Few major updates to the 95 Z!
 

Hello all, a few years off the forum I'm back. (Even remembered the password!) Still have my 95 Z212 with the 5.0L Alpha 1. Still, flawless, not one issue. Doing some upgrades here and there, thinking LED courtesy lights, blue bulb, clear lenses? The bow light, anyone have an LED replacement? Not sure what I want to do with my pole light in the back. Probably switch to LED as well.

Docking lights, anyone ever change those over to LED or HID?? My buddy has been redoing his boat so it sparked my interest in keeping up with the Jones! The biggest thing I'm looking at doing is swapping the motor still. High on my list now. I'm looking into a 5.7, or 602 crate. Still worried about the out drive being able to handle it. Thoughts?

Happy boating this year!

Re: Few major updates to the 95 Z!
 

LED's are a common upgrade. I wrote this a while back, so part numbers may be slightly obsolete, but it'll at least get you started.
http://www.mariahownersclub.com/foru...ulbs-leds.html

As for docking lights, they aren't as easy as just swapping a bulb. My recommendation is to just keep them as is. You likely don't use them much, as it's against USCG and local watercraft agency regulations to drive with them on except when loading and unloading at the ramp. Plus, retrofitting something into the existing 4" hole in the hull may prove to be a challenge.

Word of advice. Don't trust your alpha with anything about the 5.0L. If you're considering a motor swap, you need to be considering a drive swap too. Bravo's are built to handle the V8's much better. I believe it was Sea Ray that offered 454's with an alpha drive for a limited time (which they marketed it as the "Perfect Combo" on their Pachanga series) and they had more customer complaints of drive failure in a few months than they ever had in years. Granted you can still find some of those original combos out there, but I'd say if you're looking at putting a performance engine in there, do it right and put a much stronger drive on there...

Re: Few major updates to the 95 Z!
 

Back to the top with this one. About ready to pull the trigger with a built 383. My latest road block is the exhaust. I have thru hull, and the water that's cooling the motor comes out the pipes as well, compared to a friends built 350 where it must go through the prop/drive and he has straight exhaust coming out of his pipes... Headers can't handle water, I'm told I can divert the water into the bravo drive when I change them??