articfriends

Something I will add- when you compare the Stellings box to the Imco box, (after having a stellings box and comparing it to a Imco box) the Imco box is a better set-up. With the stellings box you end up with a 1 foot long driveshaft bolted to the flywheel with no coupler/no cushioning effect,you can go up 1" but to go up 2" you end up with a 7 or 8 degree angle which is too much for a high rpm driveshaft so you still have to lift the motor. With the Imco box you have a inputshaft that goes all the way thru everything thats about 15" longer than the stock,it actually gives you some torsional cushion and still uses a merc coupler. I have heard of guys using the stellings box with a Imco input shaft too but overall the Imco box is less money,easier on your drive and easier to set up. I don't know what a Imco box weighs but the Stellings box is really heavy and I'm not sure thats neccesary either,Smitty

AIR TIME

I HAD AND HAVE A NEW 2'' SHORTIE on my baja 24 ol which I have owned since 90 I was running 83 at aprox 5800 to 6000 rpm with the shortie with 670hp late summer last fall you need full steering not add on you will fight chine walk like mad. so full, I might get a box this winter since my boat is a part after theft in march and yes you do have a pad. I just got in a new plished shortie 2'' I will go with a standard box a 2'' plus 12'' back = to a 1' lift. I was happy with the 2'' but might go to the box I wish it the box came in 1'' 2 '' also the standard should work too. art

Wild Card 09

Good point about the coupler, Smitty. The Imco really is just an extension of the basic Bravo engineering, and as such, is foolproof. The Imco box is pretty much just a hollow aluminum casting with a few strengthening ribs. It still seemed heavy enough, but when think the forces it carries.......

Thats a difficult call with the 3" or neutral box. If you go too high, you can drop it down with a 1" or 2" spacer, and you definitely need at least 1" lift just to counter the effect of the box pushing the drive further back and into "deeper" water.
I reckon it is this that has caused many to have disappointing results with the box. If you go back, youŽve gotta go up too. How much depends on alot of factors, and it all changes again, when you add some more ponies!

I still reckon, this is a Powerboat test that alot of people would want to read. No trick, 27 foot base boat with a 525 and a three, four and then a five blade prop tested. Then add a shorty and test the props again, A box and the standard drive, then the shorty.
WouldnŽt that be great.

LAXBAJA

Wild Card,
I got a drive coming with a 2" shortie on it, you still recommend at least a 1" rise box???

and if so, do i still have to raise the engine also??????

I guess I'm some what confused, when you raised the engine with the new motor mounts and new holes for the exhaust, did you also have to move the transom essembly also??

Stock set up the drive shaft comes out of the drive straight into the coupler.
with the extension box , the bearing is just set higher in the box to keep the shaft straight i'm assuming.
thus brings me to see raising the engine, but what about the back of the engine where the engine sits on the inner transom plate, how do you raise the engine there.

Also what did you use in you engine compartment, did you gel it red, or did you clean it and paint it????????? It looks great. I two like alittle flash with my get.

again thanks for all the great info guys
Curt

Wild Card 09

The 2" shorty will put you in the right direction, with or without box. However, over here, no other 25OL or 27 foot boat runs as good as mine in the rough. That alone, convinces me that the box is the way to go.
There is only 3" and a neutral box to choose from.

You could possibly acheive great results with a 3" lift box and the shorty, maybe needing to fit a 1" spacer and play with 5 blade props to get the slip down if there is too much. You would have minimised water resistence and youŽll see a roostertail like raceboat with Arneasons. High risk, high gains to be made.

Please measure your propshaft to pad dimension (or bottom of bravo transom or cutout in transom, if everything is stripped out) so we can see where you are to begin with.
I feel that I could go another inch up on my settup, and still have a boat that pops out of the hole ok. i went from 6 1/2" down to 4 1/2" prop to pad, with my box installation.

this is how the 3" lift works: the box is bolted onto the original Bravo bolt pattern on your transom and uses the unmodified cutout, Inside the boat an Imco inner transom bracket replaces the Merc one and has the motor mount lugs cast into it 3" higher than stock. At the back of the box the Bravo transom bolts on in a 3" raised position.

The extended driveshaft which replaces the stock Merc one goes through the transom cutout exactly 3" higher up than in a stock installation. There is no bearing or carrier in the box at all. lThereŽs plenty of space around it for the hoses and lines to connect up the drive. The access hatches on either side of the box almost make instalation and maintainance easier than on a boat without a box!

Actually, I couldnŽt find a bilge paint in the red I wanted, so I used a single component enamel based waterline (the bit where the antifouling meets the side of the hull on a cruiser!) paint. It said it was resistent to oils and water immersion, and it is. I sanded down the compartment with a disc sander and used a primer paint first of all. It is worth it. Once the diamond plate and and the motor went in, it was amazing.
It still looks immaculate after one year. I never, ever want a white engine bay again.
I have a full artillary of concealed blue LED lights in there and the effect, at the dock is nearly as good as when I start the motor up!

Your project sounds great, and you are right, we seem to enjoy the same driving style, giving the expression "airing it out" new meaning!
Stephen

LAXBAJA

I measured my propshaft to pad and it is 10 inches, or from bottom of hole to pad is 6.5 inches.
this is from my old drive, not with the new 2" shorty drive.

LAXBAJA

Wild card,
where did you get the red waterline paint??????

LAXBAJA

these are some poker run pics last summer

Wild Card 09

Ten inches?! That drive is buried real deep! That was how it was, back in the days of three blade aluminum props and mid fifties top speeds. The 24 hull goes back to the mid eighties, even though your boat is a 1993 example. It ooks great in its original graphics, by the way. Classic Baja!

So now we are looking for 80 mph performance, and although the pad is very small (maybe 1/2 the width of that on a 25OL or even a 272) I think the basics of raising the drive to reduce water resistence will be similar to later hulls.
The pad does not create more lift at the transom, as some think it does, because it actually climbs toward the back of the boat. At best, it is horizontal as the bow lifts at speed.
The narrow pad, and the lack of transom notch mean the shape and character of the flow over the drive and prop is different to mine.
However it does look like you can raise the drive quite some way without getting into massive slip and holeshot problems, because a good four blade will provide you with enough grip near to the surface, especially if you get some distance between hull and prop.
My recommendation would be to go with the 3" lift, together with the 2" shorty, and you will still have your propshaft 5" below the pad.
No need for a five blade, yet!
Call Ron, at Imco, Nevada and get a second opinion. He was a great help for me, two years ago when I was researching my project.
If anyone has put an Imco box on a 24, he will know.

The paint was called Hempels Brilliant Enamel, and the colour is 50800 red. I think this is the same product, now called Hempalin Enamel. Hempels appear to be available in the US.
http://www.hempel.com/Internet/ineco...9?OpenDocument
The description even suggests the products suitability for enginerooms. The grey primer that I used is also listed.

LAXBAJA

Sweet I'll call Imco ASAP and get some info on the extention box.

This is going to be a fun project wildcard.
I'll let you know what i find out.