Alpha 1 strength?

[BiesemeyerSquirt]

I am looking at a 85 scarab1 that has a alpha1 drive. The boat came with a 350mag and now has a 454mag. The seller mentioned you have to be easy on the throttle out of the hole or you could tear up the outdrive. Dose this sound right? Is a stock 454 too much for this drive? This will be our first non-jet boat and I don't want to get into anything thats going to be trouble.
Thanks

[CBLavey]

Probably good advice...the 454 produces a lot more low end torque than the 350. Go easy on the holeshot, keep up on the maintenance and the alpha should be fine - as long as you keep that 454 stock!:cool: :cool:

[bajaboater502]

Yes that is true, the bravo one didn't exist in 85 and even the factory 454's had alpha drives on them. You don't have to baby it to bad though unless the drive is really worn, just don't mash the throttle out of the hole. I would keep an eye out for a nice rebuilt bravo and when you find a nice unit on e-bay or in the boat trader pick one up, because your drive if original will need some freshing up someday and those parts depending on whats worn could be close to half of a rebuilt bravo.

[1BIGJIM]

As I recall the 454 was only put behind the Alpha in 87-88? They realized the alpha could not handle the torque and the Bravo 1 was on the market in 89? My best suggestion is don't hammer it out of the hole and do not let the boat get air-born, the re-entry will kill it. :eek:

[Tinkerer]

The alpha was never behind the 454 MAG
it was only behind the stock regular 454.
And even in that form it didn't live long.

[502procharger]

The alpha was never behind the 454 MAG
it was only behind the stock regular 454.
And even in that form it didn't live long.
wrong. 1988 checkmate convincer gtx came with a 454 mag and a alpha drive.

[Tinkerer]

Are you sure about that --
I have never seen the 454 mag hooked up to an ALPHA.
The Merc people have told me before that the ALPHA was only matched to the standard 454 not the mag.
Is it possible that the boat manufacturer did the match up??

[anthony714]

beisemeyer,look at it this way ,you upgrading engine no matter what right??so thats a constant...b4 you plunk down all the cash for a bravo keep the alpha,if it blows up it blows up,.then youll know u need a new one....btw i got a 88 bravo,so they were around in 88,its hooked to a mag

[502procharger]

here you go.
http://www.hotboatpics.com/pics/data/500/1DSC01236.JPG

[Havasu47]

The 454 engine merc put with the alpha from '86 through '88 was labeled the 454 Magnum. It was the 330 H.P. engine. Small heads, 3/8 rod bolts, cast crank, etc. But they did call it the 454 Magnum for those two 1/2 years.

[Tinkerer]

HA - I was right - It really wasn't the magnum engine.
It was just the stock 330 HP 454.

[jrp5xd]

I have just purchased a 1985 Chris Craft, that was repossesed by the bank, with Twin 454's and Alpha One outdrives. The 454's used to have blowers on them and they raced the boat...is it possible that they switched the outdrives out then before the bank came and got it switched them back? Just curious.

[Tinkerer]

Yes I would say that they didn't have alpha drives on it with the blower motors.