outdrive swap

I have a 1970's reinell open bow with a omc 120 and omc 400 sterndrive.The motor was just found to have a cracked block and I hate to throw away the boat.There is a local guy thats got a 155 in a fiberform with a bad outdrive.Is this something that I can swap or are these outdrives specific to what motors they will fit? any and all feedback will be greatly appreciated.

Re: outdrive swap

Welcome to iboats! <br />Im not an OMC guy, but I know that they have a wide variety of gearing ratios, your horse power is relativly close so it may be feasible...<br />If you could post the serial # of the boat you have & the donor it will help.....<br />There are some guys here who are pretty savvy with OMC so stick around.....JK

Re: outdrive swap

The 400 sterndrive you say you have from the 70's would have to be a 1979 which was the first year of the 400 series, and it is a hydromechanical shift drive and only really rated to 140HP. But 155 is not pushing it too much. It might live if you babied it.<br />If you swapped intermediates, (using the Buick one) you might be able to do it....You'd have to do some measuring and comparing of the intermediates- Your current one might only have one exhaust outlet duct - the V6 would need 2 obviously.<br />You'll need to check the V6 unit's intermediate for steering type - some used "tru-course" like your 120HP, others used "push-pull" which would be a major conversion project..<br />Buick has a different bellhousing bolt pattern than your 120, so another reason the intermdiate, or at least the bellhousing half would have to be swapped.<br />If the bellhousing half will bolt to the back half of your 400 intermediate, it would make the swap somewhat easier- but you also need to count the splines from the engine coupler to the intermediate.... Buick might have 15 spline, your 400 series uses 20 spline...so you're back to using the Buick's entire intermediate hsg...

Re: outdrive swap

thanks for the helpful input

Re: outdrive swap

Just to make sure you have a 400 series, do you know if yours is an electric shift or not? How about the other one?