1972 Slickcraft with OMC stringer

[58hydraglide]

Re: 1972 Slickcraft with OMC stringer

I wonder if an older Volvo 270,280 type would work. they seem to have a large transum shield and you may be able to open the hole up more to accept it. Sorry I don't know the dimentions, just a thought.

Good luck!

The hole for the volvo is taller and narrower, unfortunately.

 

[WizeOne]

Re: 1972 Slickcraft with OMC stringer

....(the engine side is pressed on the drive shaft and it must be purchased with the gears) ....

Someone gave you bad information 58. This is not a true statement. Ball gears come as a set and can be removed and reinstalled on either end.

 

[58hydraglide]

Re: 1972 Slickcraft with OMC stringer

Someone gave you bad information 58. This is not a true statement. Ball gears come as a set and can be removed and reinstalled on either end.

WizeOne, I hate to disagree with you, but I ordered a set of 73' and up ball gears and the shaft size on the engine side ball gear was larger than mine,and the diameter of the sealing surface was much larger. I confirmed this with a neighbors '77 viking deck boat that has a 302 ford. the ball gears I purchased were a perfect fit for his drive. After more research, I couldn't find the pre '73 gears in the aftermarket and the only available gearsets were nos OMC that came with the ball gear pressed on the engine driveshaft. The other clue was the bearing and seal retainer for the intermediate housing on my neighbors was larger in diameter and was a 4 bolt mount pattern as opposed to my 3 bolt pattern.aside from the fact that my engine side splines were much finer than the same on the new gear.

 

[jitts3]

Re: 1972 Slickcraft with OMC stringer

I may have advise and also questions. If the engine lost power and oil pressure, sounds to me that you are loosing a bearing. Or the oil pump took a crap. Is the engine tight to turn over. either way a loss of oil pressure means bad news. Need to tear the engine down. me personally I'd rebuild it, but then again it has been done once already. Maybe get a rebuilt chevy 350. Will bolt right in.
As far as the drive I have the same trouble. I'm buying an old 34 ft Sea Ray with missing engine and stern drive. Not sure where to go without busting the bank. Boat came with original OMC stringer and electric shift. I have been looking online and found plenty of used stuff on Craigslist. Also Google used boat parts and it is filled with parts and some professionally rebuilt units. This is the way I think I will go. Not for nothing, but if OMC made so many of these for so many years, what can be so bad about them. Now I know OMC is out of buisness but so is Oldsmobile, and they were fine cars.
In short I'd swap the 307 with a rebuild 350 and run her as is, Maybe replace the sterndrive with a rebuild. Why re-invent the wheel?
Just my opinion.
Steve

 

[oldsub86]

Re: 1972 Slickcraft with OMC stringer

I'm stuck for the moment with cold weather and no place to work inside. The boat is out at the cottage, 175 miles away so can't do much until probably April at the earliest. I bought the Seloc and OMC Manuals and am reading through them. I agree that something bad happened and the motor is likely going to need a lot of attention. If it looks fixable, we likely will do so and see how the stringer works out. I have nothing against OMC. Have run a couple of older Johnson and Evinrude outboards with very little trouble for years. The previous owners of the Slickcraft had no real trouble with the outdrive to my knowledge. I can always swap to a Mercruiser in future and the cost of the newer models should decline with time. The only Mercruisers that I have found locally at a reasonable price have been Ford powered and I would rather stay with the GM engine.

Keep us posted on your progress with the install of the engine and drive.

Randy

 

[oldsub86]

Re: 1972 Slickcraft with OMC stringer

Oooops. Looks like the Round Boot ended in 1971.

1971 Boots:

I have the original invoice for the boat and it was bought new in 1972. I understand that sometimes, the builders will install engines from the previous year so I suppose the engine and outdrive might be 1971.

For what it is worth, the boat, cost $7,259.20 out of Minneapolis. It was ordered December 28, 1971 and delivered to International Falls, Minnesota on or about June 1, 1972.

Randy

 

[oldsub86]

Re: 1972 Slickcraft with OMC stringer

"OMC Stringer drives are notorious for getting water in the gearcase, and that looks like alot of rust for something that should definetly be case aluminum."

I think that what you are looking at, is a shop made retainer to hold the plug in the end of the tilt mechanism worm drive shaft. There is normally a c clip sort of ring that holds the plug into the end of the hole. Corrosion, over time damages them and they don't hold. OMC made a kit for retro fitting something that looks a lot like this rusty doodad. It is obviously a shop made creation similar to the kit. It is steel that has not been painted and as such has rusted. I can either clean it up and paint it or remake it from aluminum or stainless steel to avoid the rust. That would be easy.

Randy

 

[58hydraglide]

Re: 1972 Slickcraft with OMC stringer

Oldsub,
What did you decide on your project? I like the lines of the old slickcrafts and they are great rough water hulls. There are a lot of educated individuals on here that can help you out. There are many opinions on here against the old omc outdrives,(mine included) but don't let that deter you from your project. I chose to repower mine with another outdrive because I don.t want the potential issues later on nor the possible expense that it could take to keep it in the water.There are several guys out there that are running the older omcs' and love them. They are also for most of them, very familiar with them. I personally don't care for the design of th oudrive and prefer a simpler design (again, just MY opinion). Either way these d@mn boats cost money and whether you dump a bunch into an older hull or you dump a bunch up front for a newer one, they are a luxury that we should feel fortunate to be able to afford. Good luck on it and looking forward to hearing what you decide.
BTW MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!!

 

[chiefalen]

Re: 1972 Slickcraft with OMC stringer

E-bay has a tilt retainer fix kit on sale right now.

 

[oldsub86]

Re: 1972 Slickcraft with OMC stringer

Oldsub,
What did you decide on your project?

Can't do anything much until April or May when things start to warm up. Don't have a garage big enough to put it in if I hauled it home. Therefore have some time to think on it. Will also depend on what I find when we open up the existing engine. If it is readily repairable, I will likely fix the motor and see what happens with the stringer. So far as I know there were no issues with the outdrive.

However, at the same time, I am keeping my eye open for a boat with a Mercruiser setup that might be possible to swap into this hull.

Randy

 

[Soldier Bouy]

Re: 1972 Slickcraft with OMC stringer

Just a bit of my experience. I have a renken W/A with an OMC 4.3 and 800 outdrive. The motor blew so I bought another 4.3, heck easy, just swap the motor right? NOPE! The motor is an 85 and replacement was a 1990. The crank is different in bolt pattern says my mechanica and cannot be installed. See right around 85/86 gm started making 1 piece rear seals on their motors and it seems as though they are not interchangable. My outdrive has been working fine. I would suggest checking the drive oil after every outting. Replace the water pump in the outdrive before you do anything else and just enjoy it.

 

[cr2k]

Re: 1972 Slickcraft with OMC stringer

Interesting string here.

I'd like to offer a few comments on your dilemma..

Yes it would be east to swap a 350 in to it, but besides the marinazation needed the power would blow the drive off the boat.

Picture looks like the housing for the worm drive is corroded through, hence the rust on ,top. The problems with the tilt system is well, they leak no way to ever make one not leak period. But you can live with them.
The problem is when the water in the housing goes undrained it floats the oil up the shaft and in to the drive motor itself. The oil softens the lacquer insulation and zap the motor shorts out for good.

How to live with it, just drain and refill the tilt case often, every trip if needed. Fact of OMC life. There are several nylon washers on the shaft and they are important to be all there for the tilt to function properly and with reduced effort (longer life).

Stringer rot. Good point, my 84 Regal had bad stringer rot. I cut the stringers forward enough to replace the back with laminated blocks (3/4 marine ply) to the necessary height and shape to match the rear engine mounts. I used an airhose to blow and vacuum as much rot out of the remaining fiberglass tunnel and filled with canned foam. Glassed the whole mess in and dropped the engine back down. This was done with the drive removed and the engine moved forward. I have seen a nifty thing done with 1/4 thick aluminum angle.
2x3 or 2x2 put as far forward as possible under the front mounts the the transom and the engine set back down on them.

If you do swap for a older M/C set up, I would caution against the urge to swap for a 350. The older drives were not made to hold the bearings under that much load and you will blow the upper gearcase and or twist the vertical drive shaft. These drive are good for about 200-250 hp. last better <200 hp.

If you look for a M/C look for one does not have the round rams, as they use a shimmed preload on the top bearing not a funky spring.

Given the loss of oil, low knock would most likely be a rod brg. Siumular noise can come from the gimble brg. or in OMC the bearings behind the ball gear on the boat.

A leaky drive can be delt with by changing the oil often 2 or 3 times over the summer. Unless you get water and not just milky oil then reseal time. I dont have much experience with this older drive but I know the electric shift outboards use a different (read special) oil, making them "special needs" drives.

Good luck with your task. A daunting one, but not impossible.

Can't stress enough, don't put a 350 in and think you can pull wake boarders and still have drive on the back of the boat at the end of the day.

 

[garycarroll]

Re: 1972 Slickcraft with OMC stringer

I have a similar problem, just having acquired a 1972 Slickcraft SF 255 (26 feet). It seems to run fine, except that the engine begins to overheat if it is run at 3000 RPM or more. 2500 RPM, no problem. I suspected a partially clogged exhaust manifold and intend to have this looked at, but I am not a mechanic.
From having read this thread, I am now a bit worried. I gather that owning a boat powered like this and not being a mechanic is a problem.
The hull seems very solid. Is it advisable to just use this engine/outdrive until there is a problem, and then repower with perhaps outboard(s) on a bracket? The transom hole would have to be fixed, but this does not seem unduly hard... to someone who just admitted he is not a mechanic.