Elan tbx pro

[Sumondra]

Hello I'm new to the forum, I just picked up what I believe is a 2002 élan tbx pro hull for $250 it was a stolen recovery so parts are missin.. Missing parts: •gauges • motor and tans •prop, shaft and steering. The good thing is I have another ski boat to put most of this boat back together, but I can't find the gauges for this boat.. I would also like some more history on the boat if anyone has any..

[Sumondra]

Pics of the boat

[Mike Harry]

This boat was just in the ads on craigslist section. Great haul if you can get it back together!

Wish I had an answer to your questions, but my boat is an 86 and I know nothing about what you have there.

Welcome to the forum. Im sure someone with more know than me will show up and get you some feedback.

[Sumondra]

Yeah I picked this up about 3days ago, the price was a steal and I'll jake my motor and trans out of my 86 supra comp and put in here..

[RonT]

Most of what you need I will have or still have access to. I looked at that deal when it came up but it was too far from here for me to fetch. And I have a Red & White TBX in my junkyard (hull & deck only) already. If you talk to any HARD core slalom skier you will find that these were the ultimate slalom boats that are still used to compare the newest boats against. I was talking with the Sr. driver from last years US Open tournament & he was telling me how much he missed the TBX PRO. The key to the success with that model is critical center of gravity, (CG) That boat works best with 320-340HP at 700# or less with critical mounting location. Forward CG creates an interesting boat to drive around a turn island.
OEM instruments were MDC controlled, a 2002 built by Elan may have had a MMDC controller.
RonT 985-542-4336

[lcgordon]

I know you will love the hull. I have the 1994 version and I really like my boat. Yours will be even better. Good luck and it will be awesome when its done.

[Sumondra]

Thanks for the info... I have another ski boat with a 351w I was going to take the motor and trans out aswell as the rest of the running gear to get it back up and running. I hope it will be a easy swap and I don't have to do any fabing.

[Sumondra]

Also Ron are the stringers wood?

[lcgordon]

They should be fiberglass mine are. Also since the bondline goes below the water line. So it may leak. Ron did a good write up for my boat  and its here   http://amskierboats.com/forum/index.php/topic,4271.0.html under the second post. Hope this helps

[Sumondra]

Thank you!! You guys are a great help... Why is it so hard to find info on this boat? I haven't seen any vids and there's not many pics of it.

[Mike Harry]

Might want to do some research. I don't know the ins and outs but I do know that changing an engine from one rotation to the other can throw off a boat. Im not sure if the TBX was standard or reverse rotation and Im not sure what your going to use is............ but I understand that if you take a standard rotation engine out of a boat and put in a reverse it changes everything.

Just a thought.

[backfoot100]

The motor in your Supra is a standard rotation so that swap should be just fine. The only problem you might have is the motor mount placement. The Supra probably has a 1:1 Velvet Drive in it with the SBF. I'm not sure what engine/tranny combination that Elan would've had but it was probably not the same combination. The SBF was discontinued someplace around 2001 and pretty much everyone was going to SBC by 2002 or 2003. It also would have been EFI so the wiring harness will pretty much need to be completely redone I'm guessing.
Not impossible by any means but not a simple plug n' play either. Ron would have a much better idea on this aspect.

Good luck and keep us posted on the progress.

[Sumondra]

Idk what trans it has but, I have pics that I will post... I also have the wire harness from the supra, also another efi harness for a ford. I will keep all posted on progress but wil be on hold for a bit do to all the rain. 

[Sumondra]

Here is the supra trans idk what it is I'm new to this boating stuff  !

[RonT]

1:1 Std. rotation (left) is correct for this boat with 300+hp , the trans mount will line right up where the old one was. We did use the ZF case because of the weight savings over the B/W. The front mounts however will be set up for the GM stance, Ford is different and will require front mount fabrication, in the old days we ran an aluminum front mounting pad that was about 10" long and either Ford or GM could be mounted, in later years Ford stopped supplying engines to the marine world so we made the mounts for GM only.