L.A. Express / Cheap Thrills Magnum
03-25-2014, 08:45 PM
#31
Registered
This was our first race... Virginia Bch National race ...shortened course due to bad weather in 1993. Bob Teague at the wheel ,I'm on throttles.Came in 4th place and ran out of fuel coming in inlet. It was like taking a driving course... I'm white knuckles and Bob sounds like he's on a Sunday drive. Even with 468 BBC's, 72 C Borg Warners and TRS's she always had a good attitude in the rough but could be a handful on glass. Also she didnt have a cabin.
03-28-2014, 08:46 PM
#33
Registered
Legend,
I have a Mag Starfire that I totally restored and converted from trs to bravo a couple years ago. A lot of variables to consider... Is that a current picture of the transom with cutouts? Looks like standard spacing? My boat is well balanced but if you move 800 lbs 4-5 forward I don't see a lot of fuel tank placement options. I have a lowered cockpit floor so there is not much room left under there. If you mount the motors with say, 24" on center maybe you could fit slim tanks in outboard of the stringers.
- Marshall
I have a Mag Starfire that I totally restored and converted from trs to bravo a couple years ago. A lot of variables to consider... Is that a current picture of the transom with cutouts? Looks like standard spacing? My boat is well balanced but if you move 800 lbs 4-5 forward I don't see a lot of fuel tank placement options. I have a lowered cockpit floor so there is not much room left under there. If you mount the motors with say, 24" on center maybe you could fit slim tanks in outboard of the stringers.
- Marshall
03-29-2014, 02:16 PM
#34
Registered
Thread Starter
[ATTACH=CONFIG]521139[/ATTACH]
Marshall, Great Magnum. The transom has never seen water and the drive cutouts are 33 in centers. (New Transom) If you think tearing out old wood is a pain in the ass! Try a brand new transom tear out. This is the first time I had to tear out a new transom to install a new transom. Anyway I am going 23 in. centers with a very tight stagger. Using Bravo's without the transmissions The engines will be tight to the transom. I am using these race cells and installing them right behind a full bulkhead behind the three man bolster seat back. Hear are the balancing factors. *Moving fuel to mid rear *No cockpit floor and back seat forward weight *Replacing the exhaust, Intake and heads with aluminum *Using Bravo's keeping engines 12 in. back minus transmissions *Shortening stagger drive shaft to keep the stagger tight *Mounting batteries in back corners. Weight numbers should be close to a wash. Here are picks of racing cells and engine stagger floor mach up.[ATTACH=CONFIG]521138[/ATTACH]
Legend,
I have a Mag Starfire that I totally restored and converted from trs to bravo a couple years ago. A lot of variables to consider... Is that a current picture of the transom with cutouts? Looks like standard spacing? My boat is well balanced but if you move 800 lbs 4-5 forward I don't see a lot of fuel tank placement options. I have a lowered cockpit floor so there is not much room left under there. If you mount the motors with say, 24" on center maybe you could fit slim tanks in outboard of the stringers.
- Marshall
I have a Mag Starfire that I totally restored and converted from trs to bravo a couple years ago. A lot of variables to consider... Is that a current picture of the transom with cutouts? Looks like standard spacing? My boat is well balanced but if you move 800 lbs 4-5 forward I don't see a lot of fuel tank placement options. I have a lowered cockpit floor so there is not much room left under there. If you mount the motors with say, 24" on center maybe you could fit slim tanks in outboard of the stringers.
- Marshall
Marshall, Great Magnum. The transom has never seen water and the drive cutouts are 33 in centers. (New Transom) If you think tearing out old wood is a pain in the ass! Try a brand new transom tear out. This is the first time I had to tear out a new transom to install a new transom. Anyway I am going 23 in. centers with a very tight stagger. Using Bravo's without the transmissions The engines will be tight to the transom. I am using these race cells and installing them right behind a full bulkhead behind the three man bolster seat back. Hear are the balancing factors. *Moving fuel to mid rear *No cockpit floor and back seat forward weight *Replacing the exhaust, Intake and heads with aluminum *Using Bravo's keeping engines 12 in. back minus transmissions *Shortening stagger drive shaft to keep the stagger tight *Mounting batteries in back corners. Weight numbers should be close to a wash. Here are picks of racing cells and engine stagger floor mach up.[ATTACH=CONFIG]521138[/ATTACH]
03-30-2014, 08:09 AM
#35
Registered
What is the capacity of the fuel cells? I have Brodix Aluminum heads but the superchargers probably weigh 40lbs ea erasing most of the gain. Most of the TRS Magnums I've seen had Merctrans transmissions which will move you engine aft 7-8" switching to Brovos, only getting rid of Borg Warners will pick up 12". All 27's have two 50 gal tanks forward of the helm bulkhead and you will still want some capacity there imo. My hull has a 42 gal tank forward of the 2 main tanks which I use as a reserve usually with about 10 gal of fuel.
03-30-2014, 09:14 AM
#36
Registered
Thread Starter
What is the capacity of the fuel cells? I have Brodix Aluminum heads but the superchargers probably weigh 40lbs ea erasing most of the gain. Most of the TRS Magnums I've seen had Merctrans transmissions which will move you engine aft 7-8" switching to Brovos, only getting rid of Borg Warners will pick up 12". All 27's have two 50 gal tanks forward of the helm bulkhead and you will still want some capacity there imo. My hull has a 42 gal tank forward of the 2 main tanks which I use as a reserve usually with about 10 gal of fuel.
03-30-2014, 10:50 AM
#37
Registered
Loving everything about this project Legend looking forward to the progress, thanks for sharing.
03-30-2014, 11:05 AM
#38
Registered
Platinum Member
Pete this Mag was never had a staggered engine set up, It had Volvo drives originally than set up as a twin Trs boat... With that said the running surface of a 29' Mirage that could be had with a stagger set up is not really any different than a Magnum 27', it would be interesting. Here are some pic's of [ Top prop] Joe staggered 29' Mirage. With all the work & $$$$ involved to make a staggered boat one big single I think would make more sense.
03-30-2014, 11:23 AM
#39
Registered
I am in a similar place restoring a 32 Midnight right now. Re-glassed the old eng compartment which was staggered big blocks with arnesons. Guy before me put an outboard bracket on it but I have no idea what the balance is like on it now. I would guess if you have 100 gal of gas 8-9 feet aft, all you might want is 30-40 gal ahead of the helm. Just a guess of course...
04-04-2014, 06:19 PM
#40
Registered
Thread Starter
Making progress on the Magnum with one of my best helpers. This is seven year old Jesse James in the picture. This is his third Transom we have replaced together. No he was not named after a motorcycle builder or a bank robber. Yes we did! He loves to help me with the boats. He asked me if I will ever race again and I said through you and he smiled. Cant ask for a better helper. Let those kids dig in.
I thought the transom was going to be hard to tear out because it was new but it took about four hours. Not to bad. I think I came across the old exhaust holes below the rub rail.[ATTACH=CONFIG]521537[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]521538[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]521539[/ATTACH]
I thought the transom was going to be hard to tear out because it was new but it took about four hours. Not to bad. I think I came across the old exhaust holes below the rub rail.[ATTACH=CONFIG]521537[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]521538[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]521539[/ATTACH]
