Do I or Dont I ,,,,,

[MonzaRacer]

So I have a 1969 Catalina Ventura, I bought it back in 88, took my Executive apart to build this one after the E's frame cracked.
Then after driving for couple of years I bought different cars, built my $400 drag car, bought my 61 Ford Unibody Long bed F100 for towing, sold truck and race car, bought more cars, etc.
Well later on I rebuilt a 400 I had from my E, in its squared block went a one off Lunati flat tappet drag cam from buddies ex drag car, (idles about 1800 rpm VERY radical) the hard chrome nodular iron crank, and an Echlin Dual Point HP dist(fore runner to Accel) I get to keep can ,crank and dist and had it sold to buddy who wants to start a hot rod shop. Told him all he needed to do was hit northern Indiana for a fenders, hood, nose and valance (deer damage and rust). In trunk there is almost another complete Pontiac engine, crank, block, 3 sets of heads, stock cast intake in back seat, etc.
Was gonna sell it to him for $250. Figured it might get one of my turbos or a set of pistons or rods off ebay.
So he gets given to him a 18-19 foot boat, no trailer, Uses a 4.3 inboard/stern drive.
Well ran but block is crack supposedly.
SO I could possibly trade instead for the boat,,,still need to figure out HOW to load and haul it home. Then need to find appropriate block and pull engine an fix it.
BUT was told boat had potential worth of about $3000 running.
I know its gonna need work but when I will only have hauling it home,,,.
So am I crazy?

[Scott Parkhurst]

Do you have a project car that runs? I've been here a few years now and I've never seen you have a car that runs, let alone runs well or performs admirably on-track. You've got these hi-perf cars listed under your signature, but where are they?

I used to have some non-running cars. I sold several of them and another one that was running/driving so I could get my wagon finished, on the road/track, and begin really enjoying it.

You offer folks a lot of advice, but until something of yours is running/driving, I have a hard time buying anything you're saying. You seem like a nice enough guy, so how about you prove something to yourself and the rest of us by getting just ONE car in driving condition instead of starting yet another project?

[78formula]

Whatever happened to the Monza you were building?

[MonzaRacer]

Scott, as for the projects, unfortunate job changes, lack of available parts and funds have kept many cars in process. As for building a car, or working on them I do it nearly 6 days a week, I an a Master Tech and so Ido feel that building cars in the past gives me some credibility.
The current projects have been on hold for money/weather issues. I see a lot people on here Scott that spend thousands of dollars and have little to offer as (if finished projects are the ticket to play in this forum) their cars are no farther along than mine. In fact if I bolted the rear end in and had a solid long block I could conceivably have Monza running in month or less.
BUT time, money and ideas are making it hard to get it rolling,,at least as I want to.
I just went for 4 months with no income to speak of, was almost ready to pull trigger on starting a shop,,and may still.
But how many on here have covered up their projects and took care of home/family/health/etc?
Many.
Again I was asking as it seems many on here have boats. The thing is the boat COULD be a good investment as locally there are several lakes,,one is less than 10 miles from me. So a boat that I literally no cash in to pick up, get a car out of my way and into someone elses way , I figured MIGHT be smart idea. I did figure on people telling me what to look for, what to check OTHER than the block, etc. NOT critique how fast my projects are coming together.
I have had 2 full paychecks since getting back to work, managed a small wreck in my car Friday, bent but drivable. I do have furniture to move from my grandmothers estate (weather finally seems to be cooperating), home repairs and now with warm weather YARD work.
Oh well guess no one on here is a boater or has any boat advice.
Oh and after a little bill catch up I will start on short block for Monza,,,and Idid find turbos suitable for project also, I think. Looks like they would work on 454 too. S othats cool and we are looking at doing a twin set up on my nephews car too,,,same size turbos.
Hmmm maybe boat isnt good idea, might get idea to go fishing or something,,,,,,.

[Ron.in.SoCal]

I'm a boater Lee. Don't do it. These deals are typically $$$ pits and there is no upside once you spend the money to make it sellable. Had a friend that owned a boat shop. He specialized in 18-21' jets. He got a smokin deal on one from a customer, got it running, did a little interior work and was negative (value wise) before he knew it.

My point.oh.too

[TheJDMan]

I would agree with Ron. Boats are money pits and rarely have I heard of anyone selling one for any kind of profit.

[Twentyover]

Second happiest day in a boaters life? The day he brings it home.

Happiest day in a boaters life? The day he sells it on.

[Scott Parkhurst]

If I were you, I'd sell everything but the one car project you love the most. That should give you enough budget to make some real progress on things, be they bills, cars, whatever. This Catalina and the boat will only slow you down even more, if that's possible. Come on man...get something lit and begin enjoying it. How many years has it been since you hit the track in a car you built?

Fix that.

[MonzaRacer]

Well as for racing MY car, 11 yrs, but had issues with that car(yellow one I use as avatar) I blew a tire and lost control it and was headed through an open fence row but missed opening and hit a tree,,,so yellow car was trashed but sold parts from it and kept others for next Monza. Buddy had a 79 Camaro body not worth more than making a drag car so he literally gave it too me,,had my big block 402 in it,,,but wanted a driver so I got an offer on the Blue Monza (Cheap Trick Monza) for trade,,and took the plunge. Well got 5 lug swap on front, been doing little things on it, been working on rusty floor on driver side, modifying seats too fit(Monzas use REALLY narrow seats!).
When my buddy moved he had a 61 283 we had picked up, thinking it was a 327, but its steel crank, good core shift and local machine shop I am friends with here in town(His son just won 2011 NHRA Div3 Super Pro championship) and he has 6 flat top 283 040 forged pistons,,,hmmm. So I was figuring on using that(before was thinking of my L98 roller engine from my old Monte Carlo and my truck,,,it just needed a rebuild) then started reading up on theturboforums.com about Marty and his Grenade. So I got idea for turboing it. Also Vince gave me a LT1 intake.
I am also making use of all my extra parts. I had a bow Ibought of wife guy with 283, well he wanted it back so traded me 461 double humps all redone 202/260, screwin studs,guide plates and cut for big springs, he was gonna use them in drag car but got out of racing.
So heads are older but with small inch engine and turbos SHOULD run ok.
Well circa 2010 I could NOT purchase 2 040 forged flat top 283 pistons to match 6 I have.
Ok so I was figuring rod to stroke ratios, for a guy, we were debating on two setups for his drag car and I got idea (after explaining R/S ratios)of using a set of 250 flat tops and turn enough off tops to set zero deck or near zero for a 302 with Ebay Hbeams and my steel crank. Add in some ARP stuff and use milder cam it should make an "easy 600hp " on 10 psi, found inter cooler for it,,I think, found appropriate turbos,,not ball bearing but could always up grade later.
And talk about fun finding a reasonably priced radiator for the Monza is fun too.
Even if I come up short on power ,which I doubt , it should VERY fun.
As for other car it comes from I thought Ihad my 402 to use,,so I traded for the Caprice, well big block got water damage,,fixable but gonna need more parts. So had cash, a friend needed some cash and sold me a 47k mile 454 from a Winnebago, air cleaner to oil pan.
Another friend bought a 468 with alum. heads and decided to install a mutha thumper cam so he is giving me the hyd one from his engine,, and the tc set so all I really need to do is decide, do I slide pistons out, give it quick hone and add some rings and new bearings, slap the closed chamber heads, freshened, from the 402. Ups compression some, and adds bigger valves (ebay specials) continue with sliding it in the Caprice.
OR install it as is and save other parts for beefing up the 402 for down road. Just use 454 to get it rolling and get all the parts mocked up like headers for turbos and stuff, then swap out the 454 for a built 402 and then maybe swap 454 into my truck down the road as I tow with it.
I know lots of plans,, just got detoured a little with 4 month off work.
BUT my plans are to get something running this year. Heck even a stock 454 in 84 Caprice should be interesting.
Now its hard to believe but I had 21 sets of used pistons found on ebay back when I decided to go 302, had to deal with trailer mortgage company last year, so was off ebay for a month,,,,come back and EVERYONE with forged flat top 350 pistons want new prices for them, or there are NONE to be found.
Using what I got, sourcing used parts, just throwing some reasonably priced used parts and see where I go from there I am hoping for a fun running car.
Its arace to see which set of parts come together first the Monza or the Caprice.

[analyte]

Just say no to boats. One of the worst mistakes I ever made was buying a boat, and I was so happy to see it go when sold.

Kerry