Guys, good news for 2021 is that Rob at CF Machine & Speed located a crank and we’re steaming forward again! Should have her back together in a few weeks. You’re right about a standard crank being awfully hard to find; I’ll take my luck as it comes to me and be grateful for it. Really want to th...

Thanks for the help guys. The builder thinks he can lay his hands on a standard crank. The rub is that the motor was set up really well with a Buddy Branch DD custom cam, pinned timing gear and he did a custom tune on the carb with OEM intake like Deano suggested. Buddy also did the initial break in...

I know that they’re tough as hell to find, but I’m looking for a standard 500 crank for my engine rebuild. First attempt at a rebuild lasted a sum total of 5 hrs before spinning a bearing and gouging the crank. Took it to a different builder to start over again. I had another parts motor on hand, bu...

Skinnypockets, Thanks for taking the effort to set up the GoFundMe. I know Diane will need the support of friends. Really gonna miss Chuck. He was one innovative man, respectful of everyone, respected by the good folks and one tough old Marine! Go in peace Chuck..... probably outfitting heaven with ...

Buddy did up the first new 650 on my motor with the stock intake and 1” riser. Great response and runs great on my 500!

PM Sent.

Buddy has my 2115 Edelbrock in his shop. We went back to a stock intake and Edlelbrock 1905 carb for my Direct Drive boat to get more low end torque. I'll sell you that intake for roughly half the cost of new. Fit my 500 caddy fine.

PM sent

Roger guys. I've been going over the 3,000 or so threads on 472/500Cadillacs and have been printing off the "wisdom" that applies to this build. Calling Buddy tomorrow to see if he's got the DD cam available.

Thanks again for the help.

Hate spellcheck. Turned Deano into someone else!

Anyhow, thinking about getting a B Branch DD cam.

Roger, thanks Delano. I’ll ensure he does the upgraded springs. Old engine had a valve train failure so you’re spot-on with the input. Second question is about the cam for it? I’ll do a search, but any advice on cam? Dropped both 500’s off today and have a bit of time to figure out a cam for DD appl...

Still cheaper than most AV motors I’d reckon though? I found Gerald & Charlie’s in Sanford who will rebuild it fairly reasonably. They’ll use the edelbrock 2115 aluminum intake, cloyes timing chain, plug the thermostat port and chamfer the bearing to lube the thrust bearing. Keeping valve train ...

Need some help with advise on an engine builder near Orlando who can work on cadillacs. Nothing fancy, just a rebuild of a 500 caddy to make it DD capable again. I’ve got the blown 500 plus a ‘72 and ‘74 for spares.

The 30 gallon fuel tank on my 13’6” Cottonmouth w/ 500 caddy is positioned under the front driver seat. Seems to work well and keeps the boat from being stern heavy.

I filled my tags first season on Jesup and helped a buddy tag out on Monroe in the first two days. Didn't see another soul on either lake and wondered what was up??? Took the two big Jesup gators to CTFH in Mims to sell 'em and heard that PETA has been buying tags to keep us off the water. Anybody e...

Chuck, well deserved and I'm surely gonna miss you still being in business man! Saved my bacon on my old caddy boat plenty of times. If you make it over to Orlando in your travels, stop in and say Hi! Will see if Curtis has any interest in the shop equipment; he'll be getting his ASE certs completed...

After you get a feel for the boat and determine what you can safely carry, I would certainly break out the GPS and track your route to the duck hunting spot in daylight hours. You don't want to be searching around to find your track out to the blind at O'dark thirty in the morning. Also helps keep y...

I have a 72" Water Walker on my 500 with a 13.6 old Cottonmouth and it does okay for me.

Rode south out of Jolly Gator this morning and set up on Puzzle Lake. Only saw 6 fly by a long ways off and no one busted a cap. No one around us did either?? No coots around either, so maybe that's an indicator.

They will come up into the shallows when the river floods up onto the grass during the summer. Only thing then is that the water is warm and I think they get mushy and muddy tasting.

Tilapia all shut down spawning on the St Johns around Lake Harney. There all over the place on Tuesday and beds all abandoned by Saturday night.

Turned out really good. The one on the left has a round hole in his top jaw that looks like an old bite wound. I had an 11 1/2 footer that had a .22 slug wedged into the corner of his eye socket. Did ya pull the teeth and glue them back in? They can really look like a darned T-Rex if you cheat the t...

I'm with the "cook it" process others have mentioned and you don't want to boil it so much that all of the cartilage comes out from between the teeth and sutures on the skull or you'll just end up with a jigsaw puzzle. I just cook it long enough for the skin and meat to loosen up, then I g...

Rick,

$50 has been sent.

Best of luck guys on the recovery!

Unfg11B, Have you thought about a kayak if no one comes through with an airboat? See if MWR has one of those. It will haul a lot of gear, won't wear you out in the muck and runs skinny water. Take your I-phone with you and send some pics. Maybe you'll get some advice that you won't think of on the s...