1990 Bayliner Capri 1850 - 3.0 to 302 Swap Considerations

[KMoses]

New to boating and new on the board here?.have done a bit of research and still have a few questions that I?d like to pose to those more knowledgeable than myself. Never owned a boat but few weeks back I picked up a Bayliner Capri 1850, Merc 3.0 and Alpha One Drive that?s in great shape but I like messing with and modifying stuff so here goes?.my new fishing and all around puddle jumper.

Contemplating swapping out the 3.0 in favor of a SBF 302 (347), know the 3.0 is a solid motor but just never liked ?em. Sooo wanted to ask, aside from the Bellhousing ? will it bolt up with the Alpha One? And if so, will the drive handle the additional HP, I?m anticipating at/around 350-380hp with a mild cam, 4-barrel and, GT40 or possibly aluminum heads. Another consideration is the weight, will the additional weight of the SBF adversely affect the balance/agility of the boat, given its only an 18 ft?er?

And I?d ask, let?s please not turn this into a Ford Vs Chevy debate, I like both and when built with good parts; both make good power and neither knows or cares what badge their wearing today - I choose the SBF because its 90 or so lbs lighter than the SBC and the distributor is on the front of the engine. I like the old-school look of this boat so it?s not about resale value or any of that, though I would have favored finding the 2050 but oh well.

Again, Just looking for thoughts & opinions from the been there done that folks ? just trying to determine if I put the work into this boat or look for a 2050 Capri instead.
Thanks in advance.

 

[81 Checkmate]

Re: 1990 Bayliner Capri 1850 - 3.0 to 302 Swap Considerations

Welcome KMoses to iboats.......You posted in the wrong forum...need to be I/O forum mod's should move it for you.

No expert here but from what ive read on this site anything is posible if you have the money and the time to do it. They stop putting fords in boats around 98 or so. You can still get marinized parts for the ford also...but not as common as the Chevy base motors.

Most likely you will have to change the location on the front motor mounts...which are bedded into the bilge...so when going into that you most likely find rotted out stringers...then that turns into a full deck/stringer resto job.

Wiring harness will need to be had and exhaust manifolds/Y-pipe for the ford SB.. bell housing ect.

So if you have the time, money, place to do it...yes very posible to be done.

Just my opion......I would fix what ya got...play on the water this summer and sell it and get what ya what.

BTW......Chevy would be the way to go.....Just kidden!


Good Luck and let us what ya come up with.

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: 1990 Bayliner Capri 1850 - 3.0 to 302 Swap Considerations

Ford has gotten out of the I/O business. You will need an entire donor motor and outdrive......oh wait Fords got coupled to OMC outdrives and they are our of business too.

New to boating say's it all.

 

[Howard Sterndrive]

Re: 1990 Bayliner Capri 1850 - 3.0 to 302 Swap Considerations

the flywheel cover that is your 3.0's rear engine mount, has a Chevy small block pattern. There is no Ford equivalent that will sit on your current transom shield in place the way the rear mount needs to. To go Ford, you'd need to start swapping transom parts in the hull.
If you want more power, look for a donor boat with a wrecked hull and a decent 4.3 V6 or sbc V8 marine engine ready to swap.

You will also need the outdrive (the upper half at least) because you need the gear ratio to match the engine HP. And you'll need the exhaust Y pipe setup.

and then you'll need to build engine mounts glassed into the stringers for the front engine mounts.

If your Capri gas tank is less than 30 gallons, you do not want a V8. Even a V6 needs a 25 gallon tank minimum to have any useable range.

My 92 1851 Capri has a 30 gallon tank. I swapped a V6 in place of the 3.0. I did not go V8 because the front crank damper would be about 3 inches into the fuel tank. Plus my hull has a big placquard that says "Maximum HP 155" plus I didn't want power steering.