Re: '62 40hp - Bottom End is Toast - Help!!!
CBGale, I replied to your PM before I realized there are two pages to this thread. Anyhoo, it has been pretty well covered and beat to death by now. Bottom line is pretty much you need a 33-35-40hp Gale, Johnson, or Evinrude with the single wall midsection and single water tube (not recirculating/thermostat cooling). The old 25hp motors will bolt up but have different gears and bearings and are not strong enough for a 40, so don't go for one of those. I'm not sure about the 28hp. If you luck upon a 1968-up, they are a better unit with detents on the clutch dog. Remember, J/E went back to your style lower unit in 1971-up----till they changed again and went to prop hub exhaust. Also, keep in mind you have a short shaft. But they can be converted.