Pre-Alpha Visual Identification Resources

[Campfire]

I bought a pressure tested MC-1 for about $250 shipped. $850 is insane. Use a search engine and type in “MC-1 sterndrive for sale”. Lots of boat salvage yards will pop up with variants of that search. Also, check Facebook marketplace. My drive came out of a boat salvage yard in north central Wisconsin.

 

[wxkl]

Thanks, everyone, for the input.

@achris I'm a little confused (sorry!). I had kind of though that you said that an "early" MC-1 (like I have) won't fit anything later than 1975, and then I thought that a later post said that any drive up until 1990 will fit. Am I reading these properly? I'm guessing the reason it doesn't make sense to me is that I don't quite understand how people are using the term "drive"... does that include the gimbal housing? Or the inner transom plate? I had kind of assumed that "drive" was anything to the rear of the bell housing, but I guess I have no reason for thinking this. In terms of my early MC-1, if I want to replace everything from the gimbal housing rearward..... I need to make sure that it's all "early" MC-1, which means anything up to 1975? Is that right?

@nola mike I am near Reno, NV. I bet there are good options near me, but I just don't know the good places to look yet

@Campfire Thanks, I'll try that! When you say you got an MC-1, was that the drive and the gimbal housing, the whole deal? You say that you got a "pressure tested" MC-1, so I assume that looking for drives that have been pressure tested is the way to go... I'm pretty new at this, what else should I look for? Like, how can I know that a drive is decent, without inspecting it? Anything beyond pressure tested that I should be looking for?

Thanks!!

 

[Campfire]

Thanks, everyone, for the input.

@achris I'm a little confused (sorry!). I had kind of though that you said that an "early" MC-1 (like I have) won't fit anything later than 1975, and then I thought that a later post said that any drive up until 1990 will fit. Am I reading these properly? I'm guessing the reason it doesn't make sense to me is that I don't quite understand how people are using the term "drive"... does that include the gimbal housing? Or the inner transom plate? I had kind of assumed that "drive" was anything to the rear of the bell housing, but I guess I have no reason for thinking this. In terms of my early MC-1, if I want to replace everything from the gimbal housing rearward..... I need to make sure that it's all "early" MC-1, which means anything up to 1975? Is that right?

@nola mike I am near Reno, NV. I bet there are good options near me, but I just don't know the good places to look yet

@Campfire Thanks, I'll try that! When you say you got an MC-1, was that the drive and the gimbal housing, the whole deal? You say that you got a "pressure tested" MC-1, so I assume that looking for drives that have been pressure tested is the way to go... I'm pretty new at this, what else should I look for? Like, how can I know that a drive is decent, without inspecting it? Anything beyond pressure tested that I should be looking for?

Thanks!!

I bought just the upper gear case for $170 shipped. The gimbal housing cost me $120 shipped. Both of those were from ebay but the salvage yard listing those items was in Wisconsin. The reputable salvage yards all have online reviews. The eBay listings from the salvage yards usually include their name/address.

From what I have seen of listings, a sterndrive consists of the upper and lower gear cases. The listings have pics though so it will be obvious what they include. Kind of hard to miss a gimbal housing.

Here is who I bought the gimbal housing from: https://www.nlamarine.com/

Dig through the few threads I have here as I recently finished some of the work you are doing and the guys here at iboats steered me straight.

 

[achris]

MUST HAVE Technical Information for DIYers.

MUST HAVE Technical Information for DIYers. (< An @ Work Safe Search Version Of ^^^) If you have NEVER posted in this forum before, please click on How to ask a question link first. 1. How to Ask a Question .... Please Read This Before Posting A Question... 2. Miscellaneous Mercruiser...

forums.iboats.com

 

[wxkl]

Hi all,
I've been checking around with Marine parts places and I'm really not seeing anything under $850. I called the NLA marine that @Campfire mentioned and they have a few for about that price, maybe a little over (although I see why you like them, they are great to interact with).

I guess I'm just confused about whether or not $850 shipped is a bad price, because it seems 100% in line with what is out there.... I haven't seen anything cheaper for the whole gimbal housing/ring/bell/drive unit shipped.

Are there any other good reputable parts sources that I'm just missing? Happy to do the legwork, just not entirely familiar with all of the options! :/

Thanks!