Did I just snooze on a deal?

[MoJetBoPar]

I was watching a deal on Ebay for a "Velvet Drive" transmission. It had a 1.911:1 ratio and I'm pretty sure it was out of a large cruiser type boat.
Was that ratio a good one for a 18' v-drive hot boat?
It sold for $264.00 with a non-Chevy/Ford engine.
I'm leery of collecting a bunch of mismatched parts when I'll probably keep looking or a comlete boat to re-do.

[Infomaniac]

MoJetBoPar: Here is my input and someone correct me if I am wrong (I am sure someone will regardless).
As far as I know a velvet drive is for outdrives that do not shift (are locked in gear). It allows the boat to have neutral and maybe reverse?
You would need one with an Arneson drive, Merc speedmaster or TRS drive. I think they require quite a bit of HP to operate also.
I do not think a v-drive is the correct application. That one sounds like it was a good deal though.

[spectras only]

MoJetBoPar, I 've got a C-72 Velvet drive in my spectra V-drive BBC[1:1 ratio,forward ,neutral,reverse] 1972 vintage.These tranny's are reliable,and for $264 it was a good deal.BTW,the ratio you mentioned was good for a heavy boat[daycruiser]
[This message has been edited by spectras only (edited November 12, 2001).]

[MoJetBoPar]

Thanks Guys,
Yeah, That probably isn't exactly what I'll need. I'm looking to build or buy a 17'-19' v-drive ***boat that would eventually go over 70+ mph. That trans sounded like it for a bigger/heavier hull. I coulda probably sold the motor for what the whole deal cost.

[superdave013]

My flatbottm had a Lenco clutch in it. Worked great for a netural but had no reverse. It's not that big of a deal in a flatbottom. My 20' v-bottom has a turbo-400 in it. The frist gear is locked out and the valve body is reversed so when you shif into high gear you don't go past it and hit netural or reverse. I is heave but I do have two forward speeds, netural and reverse. It even has park!

[spectras only]

superdave ,my friend's 21 Howard had the same setup as yours with the 400.Worked fine

[MoJetBoPar]

SuperDave is that a "reverse manual valvebody"?
Here's a crazy idea. Since I'd like to run a Mopar wedge (A Hemi is just a dream currently), would a 727 auto from a RV (short non-slip type tailshaft) and a rev. man. valvebody be the ticket? I know this will get spanked by the Chevy's and probably Fords too, but I'm into a nostalgia thing and want something different.
I've got several big block wedge motors and will start looking for that RV trans rather than whatever else if this makes sense.

[superdave013]

"reverse manual valvebody" is probbley the correct term for it.
I don't know why you think your wedge would get spanked. I would think you could build a pretty hot one.

[058]

There are some strong running wedge Mopars out there and are not real commom in boats, go for it.

[spectras only]

MoJetBoPar, I had a Challenger 340 with a 727.Tranny lasted a tick over a year only!I've descarded the tranny and converted to a 833 manual box.Lasted for ever! With a BB i would worry to use the 727.Just my 0.02

[Costello]

I had a 383 Mopar in a 1968 Sanger 17'10" flat. It was an honest 70 mph boat with a basically stock engine in a very heavy hull. It could have been a real runner with some minor work and a better hull.

[MoJetBoPar]

Oh man!
This is basically what I'm looking for, "383 Mopar in a 1968 Sanger 17'10" flat", yeah, Sanger, Hondo, Hallet, Rayson-craft and I know there's more that I can't recall. Basically an ex-race hull to drop a Mopar wedge in there and have some fun. I've got a BB wedge (361) jet now. It's an older style 18' hull (Mantra) with the bubbledeck and barrel shaped or rolled transom. I like it, but have always wanted a v-drive.
It's hard to find them out here in the midwest. They're here, ya just gotta be patient. I think I'll come out west eventually though to get one.
Speaking of Mopars, Ive got 2, a 69 383 Roadrunner and 69 340 GTS Dart. The Runner is down for a 440 transplant and Cheater NOS set-up. I did flog a 833 4 speed trans for 7 years in that car. Goin auto now though, just wanna try a race auto trans for a while. The 383 just wouldn't break, I even broke 2 rockers racing a 71 SS 454 M-Carlo on Telegraph one night and limped home 45 miles, but I won. That was 4 years ago.

[old rigger]

Mojetbopar,
I saw this advertised in a car craft mag last year. Well not advertised but they did an article on it. The part is called an 'ultra bell', and what you do is take a trans, for example a GM 400, and cut the bell housing off, this ultra bell is bolted in in place with the bolt pattern on the bell housing side, to what ever engine you want to bolt it to, say a 440 wedge. Basically you could adapt any trany to any engine with this thing, and it's SFI approved as a scatter shield. The cost is around 250 bucks, but it would be a great way to run a GM trans in your mopor powered boat. They gave 2 phone #s....805-583-2031,www.auto2000.com/bobstrans.html. and 407/632-6205, www.auto2000.com/jw. (http://www.auto2000.com/jw.)
[This message has been edited by old rigger (edited November 14, 2001).]

[Costello]

MoJetBoPar, I'll make you even sicker.....I sold that boat turnkey for $2000. The fella that bought it could be seen on the lake literally every weekend with it as I had worked out all of the bugs and made it a solid boat by the time I sold it. It was ugly as sin and had more stress cracks than you could count, but it was so heavy and solid that it was really in fine shape. After I nearly sank my hydro by spitting a propshaft one day when the new owner was out at the lake, he let me take it for a spin to ease my troubled mind. It almost made me wish I still had it. I bet it's still running fine although I haven't seen it for a couple years.

[MoJetBoPar]

Costello,
That story tears me up! I would gladly pay $2k and some for the boat or 1 similar as you've described. I'm gonna keep looking.