Can someone ID these drives?

[erikgreen]

As some of you know I've been posting here looking for info on various drive types in connection with my spring shopping. I ran across a Century Meridien 28 foot boat that I'll be seeing incidental to my looking at a wellcraft.

The wellcraft and this one both need a lot of work, but I'm mostly looking for useful drive parts.

I can't ID the drives on the Meridien from this pic... anyone want to guess? They're either older than my experience level or newer. Lots of algae on 'em makes 'em hard to ID...

Erik

Here's a link to a larger pic if you want it:

http://www.greendragon.org/bag/outdrives.jpg

 

[Bondo]

Re: Can someone ID these drives?

Ayuh,... What I can see, looks like Alpha 1s..

 

[erikgreen]

Re: Can someone ID these drives?

Really? Given the price I wouldn't have guessed they're that new.. Hmm... maybe a replacement drive AND a spare....

 

[Don S]

Re: Can someone ID these drives?

Somewhere in the 83 to 90 range. The squared off cavitation plate and the trim cylinders indicate that.

 

[erikgreen]

Re: Can someone ID these drives?

Okay, hmm. Guess I need to scrape off the algae and take a closer look.

It's a 28 foot boat with the engines and drives attached, no trailer. He wants $500 for it, so I can only guess the rest of the thing must be in sad shape.

But if the drives are decent... hmmm. I wonder if I can move a 28 footer on my 22 foot trailer?

 

[Don S]

Re: Can someone ID these drives?

Short of a Serial Number, there are no other visable characteristics to get the year closer than 83 thru 90.

 

[erikgreen]

Re: Can someone ID these drives?

I'm not gonna bring cash when I go look (got to make sure I can transport 'em first) so I'll pick up the serials then and post 'em.

Sounds like the engines are toast, or at least rusted, but if I get the boat and strip it for parts I might break even and get a drive (assembled from one of the two) out of the deal. According to the specs on the boat the engines should be MCM260s... we'll see I guess.

Shopping for boats is almost as much fun as working on them sometimes...

Erik

 

[Bondo]

Re: Can someone ID these drives?

Short of a Serial Number, there are no other visable characteristics to get the year closer than 83 thru 90.

Ayuh,... And,.. short of having 'em scattered all over a bench,+ needin' a couple of parts,...
It don't really matter....

That barge would make a Great donor barge,... You'll be Swimmin' in Parts....

 

[rbh]

Re: Can someone ID these drives?

Trying not to hijack this thread, but our 1985 has MR legs that look really close, whats the diffrence between the MR and the alpha?

 

[erikgreen]

Re: Can someone ID these drives?

Urgh... just found out the engines may be twin 470s... so that means a 1.84 to 1 gear ratio on the drives. Not so good for my V8 engine. Plus I'm not sure the engine parts are worth anything.

The wellcraft I'm going to look at is twin ford 302s... at least the drives on that one are MC-1s...

/sigh. Maybe I should just bite the bullet and get a SEI drive replacement, and keep my old one as a spare.

Erik

 

[Bondo]

Re: Can someone ID these drives?

Urgh... just found out the engines may be twin 470s... so that means a 1.84 to 1 gear ratio on the drives. Not so good for my V8 engine. Plus I'm not sure the engine parts are worth anything.

The wellcraft I'm going to look at is twin ford 302s...

Ayuh,... They ain't makin' anymore New parts for 470s,... Used is a market that's Growing because of that...
The drives work Great with 4.3ls in heavy, or hi-altitude hulls...
I'm lookin' to find 1 Cheap,... Been lookin' for over a year... wanta experiment more with my Torque-Shift prop,... 1.65 works, but I have more pitch to play with,... 1.98 is Too low,.. It'll rev to the Moon,+ you're goin' Nowhere...
I've got a couple of Mod.1s on the shelf as Spares, atleast 1 of 'em is 1.50:1... Wanta trade,...
I wouldn't Touch the hull with the Fords,+ Mod.1s myself,... I think the early 80s transom assemblies were the Best they ever built,...
The most Grease-able anyways...

 

[erikgreen]

Re: Can someone ID these drives?

Heh... I'll let you know after I look tomorrow. The boat may have some other useful parts, or even be worth a re-work.

The transom kits are nice.. maybe I could get one good alpha I transom, and sell some stuff to slap an SEI lower unit on it.

Erik

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: Can someone ID these drives?

...

The wellcraft I'm going to look at is twin ford 302s... at least the drives on that one are MC-1s...

The only problem I see there, is, weren't most/all the 188s 1.32 ratios? That would be too far in the other direction!

 

[Bondo]

Re: Can someone ID these drives?

The only problem I see there, is, weren't most/all the 188s 1.32 ratios? That would be too far in the other direction!

Ayuh,... I believe the 302s were 1.50s,+ the 351s were 1.32s...

 

[erikgreen]

Re: Can someone ID these drives?

The drive serial numbers are:

6704924

and

6705944

They're pretty algae covered but look like they'd clean up ok.

The rest of the boat is not in terrible shape from my inspection... I didn't drill into anything, but it looked like it was set up to drain water ok. It's winter, so no way to tell what's rotten, but I'd expect maybe stringers if anything... pretty sure the transom is mostly fiberglass, the deck is fiberglass with some wood bits, etc.

There was too much ice and snow to check out the engines, but I'd expect they're toast as advertised. The drives were stored down so I'm guessing they're ok, although there was some rot in the water intake hose on one side in the transom. The bellows would need replacement, no shock there.

Edit: Forgot to add - I didn't see the engines but I'm pretty sure they're the original MCM470s.. I found a manual for them inside.

Also, this boat was last used in 2007, when it sprang a leak and partially sank for a few hours, was pumped out and hauled to its present location with the plugs out. The engines weren't winterized but the drives were lowered.

The nterior and door are in decent shape, the gauges and controls were good except the throttle/shift needed some work, it had power trim tabs, shore power connection, an aft cabin, a V-berth, a refrigerator, settee, cooktop, head with sit down shower... basically a nice two person cruiser. Upholstery is in good shape except for some dirt - it's blue velvet. Headliner is in good shape, not stained, not torn. deck looked ok from what I could tell.

No real damage to the hull, ordinary wear on the deck and seating.

If it was set up better for scuba divers I'd consider a rebuild for that, but due to the aft cabin it's more of a cruiser. Still, it's tempting for $500.

I'm going to investigate how much it would cost to move her, but I'm thinking I wouldn't have the persistence to stick with a rebuild that large if I'm not going to use her myself, and if moving and later disposing of her would cost more than about $700 total it's cheaper to buy new parts.

Interesting boat. The wellcraft I went to look at was full of snow and ice, and I gave up on it almost right away.

Erik

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: Can someone ID these drives?

Ayuh,... I believe the 302s were 1.50s,+ the 351s were 1.32s...

That makes more sense to me, but in a response to a readers letter in Trailer Boats Magazine, the technical editor guy said that 188s got 1.32s, and that was why the guy was having problems turning a 19p prop. Hopefully you all will be able to help erik with the serial #s he posted.

 

[Fun Times]

Re: Can someone ID these drives?

(1984 MERCRUISER 470 SERVICE MANUAL #3)

ENG: 06738479 Model Number 04708004 MERCRUISER 470
DRV: 06704924 Model Number 01847014 MERCRUISER MC1 1.84:1
TRN: 06741236 Model Number 00010004 MERCRUISER MC1

The other set up.
ENG: 06762558 Model Number 04708004 MERCRUISER 470 *****
DRV: 06705944 Model Number 01847014 MERCRUISER MC1 1.84:1
TRN: 06747216 Model Number 00010004 MERCRUISER MC1

By the way clean out your old private messages.

erikgreen has exceeded their stored private messages quota and can not accept further messages until they clear some space.

 

[erikgreen]

Re: Can someone ID these drives?

Yeah, I got an email about that too. Cleaned out