Kevin and Kristy Kaczan might want to change the name of their one-of-a-kind Cigarette 36 Gladiator from Unleashed to Unfinished. The likeable couple from Traverse City, Mich., can’t seem to leave the boat alone.
When I spoke to Kevin yesterday, he was driving the boat back to Traverse City, Mich., from its second home, Boat Customs in Caledonia, Mich., where company owner Chris Mills had modified the boat’s bottom to improve water flow to the remote pickups on the transom. While the boat was there, Kaczan also had Mills custom-paint the valve covers, flame arrestor covers, driveshaft scatter shields and other accessories to match the boat’s exterior graphics.
The Kaczans added serious bling to their 36-footer’s engines (click image to enlarge).
“When we first put the engines in last year, it was the middle of summer,” explained Kevin. “I wanted to get them in and running and make sure everything was good.” The Kaczans have put about 40 hours on the motors mostly at 4,000 to 6,000 pm and are happy with their performance.
The Kaczans did most of the research for the build and their friend Scott Stinebring helped assemble the engines. They are built with all the good stuff including 572-cid Dart Big M blocks, a four-stage dry-sump oiling system, Callies Magnum crankshafts, Carrillo rods, JE pistons, Morel Hi RPM lifters and hydraulic roller cams. The AFR 335 CNC heads were precision tuned for the application. Prosystems 1200 Dominator carbs deliver the fuel and air to the engines, which are equipped with Daytona Sensors ignitions. The engines make 753 hp at 6000 rpm and 731 foot-pounds of torque at 4600 rpm on 93-octane fuel pump fuel.
With yesterday’s test session behind them, the Kaczans are headed today to the Poker Runs America President’s Cup V.I.P. All Inclusive Poker Run in Sault Ste., Michigan and Canada this weekend. Of course, they aren’t done with the modifications to their boat. They want Mills to make a new carbon fiber engine hatch next winter and then they will tackle the interior.
“We keep putting off the interior because we keep finding stuff that’s more important,” said Kevin. “Once we start on the interior, I know it’s going to snowball.”
Unleashed is headed to a Poker Runs America event this weekend.
Count on it.
and then