OUTLAW EAGLE MANUFACTURING

G-force · Joined: 05 Jul 2005 Posts: 105 Location: no-po, OREGON

Hey guys, just getting back into jet boating after a long break. Took me a while to log in here, forgot my whole thing. Turns out I am the 55th member of this board! Good to see a few familiar faces. Bald Eagle, Top Dawg still cruising the shallows. I have lurked a few times over the years since selling my tunnel but it always hurt a bit to see all you guys having so much fun in such rad machines.
So now I got this project hull and I am somewhat shy to tell you guys what it is but keep in mind my local water is a deep big big river and the commercial traffic plus yachts makes for one wild ride in a tunnel hull during the day! Its about as glass-mullet as it gets, a Carlson CVX20. I always liked the lines of them and I never had a glass boat before so I will tinker with it over the winter and see how it runs. Its got a 460 with old school logs and snails and seems fairly stock which I believe was a 320 hp engine.
Since you guys have always been the authority on stuff that burns gas (bowing to my Northerly neighbors) I was wondering what small mods can be done to improve driveablilty or economy on this motor? I am not looking for more speed necessarily. I am thinking about keeping the logs and maybe just throw a MSD marine dist on there. I am new to ford motors so I feel disadvantaged in my knowledge.

This is the project engine as it sits:
Its called a berkeley packajet and it must be around 1978

TOP DAWG · Posted: Sat Oct 01, 2011 10:23 pm Post subject:

there was an article in hot boat magazine years ago where they dynoed a 460 Ford with a spark arrestor and logs just like yours. It was pretty much stock other then that. They then used a set of Jacketed headers simmilar to Lightnings and put an air cleaner on it and gained like 65 hp, id start there. And BTW dont be embarres about being a boater Very Happy

no matter what its made of.

G-force · Joined: 05 Jul 2005 Posts: 105 Location: no-po, OREGON

Thats what I was afraid of. I know the logs are dragging it down, but new headers is expensive! Like 2K$+ it seems. Not sure if there is room in there for them either. The "engine room" is pretty tight on this lady. Hey what ever happened to hot boat magazine? That was a pretty cool rag and the forum had some good knowledge for lake boat stuff.

Will R · Joined: 31 Jul 2005 Posts: 677 Location: NWT/Alberta

i got a set of over trans water jacketed bassett headers off a bbf you're more than welcome to!

G-force · Joined: 05 Jul 2005 Posts: 105 Location: no-po, OREGON

Really? Dang Id be a fool to turn that offer down! I am trying to get this thing restored on a budget, so I can justify putting gas in it later. That would be sick and hell its a mullet boat anyway, might as well go OT! Wink

Thanks Will glad to see you still here too, it was like 6 years ago when you signed up on this site! ~gabe

boosted · Joined: 04 Jun 2009 Posts: 378

The issues with the berkely packajet 460 were as follows as far as hp goes. The exhaust logs are terrible, the heads are not performance peices, the intake is very poor, and the cam is very mild. With a set of heads cam and intake with the proper exhaust you would be in the 500 hp range.

picklefork · Posted: Sun Oct 09, 2011 6:32 pm Post subject: Yo yo yo

G-force, from my experience with CVX- 20's, I wouldn't be throwing more hp at it without being prepared to do some work on the bottom. I think you will find that these boats come with a hook. If it was my boat I would take out the points and put in a petronix module in the stock distributer and go use the boat as is.

hellsgate · Joined: 07 Oct 2009 Posts: 26 Location: Clarkston, WA

I had a Sleek Craft with a 460 Pack-A-Jet, 365 HP in my 1979 Kauai, a bit cleaner setup. Cast iron Super Cobra Jet intake, forged flat tops around 8.7:1, lumpy Super Cobra Jet cam (mean idle, great sound), but those small port heads sucked: 4.8k rpm w/single-A imp. Earlier years were 8:1 and 320 HP. Mine had larger squared manifolds, better than the old style logs. The boat was prone to ruin starters; had both top reverse-spin ($$$) and bottom stock rotation mounted on the bellhousing for backup. As far as HP to weight ratio... it's nothing but an anchor. Most modern small blocks should be able to out perform $/hp/lb. Little benefit vs cost in upgrading the 460. I'd opt for a modern drop-in EFI crate motor. BTW, anyone needing that cast intake, Holley 760 vac, water pump cover or other misc for this 460 setup, PM me if interested.

G-force · Joined: 05 Jul 2005 Posts: 105 Location: no-po, OREGON

Cool thanks guys! It has an aluminum intake, but looks stock cause it says berkeley on it. I like the dual starter idea! Yeah, crate motors are cool but I dont want to polish a turd just yet. The hull is in great shape with absolutely no hook and its not that banged up. It also appears that they came with an adjustable ride plate which is cool. So I ordered a DUI distributor and we will see if it fires up.

So my big mistake was to try and use the old distributor shaft as a oil pump primer, because it got stuck on the oil pump shaft and then when I pulled it up it slid the oil pump shaft out, loosing the retainer clip thing that was holding the shaft in place. I think i got the shaft back into the oil pump properly because it seems to pump oil, but I am worried that the retainer clip is going to bugger something up now. Thoughts?