I have a wooden boat with a Cadillac Crusader Marine engine in it. I'm told the boat is a 1956/57 boat. I'm looking to find out more information about the engine, there is a number cast in the top of the block that reads 1469230. I would appreciate any information I could get. I have the boat refinished, and have found a 1956 Trailler that I'm going to restore for it and would like to get a 1950's Cadillac to pull it.
ktack@tackaberryconstruction.com
G'day Kevin,
A picture of it would be lovely, and you are likely to have the correct engine for the hull, unless the original engine was destroyed.
A lot of Cadillac engines were standard equipment in boats back then, and in most cases, usually had twin carbies on them.
What is the make of the boat? If it is a Chris Craft, or one of the other good brands, there are resources available for tracing the hull numbers and build specifications. I did that with my own Chris Craft, and was very happy with the results.
Bruce. >:D
I assume it is a CENTURY, as I have restored a few. Probably a Coronado
The boat was built by Myles Jeffrey, an independent boat builder who started his career with Chris Craft and then returned to Ontario and began building boats in his workshop in Athens, Ontario, Canada. He built my boat for a car dealer that wanted the Cadillac engine. It does have the twin carbs on it. Were these the same blocks used in the cadillac automobiles?
In my experience, marine parts are different to automobile parts in that the electrics are made flash resistant, and things like the carbies are copper plated to slow down corrosion.
I have even seen engines with completely copper sumps, stamped out using the original automobile stampings. Plus, the engines will have brass freeze plugs.
I have also seen Rochester 4GC Carbies with stainless steel throttle shafts, and brass throttle butterflies.
Bruce. >:D
Folks in FL are taking the 472 and 500 engines and using them in air boats!
I presume without the climate control and power steering :P
Where's my CLC member logo??? ???
Mike, they have been doing that since the mid 70's with air boats. The commercial tourist air boats will in most cases use twin Cadillacs. They hold 15 or so people.
Real swamp riders use Lycoming though. No way to plug up the radiator with bugs. ;D
https://www.google.com/search?q=cadillac+marine+engines&client=firefox-a&hs=vKC&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=svrhUZvuHsS4igKd1IE4&ved=0CEgQsAQ&biw=1280&bih=843
http://silodrome.com/riva-ariston-cadillac/