Making good progress 79 255 Liberator

Here's a link to a little progress video I made..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R526BfFVXbEhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R526BfFVXbE

I replaced the entire propulsion system with twin 425 horse 355 Vortec Roller Cam motors spinning Mirage Plus 23" props thru '98 model Bravo I's.

The whole bilge and cockpit has been re-wired and cabled with new steering and bilge to helm as well as engine harnesses.

This old girl amazes me still with how well it runs. With the torque from the Vortecs 2000 RPM is 35-37 MPH...3000 is 50-55...4000 is 65 and 5000 is 70-75 depending on load and trim. It planes effortlessly out of the hole and accelerates from 30-60 like an bullet!! I have only logged about 10 hours but i think with the right tuning it might see 80 on a good day. It is very economical...I can run 50-55 on the primaries of the carbs.

Recently I am experiencing an electric fuel pump (Carter 72 GPH@6-7 PSI) issue on both engines that is limiting the RPM to about 3500. I am thinking of moving up to the Carter 100 GPH pumps to see if that corrects the issue. I replaced the anti siphon valves in the tank pick up and the timing on both engines is 32* at 3200 RPM.
Ignition is Davis DUI Marine with their best wires. Carbs are Big Block Q-Jets with a pair oif 750 CFM Quick Fuel pieces on the way. Exhaust is stock Mercruiser thru the Y-Pipes (I want to be able to slip in and out of residential areas quietly).

Future plans include new upholstery in the cockpit to match the bolsters and freshen up the cabin. I need a killer sound system, Garmin 740S Chart Plotter and maybe cabin A/C.

It's an "Old School" "Flat Glass" Thunderbird Formula from the late 70's that gets a lot of admirers at the ramp and the water front bars here in SE Florida...especially when they see twin Bravos hanging off the transom!!

I ran it once this Summer from Palm Beach Inlet to Freeport/Lucaya in the Bahamas...68 miles in about an hour and a half each way.

This is a testament to Formula's quality and with modern power and drives...these boats are on par with all but the very best of the new stuff...at a fraction of the cost.

The style and lines are timeless and classic and I have noticed that a few of the new Active Thunders and Baja's have adopted this "Retro" look.

That looks great !

Vey Cool! Nice Job!

I almost hate to ask this question, because I feel like I should know the answer, but I don't. How is it that Formula has a "Liberator" and so does Four Winns? Did Four Winns take over the name and or molds, or did they both have their own boats with the "Liberator" name?

Don't see Twins on a 25 footer very often. Nice project. Some gauge bezels would help perk up that dash.

nice work!!

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Originally Posted by jetcruzr

Vey Cool! Nice Job!

I almost hate to ask this question, because I feel like I should know the answer, but I don't. How is it that Formula has a "Liberator" and so does Four Winns? Did Four Winns take over the name and or molds, or did they both have their own boats with the "Liberator" name?

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Formula introduced the 255 "Liberator" in '75 as their first entry into the "Sports Boat" field. This model was joined by the 233 "Interceptor" in '78. In '82 the names were changed to 255 LS and 233 LS respectively. There was never any connection between the two brands or sharing of molds. the 255 was based loosely on the Cigarette 28 SS and the Interceptor used the original 233 hull with a short cockpit/long deck.

Both models were replaced in 1983 and 1984 with the 242 LS and the 272 LS.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Donskihp

Don't see Twins on a 25 footer very often. Nice project. Some gauge bezels would help perk up that dash.

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I am thinking about the bezels...got a few things to do ahead of that though.

As far as twins go...most 255 Liberator/LS boats came with twin 260/MR-1 (pre-Alpha) Mercruisers. The standard power in the early models was twin 165 HP in line 292 six cylinder GM engines. There was a twin 330/454/TRS option and a special order twin 420 HP/SM-I option that was dealer installed due to insurance regulations. The story I have heard from old school guys here in Florida is that BIA wouldn't certify the boat with twin 420's so the engines/drives were drop shipped to the seller from Mercury Racing and Formula sent the boats with transom cut outs for TRS/SM-I transom assemblies. Word is that 255's with twin 420's would make 85+ and run 65 with a ton of "product"....look at the freeboard. They were popular with the smugglers because they didn't scream "Dealer" like a Scarab or Cigarette Mistress/Cafe did and were small enough to get in and out of tight ramps with a 1/2 ton pick up.

The 255 Liberator/LS was the smallest Formula to be available with twin big blocks and the 233 was the smallest available with twin V-8's.

There were a few Liberators made with single 330/TRS's but these boats are heavy and need 500+ horsepower to perform.

In the '70's DEA/Customs didn't have anything that would run close with the "Go Fast" boats of the day and if you had something that ran 65+ "loaded" you were golden.

Here are a few pics that show the sharp entry of the hull and the advantage of the extra freeboard sitting in the water.

[IMG]http://i705.photobucket.com/albums/w...ps91a7044a.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i705.photobucket.com/albums/w...ps2778e66c.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i705.photobucket.com/albums/w...9/DSC_0029.jpg[/IMG]
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http://i705.photobucket.com/albums/w...ps09b7a332.jpg[/IMG]

I have had a lot of fun with this project and look forward to years of enjoyment with this one.

It's very gratifying to bring one of the old boats back to be serviceable in the modern era of Bravo drivers and Vortec/Roller Cam small Blocks.

What makes you think it's a fuel pump issue due to size if it ran good this summer to the Bahamas and back? By the way, did you go alone or was there a group?

I don't know for sure but I have been told by people that know more than I...that I was marginal to begin with a 72 GPH due to my WOT GPH requirements for these engines....and that these units have a history of weakening quickly. I am going to verify with a Fuel Pressure Gauge but I think I am right. We will see.

This trip I went alone....not my first time to do it but first time in this boat. My wife took the trailer home from the ramp...flew over from West Palm and was at the dock waiting on me when I got there. We spent a few days running around the reefs and inland waterways on the island of Freeport and then reversed the trip. The boat ran flawlessly.

Many people in SE Florida take their boats over to Bimini from Ft. Lauderdale or Miami...but Bimini is boring by comparison to Freeport/Lucaya. Freeport is a real town with shops and bars, restaurants,etc. Besides...if you look at a chart, Freeport is only 65 miles 90* true from Palm Beach inlet so it's a natural for boaters from Boca North.