Hallett should I buy it

[mach1alaska]

A friend of mine has a 68 hallett minus engine in good shape inside and out with a casale drive with forward reverse and neutral. He is willing to sell it to me for $1,000 with tandem trailer I have a very strong running 396 in my jet boat that I could use in it and stick a stock 454 in the jet to sell it. I have owned several jets but this would be my first v drive ( I have heard once you go v youl never go back ) what do you think?? I don,t have any pics at this time.
Kevin

[Moneypitt]

Any boat in "good shape in and out" is worth that. Jet, v drive, or even an outboard that is water worthy and just needing power is a good deal. I question the F (N) R aspect of the casale, are you sure its not just N and F?As far as your 396, remember the v drive/prop will allow the engine to rev higher than the jet, so beware of over reving the 96, know what gears are in the v drive and what prop is on the boat before the first water test, and hang on to your sanity when it really starts to PULL!!!!!!...........MP

[mach1alaska]

The 396 was originally built for a v drive set up to run 6500rpm it was built with all the good stuff and ended up getting installed in a jet instead.It was not real eficient in that aplication but would still pull a heavy full stringer 18 ft jet at 74 mph (gps) at 5200 rpm a cut impeller. It should do better in the hallet.
I would eventually like to put an 871 blower on it, is the hull desiegn of the 68 a good cantidate for that?? and what speed are they safe to?? it had a stock 454 and would only do 75 before. He pulled the engine to install in a newer hallet to sell and intended to build a stronger motor for this one but you know how that goes.
He was running it last summer and yes it does back up , I was told that was fairly rare for a casale drive. the boat also has seating for five.
And too late on the sanity thing I lost that a long time ago :messedup:

[76biesmeyer]

My first boat was a jet boat!! But the first real boat was a v-drive!!! Sounds like a good deal on the V-Drive Good luck

[steveo143]

real boats have propellers.
steveo143 21 DiMarco

[GofastRacer]

Sounds like a deal, yes Casale did make a v-drive with F/N/R!.. :smile:

[mach1alaska]

You all convinced me ,, I'll buy it and pull the good engine out of the jet and put a stock 454 out of a 77 suburban in the jet.
a few newbie v drive questions.other than the pan and headers what will I need? What do they use for a waterpump? the boat is in reno and I live in northern montana (will use the suburban to tow the boat home)
What kind of speed are the older halletts safe to? is 100 with a blower even reasonable or safe?? and what should I look out for when I start getting used to the boat? I am sure I will have many more questions along the way.
I will probably enclose the engine and open the bow on the jet to make it more familly friendly, that way I wont even have to pretend the hallet is a familly boat

[GofastRacer]

Ok maybe I missed it but what model is it???

[FlatRat]

Northern Montana,
whereabouts?I'm in Northwest Montana.BAAAA

[mach1alaska]

Sorry about that ,, it is a 19" flatty I am not sure what model . I dont believe it was ever a race boat but built as a pleasure boat (a pleasure if you like to go fast and don't like your kidneys )
I am about 10 miles out of troy and about 25 from libby. direct line 8 miles from idaho and 35 from canada. No sheep in my area, but still looking BAAAAAAA