaust at times. The boat is pretty damn loud with the dry exhaust, 98 dB in the cockpit at idle to be exact. While running down the lake, the noise actually isn't bad at all, but through a long no wake zone it could get irritating especially with my 6 year old twin girls in the boat. So I built a set of clamp on mufflers. They are GGB 3 ring inserts that I welded into polished stainless 4" pipe. I welded a polished stainless clamp onto them so I could take them on and off when ever I wanted. I was actually amazed at how much it quieted the boat down. Almost too quiet, lol.
Here are a couple of videos I took of it idling. First is no mufflers and second is with the mufflers.
https://youtu.be/6C-30yHAhlQ
https://youtu.be/J6R7XO1WVYo
Taking the "crackle" out of it helped a ton. But when ever its just the wife and I on the boat, they come off!!!
Here is the last video I'll post for awhile. Its just a little fly by video my wife took of me last August. I was running right at 75mph in it. It has some more in it I believe, but all in all, I'm pretty happy with how it runs for a 253 with a N/A small block in it. I'll update this as I do more testing. I put an o2 bung into one of the headers this past winter so that I can run a wideband and play with the tune up a little. Between that and playing with props, I'd like to see 78mph. Just have to see!!!! Thanks guys!!!
https://youtu.be/vyy4ES5d-VU
Instigator
Well-known member
The mufflers are gorgeoous.
75 in that boat w/a NA small block....., killer!
Sounds great too.
Youve probably seen the Hot Rod mag articles where they turbo the LS motors and try to find their limits???
I think they made 1400+ w/a 5.3!!
30 lbs+ PSI
75 in that boat w/a NA small block....., killer!
Sounds great too.
Youve probably seen the Hot Rod mag articles where they turbo the LS motors and try to find their limits???
I think they made 1400+ w/a 5.3!!
30 lbs+ PSI
cooperider
Well-known member
Anything new planned for this year?
corey331
Well-known member
I was planning on adding some boost over this past winter, but then I started another project, Building a new tow vehicle. It's a 1987 Chevy R30 Crew Cab dually. It's been a 100% frame off project. It's on Accuair E-Level air ride and has a 12v Cummins. Since these pics I have changed the front end over to a 1977 round headlight as well. The truck is blown back apart right now for paint.
I'm hoping this will be done this year sometime. So for this summer, I'm just going to enjoy the boat N/A for another year. Since working out the initial bugs, this boat has been dead reliable for 4 seasons. Fires right up every time I hit the key and runs great. My family and I have had a lot of fun on it. But as it goes, I want a little more. Because of how turnkey it is, and how much I have enjoyed NOT working on it every weekend, I'm going to go with simple boost. It's getting a ProCharger. I have talked a lot with Jason Kunkel and Grant at ProCharger and they have both been a great help. I am probably going with a F1R automotive head unit with their LS universal swap set up. That means my nice shiny billet Hardin Marine accessories will have to go bye bye, but to make 850-900hp on low boost, it'll be worth it. I figure on that kind of power I should be in the mid to upper 80's on any given day, and I think I'll be happy with that in the 253 hull. If I ever want to shoot for the 100mph club, I'll step up to a 300 Convincor.
mishawakajim
Well-known member
I'm sure she'll be a beautiful looking "Land Cruiser" when you're done.
PA-Checkmate
Active member
What's the fad with spiked lug nuts?
corey331
Well-known member
They came with the wheels but my 7 Year old daughter thinks they look cool, so they will be staying. They are just plastic covers that screw onto the lug.
Instigator
Well-known member
Can’t believe I haven’t been over to see this gorgeous rig yet.
And the new truck project.
Just watched a Road Kill episode where they made 1500 hp w/a twin turbo 6.0 junk yard LS!
And the new truck project.
Just watched a Road Kill episode where they made 1500 hp w/a twin turbo 6.0 junk yard LS!
corey331
Well-known member
The LS engine really is quite impressive. The Checkmate is still in hibernation down at Lake Cumberland, and with the COVID-19 stuff going on, I'm working from home so I am doing lots of sanding on the dually. In fact, I actually got some color sprayed on the doors the other day. She's not going to be a show truck, but it'll be fun to drive and pull the boat with!!
Instigator
Well-known member
That truck will be bad ass and will be the total tow pigg w/your boat behind it.
This was my "coolest" tow pigg. Actually its license plate said "tow pigg".
'69 Dodge Polara, 383 rag top.
Was in line at a ramp w/it yrs ago, top down, hotty GF (of the time) in a very revealing bikini beside me, and a guy pulled up in a way cool Lincoln w/a hot rod 5.0 in it.
We were admiring each others rigs when he checked out my GF and said, "man, you have all the toys"
Ive been avoiding car, toys. Don't think I have the gray matter left for that and the boats.
Already have three V-6 225 JohnRudes inline to be rebuilt.
This was my "coolest" tow pigg. Actually its license plate said "tow pigg".
'69 Dodge Polara, 383 rag top.
Was in line at a ramp w/it yrs ago, top down, hotty GF (of the time) in a very revealing bikini beside me, and a guy pulled up in a way cool Lincoln w/a hot rod 5.0 in it.
We were admiring each others rigs when he checked out my GF and said, "man, you have all the toys"
Ive been avoiding car, toys. Don't think I have the gray matter left for that and the boats.
Already have three V-6 225 JohnRudes inline to be rebuilt.
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