Glen-L.com

Thanks to everyone who weighed in with advice on "How to buy an Engine". Everyone was so helpful and a very special thank you to Dave Lott who turned me on to PCM Engines and now a beutiful new 5.7L, V-8, with 343HP with transmission is on order at a very good price. Thanks too Dave for all the helpful advice on your installation and questions surrounding the engine and transmission ! I am so excited for this next big phase of the project.

Having said that, I must ask everyone's advice once more on an engine installation question. My plans call for the engine to be mounted on husky marine grade angles that mount to the engine stringers. Interstingly many of KH designs appear to mount on heavy wood logs that also mount to the stringers. I personally like wood a lot more than metal and I am wondering why KH would depart from the wood logs on the Belle Isle design in favor of aluminum ??? I am wondering what terrible thing will happen if I ignore the plans and use wooden logs? It seems like the wood might be easier to work with and make any final adaptions with (as opposed to aluminum) should that be necessary.

I would welcome any commentary on this topic.... And thanks as always

Best Regards
Dick Williams

I cannot answer your questionin regards to why they suggest their setup. But its not uncommon to use aluminum caps on wooden stringers and raised scallops to mount engines. Actually it makes for a very nice job but requires some additional work in the planning stages for the location. I am personally a fan of this method myself. A point of note, we awlquip the aluminum too after proper prepwork.

Believe it or not, I actually did "both".

My rear mounts are angle brackets. My front mounts are timber, with adjustable Motor Mounts. The adjustable motor mounts allow me to easily make fine adjustments up and down at the front of the engine.

I just happened to have a number of pieces of 4" x 12" douglas fir hanging around to make those front "lifts". If you don't have 4" stock, you could laminate something.

There are many ways to approach this... It is all part of the fun... (Do you have "Boatbuilding with Plywood" and/or "Inboard Motor Installation"? They both have good sections on this.)

Don't go by me... get lots of pictures and ideas.... then decide what will work for you.

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Bruce.

~~ Do what you love, and love what you do. ~~
~~ To me - only my boat is not yet perfect. Everybody else's is to be admired for I know the path they have walked (Dave Lott, 2010) ~~
Dow's Monaco Project

I used Aluminum 6061 T6, I think, on my KH Tahoe. The pictures are below. It does take extra effort to lay out. Material was about $150 and welding was $50. I used extra material for several different custom parts.

But, "Wood" will work for you.

Bill

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Mini -Tug, KH Tahoe 19 & Bartender 24 - There can be no miracle recoveries without first screwing up.
Tahoe 19 Build

I used 3/4" Okume ply that I was using as part of the build. I laminated to width. Then I through bolted the mounts that came with the motor.



You can see I had to shape the wood to fit around the oil pan, etc.. Then I through bolted to the stringers.



I used this cart to test fit and store the motor. Here I was able to preset the motor angle and get most of the fiddling done before putting the motor in the boat. I only had to make 2-3 turns on the adjustment bolts to align the motor to the shaft flange.

Hope this helps.

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Regards,
Bob Perkins

My Current Projects
http://h12restoration.shutterfly.com/
http://nutshellpramconstruction.shutterfly.com/

My Completed project
http://biscayne22.shutterfly.com

I think the wood motor beds would look cool if you laminated mahogany/ash; or other light/dark wood laminations. When you encapsulate & varnish it, it would look just too cool.

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God Bless our Troops; especially our Snipers

Kens,

They would look cool - but you never see them.. they end up well hidden when all is said and done.

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Regards,
Bob Perkins

My Current Projects
http://h12restoration.shutterfly.com/
http://nutshellpramconstruction.shutterfly.com/

My Completed project
http://biscayne22.shutterfly.com