new boater needs input on OMC 350ci motor and OMC 800 outdrive

[dave buckner]

this would be my first boat and it is a 79 Cobia sportster. supposedly lower half of lower unit is rebuilt and 350 rebuilt( 6 years ago, and has been sitting since) (motor is not overbored at all?) with 360hp corvette cam. i assume it will be hard to know whether these have been rebuilt, but any tips on cheking it out would be appreciated. would OMC or mercruiser be a better setup? thanks, dave p.s: saw it run on trailer and everything seemed fine, motor cranked sounded good. i will require water test before i buy but i offered $2000, he wants $2600. interior needs replacing. what sounds fair on price? THANKS FOR ANY INPUT, I DONT WANT TO MAKE A MISTAKE! DAVE

 

[Yepblaze]

Re: new boater needs input on OMC 350ci motor and OMC 800 outdrive

Let me start by saying it's not a corvette, it's a boat. Boats take boat camshafts to run correctly. It may very well perform OK with a vette cam and all but................<br /><br />The outdrive was rebuilt once. That doesn't mean a whole lot. It may indeed have been rated at less horsepower than the motor was putting out causing the failure. If that were the case it probably would fail again.<br /><br />If the interior involves wooden sections that are starting to fail due to rot, you may be in for a whole lot more than you are bargining for.