Which Outdrive

[dacker]

Need a little help here. I recently had a boat given to me and I plan on restoring it. The boat is in fairly good shape and has 2 mercruiser 200 sitting in the engine box (excuse the terminology if that's the wrong name for it). There is nothing from the outside the back of the boat whatsoever. I am assuming I need some type of trim, steering and propulsion system there. So I will start with what hooks to the motor. What do I need to be looking for here because the manufacturer of the boat didn't know either. Ill post the info here. Thanks in advance.... Dale

1986 Chris Craft
Vee Express
26'
2 mercruiser 200 engines

 

[thumpar]

Can you get the serial numbers off the engines? It would most likely be a inboard setup so you would need transmissions for shifting and everything back plus a separate steering system.

 

[dacker]

Sure ... ill get you some pics and serial numbers this afternoon and post them later. Thank you.

 

[alldodge]

My guess also is this is an inboard. Also thinking the transmissions would still be there, otherwise there is nothing to support the rear. Pics will be a good place to start

 

[harleyman1975]

Or could be he just has two keyholes...

 

[Scott Danforth]

should be twin inboards

dacker , look underneath. if you have props and rudders, then you DO NOT have outdrives

 

[dacker]

OK I have some pictures ... best I could get at night anyway. I will get more if needed. It says it wont let me up load them until I make 3 post so I guess I will keep trying until I get them uploaded. Anyway it looks like just below the motor mounts maybe a tab or someting was broken off unless its just the coating peeling. There is also some type of plate behind the motor that is on the starboard side. Its just laying in the hole but looks like it should mount somewhere. There are 2 mecruiser inboards and I believe the seriel number on one is 4772386 (pictured). Thank you all for your help in advance. Dale

 

[dacker]

test for pictures

 

[dacker]

Test for pictures #2

 

[dacker]

Ok its still not letting me upload them any suggestions?

 

[alldodge]

send your pics to
deleted

 

[alldodge]

Lets see what we have

 

[alldodge]

And next set

 

[Bondo]

Ayuh,.... With what little there is to work with there,....

The question oughta be, What outdrives do You wanta install,.....

The Serial number will give ya a vintage to work with, as to what Was there,....
But the Bravo is the big drive, or the Alpha the smaller,...
Ya got nothin',.... Ya need it All,... 2 of 'em,...

The rear motor mounts on the flywheel cover look Wide, so I'm gonna Guess it had an MC-1 drives,....

 

[alldodge]

Initially didn't think there would be that kind of space but the motors may have been using jack shafts. Seems to be some space between the motor coupler and key holes. While fixing up an old boat can be quite rewarding, I'm thinking (without more global pics) its going to take quite a bit of coin to get the old girl back up. With everything removed like it is, I'm going to guess you need two motors, but they may be able to be rebuilt.

What kind of time frame do you have to get her going?

 

[thumpar]

Looks like 2 470's. The serial numbers would fall in the range too.

 

[dacker]

While they look dirty and rough right now I actually just used a long handle screwdriver and the motors, both of them, rolled over pretty smooth and easy so I think with a little tlc they will be ok.... So "everything back" and "jackshafts" are French to me. And "whatever I want" is why I'm here. You guys are the experts so I'm here to kind of hear what you want or what you would do. When you say more global pics tell me what you need and I'll get it. Thanks Dale

 

[alldodge]

If you tried to post all those pics at one time there would be an issue.

I would like to see how much room there is behind the motors. When pics are taken close up we see what the item looks like but not the layout

 

[dacker]

Ok give me few and I'll run out there and get some more in the daylight

 

[thumpar]

The problem with the engines, even if they are salvageable is they look to be 470's (inline motor, intake and exhaust on different sides, power steering up high and serial number being in range). The 470's are a whole different animal. I don't know that you want to dive into that along with everything else you are going to have to do to get this going. You may be better off selling the motors to someone that knows the proper care and feeding of a 470 and putting in 4.3's if there is room or even 3.0l if you have to. I know I would not want to tackle a 470 unless I had to and for sure would not want to have to tackle 2 of them.