Episode 221 of Mike Finnegan’s Garage is special because it’s the grande finale of a 3 Part Series about my first weekend back behind the wheel of a real drag boat. Although fun, it really did not go well. LOL. We overcame adversity in the form of a severe motor milkshake, which was the result of too much water pressure in the cooling system. We also had to replace several broken valve springs in the 632ci Big-Block Chevy. After solving both of those problems we believed my new 2016 Ralls Precision Machine Cheyenne jet boat was ready for race day. As you’ll see in this video, boy were we wrong!
What makes this boat unique is that Andy Ralls cnc-machined all of the aluminum hardware on this boat to be as light as possible. He also had E-Ticket Boats in Lake Havasu, Arizona, laminate the hull entirely from carbon fiber. KMG Boats painted the red, black and gray hues, while Marine Performance Design blueprinted the Dominator jet drive. The boat is powered by a naturally-aspirated 632ci, 10.5 liter aluminum Big Block Chevy engine that produces 1,300hp without nitrous, or turbos or a supercharger. The engine was originally built by Jim Guthrie and recently freshened up by Mike Miller Racing Engines. The engine features a Sonny Bryant crankshaft, CP Pistons, Carrillo connecting rods, Total Seal piston rings, Dart Big Chief cylinder heads, a Dart tall deck aluminum block, an HRE tunnel ram with billet runners, and Gen 3 Holley Dominator carburetors. The electronics consist of an MSD Digital 7 ignition box and a Jesel front drive distributor. The boat was wired by Zack Rauscher.
This boat has ran 132mph with an ET of 5.8 seconds on a 1,000ft drag boat track.
Thanks for watching and as usual, thanks for the support! Did you know that I have a brand new FSM Shirt design? Go here to check it out:
source
Thanks for sharing your journey in returning home, literally through Temecula, to seeing old friends in jet boat racing. Loved the subplot of seeing old friends, and the value brought to your life, intertwined with the journey of the boat. Each turn as a viewer, hoping each adjustment would bring remedy to a great run, only to feel the disappointment, and the conquest for a great run, is still being elusive. I hope you continue the conquest next spring and share in new videos, you have clearly rekindled the joy of jet boating with a lot of former owners as myself. Thanks!
Bit late to the party with a comment but by the time it all ended, I might of gone with "Bit'a Bitchin" for the great pile of bitchin parts in that boat and the conversations had with her to get it all together. Kick ass vid series Mr. Finnegan.
Love the "old" home brew feel of these last few vids these are awesome!!
The filming and editing is top tier. Better than roadkill.
Poor Finn, debacle seems to follow him but to his credit he never descents into cursing and swearing at the situation, just soldiers on
11:38 does anybody know what that crazy rocket stove looking heater is? Oil burner? Ideas? Great video series! Thx Mike!
Side chicks always have issues…
Hey Mike – what does birdshot refer to in drag boat racing? I imagine it’s weight distribution related but am curious. Loved the 3 series videos and would love to see more like this!
I've heard it was bad luck to change the name of a boat. I'd call the boat whatever the original builder did.
I think you should name it the "Time Machine".
Be interesting to see electric powered boats doing this. Short run, high torque is right up their street.
I thought it was just you and hemis don't get along thing. Now I'm thinking its a you and anything over 500ci thing haha.
Early on in the episodes, you said something to the fact of if this boat runs right, it's Game ON. I was all about the name Game On, especially since you sold Gameover and bought this one. Your explanation of Side Chick was spot on. Good luck this winter.
This series has been some the best editing and production I've seen on youtube
This brings back a lot of memories.. I was a young man hanging with Mr. T ( moose) at the time, first boat was a unblown flat bottom ( verboaten) and then switched to a blown fuel hyro shovel nose , I can't remember who it was flown by … Always wanted to get back into it, life got in the way , Mr. T passed away and I have great memories at Columbiaville mich
Finnigan or however you spell his name. He must be hard to work with.. I've watched him for many years and see people move away from him after a few years of being by his side. He seems to have a ego and he doesn't want to mechanic anymore. I just don't like him anymore. Arrogant ego..
Dude! How do you find 2 tonys?
So lets recap – you bought a boat sight unseen, it hasn't run in a couple of years and you immediately take it racing
seems you set yourself up for failure
It sounds like the lake is appropriately positioned next to the golf course because it sounds like, like golf, you could be having the worst day of your life but one thing goes right and your happy to come back and try all over again.
Side chick shore does look good though