In 1972 Alfa Romeo used the engine(s) of the 33 Stradale to power Dart 38, a radical 90mph, 1,000-horsepower offshore boat. Its beam at waterline was 57 inches, just about 5" to 10" wider than a modern jet ski

Posted by Brutal_Deluxe_@reddit | WeirdWheels | View on Reddit | 10 comments

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wasabi1787@reddit

Also, one of the best looking cars of all time

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The original Alfa 33 stradale engine made 227 hp with 2.0 liters, though power varies due to the nature of hand built engines. Still, it was impressively powerful. To get 500hp out of the engine, they increased the size to 4.0 liters, thus doubling the horsepower.

How they achieved this increase in size is beyond me. The stock engine is over square with a bore of 3.07 in and a stroke of 2.06 in. Building a naturally aspirated stroker/overbored engine that produces the same 125hp/L sounds nearly impossible.

I wonder if the engines still exist.

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Armored_Guardian@reddit

The Tipo 33 race car made 440 hp out of 3 liters. Seeing as this is a boat engine with no restrictions and an extra liter to work with, 500 doesn’t seem impossible.

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ManufacturerWitty700@reddit

Not saying impossible. It’s just my pea sized brain is struggling to understand the engineering involved in turning a high strung 2.0 liter, 250hp, 10k rpm engine into a 4.0L 500 hp engine without the use of forced induction in 1972.

Just the physical changes needed to double the capacity of the engine makes my brain go brrzt

But then, it is a race car engine. Compromises can be made that are unacceptable in a road car. I think my brain can live with that.

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2.) You can double, triple or more the engines. If you can fit one more prop in the water, there you go.