I was thinking there was more too it, I'll probably just build a 454 or crate and just go for it. But, I have a line a quite a few LQ engines (LS with out the alum block, I think there LQ's....)

Not starting on it till winter. Traveling a bit in August and September(gg Road tour)

Gathering budget and parts info now.....

Thanx all. The input is appreciated

If the boat is only going to see fresh water I would use brass freeze plugs and not worry about anything else. The engine in my boat has brass freeze plugs and nothing else special and has been fine for 10 years. If you use aluminum heads I would recommend MLS style head gaskets. My engine is blown so that has some impact but I could not keep the heads sealed until I started using Cometic MLS head gaskets. The difference in growth rate iron vs aluminum with cold lake water keeping the block cold had the heads skating around so the heads wouldn't stay sealed with conventional gaskets. Fwiw I drain the block after every use.

For what it is worth, I would be interested in the olds motor if you want to sell it.

Thanx for the input Tim. What kind of drain do you use? easy access? and yes, lake water only.

Bill, i sent you a pm. engines in great shape, maybe some pitting in #8, i was getting water into 1 & 2, i believe from the inlet pressure, only when on my trailer, didn't happen in the delta last time out. Its a 10.25 compression engine supposedly the same one used in the 442's from what i was told from Jack Keaton (boats builder/namesake) and the head engineer at Berkeley Pump Com.

I put petcocks like you would use in a radiator in place of the the drain plugs on the side of the block.