Sterndrive Conversion

[imported_Curmudgeon]

Anyone do a conversion from OMC to Mercruiser, and would you care to relate that experience?

 

[Don S]

Re: Sterndrive Conversion

IT's very easy, even the cutout in the transom is the same.

 

[rodbolt]

Re: Sterndrive Conversion

what DonS means is its easy to replace the OMC COBRA package with a MERC package. if the old omc package is a stringer your sunk .

 

[THE BEEF]

Re: Sterndrive Conversion

I believe MERC makes a converson plate for stringers.You might want check it out.

 

[rodbolt]

Re: Sterndrive Conversion

most stringer transoms wont hold the thrust of the drive, thats why they called them stringer units.<br /> about the best use for a stringer unit is to fill with dirt and grow tomatoes.

 

[whywhyzed]

Re: Sterndrive Conversion

Tomatoes? haha.. I'd still buy a stringer before a Cobra... but that's not saying much...

 

[THE BEEF]

Re: Sterndrive Conversion

Sorry about that,I wasn't thinking. SkiffCraft wood boats you can get the plate for. There transoms <br />will hold it.

 

[Don S]

Re: Sterndrive Conversion

What rodbolt said, I thought I read 'Cobra' when I first read it.

 

[imported_Curmudgeon]

Re: Sterndrive Conversion

How do I determine if the unit I'm looking at is a "stringer" ... or not? What I'm looking at is likely a '71 OEM.

 

[Don S]

Re: Sterndrive Conversion

It's a stinger. The Cobras didn't come out till the mid 80's<br />If looking at the transom, if there is a big rubber bellows around the outside of the drive and attached to the transom, it's a stringer.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Sterndrive Conversion

I've done/ been involved with a Bunch of these Conversions,...........<br /><br />The Only Adapter Plates I've found are called a New Transom........<br /><br />I Did run accross a Volvo to Merc. adapter plate once though.........<br /><br />If you look for Mark42's thread about this Same Question,............<br />You'd find this C&P,......<br />

Originally posted by Bondo:<br /> I've Done,... Or been Involved with several of these Refits,....<br /><br />If you're Soo In Love with the Hull,............<br />Buy It.........<br /><br />When you get it home,..... Remove EveryThing ..... <br />Engine,.. Drive,... Wiring,.. Controls,.. Ya might as well pull the Fuel Tank,+ Inspect it.......<br />Now either $ell or Junk Out the Pile of Stuff you've got in the garage..............<br />In the mean time you'll become an Epoxy Expert getting the Transom Built for it.........<br /><br />Then,..... Go Buy a Donor Boat that has the Running Driveline that You want for Your Hull..............<br />When you get the Donor Boat home,........ Gut It,.... Move EveryThing over to your new Hull...............<br />Then all you have to do is Find a way to get Rid of What's Left.............<br /><br />BTW,........I Think a 4.3l/Alpha would Really make that hull a Nice Boat..........