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Jochum
02-28-2002, 05:48 AM
A friend of mine has a boat with a merc 454 mag. Year 88.
On the side of the engine there is a sticker that says 330 hp.
However some people say, that a 454 mag. never has less than 365 hp.
Anyone know??

Magicfloat
02-28-2002, 05:59 AM
The early 454 Mags were 330 HP , the later Mags were 365. Unfortunately Merc has had a long histiry of changing model designations and HP ratings on a regular basis. It almost impossible for the public to keep up with it, I've been a dealer for 35 years and I can't keep up either.Only references I know of are the old factory brochures and I don't save them anymore.

Too Old
02-28-2002, 06:05 AM
Someone smarter than me can give you a more specific answer.
But here goes....at some point, Mercury quit advertising the HP at the crank shaft and instead gave you HP at the prop shaft. Thus the old 330 becane a 300 or 310 hp listed motor.
So the old 330's are basically the same as the later 7.4 300 hp package.
Someone feel free to make corrections or fill in the blanks......

Magicfloat
02-28-2002, 06:18 AM
Fred, you are correct. The confusion comes in with the early "Magnum" designation. Magnum later became the mean a little more hi-performance moter when the early ones were not.But Merc has messed it up again, the new 496 Mag is the std motor at 375 hp,the 496 Mag HO is the performance version at 425hp. Isn't this fun? Would love to get some of their marketing guys in a room with Travis's bat!

euby
02-28-2002, 06:31 AM
i'd say in 88 the the 454mag was indeed 330hp http://free.***boat.net/ubb/smile.gif

Bigggus
02-28-2002, 07:26 AM
In 1987 the 454 Mag was the 330hp motor with an Alpha one drive. When Merc introduced the Bravo drive in 1988 the pervious 454 mag became the 7.4 and the new 454 Mag was the 365 hp. version.
Kurt.

Too Old
02-28-2002, 08:53 AM
Man, I need a score card to keep up. No onder there's so much comfusion about mags/vs/non-mags. You sure couldn't tell which ones had the good components simply by the hp ratings. At least I couldn't.

GaryC
02-28-2002, 09:08 AM
Now too really make you and me more confused, my 1986 Donzi Z-25 had a 454 330 non mag hooked to a TRS drive. It was called a 330 TRS.

fwk
03-01-2002, 08:48 PM
With TRS drives you could get the 330, 370, 400 and the 440 There was a 420 in there also. Forrest

Too Old
03-01-2002, 09:20 PM
Forrest, any idea what years the 420 was offered?

fwk
03-02-2002, 04:56 AM
I know they were offerred in the early 80's. You know as we get older. But if I remember the 420 and the 440 were offered at the same time I thought that it was the exhaust that was the diferrence. I don't know when they discontinued them. Back then you really had something if you had 440's. You were a GOD if you had Hawk's or Ferrarra's.
Fred did you ever get to talk to Sonic?
How is the interior project?
By the way Fred and Majicfloat I was at Chip Hackmans shop and he has a bunch of pictures of the Skater Express on the wall from when he raced it in 1989. Forrest
[This message has been edited by fwk (edited March 02, 2002).]

Bigggus
03-02-2002, 05:23 AM
I had a friend who bought a 311 Formula new in 1988 and it had twin 420 TRS. I think the last year was 1990
Kurt

Too Old
03-02-2002, 06:18 AM
Thanks for the info on the 420.
Forrest the old Skater Express boat is really nice. You would be amazed at how clean that boat is. When I bought it, it really wasn't a project like I usually buy. The previous owner was meticulous. I have a couple of 8x10s of the boat racing I'm going to send to send to Robert. i wish I could have kept the darn thing and bought the Sonic but that would have presented a little problem in the home. It's rare to find one like that.

Magicfloat
03-02-2002, 06:50 AM
I agree, Fred. Some of the calls I get question the price on a boat that old. My reply is simple ,look at the boat in person and then decide for yourself.It could pass for a 99 rather than an 89.I assume you have similar plans for the Sonic?

Too Old
03-02-2002, 06:59 AM
I do...I'm going to make the Sonic nice. It's the same mistake I always make. I spend money on them like it's my last boat for a while. I get finished and have nothing else to do....then it's time for a project. Vicious cycle but it keeps me out of the tavern. http://free.***boat.net/ubb/smile.gif

fwk
03-02-2002, 09:18 AM
It seems that the little 24 following is growing and the prices for them are increasing instead of going down. Quite a boat to bad they don't make them anymore. Forrest

Too Old
03-02-2002, 09:43 AM
That 24 really is impressive. The quality of the build is really nice. I'd love to have a 28 or 32. As you move up the Skater line, the prices just become out of reach for the average guy.

Nash
03-16-2002, 01:56 AM
My 2000 454 Mag, built by Pro Boat of Riverside Ca was rated new at 390hp. Steve at Pro Boat supplies engines for Carrera, Ultra, Howard and offers many variations of the 562SC and 900SC, not to mention blower motors. I recently had my Jet BBP'd as well as several other build-ups. To the Mag, added Lightings and 4" spacer. Carb rejeted and massaged. Near Stock motor pulled 468hp on the Dyno. Pro Boat, as well as other Race shops, take that stock 365 454 mag and bring it up near the 400hp area. I spent many hrs with Steve understanding the difference between a base Marine 454/365 and what can/is offered by many boat builders. Seeing the Dyno pulls, getting the readouts, not all mags are created equal.
Any questions about the stout mag, Steve can be reached at 909-687-9444/reference, Paulsen.

Donzi1
03-27-2002, 08:14 PM
Looking to buy a 1998 22' Donzi Classic with the 454Mag and Bravo1 package. Is this a good set-up to build HP on?